Lessons learned in the Calving Barn

 Weatherman’s calling for snow tonight. That always makes for a interesting night of calving.  

One very cold snowy night in the Sandhills of Nebraska dad was on night calving duty all month long.  I was probably 5.   

We had a big calving barn that as soon as you walked in there was a big pen  then it went into a alley that led to calving chute and stall.   It wasn’t an ideal set up but it worked,  most of the time. 

I woke up and the house was so cold, still & quiet.  My half dobby half malamute dog Banjo who rarely left my side wasn’t on the bed.  He never let dad make his rounds calving by himself so that told me they were at the barn.  I got up rubbing the sleep out of my eyes stumbling over my flannel nightgown hem and searched for mom.   No momma either. That meant dad was having trouble and needed moms help pulling a calf.   Daddy’s hands are the size of a bear paw and often moms small delicate hands were the right fit to get a calf turned.    Not wanting to miss out on anything I pulled snow pants on under my nightgown,  a struggle then happened as a 5 year old half asleep tried dressing herself for the harsh Nebraska winter night.  Not being able to get my boots on with thick snow pants I just slipped on a pair of dads cowboy boots.  Way to big for my tiny feet but a perfect fit around my legs with 3 inch snow pants.   Coat, mittens & a toboggan to keep warm but one of dads felts on top of that so I still looked like a real cowboys daughter.    Daddy always says “no dudes in his outfit” 😉 

I made my way to the barn in deep deep snow and began to rethink my dads boots but it was to late to turn back so I kept trudging through the drifts.  It was one of those nights that was so still you could hear those big fat snowflakes falling, you could see your breath freezing in front of your face & the light glowing from the barn pulled me towards it as a coyote yipped in the distance.   

I threw all my weight into opening the barn door and as warmth & smell of birthing ran over me I heard dad scream “ Get on the FENCE!”   I slammed the door shut and waddled over to the pen where a crazy eyed first calf heifer was slinging snot, pawing at the ground and bellering like a bull.   I wasn’t sure if it was just out of anger or the pain she didn’t understand coming from inside her.  I could see a leg out but something told me things just weren’t right and that baby needed to come out NOW.   You learn these things fast growing up on a ranch at a very young age. 

Mom was on top of the fence and dad was straddling a support pole she’d put him up inside the pen.    I have to admit I was a little disappointed I’d missed some of the fun and getting to see dad climb that pole.   Finally seeing me he told me to distract the heifer from them but don’t get to close.   So I shuffled my way to the pen in dads boots and started taking to the heifer.  She didn’t pay much attention at first to me so I started dancing and hitting the fence calling her names a 5 year old girl probably shouldn’t have ever heard let alone say but I was around cowboys all the time and they often forgot I was there.    Banjo joined by my side barking up a storm probably thinking I’d lost my mind and he was fixing to have to fight that crazy old rip to save me.  

She finally noticed me and  Banjo and charged the fence.  I was on the other side but still when she hit that fence it was like the world EXPLODED!!!    I’m not sure if it was the force of the air she brought with her or if I just tried to move backwards as she hit and tipped myself over in those boots that were the size of ski’s to my tiny feet but I went down hard.   I went to flailing legs and arms trying to roll over and run because I just knew she was fixing to come over or through that fence at any minute.    She got down on one knee and had her head under the bottom rail and I seriously thought she was fixing to eat me alive.   Banjo went after her grabbed her by the nose until she shook him off and sent him flying into a stack of hay.  

All the distraction we made gave mom & dad enough time to get the alley gate & chute open and then dad got her to chase him in.   Mom locked her down tight and by the time I got upright and to the chute mom already had the calf turned & Dad had the chains on both feet and calf pullers hooked up.     Calf hit the ground and mom and I went to work getting it cleaned off and breathing good.     Mom was fine finally and quiet and still. 

The rest of the night isn’t real clear in my memory.   I know at some point dad carried me back to the warm  house and mom tucked me in bed.   

Early next morning over a bowl of Lucky Charms dad said Banjo & I’d saved the night.     I went with him to check everything at the barn again one last time before he went to bed.    We got to that mean old heifers pen and her calf was nursing, she was cleaning it and making sounds of love only a momma can make.   The snort and fire in her was gone.    

I didn’t quiet understand.  Dad explained that sometimes fear of the unknown and any kind of pain emotional or physical will make us do crazy things we don’t normally do.    Why it’s important to keep our trust and eyes on Jesus at all times.   Cows don’t know Jesus like we do so he put us  here to help them.  

I’m not sure how much that 5 year old understood that day but looking back I learned a lesson that’s stayed with me a lifetime and a fun story to tell to boot. 

Ramblings of a Ranchers daughter and wife.  

Kara Mc. 

Blessings!