Forgotten Artisan Living

22/10/2026

Hopefully this post can help someone learn from my mistake…

Cows will not naturally wean there babies just because they are pregnant with a new one.
I have read both advice/ opinions on this, and I guess maybe some cows would.

I was 100% certain our cow Storm was empty when we sold Zeb the bull in February.
She didn’t look pregnant, she was feeding her calf from last year, she ”cycled” regularly with mooing and cowjumping shenanigans.

This morning, in the rain ofcourse, I thought I was seeing double… there was 2 fully black calves running around, we should only have the one…

Storm had a heifer calf!😫😫

With Rusty her yearling drinking her milk, she had not had a chance to build up antibodies for a good source of colostrum for the new baby :(:(.

As precaution I always freeze Oreos colostrum every year. So here I am again, out in the rain, trying to force feed a calf that doesn’t understand why it needs a bottle when mum is right there.

It is so important that a calf gets colostrum during its first 24hours.

Ugh!!

WEAN your yearlings!!!!

As Richie reminds me… always dramas around here!

19/10/2026

That’s a wrap! All the calves for this season has dropped.

The wet weather always seems to be the choice of time for labour! And me running around like a headless chook trying to dry babies, convince them to stay under shelter and not get attacked by mum 🤪

Speedy - first time mum gave birth to a beautiful heifer.
Speckle park x lowline Angus.

With her colour and the times she dropped into the puddles as I carried her to shelter has gotten her the name Splash.💦

Splash, Flip and Al brings our cattle count to 13!

That’s just too many for our land unfortunately. So if you are looking for calm hobby farm friendly cattle, please reach out :)

15/10/2026

Whenever I make butter I just have to make some chocolate mousse..
A little luxury in every day life :) and surely it can’t be bad for me coming straight from Oreo ;)

Raw cacao, honey and whipped raw cream 😋

10/10/2026

“ Goat heaven “ - Joeys words

If you could pick an animal to be what would it be?

- A goat of course!

09/10/2026

This week I made one of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make… Dusty has suffered from a bad eye since before I got him. After multiple vet appointments, different vets, trials and ongoing inflammation and pain; We opted at taking his eye out.
3 days past surgery and he is his funny self, but annoyed to be at stable rest..

Now it’s just me that has to live with the guilt and what ifs.

Any positive stories of one eyed horses, I’m all ears.

The fear and bad stories you can keep to yourself please :)

Hoping we will return to riding as usual. Now pain free.

04/10/2026

After a rough few weeks and 9months of worry, I am so relieved Floppy dropped a healthy, strong heifer. You might remember her last years calf Tiny, the premmie calf last year with feeding issues? This little one was up and feeding by herself within 15 min! 🤗

She has the cutest little mouse ears.

29/09/2026

29/09/2026

Georgia working with the ”imaginary lead rope” with Lightning.

And no, no treats involved, Lightnings way of relaxing is licking and chewing which you can see here, as Georgie is offering her hand.

This is the first time these two work together at liberty.

It’s so special to witness connection coming together.

Two minds wanting to connect, learning a new language. - Together

23/09/2026

This morning is a tough and sad day on the farm.
Sky, one of our beautiful does passed away over night, leaving behind her twin kids Isac and Iris.

Sky has been battling with Anaemia from a hard birth and then a parasite that we struggled to get ontop of. After 6 weeks of injections, drenching, supplements, rest , special diet, she had had enough.

She passed in her sleep next to her babies.

Now to try and keep them healthy and thriving without mum …😢

Today I don’t want to be a farmer.