Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

If you would like a job filled with variety,

dairy farming would be your perfect choice.

We have the jobs that happen everyday of the year 

like mixing the balanced feed ration for the dairy

cows and making sure the cows are fed and milked twice a day.

Then we have the jobs that are unexpected but 

necessary like spraying a field for the

disgusting armyworms that will devour a crop

in just a few days.

                                   One of our sweetest jobs is to welcome  new life to the farm.

                                                        Finding two at a time is always fun!

I'm thankful for the blessings we find in both the 

ordinary and the challenging days down on the dairy farm.

                                     

Dairy Farmer Delight

Providing a nutritious diet for our dairy cows is an everyday job

down on the dairy farm. The diet can include a variety of ingredients but

it is a balanced diet that is formulated by our dairy nutritionist. 

Our cows' diet currently includes silage, hay, vitamins and minerals, and ground 

corn. Each ingredient provides a nutrient that the cow needs to produce milk

and maintain body functions. 

I was reminded of the importance of good nutrition this week by my

family doctor during my "Welcome to Medicare" yearly physical.

As we reviewed the lab work, the discussion turned to the need for

a bone density test, a review of calcium and vitamin D requirements

 and how to increase the calcium in my diet.

It was music to my ears, when I was encouraged to increase the

dairy in my diet! Was my doctor trying to make this dairy farmer's day?

Instead of taking a calcium pill, could I increase the dairy in my diet?

Wow--could I increase the dairy in my diet? You bet!

A dairy farmer's delight!

There may come a time when I need that calcium pill and I

 will be happy to take it, but I'd much rather improve my 

dietary habits than to take a calcium pill!

After all, milk contains nutrients, including calcium, potassium,

 protein and phosphorus; plus, it's fortified with vitamins A and D.

When I left the clinic, my thoughts turned to the decades of nutrition research  

 and the ongoing educational efforts of the National Dairy Council.

  As a dairy farmer, a nurse and now a member of the Medicare age group,

I'm thankful and grateful for the nutritional information and education shared

 by the National Dairy Council with physicians and other health

 professionals  that are caring for all ages.

 

 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Sunday was truly a snow day--

it snowed all day long. It has been 

 a very long time since we have experienced a snow day

 and like  many of our friends and neighbors,

it seemed a welcome change in our daily lives that 

have been impacted by all the changes brought to us during this pandemic.

 A snow is much more welcome

than freezing rain or inches of ice that can be hazardous

to the cows walking  and  for the farmers  trying to care for them.

It's always our daily job to make sure that the cows and

calves have plenty of feed and water to meet their 

nutritional needs. Colder temperatures with a blanket of

snow made the day's work even more important 

to make sure plenty of calories were provided for 

the stress of increased cold weather conditions.

Most of the calves were eager to drink their warm milk 

                                            but   a few needed a little coaxing to enter out into 

                                              their first   experience  with  six inches of snow.

                                       

                                I'm thankful for the refreshed feeling brought with  this first

                                 snow of the season, for the magical landscape created by snow,

                                              and the reminder of how God blesses us

with the beauty provided in nature  down on the dairy farm.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

We kicked off  the 2020 hay  season down on the

 dairy farm this week. I felt like we should be having a 

hay party to celebrate this season of hay production that 

has been delayed with cool, rainy weather all spring.

Hay is used in feeding our dairy cows everyday.

It is part of the special diet that is formulated by

our dairy nutritionist to make sure the cows are provided 

all the nutrients needed to produce milk and maintain health.

I'm thankful that the sun kept shining while this hay

was cut and baled before the next rain shower

and 

                                                         
                                                     that we did celebrate our first hay day
                                                 with the birthday of our head farmer and
                                                             his candle blowing helpers!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

We were happy to see Gittlein's custom chopper pull into the first corn field yesterday. 

Harvesting of any crop is a big deal but our corn crop is especially

 important to our dairy cows diet   through the winter and early spring.

All the corn we raise is chopped and hauled from the field to the 

silo on the dairy farm.The chopped corn will go through a

 fermenting process and become the silage that our  dairy cows 

will enjoy eating with other grains and hay.

It was my good fortune to be offered a ride around the field 

with my oldest son Cody.This was our view  of the chopper as 

we drove down the field side by side so the corn could be

 blown from the chopper into the truck.

With three trucks running to haul the corn to the silo,

it gave us opportunity to catch up on a little mother-son communication

 as we waited for our turn to pull up to the chopper.

                                              I'm thankful for the harvest of a good corn crop,
                                      the unexpected opportunities to spend time with my family,
                                                                                  and

                                                           
                                                     to share  life down on the dairy farm
                                                              with multiple generations.

January Shows Off

January is showing off  with single digit temperatures for 

 multiple days and so far has just teased us with a skiff of snow.

It may be all that she can do!

There's not another layer I can add to keep warm and still fit 

into my coveralls so why shouldn't I taunt her?

Although the cows don't seem to be taking it as hard as the farmers,

we have unrolled large hay bales in the pastures for them to lay on, increased

 the amount of feed needed and made sure their water supply is not frozen.

This new baby and mother spent their first night inside

 the maternity barn for added protection from extreme cold.

                               
                                        Evaluating our cows comfort and providing what they
                                         need is an everyday  activity down on the dairy farm.

                                      Our commitment to providing high-quality milk begins
                                      with taking good care of our cows in spite of the weather!
                                           

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Last week when parts of Arkansas received several inches of snow, 

we had a light  dusting in Northwest Arkansas 

but we did experience some bitter cold days.

While I add another layer of clothes to stay warm, 

our dairy  cows increase the amount of feed they eat during extreme weather.

It's our job to make sure their nutritional needs

   are met everyday.

                                                 
                                                 I'm thankful we missed that chance of snow
                                                                                    and
                                                 that we are in the last few days of January!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Dairy cattle are cared for around the clock 365 days a year.

During these cold,snowy days, I love  watching the cows gather around the hay feeders to enjoy the crop that we harvested on a hot summer day. We care for our dairy cows everyday by providing  a nutritious diet,good medical care and healthy living conditions.

Even though the snow is beautiful and moisture for the soil is appreciated, I'm thankful that we are approaching the end of winter!

Dairy Q&A

Question:

What is one of the dairy farmer's most important jobs?

Answer:

Animal care is one of the most important aspects of a dairy farmer's job. We spend the majority of our time everyday feeding our dairy cows and calves and monitoring the amount that is consumed.

From my front porch, I often  enjoy watching the soon to be mama cows cleaning up the grain mixture in the feed wagons. 

Even though these pregnant cows receive a special designed diet  daily  and have access to hay at all times, they never turn away a good meal or a tasty treat!