Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

If you are old enough, you know that old saying "April showers 

bring May flowers."

Down on the dairy farm, two
new calves appeared

after receiving more than eight inches of rain in less

than twenty four hours.

Those calves were a welcome bouquet!

That much rain all at once creates flooding issues 

on and off the farm. I am thankful that  we were

able to repair the driveways and fence rows and

that no people or cattle had any injuries during or

after the rain event.

                                                  As I look back on the days of April 2021,

                                  we were also showered with a lot of happy smiles

                                     and days of creating   memories with our family

                                                      down on the dairy farm.

Earth Day is Everyday

                                    Down on the dairy farm, Earth Day is Everyday.  

                                 We don't just say that, we live it...EVERYDAY!

                                                     It starts with cow care. 

                     The carbon footprint of milk has been  reduced by 63 percent due  to       improvements in animal breeding, animal  health   programs,  cow comfort            measures   and overall  farm management   practices.

                         Everyday we feed our cows a nutritious, balanced diet.

Everyday we  follow regulations and best management practices to protect

the environment for our cows, our family and our community.

Everyday we recycle the cows' manure to fertilize crops that we

raise to feed the cows.

Everyday we strive to produce high-quality nutritious milk by caring

for our cows and the land we call home.

Earth Day really is Everyday down on the dairy farm!

Happy Earth Day!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

                             

                                      

    After carefully walking around on ice last week,  we were  extremely happy for the    snow that made it easier and safer for us and the cows to  gain a little bit of traction.   We prepared as best would could for what we consider normal  cold weather but nothing on the farm works when temperatures drop below zero and hover in the teens through out the day.

From the equipment in the milk barn to the water tanks, well houses,

 and ponds, everything has been frozen.  Every minute of each day 

has been busy with hauling water, breaking ice on the ponds,

  feeding the cows and repairing damaged equipment to get 

the milking done. 

If you want to see a farmer's determination to care for his animals,

come on  down to the dairy farm and I will show you  my family of farmers.

 

I'm thankful that my family and our employees have

been kept safe this week  as we worked together

down on the dairy farm.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

One of the greatest joys of family farm life is

sharing  everyday activities with our children and

grandchildren.  

Hearing the sweet little voice of Hattie was all it

took for me to abandon my farm bookkeeping task,

 throw on my coat and head to the calf 

hutches with Cody and Hattie.

The afternoon was perfect for the job of placing 

ear tags that we use to identify each heifer calf.

This identification number is used as a name and is

entered into a computer data base. The  information about

each heifer calf is used for the care  of each calf

 as they grow and mature and eventually become part

 of the milking herd.

Hattie's job was to entice the calf out of the hutch.

She obviously had the job she wanted!

I'm thankful for each moment we have together

and 

                                                and for  the memories we are creating

down on the dairy farm.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

January must know her days are limited as she brought us 

chilling temperatures and a skiff of snow just at calf feeding

time this morning.  

A new baby and her mother were just what I needed to

warm my heart on this cold January morning.

After all the calves were fed their morning milk and grain,

we picked up the baby , transported her to a warm calf

hutch and walked her mother to the milk barn.

It's my job from this point to monitor and care for the 

baby. High-quality milk begins with a healthy cow and

it begins on this very first day.

Who else gets to feel such joy and can describe having

fun at work more days than not!

I'm thankful!

 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

We had a population explosion in one night!

You might even say, Christmas came a little bit early.

Eight new calves greeted us Monday morning.

It's not unusual to find one or two during calving season but

we were a little overwhelmed to have eight new babies 

to bring in from the pasture.  

Before each calf is taken to its own hutch, we record 

information about the calf and its mother, give calf vaccinations.

dip the navel with iodine to prevent infection and provide

a warm bottle of colostrum. 

I'm thankful for our employees that

work hard everyday in helping us

care for each calf,

for our two sons that work with us

everyday down on the dairy farm 

and

even though the pandemic has caused

a lot of craziness, 

Santa still stops for milk and cookies  on Christmas Eve!

 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

 

Although the Pandemic has brought many 

changes to our lifestyles and cramped our 

 social gathering plans for routine and holiday events,

it has not stopped the essential work down on the

dairy farm.

We are still milking cows twice daily, seven days a week

and providing the feed and care that the cows and calves

require daily. We are proud to be considered essential

workers to provide food for our fellow Americans.

I'm thankful that  my family and our employees have remained in 

good health and able to continue the daily tasks on the dairy farm.

All across our community, we have essential workers that

are performing jobs that we often take for granted.

With the help of Midwest Dairy, our dairy promotion group,

we are able to thank a few of our essential workers with

a token of our appreciation.

This week I wrapped up an Undeniably Dairy thermos cup and

warm stocking cap  to give to our rural mailman.

                                                 I'm thankful for every essential worker and

                                                    this week I celebrate the rural mailman 

                                                   for a job well done and much appreciated!

                                                        

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

When we have visitors to the farm we often get the

question about how many times do we milk everyday.

Our cows are milked twice a day beginning at seven in the 

morning and seven at night. Between milking times, 

the cows are eating their balanced feed ration that is made available 

in the barn and pasture , drinking water and resting in the pasture.

All the procedures for both milking times are the same but

the evening milking does have a more calm atmosphere with

less people working outside,the setting of the sun and the cool of the

evening bringing a refreshment from the heat of the day.

I'm thankful for these dairy barn night lights

 that are a sign that the milking of cows 

continues  on our family farm 

                                                                                 and

                                              that even in the year of a health pandemic in
                                                   our communities and across our nation,
                                        dairy farm families like us are working day and night
                                                to provide nutritious, high-quality milk.

Blessed Americans

Regardless of living in the middle of a pandemic and

the unrest in our country at this time,

we are blessed to live in this great nation and call ourselves 

Americans.

July 4th gives us the opportunity to celebrate all that 

we are as a nation and to appreciate all those that

have worked, struggled and sacrificed to bring us to this point in time. 

We are not a perfect nation because we are an imperfect people.

It is our duty to strive to be better on every level.

As we work today down on the dairy farm, 

we are celebrating the fact that we have the 

freedom to farm,

                                                   
                                     freedom to work everyday to provide food for Americans,

                                                       
                                                                                and
                                              the freedom  to  celebrate what July 4th means
                                                    with the next generation of Americans.

                                                           God Bless America!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Abundant spring rains made it difficult to harvest spring crops

creating that domino effect of too much to get done within 

the specific planting time frame. June could be compared to 

a Chinese fire drill down on the dairy farm with everyone going

in multiple directions everyday. All of the crops we raise are used

throughout the year to feed our dairy cows. 

The cows are counting on us!

I found myself working as a transport person as we moved equipment 

to the fields for planting crops that will be harvested in the fall.

Equipment adjustments are normal and often take more than one

farmer's knowledge to work out the kinks or in this case the hydraulics.

I'm thankful for these moments in time when waiting on the

farmers creates opportunities in the ordinary day

to appreciate my  farm family,

to see the joy in the small but mighty grand-girl's 

face when learning and helping to feed the calves,

                                                 and the wonder of just sitting on a bench!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

                               No matter how many times we find a new baby in the pasture,
                                      I still love to welcome each one to the farm and give
                                          a congratulations  to the mama for a job well done.

                                      Yesterday we had two new babies for the welcome party.

A double delight for a day during June Dairy Month.

Each of these mamas was raised by us. 

From the day of delivery, we are caring daily for each

one for an average of two and a half to three years before  

 the heifer will have her first calf.

High quality milk begins with a healthy animal and

that's where our job begins on day one in caring for each new calf.

                                                 Even though we have challenges every day,
                                I'm thankful for the joys of our job  down on the dairy farm
                                as we work to produce high-quality milk for my family and yours.

Dairyfarmer's Thankful Thursday

Milking our dairy cows twice a day is part of the 

daily routine down on the dairy farm.

During a pandemic, it is comforting in a crazy kind 

of way to be able to continue  a daily routine.

You may notice our employee, Jonathan, is wearing gloves.

Glove wearing has been part of our milking procedure

for a very long time to help decrease any spread of bacteria

from cow to cow.

I'm thankful that the COVID19 pandemic has 

not disrupted or changed our  daily activities and procedures,

 that our employees continue to be healthy,

the cows are being milked everyday,

and that farms and farm employees  are considered  essential 

so that we can continue to provide high-quality milk for 

my family and yours.

Evergreen Easter

                                        Although  COVID-19 has disrupted our normal way
                                                   of living down on the Arkansas dairy farm,
                                      what hasn't changed is our Hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.
                                                         

He Lives

He lives, He lives!

Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me

along life's narrow way.

He lives, He lives, 

salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives?

He lives within my heart.

--Alfred H. Ackley

From down on the dairy farm,

Happy Easter!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

More than 10 years ago , my Mother-in-Love Bonnah Lyn  presented me

with this blooming crab apple tree. Even though it's a bit crooked 

from a couple of bad storms causing a twist and loss of a  few branches,

you can't help but enjoy its beauty during the period of blooming 

and the sweet memories of my tree loving mother-in-law. 

There's a lot of assurance and hope in the unfolding of spring

 and  the routine  of daily life down on the dairy farm.

The impact of COVID-19 has removed alot of our normal in everyday

life but it can not remove our joy and hope!

I'm thankful that we are able to continue milking the cows, 

feeding the cows and calves  and producing high-quality milk

that feeds families in our community.

"Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually

grant you peace in every circumstance."

                   --II Thessalonians 3:16

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Spring has arrived!

The grass  greening up, the pollen count

 climbing with all the trees and flowers beginning to bloom and

the addition of new babies to the dairy farm brings an assurance

that there is still a "normal" to our daily life.

I'm thankful for these warmer, sunny days that we have

enjoyed this week and for the fact that

we are #StillFarming during this pandemic virus 

situation that we are all facing together.

                                         
                                             I'm sharing a video that I made this week of my
                                   favorite dairy farmer to assure you that we are still working
                                        to produce high-quality milk for you and your family.
                                         

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

What happened to our snow?

I was hoping for at least enough to cover up the mud

that we have been dealing with this winter!

The cows weren't a bit impressed with the big snow either.

We have had 2 new calves born in the last 24 hours and both are

doing well. It's obvious that weather conditions are not

a factor in delaying activity on the farm.

Due to the muddy conditions experienced all winter, 

we have unrolled hay in the pasture where cows are calving. 

These expectant cows are always

monitored closely for the anticipated birth of a calf but

with changes in temperature and weather conditions, we 

become even more alert to the need for rapid response

 to provide for a safe delivery.

                                         I'm thankful for just the little bit of snow down on the
                                  dairy farm and for the opportunity to be a part of this new
                                  beginning that is part of  our farm's sustainability in producing
                                                         milk for your family and mine.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

It was a snow day down on the dairy farm!

Well, you might call it more of a snow event since

most melted by noon.

The  older calves weren't a bit impressed by the little 

bit of snow that covered the ground. Nothing could stop 

them from drinking warm  milk and eating grain.

It's always fun to watch the youngest calves experience 

their first snow. Most were hesitant to come out of their 

warm hutches but once I coaxed them out with 

a warm bottle of milk, the snow was not an issue.

                                           Regardless of the weather, the calves are fed milk
                                        and grain twice daily  and monitored closely for any
                                                              signs of stress and illness.

                                             I'm thankful for the beauty of the snow day and for
                                            the joy we find in caring for our calves and cows
                                                       every day  down on the dairy farm.
                                         
                                       

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Don't you just love a new baby?

Through the month of December we've 

welcomed twenty new babies to the farm. 

Each new heifer will be raised to be the next

generation of dairy milking cows on our farm.

This development occurs over a 2 to 3 year period 

as each animal matures and gives birth to their first calf.

You might say Christmas gifts are given  year round

down on the dairy farm!

                                   I'm thankful for the gift we receive of watching each calf
                                     grow  and develop into a milking cow that will provide
                                             high-quality milk for our family and yours.
                               

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Happy New Year!

There's nothing more heart warming on a chilly day

down on the dairy farm than the delight of a child or

adult sharing in the care of a new calf on their first 

 dairy farm visit.

This farm visit was unique in that it was a special request

of my nursing school roommate to bring her niece's family

to the dairy farm while she was home for the holidays.

Aunt Nancy will forever be the favorite aunt!

We timed the visit to coincide with the afternoon calf feeding

so that each child could have the opportunity to

bottle feed a new calf. 

It was a precious time of sharing about the love we

have for caring for our animals and the work 

we do every day to provide safe, nutritious milk.

                                           
                                                  I'm thankful for the opportunity to share
                                           about dairy farming and agriculture to consumers
                                                of all ages and for the blessing of friendship.

Farm Story Anniversary

My Undeniably Dairy  Farm Story began when

I said "I do" on 

November 24,1984.

It's been thirty-five years of  loving a dairy farmer,

making a home and raising a family

and

 working everyday with my family to produce nutritious 

milk for your family and mine.

                             
                                                     You can't make up stories like ours!

                                               Just as my sweet anniversary card said,
                                         "love takes work, and time, a Lifetime, to be exact."