Today, Alan and I, along with Alan's parents, drove a couple hours south of where we live to attend a regional Dexter cattle meeting. The event was fairly standard...lots of informational stuff, look at the animals various people brought to sell, then return home. I drove and decided we needed to take a different route home than we usually take when we go to and from the cattle meetings (they're always in the same location). We drove through Crawford, Texas. (Pres. Bush's ranch is there...) Very small town. They say the population of Crawford is just over 700. Itty bitty town, for sure.
I was driving along, on a road we've never been on. The scenery was nice - wildflowers were blooming along the roadway. Alan and his parents were lightly dozing off and on. At one point, I gazed over into the barnyard of a small farm we were driving past and had to do a double-take! A triple-take! I was so puzzled by what I saw that I pulled off the side of the road, turned around, and went back up to the farm to get a closer look!
CAMELS! In Texas!? Sure enough! At least five of them - maybe six (I can't remember now). They were so TALL!! It's hard to tell just how tall they were by these photos. But trust me ... they were TALL! I had to snap a few photos...
This guy's not your typical Texas farmer! How fun! We couldn't believe it! What a HOOT!
my son lives in northern Iowa and his SIL has a camel on her farm down the road from him.
Posted by: Jan Scholl | April 27, 2008 at 11:29 PM
I have to laugh at your idea of a *tiny* town of 700. Comstock is only 65-ish, but then it's called a village.
Love the camel photos.
Posted by: Debbie Fisher | April 27, 2008 at 04:59 PM
Anna - I just gotta tell you of my camel experience...I was in Israel 8 years ago, and as part of our tour, we went to a "camel-lot" in Jericho to ride camels. Well, yes, they are TALL, and the way you get up on them is to step up on a box while the camel is kneeling on all fours, sit in the "saddle" then hang on for dear life to the horn as the camel then gets up to a standing position, first standing up on the hind legs so the camel is then on a "rake" then straightening up the front legs. We were laughing so bad, (there were two of us for the ride) we could barely hold on - I pulled a muscle trying to lean back so as not to fall forward. Camels do have very beautiful eyes, though...like a llama. But they spit, too....quite an experience. I was surprised to see that Crawford only has a population of 700. I'd love that! Well we haven't had snow this weekend, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that spring is really here in N. Idaho!! Love, Jeanne xo
Posted by: jeanneh | April 27, 2008 at 03:28 PM
Isn't it funny to see exotic animals when you least expect it? We live down the road from a peacock farm, and usually you just see those in zoos, not walking down the road! But there is also a camel owner here in Washington state also, they participate with local churches during the holidays to put on living nativities with camels in them! It's really neat.
Posted by: Kelli Caslow | April 27, 2008 at 01:46 PM
WHOA, that is really odd!! I love it!!! TFS.
Posted by: Juanita | April 27, 2008 at 11:38 AM
Wow...do you think you will be adding any to the farm soon? HA
Posted by: Viv (VivLyn) | April 27, 2008 at 10:32 AM
How hilarious! There's a little farm in Mansfield (right in the middle of town!) that has a few buffalo, and even though I've seen them millions of times, they still make me slow down and scratch my head!
Posted by: Shannan Teubner | April 27, 2008 at 10:06 AM
I LOVE that you have your camera at the ready just in case you come upon something interesting! What a fun fun story!
Posted by: hb.carol | April 27, 2008 at 09:55 AM
Yep, was coming to comment... Camp Verde Texas is where the military brought the camels. half way between Boerne and Kerville. DH's family owned lots of land there in the early days, and the camels were a common thing. There is a really cool old post office there that is now a restraunt and gift shop and the have lots of neat of camel items for sale. Neat thing to see on an afternoon drive though! There is a Zebra farm in the hill country too... You need some photos of them too!
Posted by: Michelle Oatman | April 27, 2008 at 08:45 AM
Always something new and interesting on your blog. Ugly critters aren't they? Love the story and pics of your new calf and the little goat. The neighbor up the road has white and brown goats-so cute-especially the babies.
As someone who has lived on a farm most of my life(69), I like all animals. We were dairy farmers for years, now semi-retired and raise beef cattle. Never had goats or camels. (grin)
Bev J.
Posted by: Bev/Maxell on SCS | April 27, 2008 at 07:06 AM
but do yourself a favor...if you get camels, don't make flavored soap! ugh! who wants to eat soap? not me! lol!
great link on the Camel Corps! thanks!
i think you need to make a card to commemorate the camel sightings. or...new stamps??? Texas Camel Corp stamps? hmmmmm...
Shala
Posted by: SWJC | April 27, 2008 at 12:22 AM
OH Wow! How cool is that?! It's always nice to be refreshed by something new and interesting in life, isn't it?
Posted by: Angie | April 27, 2008 at 12:16 AM
hm, are there camels in your future, Anna?
The double humped are Bactrians and the single are Dromedaries. they can run quite fast. they race them in the desert in Arabia.
in the past, camels roamed our area. not sure how long ago. pre human, for sure. there are skeletons of camels at Ashfall near Royal, NE. also Rhinos. but i don't think you'll see any rhinos on farms around here! bison fencing is bad enough! lol!
did you show off photos of Dixie's new calf at the meeting?
Shala
Posted by: SWJC | April 27, 2008 at 12:13 AM
http://www.parzanese.net/weird/location.php?location=36
and one more link about the Camel Corps here in Texas
http://www.forttejon.org/camels.html
have a super night!
Posted by: AnneMarieZ | April 26, 2008 at 10:34 PM
hey, Anna, a little history for you here...
Texas legend has it that camels wander throughout the Hill Country.. they were brought in by the military because they were hearty animals and could withstand our Texas droughts... anyway, they found out that they were not that great here in Texas and just let loose... yep, they wander the Hill Country and beyond...
great story, huh?
here is a link to a story about it:
http://www.texnews.com/1998/texas/caml1231.html
could these be decendants?? lol!
in Westlake there is a buffalo ranch and I did a double take looking at their pasture.. sure enough, a lone camel by the trees... they don't hang out with each other.. I think the camel needs a friend! lol!
Posted by: AnneMarieZ | April 26, 2008 at 10:32 PM
hey, Anna, a little history for you here...
Texas legend has it that camels wander throughout the Hill Country.. they were brought in by the military because they were hearty animals and could withstand our Texas droughts... anyway, they found out that they were not that great here in Texas and just let loose... yep, they wander the Hill Country and beyond...
great story, huh?
here is a link to a story about it:
http://www.texnews.com/1998/texas/caml1231.html
could these be decendants?? lol!
in Westlake there is a buffalo ranch and I did a double take looking at their pasture.. sure enough, a lone camel by the trees... they don't hang out with each other.. I think the camel needs a friend! lol!
Posted by: AnneMarieZ | April 26, 2008 at 10:32 PM
Not sure exactly what to comment????
Posted by: Beth | April 26, 2008 at 09:49 PM
And it looks like different kinds of camels too because one has two humps (bactrian?) and one has one, right? How fun!
Posted by: Shellied Daniel | April 26, 2008 at 08:47 PM