Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Whether you are nearly 3  or celebrating your 88th year,

birthdays are special occasions down on the dairy farm.

I'm finding that with each family  birthday celebration,

life becomes sweeter and richer as each year passes.

I'm thankful for the sweet relationship I  share with my

Mother and my granddaughter Hattie

and 

                                             
                                             for the birthdays that are just in time to help us
                                                                      kick off spring!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Happy National Agriculture Day!

March 14,2019

Arkansas Governor Hutchinson proclaimed Arkansas Agriculture Week and

Farmers Day at the Legislature on Tuesday.

I felt honored to stand with farmers from across Arkansas to celebrate 

Arkansas agriculture. 

It was also our opportunity to speak with our legislators on issues that impact

our family farms and the agriculture industry.

I'm thankful for my farmer friends and the

organization of Arkansas Farm Bureau

that strive everyday to advocate for agriculture

                                                                 
                                                                              and
                                                         protect our farm family values.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

The construction of the new Bentonville  Walmart Distribution Center 7842 began in 2017.

The removal of the trees between our farm and the new construction site

has given us the perfect view of this completed project from the pasture 

next to our house where the dairy cows wait on their soon to be born calves.

It's definitely a landscape changing experience

and one of sadness when you realize that our third generation 

farm is in the middle of this ever changing environment.

On the other hand, I am thankful for the $171 million investment by Walmart

that will employ 600 people in Northwest Arkansas.

As a member of the Benton County Quorum Court,

I was honored to be invited to the grand opening and ribbon cutting

 for DC7842. 

It is an amazing 1,269,000 square foot  facility full of technology.

As a neighbor, I was also interested to see what goes on in this building

that has become part of my everyday view.  

                                I found that our farm and this facility have two things in common:
                                        we are open 24 hours a day and work 7 days a week.
                               Fortunately for their employees, DC 7842 is closed on Christmas.
                                                     
                                                       
                                           

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

                                                                         
                                     Making sure we provide plenty of hay and grain for
                             our cows and calves  is an everyday job down on the dairy farm.
                                                       On this last day of February,
                                     with the temperature hovering  around 22 degrees,
                                              the calves were enjoying their hay buffet.

It's obvious that our farm dog, Bea, does not appreciate this  calf contentment.

The minute she spots the calves gathered in one spot, 

she assumes her job is to scatter them.

Doesn't she look proud?

Although I'm not always appreciative of her perceived farm dog duty,

I am thankful for her ability to make me laugh and smile on the ordinary days

down on the dairy farm.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

It's a special delivery just in time for Valentine Day!

It's just one of several deliveries that we have had this 

week down on the dairy farm.

I'm thankful for the day of warmer temperatures and rays 

of sunshine that warmed our hands and hearts

and

for the many Valentines that will be made 

with milk chocolate  and cream pies!

Happy Valentine Day!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

                                               
                                 Benton County Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Committee
                                celebrated the Centennial of John Brown University  by sharing
                                  information about agriculture  in Benton County during the
                                           early days of the school and current practices.

Presenting our history book about Arkansas Farm Bureau

seemed a perfect kick-off to our Farm Bureau Membership week!

We enjoyed talking with students about agriculture 

and appreciated their interest in learning a few new skills...

like milking Frannie the Arkansas  Farm Bureau cow!

                                                     
                                                I'm thankful for the volunteer opportunities
                                                       that provide smiles for all of us!
                                               

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Although our weather has been mild compared to our farming friends to the north,

we are still dealing with  extremely  cold temperatures that bring added stress to normal

calving situations. 

This new baby was delivered without complication  in the pasture but

we decided to provide a little extra help in warming up.

Our procedure  for warming them includes a short time under   a heat lamp, providing a

warm spot in the barn  and  the usual feeding of warm colostrum.

Tomorrow he will be moved to his individual hutch.

                                       
                                                      You can see he's quite comfortable.
                                       I'm thankful for the ways we can provide care for our
                                         animals during  extreme weather and that we are
                                                              one day closer to spring!