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.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Can you believe it's August?

That was my very thought as I walked down the driveway and noticed 

these soon to be mama cows resting in the thick green grass.

In June when the pastures looked like we were in August,

I would never have believed that we would have any 

grass going into late summer.

I'm so thankful for the rains we have enjoyed these last two weeks,

for green pastures and growing crops that will feed our 

dairy cows this fall and winter, 

and

 the  cooler temperatures that are enjoyed by cows and farmers.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

During the drought of 2012, feeding hay on the ground was a common scene because there was absolutely no pasture for dairy cows to graze.

Even though we're having our usual hot,dry August weather,

                                     I'm thankful for the hay we baled this week, and   for the fact
                             that our pastures and fields look lush for August in Northwest Arkansas!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Rain and chilly weather lingered most of today in Northwest Arkansas.

Wearing coats and gloves this afternoon while feeding calves was  a  sure sign of "blackberry winter"  on the dairy farm.

 

I'm thankful for the late afternoon sunshine  and the  spring rain that we so desperately needed

 

 

to refresh  our grass for the  cows to enjoy

and 

 

lift our spirits with new surprises of   color in the garden.

Dairymom's Sunset Adventure

 

Early in the summer, Ryan cut the hay on an acreage surrounded by subdivisions   at the edge of Centerton, not too far from our farm. Since we're considering renting the pasture for cattle, I was asked if I would like to take a ride on the four wheeler to check fences all around the property. Sunset adventure  rides with a dairy farmer are pretty irresistible!

 

It was worth all the adventure --blackberry briar scratches, chigger bites and a few tense moments when I wasn't sure the four wheeler would carry us out of the jungle of weeds above our heads--to see the beauty of an  overgrown Arkansas  meadow in early fall.

 

 

 

Underneath all these colorful weeds (I call them flowers), is a pasture of carpet thick grass.

When you compare this year to last year's drought--we are so blessed!

 

 

 

The earth is the Lord's and all it contains.

The world, and those who dwell in it.

---Psalm 24:1

 

Happy Sunday!

Drought Grazing

Even though it has rained enough in Northwest Arkansas to green up the pastures and allow us to plant fall crops, we are still dealing with the effects of drought on our pastures,ponds and cattle. On our dairy  farm, the pregnant cows that are resting in the pasture waiting to give birth (also known as dry cows) enjoy a balanced diet that includes grain,eat hay from a hay manger, and graze on the pasture grass. The drought has created extreme shortage of pasture grass for grazing and in some cases, fifty percent loss of pasture grass.

With little grass to graze on since early summer, the dry  cows were standing for hours around the hay manger eating hay. When some of the cows began to develop problems with their feet, it became obvious that standing for extended periods of time was creating sore feet and lameness. We started drought grazing in July to limit  standing around the hay manger by unrolling a large round hay bale on the ground to allow the cows to eat the hay as if they were grazing.

Animal care is one of the most important aspects of a dairy farmer's job. Resolving problems that create lameness is important to the health of each dairy cow. Lameness decreases feed intake which in turn can decrease milk production,create other metabolic disorders, and increase reproductive problems that can lead to the need of removing the dairy animal from the farm.

 

                     Since beginning drought grazing, I'm not sure we have fooled the cows but 
                         drought grazing is preventing lameness and keeping our cows healthy!