Since our kids have left the nest we built here on the farm, I have graduated to be the calf chore crew for my husband.

When daylight savings time ends, calf chores have to be done in the dark.

The calf shed is on the east side of the barn.  My house is on the west side of it.  So my path takes me down the hill, into the barn.  There my husband supplies me with the milk that I am to use for feeding the baby calves in the shed.

I carry the pails of milk to the barn door.  I unlatch it and one of the barn cats scoots out the door in front of me.  I can see the barnyard from the lights in the barn.  But when the door shuts, my eyes adjust to the moonlight on the ground.  I slowly maneuvre to the stairway that will lead me up out of the barnyard to the calf shed door.

Just inside the door is a light switch.  As soon as the lights are on, calves beller.  They know what comes next…Lunch!

Barn cats know what that means, too.  They greedily gather around to glean the leftovers that I can give to them when the calves have had their share.

photo credit:Wenda Grabau
photo credit:Bretta Grabau
photo credit:Bretta Grabau