DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va. — As Dinwiddie County thaws from the weekend’s icy blast, the Dewitt Market welcomed back customers Wednesday, just as a Virginia farmer celebrated a storm‑born calf delivered in the middle of the winter freeze.
Dewitt Market reopened Wednesday for the first time since the weekend winter storm.
"I fish-tailed coming in today," Rachel Nealy said about her morning drive to work at the market.
That experience was enough to convince Nealy that schools needed to stay closed this week until it's safer for school buses.
On the other side of the county, Jamie Van Cleef is a farmer who also raises cattle.
"Everybody else calls it a winter wonder land, I call it a pain in the butt," Van Cleef said.
During the height of the storm, one of Van Cleef's cows gave birth.
"The middle of the storm, cold, raining, so the Mama had to really, really do her job. Which she did, thankfully. But she's an older Mama, so she's not new to this. It's not her first calf, so she did a good job," Van Cleef said.
The newborn calf, Number 22, is now just a couple days old.
"That's as good as it gets, standing there happy, not shivering. Its Mama is doing what she's supposed to do. He's eaten already today, he's in good shape," Van Cleef said.
During extreme cold weather, Van Cleef says the cows are guided by instinct.
"They take in more feed, more water, cause they regulate themselves with the body heat, for these conditions," Van Cleef said.
The herd weathered the storm just fine, while Van Cleef is ready for warmer days.
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