Kathy Fought requests unusual birthday gift

On any given day in Canyon Lake you are likely to find Kathy Faught watching one of her favorite television shows.  Coming from a farming family Kathy has always had a love for farming and farm animals, so it should come as no surprise that she enjoys television shows that feature these things.

One of Kathy’s favorite television programs is “The Incredible Dr. Pol.” The show follows the daily activities of Dr. Pol, a veterinarian in rural Weidman, Michigan. Given that Michigan has numerous dairy farms, it is not unusual for most episodes of the program to find Dr. on a dairy farm helping to deliver a calf from a cow that is having problems with a natural delivery. The procedure often utilizes an instrument called a “Calf jack;” sometimes also called a calf puller or fetal extractor.

For her birthday last November, Kathy told her family to forget the candy and flowers; she wanted a “Calf Jack” for her birthday. The plan was to add the “Calf Jack” to the various farm decorations she has in her backyard. Kathy’s husband Bob and daughter Debbie went on an internet search and found a veterinarian supply company in Kansas that would ship a “Calf Jack” to Canyon Lake. Bob says, “When the heavy box arrived there was no way I could explain to the city born and raised UPS driver just what was in the box.”

Kathy’s birthday arrived and the “Calf Jack” was happily accepted.  Once assembled, Kathy prominently displayed it against a wall in her backyard. Although Kathy admits that she has never actually used a “Calf Jack” to deliver a calf, she has seen it done numerous times on television.

Bob says, “For future reference if anyone in Canyon Lake has a pregnant cow that is having trouble delivering her calf, Kathy is ready and willing to respond—”Calf Jack” in hand. Apparently being unlicensed and uninsured for calf delivery services has not deterred her from being willing to use her extensive television education and training to offer this potentially valuable community service. The family isn’t too sure about all of this and we suggest that you call at your own risk

Kathy made a sign to hang with her “Calf Jack.” It reads, “Kathy’s Calf Jack. Have Cow? Can help! Let’s all pull together. No calf left behind.”

For Valentine’s Day, Kathy added a new farm instrument to her backyard wall farm collection—a pair of eighteen-inch stainless steel “castration pliers.” Kathy learned from watching Dr. Pol that these specialty pliers can be used to “adjust” the attitude of any overly romantic or aggressive bull. Kathy has also seen this “adjustment” procedure done many times on television; the same can’t be said for her husband Bob who normally runs out of the room before the procedure is started.

Kathy recently mentioned to Bob that the pliers are equally effective when adjusting the attitude of a husband that might have an “attitude” problem. Their marriage remains strong although Bob says he is now more careful about what he says and does.

After Kathy’s “Calf Jack” birthday gift request, her family is holding their collective breath dreading what she might want for her next birthday.