Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Voting is such a privilege.

Standing in line last week during early voting, I 

was inspired by the number of people that 

were standing in line with me to cast their vote.

Regardless of the outcome of any election,

I am thankful to be an American farmer that enjoys 

the freedom to live and work

everyday down on our Arkansas dairy farm

caring  for the land we call home

                                              and for the beautiful cows that provide healthy

                                                  nutritious milk for your family and mine.

           

A Dairy Passion Pledge

When we were planning our wedding thirty one years ago, I didn't think it was too

 unusual for the dairy farmer to want to toast our special day with a glass of milk.

After all, producing milk is a dairy farmer's passion.

Turns out, that milk toast was just the beginning

 of my  lifetime pledge for dairy passion.

November 24,1984

                                       We feel blessed to be able to share our love for life down
                                               on the dairy farm with consumers of all ages.

How could I not love this smiling dairy farmer?

I took the dairy passion pledge.

Trait of a Farmer

Weather patterns everywhere have been unusual this year. In May our crop planting was delayed because we had thirty inches of rain with flooding. In the last thirty days, we have had less than an inch. Every year we grow one hundred acres of corn that will be made into corn silage for our dairy cows. This corn silage will be added to all the other feed ingredients that we purchase to make a completely balanced diet for our cows to enjoy throughout the year. High quality milk from our dairy cows occurs because of the nutritious ingredients in their diet.

One of my jobs yesterday was to help move spray equipment to the corn field. It was at least one hundred degrees,humid and steamy in the corn field.
Spraying a corn field for weed eradication usually happens earlier and in cooler weather but one of the lessons I have learned with farming is that the conditions or circumstances that we work with are not always perfect. Weather is definitely a condition beyond our control.

As I watched Ryan moving through the field on the old John Deere spray rig, I thought how amazing the American farmer is in the best or worst conditions. Farmers are dedicated to protecting the land,air ,and water while producing the most abundant,affordable and available food for Americans and the world by using sound science and modern technology and if you need a dose of optimism, find a farmer to talk to--he's got it!

Farmers,Angels and Tornados

As I have watched the news this week about Joplin, I keep thinking about the many people that are working to assist fellow citizens during this tragedy. Last Sunday afternoon before the tornado struck, Ryan and I made a visit to our 86 year old farmer friend,Bob, who was a patient at St.John's hospital in Joplin recovering from surgery for a broken leg. Bob's room was on the sixth floor of this eight story structure. We left Joplin at 4:30p.m. When we arrived home at 6 p.m., we learned that Joplin had been struck by the tornado and St. John's hospital took a direct hit. It was early Monday morning before we found out that our friend had made it through the storm and was transferred to a hospital in Pittsburg,Kansas. On Tuesday he was transferred to a rehab facility in Cassville, Missouri to be closer to his home and family.

Ryan went to visit Bob yesterday and listened to his account of how he survived the storm. Bob stated that just minutes before the tornado struck the hospital, the charge nurse ran into his room, threw a blanket and pillow to him and told him to hold onto the chair he was sitting in so she could roll him out into the hall. As she was pushing him toward the door, the pressure from the storm pushed the nurse into Bob as they entered the hallway. Reaching the hallway, Bob grabbed the hand rail on the wall, the nurse and Bob locked arms together and she held her other hand on the rail. The nurse laid over on Bob to shield him as they held on for dear life. As soon as the tornado was gone, emergency workers began to arrive to help assess the situation and begin moving patients to the ground floor. Bob stated that the actions of the nurse saved his life. Two firemen appeared on the sixth floor and carried Bob down six flights of stairs without stopping. Within 30 minutes from the time the storm hit, Bob was on the ground floor waiting to be transferred to the hospital in Pittsburg.

Countless stories are being reported about how people survived this storm. Although we are saddened by those people that lost their lives in this tragic disaster, we appreciate the quick thinking and actions of this young nurse taking care of our friend and the many others just like her that saved many lives. I am very thankful for every person that is assisting the victims and their families in Joplin. Our own community in Arkansas is reaching out and providing assistance through donations of needed items. Many companies such as Walmart and Tyson are donating time,food and personnel to feed emergency workers and victims of the storm and our own dairy cooperative is looking to donate dairy products.

One way you can assist with this disaster is to text "REDCROSS" to 90999 to make a $10 donation to the Red Cross, or visit the special Missouri Tornado and Flood Relief site to donate online. Most of all--pray for all of the communities who have experienced great loss of loved ones and homes and for all those who are assisting these families in a time of great need.

A Tribute to the American Farmer

Tucked away in a collection of newspaper clippings and personal memorabilia of my mother-in law's personal keepsakes was this poem about the American farmer. We celebrate the bounty of food in America because of the farmers across our nation. I do not know who wrote this piece but I do know it was clipped from some type of farm magazine. I am sharing this today as a tribute to all farmers and farm families that are working so hard everyday and embracing the challenges to provide food,fiber, and fuel for our citizens.

A Tribute to the American Farmer

I am only a farmer. I know the sun better than anyone. And the soil. And the wind. And the rain. I am the man who works with them. Who lives with them. Who loves them. And who sometimes fears them.

I am only a farmer. I am the sower of seeds. I am the tender of stock. I am the reaper of harvest. I am sweat. And tears. And pride.

I am only a farmer. I am the man the feeds the young. And the old. The weak. And the strong. I am the black earth of Spring. The green hills of Summer. The harvest gold of Autumn. And the cold white stillness of winter.

I am only a farmer. I am warm memories of the past. The steely reality of the present. And a hopeful dream of the future. I am an optimist. A thinker. A watcher. And a doer.

I am only a farmer. I live in a complex world. Made of simple things. And they are my source of joy. And hope. And comfort. I have walked the morning fogs. I have paused for the Summer song of the meadowlark. And I have savored the breeze off freshly cut hay. I have paused, remembering, by the stream I knew as a boy. I have felt the power of a thousand storms. And rejoiced in the fresh world left in their wake.

I am only a farmer. I am an accountant. Chemist. And doctor. I am midwife.And mechanic. I am seller. Trader. And buyer. I am husband. Helper. And partner to my wife. I am father. Friend. Comforter. And teacher to my children.

I am only a farmer. Not a man of riches. But a man of great wealth. I have learned to treasure life. And all things living. To respect their maker. And my own. I am humbled by the earth's bounty. And awed by endless rebirth. I am facinated by the marvelous intricacies of my world. And enriched by their beauty.

I am only a farmer. If a man can be truly free, then I truly am. The day. The week. The month. They have been entrusted to me. They are mine to spend. They are mine to invest. They are mine to use wisely. It is a solitary profession I have chosen. Or,perhaps, that I have been chosen for. A profession where there are no certainties. Where no guarantees are granted. No promises granted. No promises given. No excuses taken. I have but one man to answer to. One man to depend upon. One man to confide in. And in the quiet of the years,I have come to know him well.

I am only a farmer. In perserverance and creativity. And courage.

I am only a farmer. I am confidence. And ingenuity. And intelligence.

I am only a farmer. A seeker of excellence...And I will endure.

Hearing Health

Agricultural Safety Awareness Week March 6-12 is a great time to share information about noise induced hearing loss. After reading information about noise induced hearing loss, I don't think I can accuse my husband of having selective hearing any more! After years of exposure to the noise of tractors and farm machinery, I'm sure he does suffer from noise induced hearing loss. According to the University of Arkansas AgrAbility program(http://www.uaex.edu), here are some facts about noise induced hearing loss:

• it can affect anyone that is exposed to hazardous noise at work


• 33% of all people who are exposed to hazardous noise at work will develop hearing loss


• agriculture is one of the highest risk professions


• noise induced hearing loss is one of the most common disabilities for Arkansas farmers

Noise induced hearing loss can be developed gradually as a result of chronic exposure or can develop suddenly as a result of a single impulsive noise exposure. While normal conversation is measured at 60 decibels, 85 decibels or higher is considered too loud. Hearing protection is recommended in the workplace if noise is at 85 decibels for exposures longer than eight continuous hours. Both the amount of noise and the length of exposure contribute to hearing damage. There are many styles of hearing protectors available but the best one to use is the one you actually wear! I hope you will find this information worth sharing with your family or co-worker because noise induced hearing is painless,progressive and permanent but it is preventable!

Food Check-Out Week 2011

Food Check-Out Week, February 20-26, brings attention to the fact that the American farmer is providing the safest,most abundant and affordable food supply in the world! Across America this week, Farm Bureau volunteers will be celebrating Food Check-Out Week in their communities by making donations to local food banks,setting up displays and sharing the message with shoppers at supermarkets and other locations. I appreciate the variety of dedicated farmers we have in America to produce our food.

As I am thinking about how to make my family food dollar go further and still choose nutritious food during these tough economic times, Food Check-Out Week is also a good time to revisit strategies to provide better nutrition with less money such as:

• knowing your food budget


• planning balanced meals,


• making a list and sticking to it


• read food labels


• take time to compare prices for different brands and sizes


• shopping at competitively priced grocery stores with high quality produce

If you are needing more information about nutrition and food choices, I suggest visiting http://www.mypyramid.gov/. You can also find helpful information about dairy nutrition,shopping tips and the added value of dairy to your diet at http://dairymakessense.com/ and http://midwestdairy.com/.

It's a great week to Thank a Farmer!

Snow Cows

Twenty degrees below zero and twenty four inches of snow are not the winter time norm for Northwest Arkansas. After we fed baby calves this morning, I decided to check on the pregnant cows located next to our house. We normally go into the field on a 4-wheeler or truck, but because the snow was so deep, I decided to walk in the tracks made by the tractor from yesterday's hay feeding. These soon to be mamas were giving me the eye as I approached them. I was greatly relieved to find no new babies on this frigid morning. The cows were enjoying the sunshine and some of them were resting on the hay that we had unrolled for them to lay on. They had plenty of silage hay in the feeders in the field and their water supply was not frozen. We will check on these cows several times a day because they are scheduled to calve within the next two weeks. At the end of each day if we find a cow that we suspect might calve in the night, we will walk her to our maternity barn so that if she gives birth, her calf will be in a more protected environment from the extreme weather conditions. As I was standing in the middle of the field looking at each cow with all that snow around me, the beauty of the moment was incredible. I find that even when conditions are tough, life on the family farm has its own set of blessings!

Resolution for Agriculture

"The declining number of farmers in the USA ought to be a national policy issue since I don't want the USA to become an importer of food and fiber"---this was the comment I received in a letter from a Kiwanis member after my presentation about dairy promotion. During an informal question and answer session after my presentation, we were discussing the efficiency of the American farmer. Although I did not bring out the fact that the average age of the farmer is 55 years old, it was on the mind of the member. This fact does bring one to think about the importance of who will be producing our food in the future. It should be a concern for every American. As we are just days away from 2011, I am resolved to do my part in insuring the future of agriculture and the American farmer by: engaging in conversations about how we produce the safest,most abundant and most affordable food, encouraging consumers and farmers to be active and educated on issues that effect all of us and supporting all efforts of agricultural organizations to foster involvement of young women and men in agriculture. Will you support American agriculture?