Spring 2022 at Cornell Farms

FEEDING CATTLE - CONTINUOUSLY

The blowing snow got to be a bit tiresome but it sure is beautiful when the sun is out. This is our lane into the farm. We were really short of winter feed this year because of last summer's drought. Some of our cattle were sent out to Manitoba for corn grazing at Brett McRae's farm. What an innovative young man. The cattle are moved daily onto new corn stocks.

At home, we also changed to feeding corn silage. This involved a new method of feeding along the fence lines. As part of the initiative to deal with the drought, we also received funding assistance to drill a new well in our barnyard pens. We have had trouble with that well for years so it was welcome support.

Rebecca was home a few times this winter and spring and of course being pulled to the barn like a newborn calf was part of the agenda!

FUN AT HOME AND AWAY
Rebecca and Kelsey were home early in the new year and with that came a day of sliding on the sliding hill just up the back lane from Gordon and Jeannine's house. Everyone was there - including cousins, neighbours and family. We even had a campfire for smores.

Pat was up in Kenora for work and had an adventure on the ice roads of Lake of the Woods. There are 100 kilometres of them being plowed by all sorts of vehicles including this old school bus. It was fascinating to see all the vehicles out on the ice including all the construction crews working on homes.

Kim and Pat made a quick trip to southern Ontario in February to see all the Clysdale family in Mooretown, the Cornell family in Toronto and a visit to Flux Brewery where Kelsey works.

CALVING

Calving was a bit of a job this year with all the snow, mud and flooding. We had to treat alot of animals for pneumonia. Rebecca even had to "invent" an IV system using a wine bottle. Cold was also an issue so ear warmers were a necessity to prevent frozen ears. It's still raining - quite a spring. At least the snow is almost gone.

Aunt Rebecca and Charlotte make quite a pair - they are like two peas in a pod when it comes to farming and cattle. They spend hours together here on the farm when Rebecca is home.

FLOODING; HIKING; BULLS FOR SALE
Knox United Church in Fort Frances organized a hike and marshmallow roast on the Eighth St. Trails in Fort Frances. Pat, Rebecca, Michelle, Charlotte and Aiden had a great afternoon of fun.

We were cut off for a few days because of some flooding. Kim and Pat were coming home from a market in Sioux Lookout and had to park the market trailer at Garnet and Michelle's, park the truck at the Rainy River Elk Farm and walk partway home (they did get a ride from brother-in-law Bill once they got over the collapsed roadway). The south end of LaVallee road north was completely flooded. You can see the new "lake" from Garnet and Michelle's deck. It took a couple of days to fix.

The flood even had cattle doing strange things like the calf on top of the bale feeder - we've never seen that before.

Just a reminder that we have Two Year Old and Yearling Bulls for sale. Pictures and videos are all up on our website and on Cornell Farms' youTube channel. Picture day is always a lot of fun. Be sure to check them out. Pat is the photographer/videographer/editor and loves to pick music from bands who have performed at Cornell Farms!