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.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

When we have visitors to the farm we often get the

question about how many times do we milk everyday.

Our cows are milked twice a day beginning at seven in the 

morning and seven at night. Between milking times, 

the cows are eating their balanced feed ration that is made available 

in the barn and pasture , drinking water and resting in the pasture.

All the procedures for both milking times are the same but

the evening milking does have a more calm atmosphere with

less people working outside,the setting of the sun and the cool of the

evening bringing a refreshment from the heat of the day.

I'm thankful for these dairy barn night lights

 that are a sign that the milking of cows 

continues  on our family farm 

                                                                                 and

                                              that even in the year of a health pandemic in
                                                   our communities and across our nation,
                                        dairy farm families like us are working day and night
                                                to provide nutritious, high-quality milk.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Resting in the shade  on a hot July afternoon is the routine for 

these  cows that  will be calving within the next two weeks.

It's hard to find a cool spot in the month of July,

 but  if you follow the cows during the day, you will find yourself 

moving to where ever the shade is found in the pasture.

It's our job to make sure they have access to  fresh water

and shade and monitor them closely for signs of calving.

We also provide a special formulated feed that meets their

nutritional needs while they are resting from milk

 production and  preparing  for calving.

When I watch the cows resting in the shade by the yard, 

I'm thankful for the memory of planting these pine tree 

twigs nearly thirty years ago with Cody and Casey playing

 in the yard, for the beauty of each tree and the shade

 that is so appreciated by our beautiful Holstein cows 

down on the dairy farm.

Dairyfarmer's Thankful Thursday

The calves don't seem to be a bit concerned with the

prediction of a thunderstorm. Each calf eagerly drank their milk and

began eating grain as soon as we delivered it to each bucket this 

morning under a slightly threatening set of storm clouds.

We are not always good at guessing what happens with the weather but

neither is the weatherman!

Although the calves tolerate the heat well, I am watching each one carefully

for signs of dehydration or lack of appetite that can be early signs of

 heat stress or illness.

These babies will grow to become the cows that produce milk, so we are 

committed to getting them off to a healthy start with daily consistent care.

I'm thankful when the rain holds off long enough

for the calves to eat their grain,

the hay to get baled,

                                       
                                    and for the fact that we can celebrate  eating and making
                                         ice cream during the predictably hot month of July!

Blessed Americans

Regardless of living in the middle of a pandemic and

the unrest in our country at this time,

we are blessed to live in this great nation and call ourselves 

Americans.

July 4th gives us the opportunity to celebrate all that 

we are as a nation and to appreciate all those that

have worked, struggled and sacrificed to bring us to this point in time. 

We are not a perfect nation because we are an imperfect people.

It is our duty to strive to be better on every level.

As we work today down on the dairy farm, 

we are celebrating the fact that we have the 

freedom to farm,

                                                   
                                     freedom to work everyday to provide food for Americans,

                                                       
                                                                                and
                                              the freedom  to  celebrate what July 4th means
                                                    with the next generation of Americans.

                                                           God Bless America!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Abundant spring rains made it difficult to harvest spring crops

creating that domino effect of too much to get done within 

the specific planting time frame. June could be compared to 

a Chinese fire drill down on the dairy farm with everyone going

in multiple directions everyday. All of the crops we raise are used

throughout the year to feed our dairy cows. 

The cows are counting on us!

I found myself working as a transport person as we moved equipment 

to the fields for planting crops that will be harvested in the fall.

Equipment adjustments are normal and often take more than one

farmer's knowledge to work out the kinks or in this case the hydraulics.

I'm thankful for these moments in time when waiting on the

farmers creates opportunities in the ordinary day

to appreciate my  farm family,

to see the joy in the small but mighty grand-girl's 

face when learning and helping to feed the calves,

                                                 and the wonder of just sitting on a bench!

Dairyfarmer's Thankful Thursday

There's nothing sweeter than watching a mama cow

welcome her new baby with a tongue licking bath.

This licking cleans and strategically moves  and helps expel 

any fluids that might be present in the calf's lungs. 

It's obvious that our Creator thinks of everything!

Within just three months,

this new baby will have out grown the individual hutch we

raise them in and need to be moved to a small pasture.

This process is what we call weaning.

Calves are usually 10 to 12 weeks old when weaned from the hutches.

Before moving the calves they are on water and pelleted feed

that is formulated for their growth and development. 

This preparation decreases the stress on the day

 we actually move them and for the adjustment to their

new surroundings.

I'm thankful for each of these healthy calves that will

one day be producing high quality milk and

for the opportunity I have to work with my two sons

everyday down on the dairy farm.