Farm Snow Days

What do we do on snow days down on the dairy farm?

The same as we do on a summer day!

Feeding the calves and milking the cows are chores that we

do every day of the year regardless of the weather or the 

holiday schedule.

I will say that snow days serve to remind us to enjoy 

the beauty of nature  and remind me of how blessed

we are to live and work on the farm  and experience

God's creation everyday.

I'm not particularly fond of cold weather but snow days

do alter the schedule to  doing the absolutely necessary chores

and sometimes allow for unexpected  time together with our family.

Snow days are always good days for enjoying 

a little chocolate cream pie

 (made with real whole milk, of course),

 a cup of coffee made from this week's family  find

of an antique coffee percolator,

and a few family  stories about the good old days

 down on the dairy farm!

                               
 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

So far, January weather has just been teasing us with skiffs

 of snow and frigid temperatures that blew in from the north after

 seventy degree temperatures during the holidays.

These extreme changes of weather are a stress on all of us.

It becomes even more important to closely monitor the cows 

and calves for any sign of illness during stressful events and

provide comfort and protection as much as possible.

Blanket coats for the calves and hay rolled out for the cows to rest

on during frigid temperatures are ways we can reduce the stress 

created by  weather conditions beyond our control.

I'm thankful for the healthy calves that have been born during 

challenging weather conditions,

for our devoted farm dogs that provide entertainment

for us and the cows,

and for the warm blanket coats  for the calves and

the farmers that care for all the animals down on the

dairy farm.

                                          

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

In October we hosted a virtual farm tour for school age

children. During the tour,  we were asked if this new baby calf had

a name. Since we were using the Zoom platform for the tour,

one of the students stated that we should call the calf, Zoom.

We thought that was a perfect name and that is what we

call her. She also has her number name 3381 attached 

to her ear.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to share how Zoom is 

growing and changing and for the new ways

we have learned to use technology to provide

learning opportunities  for all of us.

I'm pretty sure Zoom knows she is a movie star!

                                  Zoom and I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas!

                                       
 

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

                           

                            It's been a week of wild weather changes from balmy

                          70 degrees  down to the  low thirties .   To go with 

                           the changes,  we have welcomed five new calves

                            this week.  I don't know   if it is scientific or just 

                            coincidence,   but full moons and   barometer

                           changes  often bring   calving action in the pasture!

One of my favorite jobs is to be the Uber driver for

picking up calves and delivering them to their calf hutch.

I am a good driver going forward but watch out for those 

trailer back up skills!

Our calves will  spend the first three months in

an individual calf hutch where they are closely monitored

and fed milk and grain twice daily.

A healthy calf is the beginning for high-quality milk.

                                       I'm so thankful to live and work down on the dairy

                               farm with my family and for the opportunity to    share 

                                         with my friend just where milk comes from. 

                                                        

Thanks from Down on the Dairy Farm

                                                Before November slips into December,

                                      I wanted to share a little bit of  thankfulness

                                                     from down on the dairy farm.  

                          I'm thankful for the new calves that we welcomed to the farm

                                              during this season of Thanksgiving,

for celebrating 37 years of marriage to an 

Arkansas dairy farmer,

for the opportunity to take my Mother to visit

her 93 year old Uncle Max in Alabama,

to watch my grandchildren lick their ice cream bowls clean,

to celebrate the beginning of Advent with my family,

and 

to share with you  about life

down on the dairy farm.

                                        

                                                     

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

We salute our Veterans.

Where would we be without their service to our country?

As we go about our daily work down on the dairy farm,

we celebrate our freedom to farm and live a most blessed

life in the United Sates of America.

Ryan's dad, Bill, served during World War II.

He was a medic stationed in Japan and returned

home to farm. The horrors of war were

too painful to talk about but you never questioned 

his love of country.

My Dad, Harral, served in the Navy

just as the war was coming to an end.

He was a man of few words but his devotion to

 our nation was unwavering.

                                             I'm thankful for the service of these two fathers who 

                         helped instill the love of country into their children and grandchildren 

                              and all Veterans across our nation that served to protect our freedom.

                                                     May God continue to bless our nation!

                                 

                                                          

Weather and Farmers

                              

                     If you have ever been involved in farming, related to a farmer

                    or know a farmer, you know that weather is a big topic of 

                     discussion especially  when planning how to harvest a crop.

                 We listen to the weather reports morning, noon and night

                        and I  have learned (the hard way) that you do not talk to

                                      the farmer during the weather report.

                 

                           We've been waiting  for "the just right weather" to begin 

                                               these last days of fall harvest.  

                                After the three inch rain last week, the ground has

                       finally dried enough to begin  the last cutting of the hay crop.

This part of the acreage is being dry baled so an extra

day was required to allow it to dry before being baled.

The other part of this fall hay  harvest was baled and wrapped.

These bales will ferment and be used as silage in the 

feed ration for the dairy cows. 

Wrapping hay is often a great way to save a hay crop

from unpredictable weather. You might say it's one of the 

tools in the farmer's weather tool box!

It's time now to catch the next weather forecast!