Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

                                              I'm thankful for....
                                 

the pair of Egyptian geese that have come

 back to enjoy the farm habitat,

                                         

the new calves born this week,

the variety of  beautiful  colorful iris blooming,

and

                                               
                                                           for the entertaining conversations
                                                                   with Hattie and Frog.

                                                         Life is good down on the dairy farm!

Earth Day Everyday

Earth Day really is everyday down on the dairy farm.

As I watched the group of calves resting in the pasture next to the field 

filled with milking cows,my thoughts turned to how we have 

changed the environmental impact on dairy farms.

It's a fact that improvements in dairy cow nutrition, comfort, health and breeding have led to significant impact in production while decreasing the overall environmental impact.

Dairy farms today produce a gallon milk using 

95 percent less land and 65 percent less water while producing 

76 percent less manure compared with 1944.

                                   
                                               Our farm has been in the family since 1919.
                            We love caring for our animals, contributing to the local community
                               and most important, producing healthy milk,cheese and yogurt
                                                                for you and your family.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

The cows are going to love this spring wheat!

Weather permitting, we plan to chop it and put it in the silo.

This allows us a quality forage feed to mix  in the feed 

ration for the cows to enjoy every day.

Harvesting a crop is a process.

First, the wheat will be cut and allowed a day to dry before it

 will be chopped and hauled to the silo.

We hope and pray for good dry weather during the process 

and no mechanical failures.

I know, I know,  I'm asking for a lot!

                                             I'm thankful for a great spring crop and for my
                                                   hardworking farmer husband and sons.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

New life is always welcome down on the dairy farm.

                                                     
                                        I'm so thankful for the beauty and blessings of spring!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

When I take pictures like this, I always get a smirk or a grin. 

They just don't understand  how I love watching them work together.

Although the look of a family dairy  farm and the technologies have changed,

we still have the same values of caring for the land and animals.

I'm thankful that our two sons, Cody and Casey, 

work with us every day down on the dairy farm.

                                           I love that they have finally grown into these hats!

Dual Purpose Dates

                     Although spring has barely started, our warmer than usual winter weather
                                   has given  the wheat crop a little bit of a jump start in growing.
                                   This spring wheat crop is an important ingredient for our
                                                   dairy cows' balanced and nutritious diet.

                                     Our plan is to chop the wheat and put it in the silo.
                             The Friday night date  was actually a crop fact finding mission.
                              We were looking for the appearance of  what's called the "flag leaf'".
                                 It's appearance would indicate the right time to begin harvest.
                           
                              Knowing the right time to chop is important for making sure
                           we get the best quality forage for our dairy cows nutritional needs.
                                     There's always a method to the dairy farmer's madness!
                                 

I still love these dual purpose  dairy dates down on the dairy farm.

                                    Producing quality forage is part of our dairy farm family's
                                             commitment to providing high-quality milk
                                                      and taking good care of our cows.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for the spring rain we enjoyed this week,

for the new babies we have welcomed to the farm,

for the blooming trees and flowers that survived

 our freezing temperatures just as the buds set on,

 for watching  Hattie's  excitement in seeing the cows

numerous times a day,

and 

for the opportunity to share our love of the dairy  farm

with our fifth generation.

                                              I can't think of a better way to welcome spring!