The Courage of a City Gal
December 13th, 2005 by Northern FarmerOne thing I’ve observed over the years is women. What can I say, eh. But one thing that has been noticeable through time is who makes it out here and who don’t. You know a man is only as good as his wife out here. If you have a wife that wants the big city lights you might as well cash the farm in because it’ll go down. And fast.
I’m not going to write about the farm gals that marry and stay on the farm with there farmer husband, but a different sort of gal that a lot of folks might not believe could make it out here. There’s several women from the big city that married a farm boy around here and these women have really proven themselves. I stand amazed at their courage and grit. I don’t know how or why, but they will tackle the farm just about better than anyone. When saying courage, I really mean it, and I’d like to share a story of one out here.
She lives a few miles away and married a dairy farmer, raised a bunch of kids, and helped on ever part of the farm. One day doing some chores outside in winter she was in the cow yard doing some chores and wouldn’t you know it, she got attacked by their one ton Holstein bull. As some of you folks know there’s very few bulls meaner and with the bulk to back it up than one of these bulls. On the first attack it busted up a few of these city gals ribs. And it attacked numerous times, one after the other, smashing her up on the frozen ground. What goes through a persons mind in these situations is not what goes through the mind any other time. One’s on the doorstep of death, the bull having a bloodlust that’s not stoppable.
She knew that this was it, she was going to die as many have in the past in farm country. She says she had a peace come over her and in a strange way started to accept it. But then she thought of her kids, the thoughts rushing back and laying there totally beaten up with broken bones, cried out to God for help. The bull was smashing her around and she says she heard a voice, it spoke to her as plain as day, just like talking to another person. The voice said, “grab the noseâ€. She had no idea what that was about but as the bull came in to finish her off she had some super human strength rush into her broken body and she grabbed onto the bull’s nostrils and clamped down hard with her fingers. The bull stopped dead in his tracks, totally confused, she held on a while longer and the bull pulled away and got out of there. The gal then drug her busted up and massively bleeding body all the way across the yard to the house where the kids were. She spent many weeks in the hospital and a long time recovering at home. Today she’s farming with her family and doing good. Also I might note, the bull didn’t even get the privilege of being shipped. The hubby put a twelve gauge slug between it’s eyes, I might of done the same.
So you’ll never hear on this blog any disrespect for them city gals that come to the farm.
December 14th, 2005 at 1:02 am
Tom:
Thank you, as a farm girl convert, I appreciate this post. I often wonder if my lack of country up bringing won’t get me killed someday. I just don’t realize my limits sometimes. But, I would rather die on the farm under the feet of a bull than in the city in the hands of a depraved thug. Being maimed by a beast is one thing, being maimed by a human version of a beast is humiliating. As a social worker, I came face to face with many thugs…I have a few scars from those encounters….really I would rather take on a bull than even live side by side with a sick twisted mind. Believe me, I have had my fair share of experiences with thugs. I now carry a gun. Handy for those bulls. I support that slugs for thugs campaign…started by none other than KSMILKMAID. Brian doesn’t keep bulls around for safety reasons and I keep my slugs around for safety reasons:)
December 14th, 2005 at 7:19 pm
Christina, your living proof of what I’m talking about. I have a lot of respect for you ladies that can tackle so much. You gals are what holds “everything” together.
I don’t know to much about Jerseys, but I hear their bulls are some bad ones. One mistake and bingo. Probobly a good idea not to have one around the place.
You know, I always figured you were a pistol packing mamma
Slugs for thugs, catchy!
Tom
December 14th, 2005 at 11:26 pm
My hat’s off, too, both to KSMM and to the city gal you blogged about. Takes a lotta guts to keep going after an experience like that.
And KS, ditto on that catchy motto: Slugs for thugs.
JFC
December 15th, 2005 at 1:58 am
I was raised in the suburbs of Chicago, on a 2 acre parcel of land (the lots were formerly part of a large farm tract) that was so far out of town our backyard had parallel humps from the tiller rows for years. Now, however, I am a city girl, through and through… I am thinking I should retract my offer to cook for you!
December 15th, 2005 at 5:22 pm
JFC,
Them gals are amazing, eh!
Joanna,
I hope your not getting scared off already. I’ll have to watch what I post from now on. One question, do you ever serve Rocky Mountain Oysters? Kind of a country staple during cattle working times out in cattle country. Fryed up fresh, mmm!
December 15th, 2005 at 7:53 pm
Tom,
As a city girl turned farm girl, I loved this post. What courage she had! We have had Jersey bulls in the past and had one turn exceptionally mean - very early on - after one particular episode I told my husband to take him to the butcher or I would finish him off myself….he was gone in 24 hours.
Farming is hard - but the rewards are better than any city job I have ever had….
Thank you!
December 16th, 2005 at 1:06 am
tom,
Great post.. My gal is kind of a city gal, but really a “Hobby Farm” gal. She knows how to work, AND be a lady. I just spoke with her about it and recorded it and am trying to podcast about it. If you get a chance, check it out. There’s a link on my blog.
Thanks
JM
December 16th, 2005 at 1:49 am
Yes, I’ve made them. I had to cook them in culinary school… but I couldn’t bring myself to eat them. I served them to the underclassmen, without giving more detail than just saying, “it’s beef!”
They /said/ they were delicious!
Wouldn’t you just like a good hearty salad with tomatoes that are still warm from the sun, followed by a properly cooked steak, delicious fresh veggies and some good potatoes? Finish with a cobbler and some home-made vanilla ice cream?
There are so many other parts of the cow I’d rather eat!
December 16th, 2005 at 5:07 pm
TnFarmgirl,
Thanks, that’s what I love about you city gals that take on the country,you’ve got spunk.
JM,
My wife is an old fashion mountain gal, outdoor toilet, saving seeds, pump water by hand, I think she could handle it if we really went to the old ways. And can she butcher!
Joanna,
I’ll agree that most other parts of cattle are a little easier to swallow:) The meal you describe has me ready to faint as I’m waiting for supper as I write. That sounds so good!!!
Tom