Thankful Thursday

Conversations in the last few weeks, no matter what the subject, often ended

with "I'm just 91,you know!"

It is hard to believe that my Mother is now 91.

Our party was a sweet celebration with family and friends.

Our expert candle blowers were ready for the task even though

the total of only  10 candles represented the big 91.

I celebrate not only the fact that my Mother has made this 

91 year milestone, but that she has lived her life to the 

fullest.  Her life has been full of working and serving 

others in the community through church and civic involvement,

 caring for her family, and cherishing her many friendships.

I also find it a fitting time during Women's History Month

to celebrate a few of the  achievements of  my Mother, Mary Baggett.

Mother has always loved her home town, Bentonville.

That love led her to become involved in the local politics.

She was the glass ceiling breaker for Bentonville becoming 

 the first woman elected to the Bentonville City Council in 1972.

and the first woman elected to the Benton County Quorum Court in 1982.

I am proud of the investment she made of her time to 

make Bentonville an even better place to live for all of us.

Most of all, I am thankful 

for all  the love Mother  gives so freely to me ,

my family and  all those who know her.

Winter's Last Hurrah

With the end of February and the turning of the calendar, we all have that 

hope and realization that spring is just around the corner.

However, March seldom gives up those last winter weather days.

As I faced the north wind and blowing snow this morning, I

was pretty sure that Winter was shouting its last hurrah and 

probably having a good laugh!

Fluctuating temperatures like we have experienced this month

are very stressful for the calves and often bring illness

such as pneumonia and scours. 

Providing  blankets to keep them warm, providing

warm milk twice daily, bedding the hutches with straw 

 or shavings and monitoring each calf  closely is 

 our everyday farmer job.

These jonquil blooms earlier this week

were just a little bit early for real spring

                               

                                  but they did confirm the hope and promise of  spring is real!

                                                                      

Thankful Thursday

Just before this week's winter sleet and thunder storm,

we welcomed a new Holstein heifer calf.

Her mother was standing back just watching her new baby

while the other cow was trying so hard to

be a substitute mother.  If we could only explain to her

that she will have her very own calf in just a short time!

I'm so thankful that this new baby was born

on a warmer, balmier weather day,

 we had no bone breaking falls on  the ice

and can still  marvel at winter's beauty.

However,

Come on Spring--we're ready!!

 

Thankful Thursday

 

The view across the pasture on the north side of the farm is definitely changing.

Even though we have been watching the neighborhood of houses

 being built since last summer, the sight of this crane was a little 

startling when it appeared close enough to pick up a cow!

On the south side of the farm we will welcome students

to the new Vaughn Elementary School  in August.

Although change can often take us out of our comfort zone,

I'm thankful that we will  continue to live and work on our family farm

as we embrace life surrounded by our new community of neighbors.

                           Even Zoom is experiencing change as she moved to the pasture!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Snow days down on the dairy farm are just as busy

as the days without snow but our focus is a little

more narrow in making sure that we do everything

possible to feed, water and provide comfort for

the animals during the snow event. 

 

The day before the  snow and colder temperatures hit,

we bedded calf hutches and rolled out hay

for the cows and calves in the pastures to lay on.

During feeding time for the calves this morning,

I made sure that everyone drank their warm milk.

There always seem to be one or two that may not 

come out of the hutch without a little coaxing.

You know, snow is a little scary if you 

have never seen it!

Although I'm not a big fan of these single digit

temperatures, I am thankful for the layers of

warm clothes that make the cold weather tolerable,

for the fact that all the calves

drank their milk and  appeared to be adapting to

the frigid temperatures,

all the milking cows walked to the barn without

any issues walking on snow and ice,

 and 

for my constant companion, Bea

that just enjoys being with us

regardless of  the  weather!

 

Zoom's Transformation

Last October during a virtual farm tour on our dairy farm,

the students found out how we raise  baby calves that are born

on our farm.  One of the students thought the name ZOOM

was a perfect name for the youngest calf on the farm 

that particular day.   Of course, we agreed!

She's been called Zoom ever since tour day but

she is also identified with her ear tag number of 3381.

That number identifies her in our computer records that

document information about her growth and development

and assist us in making management decisions as she grows

and develops into a milking cow.

At three weeks after the tour, I could tell that 

Zoom was growing  but

changes are very obvious at three months!

Zoom no longer looks through the wire panel--

                                                                   she's looking over it !

                               Over the next couple of weeks, we will be getting 

                               Zoom ready to leave her calf hutch and enter life in

                                   a small pasture with a few of her herd mates. 

                                    I'll miss the everyday interaction with Zoom

                                    but I will love  watching her continued growth

                                      and development  into a healthy dairy

                                  cow that produces  nutritious   high-quality milk.

                                           

                                               

                                               

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!