Zoom's Transformation

Last October during a virtual farm tour on our dairy farm,

the students found out how we raise  baby calves that are born

on our farm.  One of the students thought the name ZOOM

was a perfect name for the youngest calf on the farm 

that particular day.   Of course, we agreed!

She's been called Zoom ever since tour day but

she is also identified with her ear tag number of 3381.

That number identifies her in our computer records that

document information about her growth and development

and assist us in making management decisions as she grows

and develops into a milking cow.

At three weeks after the tour, I could tell that 

Zoom was growing  but

changes are very obvious at three months!

Zoom no longer looks through the wire panel--

                                                                   she's looking over it !

                               Over the next couple of weeks, we will be getting 

                               Zoom ready to leave her calf hutch and enter life in

                                   a small pasture with a few of her herd mates. 

                                    I'll miss the everyday interaction with Zoom

                                    but I will love  watching her continued growth

                                      and development  into a healthy dairy

                                  cow that produces  nutritious   high-quality milk.

                                           

                                               

                                               

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

It was moooving day this week!

The move did not include any packing material or boxes--

just calves that enjoyed kicking up their heels with

 the excitement of  a new experience.

The oldest calves  in the calf hutches (at least three months old)

 were moved from their individual hutches to a small pasture

 where they will begin  living together as a herd. 

Before being put on the trailer,

each calf received a vaccination to protect them from 

common calf diseases and a dose of wormer.

This weaning process began  weeks before moving  day by

transitioning them from milk to water and a grain that is

 formulated for the growth of an older calf.

Weaned calves continue to be monitored closely for 

any signs of illness during their twice a day feeding in 

the pasture.  

I'm thankful for each of these calves

that we have raised from their

first day of life  down on the dairy farm

and

                                               the future production of high-quality milk

                                                 that begins with a healthy calf.

 

Dairy Farmer's Party

 

A birthday down on the dairy farm is always a celebration.

These new calves represent the growth of our dairy herd

and the future production of high quality milk.

My daily job is caring for these new babies.

It truly is a celebration when you witness a calf that is

 born and raised on the farm give birth to her own calf.

It's one of the labors of  dairy farmer love to watch 

this process over a two and a half year process.

It's our own brand of dairy farmer party!

 

                              

                                      We're also finding the fun in farm family birthdays

                                              with the expert candle blowers.

                                Hattie and Breck definitely bring more fun to the party!

Sheath Cake is one of our family favorite birthday

requests. It's not so pretty but if you love

chocolate cake with a big dip of vanilla ice cream,

this is perfect!

Sheath Cake

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

1/2 cup shortening

4 Tablespoons Cocoa

1 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 cup buttermilk

 1 teaspoon soda

2 eggs,slightly beaten

Bring margarine, shortening, cocoa and water to a rapid boil.

Pour over the sugar and flour,beat well.

Add buttermilk and soda, vanilla and eggs.

Beat, then bake at 400 degrees F. for 20 minutes.

Cover with the following.

Icing:

1 stick butter

4 Tablespoons cocoa 

3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

6 Tablespoons milk

1 cup pecans (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring butter, cocoa and milk to a boil.

Add powdered sugar, vanilla and pecans.

Beat well, pour over cake while hot.

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.
                               

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Happy Halloween!

I hope your day was filled with more treats than tricks.

Other than our crazy cold last day of October weather,

the treats down on the dairy farm far outweighed the tricks.

I'm thankful for the healthy new calf that was born this morning

and

for the smiles brought to us by 

 the cutest Goldilocks and little Baby Bear. 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Early this summer we had a little extra help from

our cousin Ethan.  Ethan is the great grandson of our Uncle Deric who

 worked on our farm after his retirement from the Bentonville 

Casting Company and had taught Cody and Casey

 a lot of useful mechanical skills as they grew up. 

Ethan had a lot of  new experiences 

down on the dairy farm including feeding a new calf.

Unfortunately for us, school started just about the time

we began having new calves every day!

I'm thankful for the fact that Ethan wanted to come to 

the farm and experience the day to day life  down on 

the dairy farm and for the kindness and patience of my son,Cody,

who mentored Ethan and provided a great summer experience. 

I'm pretty sure Uncle Deric and Aunt Fritz would be

extremely proud of Ethan and Cody!

Contest Keepsake

Just a few weeks ago I became aware of a photography contest

 advertised on the website nwaMotherlode  sponsored 

by The Smile Shoppe, a pediatric dental practice in Northwest Arkansas.

The subject was kids enjoying summer in Northwest Arkansas.

What I liked about this contest was  that  it didn't want professional pictures or 

recommend any certain kind of  photographic ability, just cute pictures of kids.

That's all it took for me to enter the picture I call, "First Kiss".

Today I picked up the prize for the winning picture!

Scott Frame and Art  presented me with a gallery wrapped

canvas of the photo I submitted.

It is so sweet to look at those puckered up lips!

I so appreciate this keepsake of granddaughter Hattie's

experience on our family dairy farm.

                                        Thank-you to nwaMotherlode for loving all the
                                                      mamas in Northwest Arkansas and
                                                  to the community support shown by
                                              the Smile Shoppe and Scott Frame and Art.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

                                                   Not all birthdays are celebrated with cake,

but

August is a celebration of  life down on the dairy farm.

This new baby was born after midnight and was taken to 

its own clean hutch, fed colostrum from its mother

and monitored   for  any health issues. Calves grow up to 

become the cows that produce milk, so we are committed 

to getting them off to a healthy start.

I'm thankful for the healthy calves born this month, 

the unexpected help bottle feeding the new August calves

and

                                      for the opportunity to celebrate  life down on the dairy
                                                        farm with the next generation.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

                                          An ordinary day down on the dairy farm is full
                                                            of extraordinary activities.
                                        It is the Mother's behavior of licking her calf that gives
                                        the new baby strength and encouragement to stand up
                                      for the first time usually within the first hour after birth.
                                       

I'm thankful for the reminder of how important a little 

encouragement can be to all of us!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

A new calf doesn't always follow Mama 

but you can usually count on 

Mama to show up if you get a little too close.

I have great respect and appreciation  for this maternal instinct.

I'm thankful that we have the opportunity to enjoy 

the land and animals  that live with us and around us.

                                            We love the land and work to protect our natural
                                                       resources down on the dairy farm.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Even though you don't see any black spots on this new calf, it is a Holstein.

There's nothing prettier than a pure  white calf  on bright spring green grass.

Each calf is unique and has characteristics of its parents.

In fact, every calf's spots or markings are unique to them.

What I love about all of the dairy cows, no matter what kind or color,

they provide us with delicious, nutritious  milk.

I'm thankful for the new spring calf crop

and the milk that is produced for all of us to enjoy.

What kind of world would it be without 

butter and cream cheese to use when baking Easter

 goodies like Coconut Cake with Pineapple Filling?

                               
                                                     

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

It was the perfect spring morning to walk across the pasture to 

find this baby snuggled down in the loose hay around the manger.

As usual, Mama stayed between me and the calf just in case 

I should act wild and crazy or the farm  dogs following me got too close!

                                                         
                                           I am thankful for new life down on the dairy farm
                                                                              and
                                                           

                                                                 for the gifts of spring!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

In the first week of June one of our cows gave birth to a very small bull  calf.

He didn't breathe well and couldn't stand up.

Although we didn't really have a lot of hope that he would live, 

it was decided to put him in the barn instead of a hutch to care for him.

Each day he drank a little more milk and with help stood for brief moments.

In just a few days, he was the favorite calf!

He became known as "Big".

To Hattie's delight, 

Big loves being fed grain by hand

and 

sharing a kiss.

                                             
                                     I'm thankful for these sweet experiences with my family
                                                                down on the dairy farm.
                                                                         

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

In a field of black and white spotted Holstein cattle, 

the red and white Ayrshire definitely stand out!

New babies are always welcome on the dairy farm but these red and white ones

 are reminders of the great learning experiences we have had through

 our past  involvement with our  sons'  4-H dairy projects and club activities.

                         
                                      I'm thankful for the expansion of Cody's Ayrshire herd 
                                      and for the outstanding 4-H program in Benton County.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

There's nothing sweeter than watching a mother with her new baby.

It's a reminder of all the many blessings that we often 

take for granted when life gets too busy.

                                             
                                 This baby was delivered without any complications this week
                               just in time to greet a group of children making a visit to the farm.

                              I'm thankful for the blessings of life that we can share with others!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Clouds,wind and dropping temperatures made

 the morning seem a little bleak and dreary 

but

                             I'm thankful for the bright spots, black and white spots in this case,
                                                          found down on the dairy farm.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Foggy mornings on the dairy farm  make chore time a little more difficult 

but

                                         
                                          I'm thankful for the beacon-like white spots on our
                                          black and white Holsteins that assist us in finding a
                                                       sweet new overnight addition.
                                     

Debate Free Dairy

Absolutely no time for  debates down on the dairy farm...

                                 
                               We're too busy welcoming new members to the dairy herd!
                               

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Welcome to the herd!

It's a great start to any day when we welcome a new calf to the farm.

Soon after I took this picture, Mama went to the milk barn to join 

the milking herd  and baby girl (heifer)  went to the nursery with me. 

Heifer calves on our farm grow up to become the cows that produce

milk,so it's a priority for us to get them off to a healthy start.

                                I'm thankful for my daily job to insure the health of our calves
                                  and  support the  sustainability  of our family dairy  farm by
                                                     raising and caring for our dairy calves.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Did you ever get the "look" from your mother when

 your behavior was less than perfect?

This new mama was giving the "look" to the family dogs that followed

 me to the pasture and  wandered just a little too close to her new baby. 

                      Watching the behavior of our cows and thinking about my own experiences
                          of mothering and being mothered, I'm thankful for the God given gift
                                      of maternal instinct that protects our young  and the "look"
                                           that often provides a boundary of safe behavior.