Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Summer months

Summer ... we're helping calves get their start in the world, harvesting alfalfa, and doing all the regular milking activities.  It's a pretty busy time, to say the least!

Here's an overview of what's been going on the last month ...

The chicory is blooming!  This flower makes me so happy.  It's tough, I love the color (periwinkle is what I say), and it covers our roadsides.

Image may contain: sky, grass, tree, plant, flower, outdoor and nature

We completed the second cutting.  We had just about 30 more acres to cut, and our discbine broke.  Our friend and neighbor Mike came over and cut it with his!  (We paid him, of course, but really a nice thing to do any way you look at it!)


Image may contain: one or more people, sky, cloud, outdoor and nature

We hosted the Outstanding Young Dairy Cooperator picnic at our house, which is an award given through Michigan Milk Producers Association.  The picnic is for everyone who has gotten the award from the year they started giving it, plus MMPA staff.  It was great talking to everyone!

Image may contain: one or more people, people sitting, people standing, grass, outdoor and nature

This was in June.  This did not mean I didn't need to wear a winter coat.

Image may contain: 2 people, people smiling, outdoor

We've all, especially my dad, been helping the boys with their 4-H calves.  It takes a lot of training to teach them how to walk with them ... way more than I remember doing when I was ten years old!

Image may contain: 4 people, people smiling, sky, horse and outdoor

Max is always along, even though he's too young to do it.

Image may contain: 2 people, people smiling, people sitting, child, outdoor and nature

We continue to work on our barns ... since we were working on the free stalls, we figured we might as well take the sides off of the barn to make it more ventilated.  Here's the process:

Image may contain: outdoor

Image may contain: sky, grass, plant and outdoor

As always, we're working with our promotional activities and our wonderful community.

Image may contain: flower, outdoor and nature
Image may contain: sky and outdoor

Here's to continued great weather and a fun summer!