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ing season for deer has been done for at least a month. During the rut, bucks will fight over a doe in heat or to stake territory that conKeeping Warm out tains does. I could not figure out what these A few days ago, the guys were fighting temperature was fourabout. They pushed and teen degrees below shoved. They crashed zero and a stiff breeze sent the wind chill even antlers together and tried to get the other lower. Several inches down. Snow was flyof snow blanketed the ing and their hot breath ground and the sun rose in clouds as they shown brightly, reflecting off the ground. I was battled. After a while, they stopped, backing working in the office, doing my best to avoid off a few steps. They going outside. My wife, eyed each other suspiciously while they restworking at the kitchen sink called down to me, ed. I thought the fight was over. Just when I “There are a couple of bucks fighting down by was ready to go back to the office and get back the creek.” From my to work, the fight started vantage point, I could again. Through the not see them. I quickly spotting scope, I could ran up stairs to see if I could spot them before see blood around the base of the one’s antthey quit. Usually, esler. He must have been pecially at this time of year, if a person sees a stabbed there by his opponent. They crashed pair of deer fighting, it is only for a short time, through the brush, tore up grass in the pasture, and more like sparring and plowed all the snow rather than an actual in the area. They fought fight. on for another ten or I saw the fifteen minutes before bucks at the edge of the timber, not far from taking another break. the creek, not just spar- They were both panting but neither was willing ring, but involved it to walk away. A short what appeared to be break was followed by a serious fight. Breed-
the fight resuming. With their smashing their antlers together so forcefully, I was afraid they may get locked together. I have seen pictures and videos of this happening. It is not a good deal. Both bucks usually die when this happens as they either starve to death or die of thirst. After watching these guys pound on each other for forty-five minutes or so, I figured if they had not locked antlers yet, they probably would not. I had to get to work and did not have time to watch two deer all day. I went back to the office and my wife continued with her work upstairs. She would glance out of the window occasionally to check on the bucks. For quite some time, they continued to fight and take breaks. One time, when she looked out, the bucks were gone. We never did figure out why they had been fighting. I am sure it was not for the dominance of the herd of does that mill about as they are not at all concerned about bucks this time of year. Perhaps, because of the cold weather, they were just having a
JANUARY 26, 2022
vigorous fight to keep each other warm. I can think of less painful ways to keep warm, but I suppose they do what they have to do when it is this cold.
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SAVE OTTUMWA POST •OTTUMWAPOST.COM fantasies, but sometimes he acted on them.
Kicking the Bucket My dad was a radio broadcaster long before I was born; I grew up around radio stations. It was cool because his station was involved with everything going on in town. The radio station was there, whether it was a car show, an airshow, a concert, or the circus coming to town. We promoted local dance recitals, community theater, and school plays, as well as off-Broadway troupes bringing their show to town. I got to be around all of these events and more.
One day, Dad came home and went into the barn. “This barn needs to be swept up. When was the last time someone checked the fences? Is the hayloft clean?” He had a barrage of questions and concerns. Eventually, my brother and I were sure he bought another horse and began tidying up. Meanwhile, Dad went out and closed the gates leading to the front and back pastures. We were sure he did that to gradually introduce the new horse to Pretty and Pony, the horses we already had. Doing so would allow them to meet and sniff noses with a fence between them to make sure they all got along before turning them loose together.
It wasn’t long before a truck with a trailer pulled in the driveway. Several of my siblings gathered to see what was going on. The driver backed the trailer to Being involved in promoting the barnyard gate. The horse such a wide variety of events in the trailer was none too can cause a young man to happy about the ride. He was dream. bouncing off the sidewalls and making a heck of a racket; At the play, I dreamed I had I nearly jumped out of my the lead role, I imagined beskin every time he kicked the ing a rock star at the concert, metal sidewall of the trailer. and I wanted to be the fastest That was loud. racecar driver ever when we The farmer did remote broadcasts at the opened the gate on his trailer local drag strip. The home until it met with the barnyard show made me want to be gate to seal the opening. The a carpenter, while the farm beast charged from the back industry show had me dayof the trailer. I stood at the dreaming of operating a big fence watching the spectacle tractor, planting in the spring, as the horse ran, jumping and and running the combine in kicking up its hooves around the fall. I think promotions the barnyard. He was glad affected all radio people, each to be out of the trailer, but he having ideas and dreams of didn’t run like your average their own. My dad was no horse. different. When the annual Cow-Calf Conference came around, or the 4-H kids showed their cattle and horses at the county fair, Dad took a mindset to become a part-time rancher or a western horseman. Usually, these dreams were just
This reddish-brown horse was short and fat and had a stubby neck. The tail wasn’t long and flowing like our other horses. Instead, it was more like a rope with a small hairball on the end. The horse’s (Just the Other Day con’t on pg 5)
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Warrant Wednesday
Wapello County has over 500 active warrants. Warrant Wednesday’s are designed to help law enforcement locate wanted persons, with the public’s help. Do NOT attempt to apprehend these individuals. Instead, call the Ottumwa Police Department at (641) 683-0661 or Wapello County Sheriff ’s Department at (641) 684-4350 if you have any information on their whereabouts. Your tips can be made anonymously.
Name: Christopher Harly Harness DOB: 02/05/1981 Warrant Issued: 01/19/2022 Warrant Details: Parole Violation - Original Charge: Possession of Contraband in Correctional Facility
When “That will never happen to me” happens. Name: Shane Eugene Heckethorn DOB: 01/02/1978 Warrant Issued: 01/21/2022 Warrant Details: Domestic Abuse Assault & False Imprisonment
I’m ready to help. There’s never a good time for an accident to happen. But when it does, you can count on me to be there quickly so you can get your life back to normal. GET TO A BETTER STATE . CALL ME TODAY. ™
Jim Carnahan, Agent 522 Richmond Ave Ottumwa, IA 52501 Bus: 641-682-3447 www.jcarnahaninsurance.com
Name: Michael David Madden DOB: 07/28/1981 Warrant Issued: 01/20/2022 Warrant Details: Harassment 1st Degree & Criminal Mischief 5th Degree
Name: Staci May Murphy DOB: 07/15/1981 Warrant Issued: 01/14/2022 Warrant Details: FTA - Original Charge: Possession of a Controlled Substance - 3rd or Subsequent Offense
State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL 1101204.1
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I was excited for Saturday to come. I wanted to see how about milking a cow?” He was the bull would court the cow. ears didn’t perk up; they were Would he bring her flowers, horizontal and stuck out. This teasing me, and I knew it. Then he said, “You could go then take her out to eat in the was the weirdest-looking horse I’d ever seen. Wait just out to Klodt’s dairy farm. They back pasture, then…well, you would know about milking know… a minute. My brother and I cows.” looked at each other, then When the breeder came turned to Dad, “You bought a “Klodt’s use a milking maon the weekend, I asked, cow?” chine. I’ve seen it. We went “Where’s your bull?” He on a field trip to the dairy farm looked at me and laughed. Dad was all smiles, “Yeah, when I was in elementary Now, I didn’t know everything, she’s a Jersey milk cow.” My school.” It didn’t occur to me but I learned some things. dad looked proud as could be. He was finally a part-time that they would still know how One thing I knew for sure was you had to have a boy and a cattle rancher – with a herd of to hand milk. girl cow to do what Dad was one – a milk cow. “Doesn’t your dad have trying to get done – and this a milking machine,” Max guy did not have a boy cow We secured the gates, and asked? He was still toying with him. the farmer drove away; his with me, so I played along. empty trailer rattled as he The man put on a very long pulled out the gravel driveway “Yeah, he has a bunch of glove that went all the way up onto the road. After the cow them.” Then I started naming to his bicep. Then he put his had settled down, she and arm in an unspeakable place. the horses had an uneventful off my brothers and sisters. We shared a good laugh I gasped! What I witnessed meeting at the fence. When about that. “Besides Max, you that morning in our barn was the commotion ended, everyhave a cow for your family, horrifying to this young teenone dispersed except Dad so I know you can teach me ager. We lived on a small fiveand me. because you don’t have a acre farm. I wasn’t a “farm milking machine either.” kid” who saw this sort of thing I watched as Dad stood all the time. It was disturbing. at the white wooden gate Max chuckled, “I have a few admiring his new bovine. His of my own.” He started namFortunately, his arm wasn’t arms were resting on the top ing off his boys, “But none there very long. Maybe he board; his left foot was on the of them work anymore.” We was just giving the cow an ground. Dad’s right foot was shared another good laugh, exam. He gathered his things resting on top of the bottom then Max said, “You need to and started walking to his board with his knee bent. milk her twice a day and get truck. “When are you coming He looked extra tall that day, in the habit of doing it at the back with your bull,” I asked? like a rancher. All he needed was a cowboy hat, boots with same time – twelve hours apart.” Max glanced at his He laughed, “Ask your dad.” spurs, a western shirt and watch. “You come back after boot-cut Levi jeans – and a supper, and I’ll show you. Be Later, Dad and I had a long big belt buckle. here at six-o-clock. conversation about cows. I was surprised Dad knew I could imagine Dad riding At six, Max taught me how to all this stuff, “Well,” I said to Pretty into the back pasture milk a cow. “Pinch the top of Dad. “Having sixteen children, to round up his herd, driving her teat between your finger I suppose you know a lot them to the barn for the eveand thumb to trap the milk. about, well…you know…that ning milking -all one of them. Then pull down easy while kind of stuff.” The conversaOf course, dad might have squeezing with your other tion got longer. I think that been imagining the same three fingers. Then let off the was the day when we sort of thing, except he envisioned pressure so it can fill up while had ‘the talk.’ driving a herd of at least a you are milking the other teat. hundred head of cattle. Just go back and forth.” Max Soon we had two cows and, made it look easy. I tried, but I before long, three. Dad tried Before Dad bought her, the wasn’t very good at it. to offset the breeding of the cow had a calf, so she was cows so we would get milk already producing milk. We “Once you get the hand year-round. However, it was weren’t smart enough to see movement down, get your a lot more work milking two it coming, but several of my rhythm going, and you’ll cows, particularly at five a.m., siblings and I were going to have a steady stream of milk especially in the winter. be unpaid, hired hands at coming.” He showed me Dad’s dairy farm with one Winter mornings in Iowa were cow that needed to be milked again, “Left, right, left, right, and so on. See how smooth cold and dark. A sole light twice a day. that works?” Eventually, with bulb over the milking stanpractice, I got pretty good at chion cast a soft glow through We were going to be milkmilking the cow. the barn windows. Some ing a cow-like it or not. Dad days, Dad would pop in to say tried to teach us, but it didn’t My brothers and I took turns good morning, but he was go well – at least not for me. milking the cow. I preferred running late for work most of I honestly wondered if dad the morning shift. Dad had to the time. knew how to milk the cow – I mean, he was a radio guy, not be at work at six-o-clock, and he wanted to be sure someI would hear Dad pulling out a farmer. Since I had to do of the driveway, then quickly this, I needed to learn how to one was up milking the cow at five. Eventually, the amount accelerating down the road in do it right. of milk the cow gave was less his car. I complained, “One of and less. I was worried but these days, I’ll run the radio Max Brown, our neighbor didn’t want to tell Dad somestation, and he can sit out down the road, was a real farmer. I would hang out with thing was wrong with his cow. here freezing his butt off in So, I went and told Max about this barn.” him sometimes and help do it. chores. In exchange for my If the winds were coming from help, Max would let me ride “Well, she’s got to be at the the south, a light aroma of on his tractor. Sometimes he end of her milk,” Max spoke exhaust from Dad’s car would even let me steer. as if I should know this. I waft into the barn. I liked that smell. To this day, it’s a scent Max greeted me with a smile. told him I didn’t understand. “There’s nothing wrong with that will rekindle fond memo“Hello Tommy, what are you her; your dad needs to have ries of those mornings in the up to today?” her bred.” I kind of knew what barn. that meant, and I was relieved “Dad bought a cow,” I told to know it wasn’t anything I With the cow in the stanchion, him. did that hurt the cow. I carried my pail of warm water in one hand and a stain“I saw that,” he said. “It was out in your front pasture when I went home and told Dad he less-steel milk bucket in the needed to have the cow bred. other. I lifted and scooted the I drove into town the other “I know,” he said, “that’s why short three-legged stool with day. She’s a good-looking she isn’t giving much milk my foot. It felt good to put my cow.” right now.” Maybe Dad knew hand in the warm water with a more about cows than I realcloth to wash the cow’s udder “I have to take turns milking ized. “A breeder is coming on on bitterly cold mornings. But her,” I explained that it was Saturday. I’ll be at work, so as soon as I finished, my wet hard, and I wasn’t getting you’ll have to make sure she’s hand got very cold! much milk. “Can you show in the barn before he arrives.” me how to milk her?” I’d quickly dry my hand and position the milk bucket under the cow. If my hand was still damp, it stuck to the metal bucket like a kid sticking his tongue on a flag pole in the winter. A couple of huffs of hot breath would set it free. I couldn’t wear gloves while milking the cow, so I’d briskly rub my hands together to warm them before touching her.
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(Just the Other Day con’t from Max laughed at me. “I’m a pig pg 3) farmer. What would I know
through the motions and keep milking even when I was half asleep. But if I fell asleep, the cow would nudge me, “Hey, wake up. You’re not done yet.” It’s like getting your back scratched, and the person stops scratching – you give them a nudge, “Hey….”
and jumped. The cats dispersed quickly – but not before I got knocked off the stool and slammed into the wall by nine hundred pounds of beef. I got up, brushed myself off, and cussed, “Darn cats!”
Cats are a hazard when milking a cow. So Max told me to Max taught me what it meant watch out for them. “Just turn when a cow was shifting her the teat their way and give the weight and how to read her cat a couple of squirts in the movement. Sometimes when face. After that, they’ll lick up I dozed off, she’d move, lifting the milk and leave you be.” her leg and kicking me in the That was great advice, and head with her knee on the up- it worked – if I was awake to swing, then kicking the bucket see them coming. while bringing her foot back down. I got my bell rang more Eventually, Dad gave up the than once that way. idea of having milk cows; they were too much work. It was Other times she shifted beeasier and a lot cheaper to cause she sensed a cat was buy a gallon of milk. I took nearby. Our cows did not like over the management of the any animals near their feet. radio stations. Every year we So when I fell asleep, I might would broadcast live from the not notice her shifting. But, county fair. I would watch the sure enough, the cat spooked 4-H kids showing their cattle the cow, the cow kicked at the and think – no way! cat, and I got my bell rang. Then the cow ended up kick- We’ve long since moved The cow’s teats warmed my ing the bucket. It was a rude north, where Minnesotans hands. Some I would rest my awakening, and milk splashed will start their cars and let head against her warm belly, everywhere. When your feet them warm up a little longer. back toward her thigh. She are drenched with milk, they So when a light scent of their didn’t mind; being milked felt get cold! exhaust wafts my way, I can good to her, so we were in see soft light glowing through this together in essence. It Word of the spilled milk the barn windows. I hear was early in the morning, and spread quickly. Every cat on Dad accelerating down the I was tired. I’ll admit to falling the farm converged on the road. I can feel the cow as asleep a time or two, leaning scene for their share of the she warms me and see her against her side. spoils. The spoils, of course, kicking the bucket, and I can puddled near the cow’s feet. listen to myself cussing, “Darn As if I was on auto-pilot, I’d go The cow was spooked again cats!”
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