Are you my mother?

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It was all we could hope for and more. A bottle calf is fun, but it isn't ideal. They don't always learn how to be cattle and can grow up with bad habits or worse like health issues and delayed growth. 

We were of course willing to try if need be, but our first aim was to try and graft him to one of the mamas we have here that have milk by the literal gallons. They are good mamas and share three calves between the two of them, so we figured we had a good shot. 

SweetieBelle, the mature, matriarch, and trusty gal was the first to start bellowing when she spotted him. We don't speak cow so we couldn't be sure of what she was saying but his arrival was clearly announced. It wasn't long and a crowd had gathered at the pasture gate. Cows, heifers, calves, horses galore, a curious pig or two, and even some garrulous goats made up the welcoming party. 

We let Sweetie into the yard for the initial introductions, but not without saying a few silent and a couple of audible prayers. We are after all "Maker's" Long Acres and know the Lord goes before and beside all that we do. So would she take him? We held our collective breaths ready to snag him out of harm's way should she start tossing her spear-laden head. 

More bellowing and some sniffing. A few blows and some snorts from her. And he tentatively hopped and wobbled chattering at her quizzingly and keeping himself close. After a few moments, there it was! The lick that said it all! With a long rough stroke of her sand paper tongue, she claimed him. "This one's mine too" she announced with a booming cry.

And that was how the sad lonely calf of Monday found his happily ever after in this first chapter of his life yesterday.  Now we are turning the page and excited to see how things turn out. 

But as we closed our eyes last night at bedtime, we whispered prayers of gratitude with rejoicing on our lips, yet again for this brilliantly blessed farm-life the Maker has called us to live. 

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You know what else we're grateful for? You! Because we couldn't do this without folks supporting us by purchasing our pork and making it possible. Please remember to visit Makerslongacres.com and get our pork on your fork. Use code thankyou50 at checkout to take $50 off a half or whole hog

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