Cattle Delivery

We looked at some cows today. Zack may not be 100% yet, but we’ve been without income from cattle for two years now, and it was time. Made a deal for a few. The original guy who was to deliver our ten new head of cattle had a breakdown with his truck. His trailer would have been small enough to make the turn through our front gate. (Did you catch that ominous hint of foreshadowing?)  OK. So the seller of the cattle must have been hot to get his check. Wanted to deliver today no matter what. He called another guy who agreed to do the deed. We had told the seller there was no rush. It was already getting late in the day. It drizzled all day today and more rain is expected tomorrow. We told him he could wait days or even week if necessary. But, oh no. He had to send them today. The plan was to put the new cows in the lot so they could settle down for a while, then let them out later. We’ve been working on that lot for a month now.We looked at some cows today. Zack may not be 100% yet, but we’ve been without income from cattle for two years now, and it was time. Made a deal for a few. The original guy who was to deliver our ten new head of cattle had a breakdown with his truck. His trailer would have been small enough to make the turn through our front gate. (Did you catch that ominous hint of foreshadowing?)  OK. So the seller of the cattle must have been hot to get his check. Wanted to deliver today no matter what. He called another guy who agreed to do the deed. We had told the seller there was no rush. It was already getting late in the day. It drizzled all day today and more rain is expected tomorrow. We told him he could wait days or even week if necessary. But, oh no. He had to send them today. The plan was to put the new cows in the lot so they could settle down for a while, then let them out later. We’ve been working on that lot for a month now.

By the time the other guy got to the seller’s place and finally here, it was dark-thirty. And guess what?  His trailer was about as long as Florida. But ever optimistic, he tried to make the turn into the front gate. Got stuck. I don’t mean sort of stuck, or just a little stuck. I mean completely stuck right across our county road. His truck tires were making huge ruts in the soft earth in front of our gate as he tried to alternately back up and go forward— to straighten out and make it through. He couldn’t get traction. He couldn’t back up to get away from one of the posts (that he was actually up against by that time) to straighten himself out. Zack tried to pull him with the tractor, but that didn’t work too well. When he finally was able to back up a little bit, he backed right up into the little incline of the property across the street. Stuck again, still blocking the road. About five or six cars were forced to turn around and go back/around. I was the traffic cop. — Had the farm truck there with the flashers on.

Our “across the street neighbor” came out to see what was going on. (At one point, I had our farm truck in his driveway). Three guys in a truck asked if they could help and were hugely relieved when I said “Thanks but no”. Two neighbors came by, chatted a bit, backed up and went around. One came back a little later to help. Finally in desperation and with a sudden inspiration, the driver detached truck from trailer. At this point, all the many lights on the huge trailer went off. Big hazard, but my headlights were pointing at it, so hard to miss. The truck had a couple of wheels through the gate, in deep ruts. The trailer was still completely blocking the road. Even detached from the trailer, the truck still wouldn’t budge. Zack pulled it on through the gate with our tractor. The delivery guy drove his truck on into our place, turned around, then exited through the (unblocked) cattle guard. Thank goodness we have two gates at that spot.  He hooked up to his trailer at a different angle —almost a right angle. (Big gooseneck connection). He tried and tried and was finally able to pull the trailer on up the road, turn around and come back from the other direction.

We had given up on the idea of bringing this truck and trailer into the place and taking the cattle to the lot. We were just relieved the trailer full of cattle was no longer stuck across the county road. The driver was able to back the trailer near to our open gate (next to the cattle guard). Our helpful neighbor parked his truck to block part of the open space. I parked the farm truck to block the rest of the opening. Zack and I stood on the cattle guard (on the other side of a low fence. —Couldn’t have a skittish cow jump —and land unexpectedly on the cattle guard). We let them come out slowly on their own, right there at the front gate, and that was finally that. Poor cows. We may not see them for days now! The whole ordeal took two hours. I feel like I was out there for weeks. What a night. If anyone ever tells you he’s going to deliver your cows in the late afternoon of a rainy day, emphatically insist that he wait, and don’t take no for an answer. Then be certain the trailer’s less than 36 feet long!

Gene Ellis, Ed.D is a Bosque County resident who returned to the family farm after years of living in New Orleans, New York, and Florida. She’s an artist who holds a doctoral degree from New York University and is writing a book about the minor catastrophes of life. Check out Genie’s blog at  http://rusticramblings.wordpress.com/