Soule: The Ups And Downs Of Farming

Last week, I shared a story about Mr. Devon, a calf whose weaning had gone sideways. He had an extreme and possibly deadly case of scours (calf diarrhea), and every treatment we tried failed. He’s the only one of the Devon breed of beef cattle on Miles Smith Farm. When sickly Mr. Devon started sharing a stall with Holly, a Scottish Highlander, he improved but became sluggish and bloated after each bottle of milk replacer. When his temperature hit 104 (normal calf temps are 101-102), I started penicillin — again.

Given his will to live, Mr. Devon is likely to survive. He’s luckier than some of the cattle I’ve treated over the years. All too often, farming is a matter of life and death.

How do I make peace with the tragedy? What soothes the pain of losing an animal prematurely?

After two years of writing, rewriting, and editing, I finally have produced a book that lets you see inside my farm. My weekly columns have given some of you a view of farming,

Read More

Carole is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm at Loudon, N.H., where she raises beef and shares the joys of her Farm with kids and adults. She can be reached at carole@soulecoaching.com.