The Chattel Farmer

Ch 9 Meet the Bull

It’s not even 8 am and I’m already feeling beat. After the morning milking, I followed Mr. Farber into his office. “Well, Aaron you look like you’re ready for more coffee. Or are you an energy drink person?” I’m glad to be sitting down for a minute. “I’d prefer coffee. I don’t know how you do all that by yourself!” Mr. Farber hands me a coffee from the mini Auto Chef behind his desk. “All the automation in the barn, such as the watering, feeding and remote gate release helps quite a bit. Plus during the colder months, some of the other farmers around here like having a second job that’s inside and only a few hours a week. They’re too busy during the summer with their own farms to be able to help. After helping for a couple of hours, I hope you can see how it’s a challenge finding just the right person. Would you like to try some Chattel half and half in your coffee?” I normally drink it black but I’ll try any food at least once. “Yes, please.” After stirring, I carefully sipped and a rich creaminess washed over my tongue. Mr. Farber watched my face. “I see that you like it. Snow gets all the seasonal vaccinations so her milk has antibodies which help keep us healthy. You might remember that bad flu around ten years ago? My herd was part of making a treatment to help those who were really ill.” I did remember because my mom had been really sick but she got some medicine that helped after she was hospitalized.

“Mr. Farber, can the chattel talk?” This was one of my burning questions after working all morning. If he got angry because I ask questions, then I wouldn’t stay. His face got really serious. “I’m sure you studied the trouble which happened in my grandfather’s time. People and governments pushed for solutions in ways that hadn’t been allowed before. And are again not allowed now. In that window human DNA was changed so to make some of the needed solutions. Chattel can’t talk or walk upright. When you get a chance notice that they can use their thumbs but not their fingers. I’ve been told they’re about the same level as dogs.” We drank our coffee for a few minutes, while I though hard about what I’d just learned. “Aaron, I can see that you are truly thinking about your decision. I think you need to meet the farm’s chattel bull so you have a full picture before you decide.” I was still thinking about his offer to send me back to my mom’s apartment and a lazy summer playing games on my ‘port. “Aaron, you need to know that chattel bulls are not as easy to handle as the milking chattel who are generally calm and easy going. They can be very aggressive and you are not to be around the bull by yourself. Do you understand?” We were both done with our coffee “Yes, Mr. Farber.”

He stood up. “We’ll take a 5 minute break, then meet in the lobby. You might want to bring a snack and drink with you since we’ll be over on the other side of the barn for a couple of hours before breaking for lunch.” I went up the stairs to my little apartment, took a quick bathroom break, and then got a water bottle and granola bar from the mini Auto Chef. Back down in the lobby, I saw a flash of movement through the window. Moving so I could see out the window better, I saw Mary walking back towards the farm house. Her hair was up in a long pony tail. She was wearing a flowing skirt that stopped around her knees and the wind was whipping her pony tail and skirt around. I was mesmerized by the movement of her hips, and thanked the wind for blowing her skirt to give little peeps of her legs. She disappeared into the house.

“Aaron, here are some chattel treats in a pouch you can clip on your tool belt. Remember to move slowly and use a calm voice near the bull. After I introduce you, you can offer Duke a treat.” We went back into the barn towards the bull pen. His stall was the size of a multi stall, and there were some objects scattered around that I’m guessing were toys. I was surprised to see that the stall was empty but the small gate that was open into an outside pasture area supplied the answer. It looked like there was a couple of trees and some simple play objects out there. I was told to wait in the aisle while Mr. Farber went into the pasture. A couple of minutes later, I heard his voice approaching and some snorting noises. Behind Mr. Farber on a leash attached to a larger septum nose ring was a beast of a male. About my skin tone, shaggy brown hair, wide shoulders and roped with heavy muscles. His head was up and looking towards me. I started talking in that soothing tone I learned at the animal shelter “Hey there Duke the bull. Nice to meet you. You seem like a good boy. Duke, do you want a treat?” That word “Treat” seemed to get his attention, and he moved closer to me. I slowly extended my arm over the gate holding a treat which looked a bit like a granola bar. Mr. Farber stepped closer and so did Duke. Duke looked at me and made a couple of grunting noises then gently took the treat. “This bull has a long fancy pedigree name but I just call him Duke. I think I told you that I only have one bull chattel on the farm?” I nod my head. “My data port notified me that there are a couple of heifers that should be ready to breed today. We’re going to move Duke to the breeding pen, check the heifers, and hopefully have a successful breeding.” This is certainly shaping up to be an interesting day.

The breeding pen was about the size of two multi stalls. There were several mirrors on the walls, and a couple pieces of large equipment against one side that I didn’t understand the function. The gate was different too because it had a window in it. When we got to the gate, Duke seemed to get excited, and he charged into the stall after the leash was unclipped. As he crawled around the stall, I noticed a certain large something. “s**t! Duke’s hung like a horse!” Mr. Farber chuckled, “No, he’s hung like a chattel bull. He’s actually on the smaller side for the breed.” I kept staring at the thick 10 inch c**k that was rising under the bull’s belly. “Let’s go get the lucky heifer.” I snapped back to reality from porn land, and followed to a nearby stall. “This multi stall has heifers, which are chattel that are ready to breed but haven’t had a calf yet. Like all mammals, you need a baby getting milk.”