DAIRY AND DAYLIGHT

All the farmers I know are celebrating the arrival of Daylight Savings Time. Dairy farming is a management and labor intensive occupation. Every day of the year we are milking cows twice a day on our farm, feeding and caring for all of our livestock and working to maintain the farming operation. So what is so exciting about Daylight Savings Time? Daylight Savings Time brings more daylight for the farmer to work longer hours. The warmer spring weather and longer days signal the beginning of our other task which is to prepare farm equipment and fields for crop production. As I moved my clock forward last night, I thought about stories my mother-in-law told us about Great Aunt Edna. In the 1940's, Aunt Edna worked as a nurse in town, milked cows before and after work, and raised a huge garden for her family's food supply. She often hoed her garden by lantern light. With Daylight Saving Time, we now use tractor lights instead of the lantern!!