Happy Harvest

A lot happens from the beginning of harvest until the last load of chopped sorghum  crop is on the way to the silo. Weather changes  and mechanical challenges are constant  reminders of the need for a dairy  farmer to find his happy button and bucket of patience.  Weather conditions definitely stood out on Saturday afternoon as the last round was made by the chopper for  the 2014  harvest season. 

 When we began harvest, the days were longer and much warmer--at least 40 degrees warmer!

Although freezing temperatures over the last couple of weeks   changed the sorghum from green to brown, 

it will still make great nutritional silage for our dairy cows to enjoy this winter.

With the prediction of snow and colder temperatures, 

I'm pretty sure the chopper is happy to head to the shed 

 and settle in for a long winter's nap!

Happy Harvest from down on the Arkansas  dairy farm!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Celebrating Veterans Day always reminds me of how fortunate I am to live in America.

I'm thankful that our family has the freedom to farm and that the freedom to farm allows other Americans to follow their dreams and ambitions.

Dairy Farm Fact:

More than 51,000 U.S. dairy farms provide

 milk, cheese, and yogurt to  the United States and other countries.

Happy Veteran's Day!

During World War II, Ryan's mother, Bonnah Lyn,  milked cows in this old barn that sits in the middle of our dairy farm while his Dad was stationed in Japan as an army medic. As a multi-generational  dairy farm family, we appreciate the sacrifices that our family made for our country--it was definitely  a team effort. 

  We will forever be in debt to the men and women who have served and are serving  our country in times of war and peace.

Happy Veteran's Day!

Dairy Q&A

Question: 

How long is a cow pregnant?

Answer: 

9 months

FYI: A pregnant dairy cow that is being milked will be removed from the milking herd at 7 months so she can rest, enjoy a special diet  and prepare for the birth of her calf. We commonly  call this the "dry" period. In human terms, this is maternity leave!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Fall harvest is always an amazing time on the dairy farm. I consider the perfect timing and coordination between the chopper operator and the truck driver to be a form of harvest art.

It does pay to stay alert at all times unless you want a cab full of chopped crop!

                                 I'm thankful for the opportunity to live on an Arkansas  dairy farm,
                                    raise crops for our cows to enjoy and work everyday with
                                            my family to produce wholesome,nutritious milk.

Celebrate Your Vote With Dairy

When the last ballot is cast, the polls are closed and we wait anxiously for the election returns,what better  time for a celebration of the election season!  No matter whether your candidate wins or loses, you can celebrate the greatness of America and the democratic process  that we often take for granted.

I'm going to include this special dairy dip in my election celebration. It was served to us last week by our special family friend Karla in Dallas. It's one of those recipes passed from friend to friend and doesn't require a lot of preparation time so you have more time for visiting and watching those election returns!

Karla's Dairy Dip

1 16 ounce cream    cheese,softened
1 can black beans, drained
1 can Rotel, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix cream cheese, black beans, and Rotel; spread in 8 or 9 inch baking dish.
Cover with shredded cheese and bake in 350 degree oven until cheese is melted.

Serve with Pita chips or crackers.

                                                             Vote for dairy!

Cows and Clocks

 Our dairy  cows don't have to worry about  how to change the clock when Daylight Savings Time starts or stops because regardless if we're springing forward or falling back, they always have plenty of feed to eat, water to drink and a dairy farmer checking to make sure they are comfortable.

 It's the dairy farmers that have to adjust to the time change in scheduling chores and making sure everyone else  on the farm  understands the schedule!

                      One thing for sure,  cows don't need clocks to know when it's time to have a calf !
                                       That was obvious today--we had three new calves born.

What better way to celebrate the end of Daylight Savings Time--

3 new babies and an extra hour of sleep for the farmer!