The cold weather arrived on schedule. The animals appear not to have noticed. They are eating a bit more than usual but otherwise they seem oblivious. We seem to be at the end of the real cold part although it hasn't been really cold here. We have a recording thermometer and the lowest this week was minus 1. It just hasn't gotten much above ten. Tomorrow we are supposed to begin a week of 20's. I told our Minnesota cattle that they should be happy they moved to New York. The air temperature this week at their former home was minus thirty four. That is noticeably cold.

We had all the usual problems with the water that cold brings but no real problems. We found that our fencer was putting out an anemic shock and we replaced it while ours is repaired. We got all five yearling bulls back in their pen. Verne's likes to associate with the main herd so he worked his way through the fence. Tomorrow, we are going to rework the fence so the bottom wire is out of the circuit. We think we are losing some jolt where the snow covers the lower wire.

Thursday, I went to another DNA vendor seminar with the beef group to the west. The presentation was excellent. Jim couldn't go because he had a track meet. He did his personal best in the mile which is great. On my best day, I was never a runner.


We have had contacts from some folks from Massachusetts who are coming out next week to look at our animals. Hopefully, the weather will be good.

I went to the diner this morning. Apparently, the swimming went well for the boys. There was some mention that one wasn't a good floater. He thought that maybe they had slipped him weighted floaties. Those are those long plastic log type things that kids seem to enjoy. There was also lots of talk about canoes. One of the guys has a real fondness for canoes. He has to be the only we have ever heard about falling out while standing up in the canoe in his garage.

The lake is frozen. There are several folks ice fishing on the northern end. We never see any activity on our end. There has always been talk that our ice is treacherous due to springs.