The January fog has rolled in.
Within moments, the damp,
swirling white cloud has so
thickened that one can barely
see more than a dozen yards
away. Suddenly emerging from
the milling mass of moisture
comes an apparition, four
legged, black-and-white. The
shadowy shape is headed direct
ly for us, coming at a clumsy gal
lop, with no apparent plans to
halt.
At the last moment, as I turn
to head off the trotting cow, she
In the Year 2049, this Morton
Building will still be Warranted
Against Snow-Load Damage!
"Past winter we had at least XA feet
of wet snow on our Morton Building with no damage.
In our area numerous farm buildings collapsed under the load.
It's very reassuring to know that Morton's 50 year snow load warranty
will be here for my son's future investment."
After more than 250,000 satisfied customers and building industry. Morion Buildings non pro rated
over 90 years of business , L warranties that include materials &
experience, we’ve learned what our /|W\ AIApyAM labor offer peace of mind,
customers need. We use that 111 VIS | y|f Owning a Morton Building. . . its
extensive knowledge and \A A/ |W|||| KIIIAf* value will last for generations
expertise to continually refine and Ww » ill 111 IllWleX to cornel
improve our designs. MWlHrillVw
Your building will be backed by
the strongest written warranty in the
CONTACT:
Gettysburg, PA 717-624-3331 Meadville, PA 814-336-5083
Mt. Pleasant, PA 724-542-7930 Phillipsburg, NJ 908-454-7900
Centre Hall, PA 814-364-9500
hops up into a stall and begins
nibbling feed. A small stampede
of herdmates follows, slowing as
they near the end of the stalls,
peeling off, left and right, each
staking claim to a spot.
With all the girls inside, the
wide doors at the distant end of
the dairy barn are quickly
slammed shut, closing off the
howling wind and drifting snow.
With its source of cold-air fuel
cut off, the dense fog inside the
warm dairy barn dissipates
almost as quickly as it formed.
P. O. Box 399, Morton, IL 61550
© 1999 Morton Buildings, Inc 1
Even before all the neck chains
have been snapped to the stalls,
several of the girls are stretched
out on the rubber mats bedded
with dry sawdust.
Never mind that cattle are
actually more comfortable in
colder weather than in excessive
heat, so long as they have a dry
place, out of the wet and the
wind. Never mind that they
have access to similar, soft dry
beds of sawdust in the overflow
housing area of the old dairy
barn. The “switch"’ group of cows,
usually the younger heifers and
cows milking less because they
are farther along in their lacta
tions, still come barreling in
through the fog when the doors
are thrown open for them to
take their turn in the enclosed
milking barn.
Always on the lookout for
creature comfort.
A quick ski tour through the
meadow and fields telltale a
host of wildlife also out in search
of creature comfort. Birdsongs
fill the yafd, the number of
feathered visitors suddenly
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 29, 2000-B3
swelled with the bitter weather
and the easy pickins’ at the bird
feeders. Blue jays shriek from
the pine tree, the titmice titter
overhead, two nuthatches
parade headfirst down a tree
trunk to the feeder and a single,
but noisy, crow alights with
great flapping and cawing onto a
tiptop twig of one old maple tree.
Derrah Dog leads the way,
ecstatic at this uncommon, mid
morning jaunt, rejoicing and
rolling in the powdery dry snow
cover. A creature comfort for her
is an adventure walk. So excited
she barely knows which way to
start, Derrah lopes toward the
pond, does an about-face toward
the stash of round bales, paus
ing only briefly to investigate a
brush pile. Ahhhh, where to
start sniffing first?
Down through the meadow
and into the woodlot, an array of
wildlife has been calling, leaving
tracks so distinctive it’s as
though each signed a visitor
guest book. Meandering trails of
dainty paw prints mark the pas
sage of at least one neighbor
hood fox, whose habits are easily
-discernible from the stopping
points. The fox trail pokes along
the edge of the row of round
bales, known habitat of a size
able mouse population, takes an
abrupt turn at the wheel of a
wagon parked nearby, then
heads up over the hill toward
the bunker silo, habitat of still
more field mice.
Pointy-toed hoof markings
bely a deer emerging from the
wood to drink at the stream.
Squirrel trails crisscross the
path, evidence of numerous
bushytails busy being busybod
les-as only squirrels can be.
Interspersed with neat,
stealthily-left wildlife trails are
the broad paw prints being joy
ously scattered across the land
scape by Derrah, bounding
about as she tries to sniff and
sort out this vast, delicious
array of intriguing animal
scents. Long, straight scrapes
along the erratic paw-print trail,
left by her sharp toenails, add a
distinctive flourish. Combined
with my ragged ski marks, we,
too, leave signature prints of our
passing.
Headed back to the house
through the garden, our path
crosses the irregular, hopping
marks left by our backyard
bunny. And, in the meadow, a
redtail hawk sweeps down from
the sky and plunges between
two rows of big hay bales, anoth
er creature seeking a morsel of
mouse for its dinnertable.
Back in the kitchen, I spy
itelltaJte mouse, droppings when'l
open a drawer, and promptly
head for the attic to set out
rodent bait.
I know that mice must hide,
so as not to be eaten. And, mice
need creature comfort, too.
But they can go look for it
somewhere besides our house.
CLOSED SUNDAYS, NEW YEAR
gfeLjt EASTER MONDAY, ASCENSION DAY,
WHIT MONDAY, OCT. 11, THANKSGIVING,
F V J IHI ME CHRISTMAS & DECEMBER 26TH
FISHER’S FURNTTURE, INC.
NEW AND USED FURNTTURE
USED COAL & WOOD HEATERS
COUNTRY FURNTTURE & ANTIQUES
Di to udC ROY *77
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FRI, SB, SAT. 8-12 BART, PA 17503
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