Like a Fly on Fly-Tape

 

A child growing up on a farm is like a fly on fly tape.  No matter how hard you try to separate yourself and get off the farm; a part of you is always stuck….

We’ve all read many stories about kids returning to farm; they run off after high school to college, test their footing in the real world, get a degree, start a career, yet something is missing. Then, they return home to Mom and Dad, or a Grandparent, go into a partnership and the rest is history.

My story is a bit different.  I grew up on farm, like many kids, with all the activities and opportunities that it has to offer them. My chores started with feeding calves; then I moved up to milking and feeding cows, and other tougher responsibilities.

I realized in high school that I wanted to farm.  When my parents switched from conventional dairying to rotational grazing I realized that I just might have a chance. In fact, I wasn’t planning on going to college at all. It was my Dad who thought I should go “so I’d have something to fall back on”.  It was fun; educational; and it did give me some good internship opportunities with huge learning experiences.

As soon as I was done with college I worked full time for my parents, got married, bought a farm, and started a dairy.  Our dream came true and we live it everyday.  Our kids have 120 acres to explore; they are home schooled and raised by their parents.  We raise most all of our own grass fed meat (beef, pork & poultry), drink our own cows’ milk, and have a modest garden.  We work hard in return for all of this; but hard work is good for us.  It’s good for our kids to know what hard work is.

If you feel like you still have a wing or a foot stuck in the agricultural way of life I encourage you to stop struggling to get off the fly tape. Embrace it.  Even if you are unable to farm on your own for a full time living, you can probably grow a garden, join a community supported agriculture group, enroll the kids in 4-H, or put up a backyard chicken coop.  Make an appointment to take the kids to visit your local farmer and show them that food doesn’t magically appear on the grocery store shelves.  Don’t run from your roots; cherish everything that farming has taught you, then teach it to your kids.

Come out this week for the Clinton County 4-H & Youth Fair.  Next to the city park in St. Johns, there are many things to do and see. Nightly entertainment, youth animal shows, projects on display, and great food.  This fair has a reputation for cleanliness, friendliness, and fun.  Come visit with your neighbors and friends at the fair! July 29th-August 1st, 2013.

Being Content

The great thing about Bragbook Facebook is that you get to see what everyone else is doing.  The worst thing about Facebook is that you get to see what everyone else is doing.

During the summer our Facebook page is covered with vacation pictures from trips that our "friends" took.  Sometimes, you get the minute-by-minute update on that cooler-then-ever event that they're at right now. 

Its hard to not let our minds go into jealously mode, thinking about how much we'd like to go away, or do what so-and-so is doing, or have that new gadget. Sometimes we have to work extra hard to just be grateful for what we have right here and now.

I have been on some pretty good vacations in my lifetime.  The only vacation I remember going on with my oldest sister was to California, when my dad was president of the Clinton County Farm Bureau.  Being in 1st grade the plane ride alone would have been good enough, but we also got to stay in a top-notch conference center and went to Newport Beach and Disneyland.  I don't remember doing anything with my oldest sister, but I know she was there.  Fast forward 25 years and I got to go on an over-nighter with my sister. We rode in her Mustang, all by ourselves, down to Ohio.  We listened to songs that were not played on family life radio.  We had a little sleepover with my sister from Florida and her daughter in a large bedroom at my brother's house.  If you just forget the why for the trip it would top out as #1 in memories of trips with both my sisters.  But the funeral visitation for little Marcie the next day was horrible.

Growing up mom and dad took the rest of us on a trip to New Mexico, and me and friend twice to Nashville, Tennessee.  There were awesome 4-H trips that filled in the gaps, including white-water rafting in Pennsylvania, a trip to Gettysburg, and a trip to Washington, D.C.

We have struggled lately with having time off.  As a family, we had a three day weekend last October before the baby was born, the day the baby was born, and a one week vacation while the cows were dry in March.  Individually, Rick's had off to go on the boy's 4-H trips, and the Red Power Show in Ohio.  Rick has worked our last two weekends "off" so I could sleep in, and I went to the AFGC conference in January, and Cousin Camp-out.  Its not the same, though. Being married, God sees us as one.  Even if I'm off, its hard to get that project in the house done, or take the 5 kids anywhere, by myself.  And it certainly isn't nearly as much fun.

The problem was/is somewhat situational; somewhat choice.  The good news is we've spent the last four weeks finding our additional team member!  With his permission, I look forward to introducing him soon.  He will be a good addition to our current team member, Ashley, who has been with us for almost 3 years.

I won't however, let myself go into trip planning mode just yet.  We're not necessarily free and clear every other weekend.  Sometimes, my mind will wander into a campground or state park, but I quickly shut it down until we see how things work out.  One time, 4 years ago, we hired a girl, and trained her for two weeks.  One morning I called and made non-refundable reservations at a state park in Kentucky. That afternoon she called and quit.

For the time being we will concentrate on being grateful for what we have gotten to do and what we have right here at home.  Just living in this house, having freedom to go outside, checking Facebook, worshiping on Sunday morning, having more than 1 child, and owning our own farm are all things to be grateful for, and all things that somebody else is longing for.

The Bible reminds us:

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

1 Timothy 6:6-8
Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

Philippians 4: 11-13
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Home-school Helpers

The most common question we get asked about our home school is "are you worried about their socialization?"

They're always taken aback when I say "yes, we are...that's why we're homeschooling."

As we all know, things are not the way they used to be.  When I went to elementary school, one neighbor kid's mom was the recess aide, another was the lunch lady, and one of my best childhood friend's mom was the 5th grade teacher.  There was a lot of "moms" looking after you, and they had a bit more freedom in correcting any behavior that went astray. And they did.

There are many, many wonderful teachers and families out there who are utilizing the public school system.  I actually have many christian friends who teach at public schools, which I am grateful for.  They are needed there!  There are also many, many negative influences in the system now.  Teachers have less and less freedom to discipline and teach kids moral & ethical values.  Some kids have way too much freedom with social media, television, computers and music, and bring to school things that my children do not need to learn about.  We want our kids to have a christian education, so we home-school.

Our kids have an abundance of social interaction opportunities.  They interact with people of all different ages at home, from adults to babies.  With our supervision, they get to visit with people we do business with, the milkman, our team members, the fuel delivery driver....the list goes on and on.

They are not at home all the time. To round out our home school curriculum, we have lots of activities. For example, we participate in our local science center's home school science days.  Two weeks ago, the 3 oldest went to Bible School. The week following that the two oldest went to Sports Camp, a week-long day camp at the community college that teaches the kids how to play many different sports.  This week we had our annual cousin camp out (21 cousins present, with first aid and CPR training), took the 1st batch of meat birds to the butcher, and the hoof trimmer came.  Coming up this summer is two weeks of swimming lessons and the 4-H fair!  I would almost say we are on the edge of being one of those "hyper-scheduled" families.  Did I mention the music lessons???... whoops!

The key for us is to know what we (Rick and I) are good at including in the curriculum and what we are not.  Those things that we are not as good at can be done elsewhere, like at Sports Camp.  It might not be the same as year 'round physical education, but it meets our needs.

Although we don't have bookwork during the summer, here are some pictures from the learning opportunities the past couple of weeks: 

The boys at Sports Camp with camp director Nicki.  They played normal sports such as soccer, volleyball, basketball, and dodge ball, as well as variations with water balloons.  Now, one of our local community colleges will seem much more familiar when the time for higher education comes.

 

Day two of cousin camp-out.  The theme this year was "A Carnival of Cousins". We had inflatables, face painting, a juggler, cotton candy, a hot dog stand to serve food from, and adult games such as volleyball and Frisbee.  My parents and siblings and us all make an effort to create these themed camp-outs for the cousins.  Cousins are special people, and make great friends!

 The first group of meat birds off to the butcher!

 The hoof trimmer arrived much earlier then expected. Rick was not home, so I called for the boys. I told them to round up the already-sorted cows out of the paddock by the barn, and put them in the holding area between the brown gate and the red gate. They ran out and did that, told the hoof trimmer where to park (it was the nephew of our regular trimmer), got the gates set up, and had three of the five cows done before Rick got home. When I checked on them, Josh said "These boys know more about what's going on here than I do!' They did a great job!

We finally got a second bathroom!!! LOL! The port-a-jon arrived today for the barn project.  There's going to be a lot of people here this next month, so we thought this would help.  Now, when we're out doing chores, we won't have pay attention to who's "behind the barn" before we walk out there! :)   The driver said he had 90 more to deliver....I think I 'll keep my farm job!








Have a great weekend!

-Terri