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.

 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Just as hay and crop harvesting are winding down,

the fall calving season is beginning to ramp up with a new

calf arriving every day or two.

This experienced Mama that has had at least two calves before 

today's arrival, just couldn't complete the birth without assistance.

She was walked from the pasture to the maternity barn because the 

calf would need to be delivered by  the farmer.

In just minutes after delivery, she was welcoming her new baby

with heavy duty tongue licking to stimulate  and clean him.

Mother and baby are doing well.

There's never just one job happening down on the dairy farm.

While Casey was delivering this calf,

Cody was planting wheat. 

Just a routine day that requires management

and multi-tasking skills.

I'm thankful for these two sons that work so hard

every day to care for our cows and the land we call home

and 

for the fact that I have been  blessed to work with 

them every day down on the dairy farm.

 

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

As fall progresses, the time clock is ticking to get the crops harvested.

We planted sorghum in the late spring hoping it would make 

a crop in case drought might not allow the survival of our corn silage crop. 

So, you might call it our farmer "just in case" insurance policy.

I'm thankful for this crop that will be added to our dairy cow's feed ration 

for producing high-quality milk

                                                                         
                                                                                  and
                                           for the third and fourth generation dairy farmers
                                                  working together till the end of daylight

                                                     
                                                to harvest the crop down on the dairy farm.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

It's milo chopping time down on the dairy farm.

I made it to the field just in time to see  today's last load of chopped milo head to the silo.

As you can see, it has grown well above my head this year.

It is a drought resistant grain  crop so with adequate rain it grows like crazy!

I'm thankful for this year's milo crop that will be used 

to feed our dairy cattle this winter 

and

                                                             
                                        for the perfect fall weather for harvesting our crops.

Moovin' Into Fall

 We've been moovin' into fall for the past week...


                           as we harvested  a field of Bermuda hay for small  square bales to
                                 feed our young calves  and moved it to the barn for storage,

 

added new cows to the milking herd and new babies to the calf hutches,

 

 

 shared a little  dairy love with young consumers during a farm tour,

 

 

 

and watched the flowers breathe a sigh of relief  with the rain and cooler temperatures.

 

 

Just signs of the season down on the dairy farm.

 

Happy Fall, Ya'll!

Rain Gauge Ready

Although we can't change or  predict the weather, we do like to measure the rain when we receive it on the dairy farm.  When the TV weatherman announced this morning that it's been three weeks since rain fell in Northwest Arkansas and mentioned the possibility of showers, I immediately felt it was necessary to hang up the new rain gauge just in case he's right.

 As the farmer's wife,  I've decided that  it isn't always as much the amount of rain that we see in the gauge but it's the hope and encouragement we receive  from the blessing of rain--whatever the amount.

Ryan's been no-till planting a Sorghum Sudan grass crop this week  that will be harvested (Lord willing)  late this summer or early fall. It's definitely dry and dusty but...

We're rain gauge ready!