Kylee DeBock – DeBock Harvesting
January has come and gone so fast and February is already half over!
We started calving heifers in January and it has been nonstop ever since! Long days and LATE nights getting up to check on them every few hours.
Dillon and his dad, Levi, took on a neighboring ranch this fall and the work is never ending! The ranch added 2,600 acres and a lot more cows. However, the cows that were bought with the ranch were old or wild so they went to the sale barn. We bought 125 replacement heifers to take their place. Yes, that’s right…125 heifers! I Know, I know CRAZY, right? We know that now and I hope we never have this many ever again. Thirty to fifty would be plenty next go-round!!
We raise Red Angus cattle and the first few weeks of calving went really well. The weather was good and heifers were not having any trouble. As time went on, however, we had our share of challenges. Each time we’d lose a baby, my heart would break and I would cry for hours. I know it’s part of the “game”, but I was not only physically tired from all the night checks (and day work), I was emotionally drained! We had a two-week stretch of having one problem after another. We lost two babies to coyotes, one was stillborn, one had a sack over his nose when we found him, three were backwards (we were able to save one), one heifer had to have a c-section and we lost baby and momma and we still have sixty to go. Talk about an emotional roller coaster. But, with challenges also comes rewards!
I actually found a set of twins off Tradio that were bottle babies and we named Bo and Luke. We were able to pair them up with some mommas who had lost their calves. They are so sweet and since they were bottle babies, they still come up and let you pet them and follow you around.
When I see a momma struggling and have to help her bring her baby into the world, I hold my breath as I wait to see the calf take their first breath. It’s so rewarding to watch that baby try and stand for the first time and you get excited when you see them nursing. I love going to feed cattle and watch all the babies come running and playing up to the feed trough.
Some people might say they are just animals, but to me, it is a way of life…and I enjoy it!
Eduardo went home for Christmas but returned on the 15th of January. We were so happy to have him back. He has been a lot of help with feeding cattle and helping with the night checks. He had a friend that wanted to join our 2020 harvest crew so we did the paperwork to get Jeff here to begin his training. Jeff joined the family on January 27th. He has already taken his required driving tests and has obtained his CDL permit! Eduardo’s wife, Isabella, came for a visit on January 30th, as well. She will be staying with us a few months before she has to return to Brazil for the potato harvest. It has been nice having another woman around to visit with.
On February 13th, we took the kids out of school to attend a Gleaner combine clinic in Hesston, Kansas. We spent the day going over combine updates, tech van schedules, as well as getting a tour through the plant where the combines are made. The boys were called up on stage and given a t-shirt and toy combine for being the youngest members in attendance.
I am writing today from the car as we drive home from a trip to Texas to see our nephews. Dillon’s brother, Casey, and family live in West Texas and we went down for a Valentines banquet, with the added bonus of seeing Cutter and Cooper. Dillon’s parents watched all four boys while the parents enjoyed a night of good food and dancing. It’s sure nice to get dressed up once in a while for a fun event!
God Bless,
Kylee DeBock
“Give yourself to the Lord; trust in him, and he will help you; he will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun.”
Psalm 37:5-6 GNT
