New Years Eve was very cold with snow and wind. We took care of our chores and pretty much had an easy day. Jim was invited to an overnight party with some friends he had met at Scouts. I decided to drive him since the weather was very poor. I made it back safely and had an early start on being well rested for 2009.

I picked him up New Year's morning and we stopped and bought some lumber. I was surprised to see that the big box stores were open. We didn't need quality lumber and it certainly wasn't. One of the 2 x 4 x 12 broke in half when we picked it up. The lumber was to finish up our new cow shelter.

Friday I got up early to meet my friend and his truck and go pick up some baleage I had purchased earlier this fall. I thought we had put up enough of our own hay but having the ten Minnesota cows as extras has put a dent into our supply. We have a calf from one of these cows in the National Lowline Show in Denver on January 13. The sale flier just came out and we have an email as a result. A man who grew up in our town saw the flier in Florida where he lives and raises Lowlines. I don't know him but was certainly clad to make a connection.

I was going to do back to get a second load but had to ask my friend to go by himself. When I got back with the first load, one of our belties had begun to freshen. This is her first calf and I wanted to watch her closely. After about two hours, she produced a fine beltie-lowline calf.

We think it's a heifer but we are not yet totally sure. Belties are famous for being over protective mothers. She and the calf are in a pen and she is sending out strong signals that she does not want visitors in the pen. We were able to get a fleeting glance when the calf was born and its looks like it might be a heifer. It is very difficult to get a birth weight on a beltie calf. We won't name the calf until we're sure of the sex. We think matters should calm down tomorrow and we'll move them to another pen and tag the calf. it will be LBF W01. W is the letter for 2009. This should be our last calf until April. Verne's bull is the father.

Saturday and Sunday we finished the cow shed and got it into position. This is about the time the Wise Men visited the Christ child in the stable. This shed bears an uncanny resemblance to a Christmas Creche. I don't expect to see any wise men on the farm but the cows have already found it to their liking.

The weather has been cold and clear. There is talk of ice later in the week.