When I was little my parents used to take me to the barn with them, my Dad made me safe area to play amongst the straw, while my parents milked and did chores. The milking was all done by hand.
I was safe and warm in the straw. The kittys would visit..as would my dog/dogs..as I had quite a few different ones. Everything was just peachy keen except for those damn Banty (Bantam) roosters. They would fly right at my legs, and of course I would scream and bawl my eyes out. I never considered them pets and I never named them..they were evil. I named just about everything else, but never the banty hens or roosters. I loved all the other farm animals except for them.
One Fall when I was about three years old, the neighborhood men were putting up silage..somehow I was unattended. Who knows who was supposed to be watching me..perhaps I was supposed to be staying near the house..but instead I wandered into the pasture next to the barn. Imagine that. I was not afraid of cows..and I was not afraid of bulls with rings in their noses either…
There I was standing next to that big old bull stroking his leg..telling him he was a nice cow..well I don’t actually remember that..but that is probably what I was saying. My Dad said I was definitely petting the bull on the leg.
From what I am told..the men working all noticed me at once..perhaps my Mom was hollering for me. One of the young boys, jumped the fence, ran in and grabbed me quick as a wink and ran right back out of the pasture carrying me like a football… I was saved by a neighbor boy named Max:)
Chickens are not my favorite species. Love to photograph them, but that is as far as it goes.
ReplyDeleteYikes! You were a brave little tyke :) Glad you got yourself rescued!
ReplyDeleteKisses,
Emma Rose
Sounds just like me when I was that age.
ReplyDeleteAparently I had no fear of the animals either I would play with the tails of huge Holstein bulls that we had. Our Banty's never did that, I had one as a pet her name was Charlete and we had lots of them we had a Banty rooster with one leg my mum named Alfred. We named all of our animals, we felt that whilst they were with us they deserved a name I can remember each and every one of them and their names tipical country bumpkin farming folk we were. Awesome post and photo thanx for the memories you brought back for me! Have a wonderful day.
The big old bull was probably getting ready to get rid of that itchy fly on his leg:( The image of you like a football made me laugh!
ReplyDeleteOnce when David was a young toddler, somehow he ended up in a field with the horses. He was walking along the little path, and one of the horses was plodding along right on his heels. My fear was that he would trip and fall and the horse wouldn't be able to stop in time, but it all turned out okay.
We had lots of banty roosters when I was a kid, but I don't remember any vicious ones. There was one called Blackie that went on to 'mother' a couple of young chicks.
Lovely Valentine's header:)
Thank the Lord for Max. Yep, we farm chicks never did show a lick of fear about such beasts. Now those Banty roosters ( that's what we called 'em) could be mean as all get-out! We had some that would jump on your back and start floggin'!
ReplyDeleteLoved that picture, good thing kitties are resilient! :o)
Glad nothing bad happened then! :)
ReplyDeleteYup. It's a wonder any of us make it to adulthood. Good thing nothing happened.
ReplyDeleteYou sure put a scare in everyone that day. I bet they kept a close eye on you after that.
ReplyDeleteThose old Banty roosters can be mean as snot. My hubby raised them on the farm. He still talks about how mean they were. I never encountered a mean rooster, but I was attacked by a vicious goose as a kid. I still remember running all over the pasture trying to get away from him.
Great photo and story Connie. We got word yesterday that we got the brick house and will move at the end of the month. I'll be w/o internet for a short time, but I'll catch up with you. Take care.
ReplyDeleteThere are actually two kitties in that picture, one being held by you and one by Dad. They were such cute things, I'm sure you learned they could scratch, too. I am STILL afraid of roosters and hens, they don't seem to understand boundaries!
ReplyDeleteI've heard of those huge creatures letting a little tyke wander between the legs and not bother
ReplyDeleteI remember watching Mythbusters where they put a Bull in a china shop to see if the "bull in a china shop" saying had any validity.
The bull walked carefully and didn't knock over any of the displays.
I think animals know how to treat a child...except for Bantams.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the bull wasn't worried, you being so small and all! I sure don't name my chickens either! I will have to tell the story about my daughter once when she got into the cattle shed with over 25 of them when she was only 5!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your story. I love stories from yesteryear.
ReplyDeleteGrandpa had a dairy farm and we loved playing with the kitties, too. There were a couple of tame cows but we were warned to stay aware from the bulls. We were old enough to understand. However, when the bull was stanchioned, my youngest brother thought it great fun to run in front of him as close as he could get because he knew the bull couldn't move forward. Grandpa would have worn my brother's behind out if he had known.
ReplyDeleteLOL - that is quite a story! Loved it...
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet picture and so many memories....
ReplyDeleteWow! Maybe your little girl instincts knew that the bull was having a mellow moment. Great story - nice rescue!
ReplyDeleteYou were just bonding with all the animals of the farm. I like the story.
ReplyDeleteThat.. was a great story!
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice albeit a little scary story... I imagine life must have been really interesting then.
ReplyDeleteI love farming and farm life but had never lived on one - until now, and I'm enjoying every minute of it :))
Proves you have a way with animals. Still thanks to the boy who saved you!
ReplyDeleteLinda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com