Labor Day Season

Happy Labor Day!

We celebrated Labor Day with our labor of love

called farming!

Labor Day seems to be the beginning of a new season--

the beginning of a wind down to prepare us for fall 

and winter.

It is a day to breathe a sigh of relief and offer a thank-you

to the good Lord for bringing us this far in the year with

sunshine and rain for the crops and water in the pond.

The cows would not understand if we didn't show up 

to feed them and make sure their day was going well!

While we were all doing different jobs today,

Cody chose to mow a field of hay 

located at the back of  a new neighborhood.

As we watched Cody pass by this house, I wondered what the neighbors 

think when a big green tractor passes by their back porch!

In Northwest Arkansas, this is becoming a much more

common occurrence to be farming next to a new 

housing subdivision.

                                               It gives a different meaning to urban farming!

 In this season of Labor,

we will be chopping corn soon to make corn silage

for winter feeding.

And the season of Labor Day continues,

with the very best gift--

                                                                   a farm and  family to love!

Farmer's Perspective

 

Farmers talk about the weather a lot.

That's an understatement.

It's a topic of conversation everyday.

As we watched the ponds get lower and lower in late

March and early April, we were concerned 

about drought and the impact that has on our farm.

While the local weather men and women talked about

the sunny, pleasant weekends, we were hoping for rain.

We definitely have a different perspective when

 it comes to the weather.

Just when we were feeling depressed about no rain,

it started to rain!  

The pastures went from short blades of grass to

thick green pastures  with buttercup weed.

Although you don't want to see weeds in the pastures,

I am thankful for the grass that the rain has provided 

and ponds that are in better shape as we get closer to

summer time temperatures and dry weather.

While weather is a prominent topic of discussion,

there are always fun topics to share with our family,

like the eclipse experience of a 5 year old,

                                              who can blow out birthday candles the fastest,

                                                                                     and

                                          the beauty provided by the long awaited spring rains.

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.

 

Thankful Thursday

There's a rhythm and routine to days on the farm.

Daily chores that include caring for our beef cattle are the

routine events. The rhythm is changed by the added 

jobs that are necessary to the farming operation 

and often change the routine day.  

The rhythm to life on the farm changes daily.

These past few weeks the crops have been planted,

fence has been built,

decisions have been made about the soon to be 

new adventure in our  neighborhood community,

                                           

and

the next generation is learning the basics of

gardening.

                           

                                    I'm thankful for the routine of every day that   includes caring

                                        for our land and cattle and for the  daily opportunity to

                                             share this love  of  farm life with the next generation.

   

Barns and Babies

The days of spring down on the farm are 

always busy with cattle working to improve the health of our beef cattle

and fertilizing the fields that will bring on the growth of hay but

this year we added barn building onto the schedule.

This barn will be used to store hay.  When complete it will 

also have areas on the side that cattle can rest under for shade or 

for protection from inclement winter weather.

Truly a picture of modern day barn raising with all family members

involved as the crane was lifting the trusses in place.

We still manage to enjoy the beauty of spring 

as we check cattle and watch the new babies

stay  close to their mama or run around like crazy,

                                          to celebrate the spring birthdays with the family,

                        

                                                and appreciate the beauty in the garden.
 

                           

                                          I hope you are enjoying and celebrating spring

                                    as much as we are down on the Arkansas farm!

Thankful Thursday

Where would we be without the women in our lives?

Women's History Month and International Women's Day

gives me  the opportunity to celebrate the many accomplishments

of women across the world and  the women

that have made an impact on my life.

Here's to

Strong Women

May we 

Know them

                                                                 

                                                                             May we

                                                                     be them

May we

raise them.

                                       I'm thankful for the women that have blessed my life.

                                         

Century Farm Barn Preservation

More than one hundred years ago, this barn was the hub of the everyday

farming operation.  Ryan's grandfather Grover milked cows

 in this barn and used it to store hay and grain.  During World War II, 

Ryan's mother milked cows in this

same barn while his father was stationed in Japan.

Even though  the everyday activity of this barn has changed,

it is still used for storage and provides a reminder

of its history on  our century farm. 

  

It seemed the right thing to preserve this part of our 

farm history by adding new tin and new doors to 

this important part of our family and farm history.

The barn certainly dresses up my calf pictures!

More importantly, the barn can continue to

be used daily and preserved for others to enjoy

as our  rural farming area in Benton County

continues to blend  into city life.

 

 

Thankful Thursday

It was a bitter sweet moment as I watched the group of 

bred Holstein heifers being checked by the veterinarian

before being loaded on a truck for a trip to their 

new home in Texas. 

The heifers will be having their babies in just

a couple of months.

 

We have almost three years invested in the  daily

           care of each of these heifers.

I was with them on their first day on the farm

when we moved their mother to the milking barn and

I became their caretaker feeding them with a bottle.

I'm going to miss seeing their babies !

I'm thankful to have married the dairy farmer 

that has shared his calling with me  to be a caretaker

of these beautiful animals and a steward of the 

land we call home,

                             
                                                        the continued daily work on the farm,

and

for the opportunities that appear through transitions

in life on the farm.

 

Welcome to Vaughn Elementary

The community is  invited to attend the Vaughn Elementary

 ribbon cutting and open house on Monday, July 18,5:30-7:30.

I can't wait!

I've been excited since the Bentonville School Board chose

the name Vaughn Elementary. It was a labor of love for several 

community members to speak up for the name that brings

many fond memories of school days at the original 

Vaughn School.

The new Vaughn Elementary is located at

5301 SW Barron Road, Bentonville.

Since the new school is located on the southwest side

of our farm, I have watched the construction through 

every phase. It is a beautiful campus. 

This new school definitely changes the landscape of 

our community and our farming community.

At night with all the lights  it looks like a small city! 

It is my hope that  students that attend this school

will love their school like those who attended the

original Vaughn School.

                                                       Welcome to Vaughn Elementary!

                                          

                                        

                                           

                                                   
 

Thankful Thursday

One of the added benefits to mowing the yard next to the pasture is 

getting to watch the heifers enjoying  those grass clippings

that were blown under the fence.  They looked a little like excited

kids in a candy store!

Even though farm life is extremely busy in the month of May,

I am thankful for the moments that bring smiles,

for the family celebrations of  Mother's Day ,birthdays

 and graduations,

and for the beauty of the garden  that 

remind us that all these gifts 

are freely given by our heavenly Father.

A Mother's Love

What's not to love about this day of celebrating mothers?

Down on the farm, we celebrate all mothers!

A Mother's Love

A mother's love is special

It's present every day,

A gift that came from heaven

That God has sent our way.

Her job is never ending

She's there all day and night,

To be there for her children

And be their guiding light.

Her thoughts are with them always

Even if they are apart,

Her children have a special place

Deep down inside her heart.

Mother's are a special gift-

A gift from up above,

This world would seem so empty

Without a Mother's love.

                             --T. Entzminger

 

Happy Mother's Day!

Thankful Thursday

Last year we were looking up information about our farm to see if we

could qualify to be recognized as an Arkansas Century Farm. 

Sure enough, the land where our house and the dairy sit was purchased in

1919 by Ryan's Grandad Grover Bagby. 

Although we had the abstract for the land purchase,

I also went to the County Circuit Clerk's office and looked up

the county deed records. It was quite a fascinating process to hold

those records from so long ago filled with beautiful handwritten documentation

of the history of land in Benton County.  

Dairy farming has been a part of the farming on this land for 90 years. 

On April 16, Ryan completed 50 years of milking dairy cows on the family farm.

I'm so thankful for the 37 years that I have been a part

of the dairy farming life.  Taking a city girl  and training

her was no easy job for the farmer!

Although we won't be milking cows,

I can still look out the kitchen window watching the

dairy heifers and beef cows enjoy these  early  spring

pastures  and give thanks for the blessings of farm living!

 

Farm Snow Days

What do we do on snow days down on the dairy farm?

The same as we do on a summer day!

Feeding the calves and milking the cows are chores that we

do every day of the year regardless of the weather or the 

holiday schedule.

I will say that snow days serve to remind us to enjoy 

the beauty of nature  and remind me of how blessed

we are to live and work on the farm  and experience

God's creation everyday.

I'm not particularly fond of cold weather but snow days

do alter the schedule to  doing the absolutely necessary chores

and sometimes allow for unexpected  time together with our family.

Snow days are always good days for enjoying 

a little chocolate cream pie

 (made with real whole milk, of course),

 a cup of coffee made from this week's family  find

of an antique coffee percolator,

and a few family  stories about the good old days

 down on the dairy farm!

                               
 

Fall Blessings

Although the farm work has not slowed down these first few 

days of fall, it has brought us that big sigh of relief  as we reached

into the closet for our long sleeve shirts  and hoodies with cooler

temperatures and less humidity.  On top of that, it rained three inches!

Talk about fall blessings!

With little rain through the summer and the stunted growth of the 

millet crop due to those nasty army worms, it was decided to harvest

 the crop when the rain was over. We were pleasantly surprised 

at the number of bales that were harvested.

These wrapped bales are actually making  fermented silage in a bag

that  will be fed to the dairy cows in their  balanced 

nutritional ration. 

Taking samples of silage and dry hay is part of 

the process to know the quality and types of nutrients 

provided for the feed ration.

My job was to patch the holes once the silage sample was

removed.  It was the easy job for sure!

We've also been welcoming new dairy  calves to the farm.

And at the end of the day,

                                             I am reminded of the simple blessings  we enjoy

                           and often take for granted during fall down  on the dairy farm.