by Jan Fielden
Hope you can stand another “feeding the cows” story from me! This past week I was off on my way to feeding. Everything was going great, no problems. WOW! I thought I was seeing a miracle and I believe I was since I asked God to help me this time and not let me have the problems I had the week before. We have had a lot of rain as I am sure y’all know and to get to the Back Herd it is necessary to go down the private road that runs along side the ranch. It is much longer but necessary. However, I decided on my own that maybe I would try cutting across the pasture in between. The Colonel had told me not to do that because there was a good possibility I could get the tractor stuck, but more importantly, he said it was dangerous. He said you have to go very fast and if you hit a bump you can get thrown off the tractor.
Well, sometimes I just have to do what someone tells me not to do…have always been like that. So, the decision was made that I would give going across that pasture a try. I certainly didn’t want to get stuck but neither did I want to get thrown from the tractor. Off I go in fifth gear. The hogs have really torn that pasture up so I had to watch for the holes they have made and it was raining so visibility was not great. The Colonel hadn’t exaggerated when he said it would be rough and dangerous. I was in the air more than I was on the seat from all the bumping of the rough field. Part of the time I took to the side of the road that goes through the pasture because the road has become rutted, but then the side was rough from the hogs rooting too.
It was a thrill however because I was able to do it and I liked the adventure of trying to conqueror it. One thing I hadn’t counted on going to the back I had a hay bale adding weight but coming back I didn’t so…it was even rougher! Fun times at the Red Oak Ranch!
