Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

When I spotted this new calf lying next to the fence in the 

 early evening,she was all alone. It was only a few seconds

 before Mama joined us to make sure I was not a threat.

  I thought it was a perfect example of how the mothering instinct

 kicks in to protect her baby.The sun filtering through the trees

 seemed to put her in the spotlight!

I'm thankful for a healthy new calf  born on one of the 

hottest August days without any complication to the mother's health!

Storytelling Celebration

A little more than nine years ago  with the urging of

 Midwest Dairy, I stepped out of my comfort

zone into the world of blogging and social media 

 to tell our dairy story.  Spotted Cow Review 

has been my dairy storytelling place ever since. 

I celebrated my  storytelling adventure this past weekend

by attending the Megaphone Summit 2019 that was held in

my hometown of Bentonville.

Sponsors of the conference made it possible for a wide variety 

of speakers that presented  on all things blogging and social media

 and what I would call "self improvement".

A very big Thank-You to each sponsor and the host 

of the conference Soapbox Influence!

Over the last nine years, I have attended several blogging 

conferences hosted in Arkansas. For me, the very best part of each

conference is the people I have met and the inspiration

I feel by listening to others' stories.

                                           
                                                        Cheers to Storytelling!
                                                                        #Megaphone19

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Have you ever thought about the variety in a cow's diet?

Today we started chopping a field of hay grazer grass that was 

planted late this spring.

We're adding it to the milking cow's daily feed ration that has been 

formulated by our dairy nutritionist.

I call this green chop " cow candy" because it's obvious by the 

increased milk production it is benefiting both cow and farmer. 

There is much beauty in every farm activity.

As I look across the field at the farmers working together

to harvest the crop,

I'm thankful for my family of farmers 

and the crop to feed our cows.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

We couldn't have asked for better hay baling weather this past week.

It was hot and dry and the last bale was rolled up before the rain shower.

Harvesting hay requires planning that includes the time needed for cutting,

raking and baling. Watching the weather forecast is part of that planning

but sometimes even the best plan can be surprised by the pop-up shower.

We're still looking for that perfect app for weather predicting!

I'm thankful for the harvest of this dry hay that will 

provide our dairy and beef  cows with the nutrition 

needed this fall and winter.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Farming is dangerous business.

It seems especially dangerous when moving large,wide

equipment from field to field when it requires moving on

 narrow country roads or entering a highway that is full of 

vehicles that are not too happy to share the road with 

a slower moving tractor.

One of my jobs this last week was to follow the tractor

 and planter as we moved to the next field. I held my breath

 a few times on the dirt road when we met a car or truck

 but my fits of anxiety were worth it just getting to

 enjoy the canopy of trees that shaded

 this old country road. 

I'm thankful for these moments of inspiration

provided by the beauty around us,

for the farmer that loves to plant a crop for his cows to enjoy,

and

                                          for the curiosity of heifers when you open the gate
                                                                 to the field next door!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Monday was 'test' day down on the dairy farm .

It wasn't a pass or fail test like you might have in school but rather 

a fact gathering test to give us information about the production of

each cow being milked on the farm.

Greg, our Mid-South Dairy Records technician, arrived 

before milking time to set up his meters and prepare to 

take a sample of milk from each cow.

All of the information gathered about each cow's milk is transferred into

a computer program that is part of our herd's record keeping system.

I'm thankful for the dedicated service Greg provides 

for our farm to assure we produce high-quality milk,

and for the years of friendship that make us more like family. 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Just as we do everyday, we're starting our July 4th celebration with feeding our calves

and getting the cows milked.  It's what we do everyday of the year but

that's not to say we won't be having fun later!

July 4th is a very special remembrance of the freedom we have 

to farm and do what we love.

I am thankful for the life we enjoy everyday on the farm and

to be involved in an occupation that provides nutritious milk

 for your family and mine.

I hope you have a very happy and safe July 4th!

                                                                         Happy July 4th!