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:
Thanks friends.
