Happy New Year!!
In the past few weeks I’ve taken on a couple special projects.
One was really easy. I downloaded the app Livestocked and entered all my animal’s data. It’s a herd management software that tracks animal breedings, treatments, weight gain rates, pasture information and other handy stuff. I’m really happy with it so far, there is a basic version that’s free. I’m trying the $50/year version and I’ll keep you posted on how I like it.
The second project has been more time consuming. As I’ve mentioned before, I moved my animals from my parent’s house in November. It was a quick, “Let’s do this!” kind of thing. My Dad got home from work and hooked up the trailer, while I grabbed the critters and just the essentials. Since then, I’ve slowly moved all the other stuff…. Lots of stuff! LOTS and LOTS of stuff! Things I forgot I had… like two water tank de-icers! Yessss! Along with other things that should have been pitched years ago… like a cabinet full of half-used and expired meds. Although I shouldn’t complain, NOT using medicine is a good problem to have!
Tucked in an old index card box was a great treasure!
In my medicine cabinet, I found an old index card box. In 2003, a year before I got my first flip phone, I’d made my own version of the Livestocked App. I had index cards for each animal – birth date, dam and sire, registration number, tattoo, photo… All the info you need to have for your big 4-H herd of 8 animals! Attached to each card was a record of de-wormings, hoof trims, Bo-Se and CD&T shots, and other comments.
The more things change, the more they stay the same!
I didn’t cry…. okay, maybe just a little. I’m sure the fact that I’d sprayed a little bit of my rusty (but still lucky)18-year-old can of Ultra finishing spray didn’t help! It still smells SO GOOD and brings back so many memories! Stuff like this reassures me that this path… this sometimes rocky farming path, is the right path for me. ❤
Au Bel Farm 