Life's Seasons

These past few weeks have been busy with calf vaccinations, selling cattle and 

moving cattle to different fields  for the fall breeding season.

We also planted a few fields of wheat and grass

 after the ground was softened with rain.

A change of the season always brings changes in the work on the farm.

As I walked through the feed barn, these calves seemed to be watching me.

I'm sure they were wondering if I was the person bringing their feed.

What a disappointment it must have been to just have their picture taken!

We have seasons in our own lives.

I made the decision to not seek re-election to the Benton County 

Quorum Court.  It has been my honor and privilege to represent

the citizens of District 9 for the past 12 years.

I shared this special retiring event with my sweet Mother.

You see, she was a great influence in my desire to serve in 

an elected position.

While growing up, my parents were involved in community activities.

Mother served on the Bentonville City Council and the Benton County Quorum Court.

In fact, she was the first woman to serve on the Benton County Quorum Court.

Mother and I made a little bit of Benton County history

by being the only mother and daughter to serve

 on the Benton County Quorum Court.

A season of service.

 

Baby Days

                                           

                                  It's been a perfect fall for welcoming  new babies to our beef herd.

                                There's nothing cuter than new calves running around the pasture

                           in search of new adventures while under the watchful eye of their mother.

                                    

                                              For the last few weeks, Ryan has been checking

                                          two groups of heifers several times a day that are due

                                          to give birth for the first time.  Fortunately, all but one

                                          have calved on their own and with assistance, that calf

                                          was born alive and healthy.  Needless to say, we feel very

                                          fortunate for a healthy calf crop.

                                          

Aren't they cute?

Cutest in the herd, of course, is the

youngest grandson!

As my mother-in-law said 

"best crop I ever raised" when speaking of her family.

                                               I'm thankful for life down on the farm and 

                                the opportunity we have of sharing our love of the farm

                                                     with the next generation.

 

Thankful Thursday

There's a rhythm and routine to days on the farm.

Daily chores that include caring for our beef cattle are the

routine events. The rhythm is changed by the added 

jobs that are necessary to the farming operation 

and often change the routine day.  

The rhythm to life on the farm changes daily.

These past few weeks the crops have been planted,

fence has been built,

decisions have been made about the soon to be 

new adventure in our  neighborhood community,

                                           

and

the next generation is learning the basics of

gardening.

                           

                                    I'm thankful for the routine of every day that   includes caring

                                        for our land and cattle and for the  daily opportunity to

                                             share this love  of  farm life with the next generation.

   

Thankful Thursday

Just before Labor Day, the square baler was pulled out of the shed, greased and

oiled, and sent to the field for what almost seems like an outdated practice.

The making of small square bales is a might more tedious than 

driving the big round baler down the field.  

You have decisions to make on the size of the

bale and the tension of the string. It proves that there is an art

  to farming and a lot of patience and praying with each bale

 that scoots out the shoot!

With the help of  the hay accumulator, a skid loader,

and a long trailer, the job of storing the hay is greatly 

 improved from the days of  a hay hauling crew that 

bucked each bale on the trailer in the field then

 unloaded and stacked  them in the barn on

 a 100 degree summer day.

I'm thankful for all the modern machinery that 

makes it possible to produce food for our calves and cows,

for the rain that we have been blessed with in this 

late summer season,

                                                                                  

                                                                                 and 

                                                 for these farm dogs that love life on the farm!