Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

One of my morning dairy farm  jobs is serving as the taxi driver 

to deliver the newborn calves to their private hutch in the 

calf raising area.  The calf's mother is walked to the

milk barn to join the milking herd and

I become the substitute mother making sure that 

each calf is monitored closely and fed milk and grain

twice daily. 

One of the best parts of my day is sharing this 

job with my sons. 

It's been a busy week with  one or two calves delivered 

every day and baling hay like crazy. 

I'm thankful that even in the busyness of farm life,

we always have time for celebration with our family.

We managed to celebrate a special "Going to Kindergarten"

lunch and shopping day with Hattie Claire 

and

 shared a picnic supper in the hay field  that 

ended with watching the  Decatur Barbecue fireworks show 

from the top of a hay bale.

We couldn't have asked for a better August picnic!

 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Who would ever think   August 

temperatures  in Arkansas would be less than 90 degrees

 with little humidity! Cooler summer temperatures make 

every job on the farm a little easier.

It was perfect weather for bringing this group of

 dairy cows to the  pasture by the house so we can 

observe them closely and assist with delivery if needed.

I love to watch them graze in the late afternoon.

I'm thankful for these first days of August that 

have increased the comfort of our cows, 

                    
 

calves,

and farmers.

Happy August!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

 

Who would of thought we would still be working

on this wheat crop!  The boys are wrapping it up this week 

with hauling and storing  straw bales in the barn.

Making room for the straw in the barn was a great 

incentive to clean out old hay and make it handy when  

straw is needed for use on the farm or to sell.

We  also have welcomed a few new calves

in the last couple of weeks.  It's always a treat

to find a red one! 

The Ayrshire cattle in the herd belong to Cody.

His first one was purchased for his 4-H dairy project.

I love it when Hattie and Breck spot these red cows and

calves because they instantly know they belong to them!

I'm not sure their daddy has given up ownership!

                                              I'm thankful that July is winding up and

                                      we are looking to what August has in store 

                                                 for us down on the dairy farm.

                 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Teamwork is part of life down on the family  dairy farm.

While Ryan and Casey moved straw bales off the fields,

Cody was preparing to spray the fields before planting 

hay grazer and millet seed.  

Once the fields were sprayed, it was another  picture of teamwork

as Cody and Ryan added seed to the planter.

With the spring rains delaying our wheat harvest  and crop planting,

the race is on to get the crops planted while we can still

hope for a few rain showers and moderate growing temperatures.

The donkeys even seemed to be working as 

a team as they strategically moved 

close enough  to make sure we didn't have 

any feed with us!

I'm thankful for the teamwork we  experience

down on the dairy farm and for the cutest surprises  

when we least expect them!

 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

                         Although we are happy to report that the last semi- truck load

                                     of wheat left the field to find its way to market, 

                                        the wheat harvest continues with the baling

                                                of the wheat straw left in the fields.

                                     

                               Baling the straw is much like baling hay except for the need  

                              to dry the straw.  It was raked into windrows and  baled

                              into large  round bales.  Straw is great to use as bedding in

                               the calf   hutches  or to roll out for cows to lay on when 

                                                        winter conditions occur.

                                      

Even though the early spring rains changed our plans for 

this year's wheat crop , I am thankful that we did have

a crop that can be used to care for our  dairy cows in ways that 

we hadn't planned and for the family and friends that 

have made harvesting the wheat a possibility.

                               

                                   

Wheat Harvest Saga

Our wheat harvest this year has become a saga--

a long, involved story of the wheat crop that 

was intended for spring harvest. 

Our plan was to chop the wheat when it was green and make

 silage for the dairy cows to enjoy eating. 

   Mother Nature provided a change in our plans when we

 experienced rain and cooler temperatures during the

 time we should have been in the fields harvesting the crop.

As the green wheat matured, it was decided that a new plan would

be necessary due to the decreased quality for silage making.

Spring harvest turned into summer harvest of a grain crop.

A trip to the field  verified the grain was ready for the combine

to begin harvesting the wheat.

Harvesting a grain crop requires planning, organization, and

determination to get the job done. 

Once the combine begins the job of cutting the grain,

a cart must be ready to receive the grain when the combine is full.

It was a little like a Chinese fire drill with carts of grain

moving back and forth to the farm to be unloaded.

The final step in our harvest is to load the wheat onto the truck 

for  hauling. This truck load will be sold on the grain market.

                               

                              Our wheat harvest  saga  will continue for several more days

                   as we move from field to field harvesting that beautiful golden  grain.  

                           If you get behind a slow moving grain cart or you meet one

                          on the road, give them a friendly wave and be a positive part

                                   of the hard working farmer's wheat harvest saga!

                                      

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Since 1939, June Dairy Month has been celebrated to promote 

and highlight the important health benefits that milk, yogurt

 and cheese provide and honor the farmers for their daily work that 

provides a steady supply of dairy products.

You would be surprised how many different jobs we may perform 

in one day down on the dairy farm  to make sure we are producing

the highest quality milk .

On this June day,

I was the gate woman as we sorted cattle in preparation for 

turning the next group of pregnant cows  from the 

milking herd to the dry pasture to rest for 60 days before calving.

With sunshine and dry conditions, 

we've celebrated many hours in the hay field

producing quality hay that is used to feed our dairy

and beef cows.

As we continue celebrating the goodness of dairy ,

I'm thankful for my dairy farm family that works  together 

everyday to feed and care for our dairy animals

and

for the dairy cows that produce high quality milk

for your family and mine.

Happy June Dairy Month!