Winter Babies on the Ranch: Calves Dropping Like Crazy in Central Alabama
There’s something about a cold snap that flips a switch on a cattle operation.
These past couple of weeks in Central Alabama, the temperatures have dropped, and the wind has been biting… and it feels like the colder it gets, the more babies decide it’s time to arrive.
And honestly? Why not? Watching new life emerge is the perfect way to beat the winter blues and put smiles back on faces.
Our February and March calving season is in full swing, and the pasture has been coming alive with the sweetest little surprises—fresh calves wobbling around on long legs, fuzzy ears perked up, and mama cows standing close by with that guarded, steady look of a job well done.
What amazes me most is how unfazed they all are.
While I’m bundled up in layers wondering if my toes will ever be warm again, these babies are out here acting like winter is no big deal—happy, healthy, and already full of spunk.
Calving season has a way of breaking up the winter cabin fever like nothing else can. It gives you something to look forward to when everything else feels gray and dormant. It reminds you that even in the coldest stretch of the year, life is still being born right in front of you.
There really is nothing more wonderful than looking out across the pasture and seeing a momma cow with her new baby beside her—quiet proof that God’s timing is always working, even when the fields look bare.
A Shout-Out to Our Fall Calves, Too
And while we’re talking about calves… I have to give a proud ranch-mama shout-out to our fall babies, too.
These Fall-born F1 Hereford—Angus calves are growing like weeds: they’re proof that good genetics and good momma cows do their job.
These guys were born back in late August and September, and it’s honestly hard to believe how much they’ve grown. Every time I look out across the pasture, I feel like they’ve gotten bigger overnight—taller, thicker, and more filled out with that healthy, thick look we love to see.
They’re our F1 Hereford–Angus crosses, and they are turning into some seriously beautiful young calves. That classic black hide with the white face will ALWAYS make me stop and stare.
A foggy morning check on the fall calves—it’s hard to believe how much they’ve grown since late summer.
It’s such a sweet reminder during calving season that ranch life is always moving in seasons—new babies being born, older calves stretching up, mamas doing their steady work, and the whole herd growing right along with the year.
From tiny wobbly legs in the cold snap… to big, strong fall calves standing out in the foggy pasture… it’s all something to be thankful for.
Closing Thoughts
Whether they’re brand-new February babies or big fall calves growing like weeds, there’s just nothing like looking out over a pasture full of life and knowing this is exactly where we’re meant to be.
Winter may be cold… but around here, it’s also full of brand-new beginnings.
