A Chilly Autumn Day in the Life of a Humane Livestock Farmer

By Kirsten Jurcek, Brattset Family Farm in Wisconsin

When the days turn cooler, the leaves get crisp, and the days shorten, people, animals, and plants understand that fall is approaching. On the farm, fall is a time for preparation – preparing winter food for animals, making sure shelters are weatherproof, setting up watering systems that can withstand the freezing temperatures that winter brings, and winterizing infrastructure and equipment around the farm. It’s also a time to prepare ourselves, digging out gloves and hats and more layers of clothing each passing week as temperatures drop.

Even with all the work required to prepare for winter, we can’t ignore the beauty that autumn on the farm brings. The air feels crisp and still full of energy, the woods are becoming vibrant with color, and flocks of sandhill cranes and other migratory birds are gathering in our pastures to prepare for their migration. It’s also fall calving season, which brings its own joys, challenges, and of course, a lot of cuteness as the pastures fill with calves racing, playing, and nursing.

As the days grow shorter and temperatures fall, off season paddocks, feeding areas, shelter, and water systems will be prepared to keep the cattle comfortable, warm, and healthy throughout the Wisconsin winter. Meanwhile, the cattle are enjoying their time on fresh pasture until we transition them to hay for the winter.

On Brattset Family Farm, we will continue to enjoy the bright leaves, refreshing fall air, root vegetables, and all the other autumn favorites for as long as they last.