By Tyler Trieglaff

Notes from the Chief

Holy cow you are getting spoiled with me writing several weeks in a row.  I haven’t heard any complaints from the Rochert Stalker and I hope to keep it that way.  

Life on the farm is moving along. We have decided to sell our calves that we were going to fatten. We normally sell the calves this time of year, but were going to try something different. The drought last summer has now changed our mind. 

We will sell the calves to save the feed for the pregnant cows.  This will hopefully work out as calf prices seem to be on an uphill climb and calf future prices are looking good as well.  

The cold weather again has been a pain in the arse, but we are getting by. The mixer wagon has a bad kink in the auger screw that needs to be repaired. A few calves have gotten out a couple days so we had to bring the whole herd of cows to the feed bunk to separate the calves out.  

We will be taking a couple fat Holstein steers to the sale barn as well as a skinny cow. I’m surprised she has made it this far and we were going to sell her some time ago, but the day we were going to take her, the sale was over that day.  

We will sort through our calves and sell steers then heifers, keeping 10 or so replacement heifers.  

I did count the cows the other day and after selling this skinny cow, we will calve around 70 cows this year. The first calf heifers will start calving around March 16 and the cow herd will start around April 2. Now is the time that we need to start feeding some of the better hay we have.  The last trimester is when the baby calf grows the most so the mamas will need more protein to help support their calf. Our hay supply will be down to the bare bones come May so let’s hope we can make it.  

We have lost one cow this winter, which I was not expecting. I saw the dark spot down by the shed and could tell right away that someone was taking a dirt nap. I was expecting it to be the skinny cow, 18-3 but it was a different cow, one that was older.  By the time dad got the snow moved and tried to move the carcass, it was frozen solidly to the ground.  

I will find one positive item regarding the frozen bovine; the dogs have an endless buffet everyday.  Have a good week.

Sunday, Jan. 9

3:50 p.m. Assist with a medical.

5:25 p.m. Report of a carbon monoxide alarm at a residence.

Monday, Jan. 10

11:41 a.m. Officer playing dog catcher found a dog and brought it home.

2:50 p.m. Male reporting that he had a knife that was used in a crime in DL and he did not want it in the house.  Knife was reportedly used in damage to property.

Wednesday, Jan. 12

11:58 p.m. Another loose puppy dog.

Thursday, Jan. 13

9:56 a.m. Vehicle unlock.

11:57 a.m. Caller reporting that they bought a vehicle from a Frazee resident and the title can not be switched over because the title is not in the seller’s name.  Civil issue.

Friday, Jan. 14

3:10 p.m. Report of an apartment unit not having heat.  Unsure if this was due to a broken furnace or non-payment of the utility bill.  Information forwarded to the building inspector.

Sunday, Jan. 16

6:38 p.m. Assist with a medical.

Monday, Jan. 17

8:58 a.m. Assist with a medical.

3:42 p.m. Caller reporting that a neighbors dog was loose again.  Officer talked with the dog owner who said they were getting rid of the dog tomorrow as it needed more space to run and is too energetic for the city.

8:05 p.m. Officer talked with owners of vehicles on Main Ave to move their cars as the city crew was scraping the parking lanes in the morning.

10 p.m. Traffic stop leading to warrant arrest of Chavez Shore, 24, Frazee.  Ottertail deputy picked Shore on an Ottertail warrant.

Tuesday, Jan. 18

1:44 p.m. Female reporting that a vehicle hit her car a week prior.  City cameras did not find anything.

3:47 p.m. Minor fender bender on E Main.

5:36 p.m. Report of a door open on a business.  No signs of forced entry, snow most likely kept the door from closing.

Wednesday, Jan. 19

3:25 p.m. Assist high school students with vehicles that would not start.

7:40 p.m. 911 call with open line and sounds of disturbance in the background.  Officer arrived and male and female said all was ok.  Female said Sylvester the cat stepped on the phone and dialed 911.  TV was very loud, that was what dispatch most likely heard.

8:39 p.m. Assist with a medical.

Thursday, Jan. 20

12:01 p.m. Traffic complaint on US 10.  Vehicle was almost to DL when officer made it to the highway.

6:28  p.m. Male calling to say that his female drinking partner slapped him, wanted to know his options.  Officer told him to man up and not hang out with her if they can’t get along.