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.