Page Views

It is evening as I write this. I just finished checking school work for the day.  While the day didn't go as I had planned, tasks still got done.  While working outside this afternoon, I took a few pictures to update the FB page.  I have noticed that the farm page has had a lot "hits" lately, or "page views" as the FB team likes to call them. A page view is when someone visits the page for the first time.  There has been a significant amount of page views lately.  I can't help but wonder why...is it because I handed out some business cards at a conference lately, because of our new endeavor selling grass fed meat, or is it because of another recent tragedy in our farming community, and people are wondering what my response will be.  Something that I struggle with within our own situation is never knowing that last thought, that last cry out to God, or for all we know that last cuss word sent out for the world.  I know what was said for us to hear, and it was anything but comforting.  The absolute hardest part of these situations is the lack of resolution.  No answers. Ever. Only speculation.  Please don't speculate on behalf of the Clark family.  We, and possibly his family, will never know the deepest battle that went on inside of him.  And the constant challenge now is coming to peace with that.  Please join me in prayer for the family.

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~November~

We welcomed back our regular supplier of sawdust.  This trailer has a "walking floor' where the dust literally falls out into a pile, and I (or an employee) push it into the sawdust bay.  We get a load of dust every 2-3 weeks.

Another Birthday :)

I was blessed to be able to attend the Director Leadership Conference by FCS.  It had been 30 years since I have been to California.  The last time was with the American Farm Bureau Federation when I was in 1st grade.

The super moon over San Diego

Pacific Ocean....I smiled a lot as I watched Farm Credit take over the hotel lobby (jeans and boots everywhere) and how the farmers really stuck out at the beach (lol)

As winter approaches we continue to prepare.  One thing we happen to be on top of is keeping the shop cleaned, swept and ready for equipment to be serviced.

Started the woodstove in the house. Thank you again, church family!

We enjoyed our traditional Thanksgiving meal, including the last of the grass fed turkeys that Rick raised.  Mom and I went shopping some, more for entertainment than gift buying, while my dad watched the kids. The older boys decorated outside, and we enjoyed having the afternoon off.  Thanks again, team members!

Monday, the boys and I blew out the water line that provides water to the tanks in the pasture. Today, with help, we put up the freezer strips between the parlor and the holding pen.  One thing at a time, we will chip away at that winter prep list.  All we can do is our best!



I often wonder if the agricultural community will refer to this year, and possibly last year and the next, in the same way they refer to the "80s".  Will we look back in remembrance of all the struggles the farming community endured, and all the results of those struggles?  We are living through history, right here, right now.  What can we do today to change the way the stories will be told in 30 years?

I am often heard saying "It's been an off year." And it has.  And while some may think that is too much of a nonchalant way of referencing it, it contains it. And there is only one more month left.  



Windrows, Windows, Woodrows, Windmills

I have so much to share with you! Exciting things, stressful things, inviting things, blissful things...

The last two weeks have been interesting to say the least. The twist and turns of direction have sometimes left us feeling queasy, and in anticipation for the roller coaster to finally come to a stop for a bit.

On October 23rd, I choose to be baptized.  While I have been saved for the greater part of my life, I choose to make this additional commitment to fully serve our Lord.  It was a great and humbling experience all at once.  We celebrated that afternoon by baling and wrapping up two of the three fields of alfalfa. Dad baled, my brother and I worked on hauling and wrapping.  Mom helped with the kids.  I marveled a bit at how seamless it went...and how few words had to be said at this point in the game. We have all worked together many, many hours. And given this was 4th cutting at my place, they all knew how I wanted it done...whether they agreed or not! (LOL).  At the end of the day we all went home feeling satisfied about the day's events.  I normally wouldn't make hay on a Sunday, but our time was running very short on getting it done.

On October 24th, we shipped the final two bulls!  This marks two significant changes for our farm. First, we are no longer raising our own breeding bulls!  We don't have to move them back to the rental farm; we don't have the added chore of caring for them daily; we don't have the stress that comes with keeping them over the winter.  Secondly, soon we will have grass fed hamburger for sale!  The bulls were butchered at a federally inspected plant, so the meat will have our own label on it.  Check the Facebook page for availability updates.

Rueben and Howie on their final ride...

Mid week the mechanic came out to look at the 806 that has a serious hydraulic oil leak.  While that only requires a seal kit to repair, the New Holland required some additional thought.  The 4x4 has not been working, and while it can be fixed, the greater issue is that the farm has outgrown the tractor, and if used in the same manor, will probably need fixed again.  We have doubled the amount of high moisture balage we harvest, and use it daily in the winter.  It simply no longer meets our needs, so....

We power washed it to prep it for sale pictures.  The largest of the compact tractors that NH makes, it still has a lot of life left in it, just for farms slightly smaller than us.

October 30th marked the 14th year of farm ownership for us.  On this day, we take my parents out to eat to celebrate and show appreciation for the farming legacy they have helped continue.  We have only missed one year of lunch, and most years we take a picture...just not this one.

The kids and I had a blast carving pumpkins and visiting the neighbors. They dressed up as "Curious George at Mr. Renkin's farm".  Kid #1 said "I sprayed my boots off as good as I could" Those are actually his work clothes from the day....

We celebrated a birthday....

Hauled scrap iron....

And were blessed by our church!

FREE!!! If you can use this railing, please stop by and grab it.  I have no idea where I would store it....

Kid #4 said "I thought it was going to go over the van and onto the house roof!"

It didn't.

 As you may have seen on the FB page I was invited to attend an advanced grazing workshop, and enjoyed it very much.  There I got to meet in person the farmers who are raising our bulls!  The day was thought provoking, educational, and motivating.

Many good things happened the last couple of weeks, but they were met with as many challenges. 'Tis the life of farming!  The cows are in the barn now, and we will begin receiving sawdust this next week.  We are continuing to transition into the winter schedule. Soon we will move the spring calves over to the heifer ranch, and we hope to start tucking things away for winter.

Most blog posts I try to end with some encouraging words, more so for my own benefit, I admit.  I often have to remind myself to try to see things the way other people see them-and we are blessed.  Let's just go with this:

Meanwhile, Back at the Dairy....

Hello Friends!

While many of you may be ready for fall, I really am missing summer already. It seemed to fly by and all I can remember is milking and hay making.  Some of the projects we have been working on all summer are coming to completion, or are very close.  We're excited to see these changes that will lesson the stress and make everyday chores happen smoothly and more efficiently.

 

 

A long time in the planning-We got the drive going around the parlor to the pit completed!  A huge bonus here: all that wait time meant we got recycled asphalt instead of crushed concrete.  This is an upgrade, for sure.  I am excited and grateful to have a nice drive this winter.....which should mean we don't get stuck!

Dairyland Excavating also completed the drive at the new gateway that Neville Supply installed earlier this year.  We have never had a proper drive by the wrapped bales.  Never.  Thanks are in order to Dairyland Excavating for their talent and time in doing these projects.

We also filled in this big hole, where we drive the 806 back to the new barn to feed the cows.  It's the little things....like not going through a huge hole when you make this corner.  The day goes so much better!

My friend Kathy has been a great encouragement in terms of running this summer. She gently prodded me in the spring, and we signed up for the Dashing for Ag series.  This was the final 5k, the Agri-fit Challenge.  The semi load of sugar beats, donated by Crumbaugh Legacy, INC, was one of the final obstacles.

One of my favorite parts of the 5k was this obstacle. Not because it was easy, or short, but because a fellow GreenStone board member who was photographing the event, ran with me from this obstacle to the next. Camera in tow.  We laughed, and her smile and friendship encouraged me.

 

For the first time ever, I got to attend a Spartan football game with my brother.  We had a blast!  My family has 3 graduates of MSU, and my brother and I both come from the dairy sector.  Our blood runs green....but only in sports. Not in tractors!

I am so excited to have finally set up a self serve egg station at the farm!  We have wanted to do this for a long time!  In November I will also have grass fed beef for sale.

 

This picture, taken October 4th, just warms my heart. To be on full grass in October is such a blessing.  We were very dry in July and had to supplement the cows with balage.  Being able to graze longer in the fall is so enjoyable for me.  The less time in the barn in the winter....the better. LOL!

 

Coming up.....more hay.  In all honesty, I would have loved to finish up the hay in September, grease all the equipment, change discbine knives, and tuck everything away nicely in the barn. BUT, God did this....he brought out awesome sunshine and adequate rainfall, so we will get a 3rd cutting at the heifer ranch, and a 4th cutting of the alfalfa at home in mid to late October, given we get a break in the rain.  We are up over 2000 bales already this year, a record for our farm.  God is Great!

I think often of stories and experiences I would like to share on here with you, but the days seem to pass by before I get the chance.  There are great memories, some funny, some sad, some that would make one ponder for awhile, along with daily events or things that the kids say ( a blog in itself!).  As we continue to grow and restructure I am hoping to bring on at least one more additional part time employee, to ease up on my work load. In reality thus far, however, God has provided what I need for each day.  We are very grateful to have brought on Sam, another graduate of MSU from the dairy sector, and Mel, who helps me with the kids and the house in the morning.

My devotion this morning reminds me that...
...Whenever your mind wanders into the future, make the effort to include Me in that imagery. See Me helping you, strengthening you, encouraging you.  Instead of being intimidated by tough times ahead, view them as adventures that you and I together can handle...
How short we often sell the possibilities of the future because we limit what we think God can or will do.

One last thing....check out this beauty....your next tractor!

A Tale of Two Tractors

Hello Readers!

While July was filled with second cutting alfalfa, pasture clipping, federal survey prep (100%! Great job team!), bible school and 4H fair prep, we also had this going on...

  

It's as easy as this.

I went out to take the 806 gas to the field to load bales.

It wouldn't start.  Wrong day.

Tractors need to start. (New battery a month prior)

Called Mechanic Dan.

He said..."I suggested this a month ago...."



He picked up the gas tractor, took to the shop, removed loader, brackets, etc.

Brought the gas back to use on bale unroller, took diesel to shop.

Split the diesel

Have you ever seen a tractor split completely in two...on purpose?

New clutch parts...

More new parts....

Back to one piece again

Corrected PTO free wheeling problem...

One of my favorite pictures...everything is laid out in order.
The inner workings of a PTO

Diesel with the new clutch, PTO, loader, muffler, seat...just like new!
Ok....almost.

For Sale...



As crazy as it sounds, we're prepping for winter.  While it's 90 degrees out now, I know that winter is coming.  Our goal is to have all needed equipment in order and running smoothly before the snow flies.  When it clouds over the 7210 will go on the spreader to bed the barn or the tanker to empty the pit, the 806 diesel to feed, the New Holland T2420 on the tiller for the compost, and the Skid loader to scrape.  I might still have to pick up an additional tractor, for odds and ends, such as the generator and scraping snow, or just to have as a back up, because of a little something called Hitch Pin Disease.  

It is not easy selling our first tractor, but it doesn't meet our needs anymore.  When you really put some thought into it, it's the memories made with that tractor that matter-not the tractor itself. I will never (ever!) forget rolling bales out by hand in the snow with Rick, because all we had was that tractor and a set of 3pt bale spears.  It's the memories...not the metal.  I hope it makes someone as happy as it did us years ago.

As we roll into August we will finish up 2nd at the heifer ranch, prep for the school year, and continue to work off the project and clean up lists for winter.  We will take a 3rd cutting as late as we can, given that it rains.

Thanks are in order to Thelen Farms and Rich Ro Dairy for helping me get the new seeding of Alfalfa planted at the heifer ranch.  I am very excited about it!  It looks great!  And as much as this may sound like a broken record, thanks are in order to Dan's Ag Repair for helping me get things back on track.  Your expertise and sound recommendations are greatly appreciated.  One by one each piece of equipment runs and operates as it should, and like Dan said the other day "I think we're just about there.  Not too much left now."

Thanks for your continued words of encouragement!  I often feel discouraged when I realize how much we haven't done this summer, and your words help me re focus on all that has gone right.  It's okay if we don't get to do everything that we got to do last year, or everything that we perceive everybody else to be doing...we've had an off year...praise God for his grace and forgiveness...and for yours.





June is HAY Month! But enjoy your dairy, too!

Hello friends!

We are so very grateful for the meals, the lending hands, and the help with the kids.  If you are still wondering how you can help, you can always let us know what areas you are skilled in, or you could just offer up words of encouragement. When you see us in the store, throw out a smile and "you're doing great!  Keep up the good work!" When  you drive by the farm, send a text about how nice it is to see the cows on grass (at the stop sign, of course), or how you noticed that we were getting an abundance of hay stored up for winter.

Things are moving along.  Rick and I built this farm over the past 14 years.  Making major operational changes are not going to happen overnight.  While some of them are happening quickly (Praise God!) some of them will not be as apparent until later in the year.  Here is what we've been up to this June:

Hay, hay, and more hay.  We started first cutting May 25th.  With the wet Spring and hot temperatures, the hay has been very abundant.  To date, we have rolled up and wrapped 1427  round bales!  We harvest hay off of about 250 acres.  A normal first cutting, before we took on the new rental farm, would have yielded us between 400-500 bales.  I am working very hard at stopping each night between 8 and 9pm, and we do not work on hay on Sunday.  Yes, first cutting has rolled right into second, but with the lack of rain second isn't ready yet.  We might get a break! This is the most hay we have ever put up in one year.  We finished on June 30th, avoiding the old adage of "patriotic hay."

Ahhh....Red.  This month I  got to take Red to town, twice.  What a blessing to have this one thing that is not work or farm related.  An hour or so by myself to get groceries is appreciated very much!

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Some very good friends of mine had a work day in the house.  They painted my room and created this awesome place of peace and rest.  A room to just myself for that moment when I think I just can't go on anymore.  Thank you so much friends!

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On Father's Day I surprised the kids with a trip to Lake Michigan.  We left early, played until mid afternoon, and meandered on home, arriving late evening.  There are no words to describe how the kids felt on Father's Day.  Only those who have lost their dad at such young ages can relate.  It was so nice to go where nobody knew us or our story.  We got a day to escape the reality of home.  I believe it may be a new tradition.

My day is very full.  Starting from 4am when I am on to milk, or 4:30 when I am not, it is jammed packed with farm and family life, fires to put out, choices to make, phone calls to answer, plans to administer.  In the evening I often take a few minutes and sit outside by myself.  It gives me a chance to take a deep breath and be still.  I happen to see this beautiful sight of a full moon over the cows grazing.  God is great.

For some time now I (and friends) have been looking for a tractor for me.  One that had more horsepower, a cab, a buddy seat, air conditioning...all the things that are important if you are a mom of 5 who farms full time.  I found it!  I had bid on another tractor earlier this year, but it went for more than what I was willing to spend.  This time, although a little risky, it sold for $2,000.00 less than what I was willing to spend, and I bid on the low end, for sure! This tractor has been and will be such a blessing to us.  Our other equipment is very tired.  It came with a set of duals, and we all laughed while we tried to come up with a scenario where I might use them.

How it really goes....

20 pictures later.....

We had a new gateway installed closer to the wrapped bales.  Our neighbors planted our new seeding for us, and also corrected the area where we hauled hay in and out this spring.  With the ruts gone and the new pasture growing, we will use this gateway closer to bales to conserve pasture.  Thanks again friends for tilling and planting the seed, and thanks Neville Supply for coming so far to put the gateway in.



At slightly over 1000 bales, I hit this rock. It is about 1 foot wide, and I could only roll it out of the windrow.  I am so grateful that the mowing has gone so well.  This rock only bent 1 knife on the discbine, without any other damage. Praise God!



For the first time ever, I plugged up the rake.  I didn't even know a person could do this.  The pasture we cut for hay this year was very thick!  Like normal we opted to rake two rows into one.  After this, we just left the rest in single rows.  While I was unplugging the rake, Our custom baler was working on a chain that came off the baler.  I had sent him a text just minutes earlier saying not to worry, things break, and all we can do is our best.  He walked over to help me. We bust out laughing.  Even when things go wrong this is a great place to work.

The mechanic fixed my discbine on the farm (thank you!).  Dad mowed the last 30 acres with it and the new tractor for the first time.  For many years my dad mowed in an old John Deere whose AC and radio didn't work.  Some years he would take the door off to get more air flow in the cab.  It was fun to see him enjoy mowing hay.  I am so thankful to have machinery good enough so he can help now without having to feel bad about the working conditions.

Today we moved the bulls into the cows to start the breeding season.  Here my tried and true trio of help have their pre-bull-moving-meeting, where we make the plan.  We are very strategic, placing people in specific places, and we always have a back up plan in case it doesn't go as we intend.

The bulls are moved up onto the home farm using the main cow lane.  And all the paddocks they decided to go through also, LOL.

We sold two bulls today. They are 2 years and a little grumpier than I prefer.

We put the yearlings into the cows. They were all SUPER excited!  I appreciate the extra prayers today as we moved the bulls. I am very excited about our new breeding plan, which includes all of the bull raising being hired out.  In the years to come they will arrive in late June, and I will sell them in late September.  We will not raise or care for bulls over the winter months.

We were saddened when one of our team members submitted her resignation.  She has worked here for 3 years, and we all enjoyed milking with her and getting to know her.  We wish her the best of luck on the campus of MSU!  Go Green!  I am glad that in the past 5 years, when an employee leaves it is not because of a falling out but rather because of a moving up-a move to a more specific career, a move to college, or a move to care for family at home.

We also want to extend a warm welcome to a new team member, Chris.  We are all excited about the skills he brings to the farm and how well he blends in with the current team.  Thanks for joining us!

While our life is still challenging (for sure, in many ways) it often helps to look back and see how far we have come.  We made it through calving (ok, so there are 4 cows in the barn), 1st cutting, started breeding season, gained a much needed employee to relieve my hours worked, found a mechanic, arranged for bull raising in the future, and have one tractor that is highly dependable.  There are days when it seems like we will never catch or keep up, and I feel like giving up.  But then my friends send me encouraging words in a text, and my former employer, friend and neighbor sends me this:

Loretta Lyons-Why I Farm

Thanks friends.