Night time emergency!

Wow... Did that really happen? As i wake this morning the images of last night return.... A desperate flight across the valley with half sleeping kids in the car racing to save a life. This is farming?

To catch you up.....

Around 10pm we had just put the kids down and were relaxing after a long day of home deliveries in Ashland. Then... The phone rings. It's is was our farm hand and there is a problem. 

It was Rosemary, one of our best goats in the portable pen there. She had apparently poked her head with horns through the 4 inch squares in the fence, gotten stuck, fought so hard that she broke the 16 foot panel free, managed to slip her horns back through another square in the fence and ended up stuck under the panel trapped against the ground barely able to move or even breathe. Her neck was at such an awkward angle that her airway  almost blocked.

To make things worse, this apparently happened hours ago. She was already lethargic and weak. At first sight she seemed already dead. Rosemary could die soon from stress and lack of oxygen. So... Time for the Calvary!

We called in uncle Bradley to stop by Walmart and get a hack saw or bolt cutter and head out. He gladly sprang into action. We also decided to grab the farm bolt cutters and race over.

Brenda somehow managed to get 5 sleeping kids into the little sprouts buggy while i gathered tools and threw on some overalls. Within 10 minutes the 7 of us were racing to foothill in the dark.

Uncle Bradley got there first and ventured as far into the property as he dare with 2 wheel drive.

With All of our help we bent her head back and slipped the horns back through the fence. Finally she was free! Dazed, weak, but free and OK.

Whew that was a close call! But thanks to everyone's quick action it worked out. This is part of farming.

Two hours later we were all back home safe and sound. Ready to see what tomorrow might bring...