"Come DOWN - Jacob!
You KNOW you're not allowed up there!"
THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE www.findonvillage.com created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.
A CALF CALLED VALERIE
Copyright Valerie Martin 2005
General Ike and General Monty (the Siamese cats) were disturbed one evening early in November 2005. There was much shouting, bellowing and mayhem in their paddock. They thought it very unsociable behaviour going on in pitch blackness but knew better than to get involved with exuberant steers, so watched cats can see in the dark, they say from a safe vantage point.
Vesta, the House-Cow, was eventually extracted from the mob and brought in from the paddock. She was duly delivered of a daughter at 11 p.m.!
This is how Peter Archbold in New Zealand emailed to say that his House-Cow had calved. He said she was the fourth generation Archbold House-Cow. Valda.... Venus.... Vesta....? The new arrival's name must start with a "V".
He wondered if I would be offended if he called
her "Valerie". He said she was very sweet and good natured and
sleeping much of the time. Sleep is important for a little calf.
 Here is the calf named Valerie at 9 hours old and keeping up with Vesta (a pure bred Friesan) and on her way to a new patch. |
It was the first time that anyone had named a calf after me and I was absolutely delighted and very honoured and I immediately had lots of questions for Peter.
 Valerie at 36 hours old and having a sleep after that long walk. |
I learned that House-Cows are a diminishing species and rare animals these days.
They are not pets in the accepted way but their owners build up a very close
rapport with them. They are kept to supply the household with
milk and were much favoured by smallholders in the old days.
Some people "share milk" with the calf (letting the calf stay with the cow and taking what is left for the house). Any surplus milk going to pigs or calves. Peter milks the cow and feeds the calf her ration.
House-Cows can be a "tie" and interfere with social activities but Peter manages very well and a House Cow has been the mainstay of the Generals' establishment for the past 25 years.
Feeding a calf like Valerie, in the first few
days, is fraught with unknowns and learning new skills. First a
bottle. Then onto a "calfeteria" to share with new friends, obtained to
absorb the "milk lake" that Vesta will produce. One gallon per calf and
one gallon for the house governs the size of the cr่che. So two or
three "siblings" will shortly be added to the establishment... A balancing act!
Peter's surplus house milk becomes cream and butter. The separated milk is made
into curds for the hens. Peter explained that this frugality stems
from having been brought up on wartime rationing in England. It's
something he doesn't forget lightly.
I wondered who Valerie's father was and learned that he was a fine upstanding Hereford, "borrowed" from the Dairy farm and subsequently returned to his stud.
The Generals were reluctant to get too closely involved with the new arrival on the farm. They are experienced calf-watchers and like to leave a reasonable stress free settling in period before introducing themselves.
This is as close as the Generals were prepared to go at
first. |
Not so Becky the Great Dane she carefully checks all newcomers and gives
Valerie the once over...
 "And what's YOUR name?" "Valerie" "That's nice. Welcome to the team." |
 "Hold it higher! I'm only sucking air!" |
By the 7th November 2005, the Generals had indicated that it would be better to have MORE of them on the website and LESS of "Them Outdoors".
|
Graduating to the Calfeteria! |
| 12th November 2005 Hello Valerie, New Arrival
"Not bad nosh they serve here..."
Peter Archbold, Ashburton, South Island, New Zealand.
|
I guess it was love at first sight for Young Valerie.
| 22nd November 2005 Hello Valerie, "Oo - Ah!!" sums them up! I am sure we will all miss
Finnegan and I wish him a successful transition back to his "real world".
A delightful example of TLC... As is customary, the first day was traumatic for them.
Fences had to be met with and understood. And their own GPS had to be
switched on and calibrated. To be led home to the barn for supper was
obvious bliss!
In case you are wondering, that is not a
heap of scrap iron just behind Valerie! Peter Archbold, Ashburton, South Island,
New Zealand. |
| 13th December 2005 Valerie,
What a day it has been... All perfectly
smooth and normal until 12.30 when I got home from the farm. In fact
pretty enjoyable - up to that stage. So I turned back and called in at another house. "Yes. I saw two calves. Didn't know whose
they were - so I chased them out." said a friendly but unhelpful
neighbour.
"No. Take ours." she said. Injured innocence (2) "Who? US?? Don't know how..."
Peter Archbold, Ashburton, South Island,
New Zealand. |
Peter says that "Valerie is very dainty. Jacob is a big Butch! But he doesn't know who his father is... Nor, for that matter, does anyone else!"
| 19th December 2005
So the Sports Barn is Vacant again. I have
not told the Generals - but I don't think they will be long in finding
out... Peter Archbold, Ashburton, South Island, New Zealand. . |
| 19th December 2005 Hello Valerie, I Told You So
Monty says...
And he's not joking. Peter Archbold, Ashburton, South Island, New Zealand.
|
| 12th February 2006 Yes, 'Tis! Here you are, Valerie!
Peter Archbold, Ashburton, South Island,
New Zealand. |
|
11th November 2006 Hello Valerie, I said I would send you a photo
of "Valerie" on her First Birthday!
Peter Archbold, Ashburton, South Island, New Zealand.
|
|
"Come DOWN - Jacob! April 2007 |
 Peter Archbold emailed in October 20007 ... "Valerie has got very possessive and bossy - and gives the rest of the "herd" a hard time! I think she'd like to see me off too - but she loses her nerve before I do! After all, she was born here and it gives her Proprietor's Rights". |
 Jacob in October 2007 |
In October 2008, Peter emailed with.....
|
Murphy. |
Peter wrote..."Valerie, being also born at Durrington,
thinks she owns the place. And - having no fear of me (and I regret to say, not
a lot of respect!) - has been giving me a very hard time while getting used to
the routine of milking. A common enough trait with young heifers...
As she is heavier - but more agile - than I, I had to enlist help and support
for a few days.
Things are much quieter now in that department and, (while I still watch Valerie
like a hawk in the milking shed), there is hope that "an understanding has been
reached!" In the paddock we are still great chums.
Worth a guinea a minute as a Spectator Sport. But fraught with anxiety as a
participant."
In October 2009, Valerie had her second calf.....
"Is that the Tea Bar?"
"That's my mum too!" says Murphy. "Gi'us a go!"
(He should be so lucky!)
Continue if you would like to read about Findon Young Farmers of Yesteryear
THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.
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E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com |
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