Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

       

                                             Aren't these the cutest twins!

 

On a foggy morning in the pasture, the second calf was hidden  until it stood up next to Mama and appeared to be checking out the neighborhood before moving very far from Mom.  In just a short time, each calf was following their Mother around the pasture as expected.  Even though we will have three or four sets of twins born each year, each set is unique  and totally unexpected.

I'm thankful for the joy we find in the unexpected surprise gift of twins and the cooler weather for calving season down on the dairy farm.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

For more than 50 years, corn and other types of grain or grasses have been

harvested and stored in the pit silo.  We have two of these

pit silos  located on the corner of the dairy farm where trucks can back up and unload.

Granddad Grover dug out the first silo on the corner and with the addition of 

more dairy cows, Ryan built the second silo. 

Everyday of the year, our tractor and feed wagon drive to the silo to load silage

that is mixed with other ingredients to provide a nutritious diet

for our dairy herd.

This past week a new chapter for our farm was begun with the 

design of a new concrete slab that will take the place of our pit silos.

Closing of the pit silos is necessary for the proper design of the road  that 

will accommodate the increased traffic of the development just across from

the dairy.  

Even though change is never easy, I am thankful that this change will actually

provide a safer place for us to load silage into the feed wagon and decrease the

chance of a traffic fatality as we strive to work on the farm in an urban environment.

Best of all, our cows will never miss a delicious bite that produces 

the high-quality milk for you and your family!

 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

No matter the month, all new calves are welcome down on the dairy farm.

We don't typically try to have too many August calves due to the heat but

sometimes, it just works out that way. I'm thankful that all the calves and their

mothers are doing very well and probably adapting better than the farmers!

This baby bull was born yesterday  and has  been moved to 

his own individual hutch where he can be fed and monitored closely. The

baby does receive his mother's milk the first three days to make sure he

gets all his mother's colostrum.

Mom has moved to the milking herd where she is being milked twice a day.

The milk she produces will not be put in the milk tank for at least

 five days or when we receive the results from the test on her milk to

 make sure there is no medication present.  

It is the absolute truth that there are no antibiotics in milk! 

We are so thankful for the opportunity to work everyday 

to produce high-quality,antibiotic free  milk for you and your family!

 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

In our days of nothing seems normal,

it is comforting to watch the cows relaxing and enjoying

the end of  a hot summer day in the cool of the evening.

Rest  is part of the care plan for these soon to be

mamas. To prepare for the big event of birth, each cow is  removed

from the milking herd and brought to the pasture to rest for the  60 days prior 

to calving. This is more maternity leave than most human moms enjoy!

Our commitment to ensuring high-quality milk begins with 

taking good care of our cows and treating them with respect.

I'm thankful for these visual reminders that every job on the farm

and in nature is important in making a difference to our   life down on the 

dairy farm.

 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Dairy farmers support practices that make economic sense,

 help the environment and are socially responsible to our

 communities and our world. 

 A great example of this farming  practice statement is the hay crop that

 we are cutting this week has been fertilized with the manure produced

 by our cows. Utilization of cow manure increases the water retention of 

the soil, adds needed nutrients for crop growth and protects

the water quality of our farm by following our farm plan 

designed for environmental protection.

I'm thankful for the hay crop that not only feeds the cows but

for the dairy farmers that work everyday using best management 

 practices to  insure that our land will be left in better shape for the

next generation of  family farmers.

 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Summertime cattle working is not always so pleasant when the sun is

 beaming down but the job was much easier when we all worked together.

 Lucky for us the clouds gathered up and provided relief for us and the calves. 

The  job included applying pour on fly deterrent,giving a dose of wormer 

and checking for pink-eye that is usually caused by those pesky flies.

As we wrapped up July, August began with a pleasant surprise of 

record breaking cool weather. Even though we haven't suffered with

100 degree days this summer,I am thankful for the cool mornings

and evenings that are bringing refreshment to us as we continue 

our summertime journey down on the dairy farm.

   Even the butterflies have been appreciating the cooler weather!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Early this year I became aware that Benton County was seeking

 to develop a Benton County Quilt Trail that would become a part

 of the Arkansas Quilt Trail. Benton County will be the 24th county

 in the state to join the state trail.

Quilt trails have become a sightseeing and destination movement

 across the U.S. inspired by quilt making, storytelling and local history.

With the disappearance of so many farms in our county,

I couldn't think of a better way to share our rich local 

farming history while also celebrating my 65th birthday!

Since I'm not a quilter or an artist, 

I am thankful  I was introduced to a maker

of barn quilts through a mutual friend.

My  Rising Star Barn Quilt was painted by

Holly Duck of  Duck Hollow Barn Quilts.

We had the hanging of the Barn Quilt this week!

It was so much fun to watch the long awaited 

completion of the project.

It was obvious from the beginning that 

a tall ladder just wouldn't work.

Milford Crane Service made the job look easy

and a whole lot safer than my vision of

family members on a ladder!

In preparation to be accepted to be a part of the quilt trail, 

 the application asks the participant to write a little bit about the history of the barn.

This is what I submitted:

The Rising Star barn quilt block brightens up the hip roof style barn built with

 oak lumber  handpicked by owner Bill Anglin in 1957. If barns could talk,

 it would tell you that it has been a place for milking cows, 

storing machinery, providing housing for calves and hay storage. 

Before the introduction of big round hay bales, 

the barn stored over 8000 square bales during summer harvest. Even on those

 hot August harvest days, stacking hay in the Anglin Barn was not all bad 

when you were treated to a late night supper and homemade ice cream 

prepared by Bonnah Lyn Anglin.

 The barn continues to be used by the fourth generation of the Anglin family

 as part of their Triple A Farms dairy and beef operation.

I'm thankful for this gift from my family that 

celebrates our rich Benton County agricultural history

and the legacy of our farming family.