The Farm - Part Five

Jack the Bull

Part of farm life for the kids was 4H. 4H is America's largest youth development organization with nearly six million young people that teaches life skills via hands-on learning, responsibility and community engagement. The four "H"s are:

• HEAD - Managing, thinking, developing critical thinking skills

• HEART - Relating, caring, developing friendships

• HANDS - Giving, working, volunteering and helping out

• HEALTH - Wellbeing, healthy living, taking care of yourself and the planet

When people think about 4H, they think about farm animals. While agriculture and animal projects are a significant part of 4H, it also includes a wide variety of other interests and skills including STEM programs, woodworking, environmental conservation and more. But yes, because of our farm and the rural community where we were living at the time, we became associated with 4H for our livestock. The kids went to classes and learned about how to raise and care for different kinds of animals and each took on a project to raise something on our farm. In addition to the horses, we also had pigs, sheep, chickens, dogs and cats and at one point, a BULL.

We were attending the annual Harrisburg farm show one spring and in a moment of weakness and lack of good judgment, bought a young 700-pound bull. After loading it into the stock trailer, we had the insight to call our local 4H leader to let them know we were on our way back from the show and had purchased a new animal for the farm that we wanted to use for a 4H project but had NO idea how to raise this beast. There was a moment of silence on the other end of the call and I'm pretty sure some cursing, but then in a calm voice, the 4H leader said, "Well, when you get back to the farm, put it in the barn while you construct an electrified enclosure with some straw in it out back, add a fresh water trough and clean feed and hay and then put the bull in the enclosure." Seemed simple enough.

When we got home, our son Rob put a lead on this monster, which was a Hereford/Simmental Cross bull and started to lead it out of the stock trailer. All seemed to be going well until "Jack" reached solid ground and then took off like a bat out of hell toward the barn, with Rob still hanging onto the lead. Rob's feet left the ground, and he looked like a human kite sailing along behind the massive beast. When Jack reached the barn, he settled down among the sheep, pigs and horses and we were able to secure him to a post while the enclosure was being constructed.

Turns out that bulls eat about 200 pounds of a corn mix feed per week and during the several months we had Jack that summer into fall, grew into an almost 1800-pound champion bull with a less than agreeable temperament. He got along fine with the other livestock at the farm but was less friendly with humans. He also had a very strange habit of laying against the electric fence and would almost moan as if he was getting a massage from the current.

Rob did his diligence in keeping Jack healthy and his enclosure clean (Yes, bull shit is a very real, very smelly and very abundant thing) and Jack in turn would allow Rob to work with him and walk/train him.

Jack was sold that fall at a 4H show after he won a first prize ribbon for over $3,000 and went to wherever bulls go when you sell them. We decided not to pursue another bull the following year, having learned our lesson with Jack.