Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

What's not to love about sharing our dairy story?

It's not always easy to fit in a dairy farm tour but it is 

worth every minute I spend sharing with consumers

 of all ages how we work every day to produce nutritious

 milk by caring for our animals and the land we call home.

                       
                              I'm thankful for the parents and children that brought their desire
                            to learn how we produce milk and  for sharing their beautiful smiles!
                                                   Baby calves always bring out the smiles!
                                                             

Labor Day Celebration

Our Labor Day celebration started early this morning with 

the arrival of three new calves.Welcoming new life on the dairy farm

 is always  a great way to start the day!

New babies are taken to their individual calf hutch where we can monitor 

them closely, make sure they receive good nutrition and are protected from 

other members of the herd and bad weather.

                                                   
                                              Caring for these babies is my daily labor of love.
                           It's a priority to make sure these calves get off to a healthy start because
                                  they will grow to become the cows that produce nutritious milk.

                                                              From down on the dairy farm,

                                                              Happy Labor Day!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Even though it was almost dusk when the custom silage chopper

 pulled into the first corn field this week, it was decided to open the

 field and get the process started. 

As I waited for the chopping to begin, it suddenly seemed like fall.

As darkness covered the field, the air became chilly. 

I was wishing for jeans and a long sleeved shirt instead of my shorts.

Even a big pot of chili sounded good.

Can it really be fall in August?

We didn't haul too many loads to the silo  that first evening but 

 I am so thankful for the corn crop that will be used to 

feed our dairy cows through this fall and winter.

Ready or not---I think fall is sneaking up on us!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for the August rain that has made  this second cutting 

of hay grazer forage possible,

brought a smile to the farmer's face when  finding filled out corn ears

 that will soon be turned into feed for our dairy cows,

and

                                                   
                                 provided the opportunity to hear one of Hattie's new words,
                                                                          " rainin' "!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Do you notice anything unusual in this picture?

A mud puddle in August!

As you can see, the cows are crowding together because like

 a bunch of naughty kids,they are looking to lay down in that mud.

                             
                                     I'm thankful for the unusual amount of rainfall we have
                                      received in August that is restoring pastures dried  by
                               summer heat, watering our crops that will be harvested this fall
                                and providing a little fun relief for our much loved dairy cows.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Although our days on the dairy farm are busy and filled with

 a variety of challenges, 

I'm thankful for the smiles that come with these two tractor drivers

 and the opportunity we have to watch the fifth generation

 embrace life on the farm.

                                         
                                                 

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

As I turned into the driveway late this afternoon, 

I saw this group of pregnant cows resting in the shade.

It was a perfect picture for the word content.

                                                     
                                   It was obvious the cows are enjoying the lower temperature
                                            and humidity for the first two days of August.
                                 
                                  Although I know these cooler temperatures are just a pause in
                                         our usual summer heat, I'm thankful for the comfort
                                                  provided for the cows and the farmers.