What a difference a year makes. Last year it was below zero for the umpteenth time and we had been feeding cows on stalks for going on two months. Fast forward to the end of February 2024 and it’s been 50’s and 60’s and the trees are thinking about putting buds on. I have come to realize that the more times you go around the sun, the more interesting things you’re going to have the opportunity to witness…like a rainstorm in February…..that soaked in because there’s no frost in the ground.

Well folks, that’s what happened. Who’d a thunk it. I was contemplating this situation today while the boys were feeding. I was standing in a big puddle leading into a pen of replacement heifers opening the gate for the tractor. This particular pen is a simple four wire barbed wire corral, so, to keep heifers from wandering off, the boys put a hot wire inside as an added incentive for the girls to stay in. Now, I’m going to explain in detail the exact set up.

My guess is that there is around 300 yards of electric wire hooked to a Speedrite 6000 charger that would adequately energize several miles of fence. On this small of a pen, a 600 pound heifer can’t even bellow when they touch the wire. They just kind of buckle up for a second, then wobble off. I’ve found this very entertaining to watch many times. It seemed less funny today.

Today I learned that when you absent mindedly lean over and put your hand on said fence while standing in water, 1.21 jigawatts of electricity enter your body…..violently! In a split second, it was October 26, 1985 then November 5, 1955 and finally back to today, whatever today is. I sat down on a mineral tub and hoped that I hadn’t actually peed myself. Tonight, I’m happy to report, all is well. The only side effect is I’m going to glow in the dark for a couple days.