Chopping, calving, running

We've had quite a month ...

Here's Kris with our 116th heifer calf this season.  About halfway done, now.  The calving has been going pretty well.



I got to see this calf being born.  It's not always a sure thing, because the cows don't like to be watched, and sometimes when I'm hovering nearby with a camera, it makes them nervous and they walk away and stop pushing.  Then I feel like I'm making the entire birth process more difficult ... and take longer ... and possibly harm the calf ... you get the idea.



I never get tired of seeing this.  This is my backyard!



I spoke at an event put on by Ionia County Farm Bureau.  They hosted a tour that took consumers to see a dairy, a beef farm, an ethanol plant, and to lunch at Denny Farms Farm Market & Bakery, where I spoke to them about food safety.  Kudos to the organizers for their educational efforts and the people who want to learn!



I finally flew with my dad.  He got his pilot's license eight years ago.  It gave me a great view of the farm!  The circles are the path of the irrigation wheels, and you can see exactly where the water stops.



We chopped some of the corn, but not all, because the rest of it was much wetter.  (We farm on different types of soil, and one of our fields is irrigated - the one above.)  The boys love, love, love to ride with Kris.  They take turns, because Kris can only fit one of them in there with him now! We used to squeeze in more when they weren't so huge!



Speaking of huge, isn't corn an amazing plant?!  As I read somewhere, people don't write country songs about soybeans.



And speaking of irrigation ... we had a floorless tent up in our yard for an event for 22 hours.  During that time it rained about 1/2 inch.  Imagine the state of our crops if we didn't get that rain.  None of it drained over to under the tent?!  Incredible.  Thank goodness we got that tiny shower when we did - it really made a difference.



This is an insurance row.  The insurance adjuster can't always get to the field before we do it, so we leave these rows so they can come and test it.  We come back later to chop it.



My mom has been doing calf chores in the mornings!  Why?  Because she's great and we didn't have anyone to do them.  What a gem!



As part of Team Chocolate Milk, I ran the Capital City Half Marathon in Lansing!  It was such a blast.  We all chugged some chocolate milk afterward.  We took a regular picture just holding our milk, and my dad said, "Why aren't you drinking it?  I want a picture of that!"  I like how, just by chance, we all have our eyes closed.  Bright ... and bliss!



It's been a hectic summer, and we're looking forward to a slower fall.  Cheers!

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GMO - Genetically modified organisms

I got a handout from the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan all about GMOs.  It made me want to give one to everyone as Kris is out chopping our GMO corn right now.  Let me summarize from it so you, too, can discuss in the grocery store aisles!

What are GMOs?

Genetically modified organisms.  Translated - genes are changed.  Scientists intentionally make a copy of a gene for a desired trait in one plant and use it in another plant.

Selective breeding has been used since the beginning of time to produce crops with better taste, yield, and disease resistance.  GMOs speed up the process - instead of going through generations and generations of plants, you can use the genes right away.

Which crops are genetically modified?

(There are only eight!  How many of the eight can you name before scrolling down?)

Corn
Sugar beets
Alfalfa
Canola
Papaya
Soybeans
Cotton
Squash

The USDA has approved others, but they're still in the process of being approved for sale.

Why would anyone want to grow GMOs?

One, they're better for the environment,

With better crops, farmers can reduce pesticide use, plow less often, and use fewer natural resources.

Two, they keep costs down for everyone.

When there's a drought, GMO plants still have a good chance of growing due to their hardy traits. That means food is still available to everyone, even though there was a dry year.  A year of no crops would be devastating to a farmer and bad for the consumer.  When crops are assured, we can still provide and we can all still consume.

Three, they present no health risks.

Farmers have been growing GM crops since 1994, and "there has not been a single documented instance of harm to human health resulting from genetic modifications, including allergic reactions, cancers, infertility, ADHD, or any other diseases." (CMPM, Real Talk About GMOs)

Who grows GMOs?

Answer in the brochure:  18 million farmers in 28 countries.  You may have heard that some countries ban GMO plants.  That's true.  But millions of people embrace the technology:

Canada, US, Mexico, Cuba, Honduras, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, S Africa, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Spain, Portugal, Slovakia, Romania, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Phillipines, Australia, Argentina, and Czech Republic

What else?

Today's GMOs are "the most researched and tested agricultural products in history."  In fact, "GMO crops are compositionally and nutritionally the same as their conventional counterparts." (CMPM, Real Talk About GMOs)

GMOs are bred to resist chemicals and/or insects.  They do not internally contain pesticides and herbicides.

I wasn't able to find the brochure online, but this is the information in it.  I like it because it's succinct and straightforward.

Of course, none of this matters if consumers decide they don't want GMOs.  What consumers want, consumers get.  So if we're all educated on the matter, then we're all able to make better decisions.

As a farmer, why am I pro-GMO?  All the reasons that I just cited.  When a new iPhone comes out, people are waiting in line overnight.  Technology is embraced.  When scientists are able to streamline the genetic modification process to allow farmers to grow drought-resistant, chemical-resistant, and bug-resistant crops, people are worried.  Technology is not embraced.

Since I'm involved in agriculture and know a lot of farmers, my social media feed is full of articles about GMOs.  Take the time to do your own research ... and try to be more informed.  Take note of the woman who answers, "What's a GMO?" with: "I don't know.  I know it's like some corn, bad stuff, right?  I know it's bad, but to be completely honest with you, I have no idea."  When you have all of the information, you can make an informed decision for yourself.  Then when Jimmy Kimmel comes along, you'll be ready!




Thank you to the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan for their great brochure and educational efforts.  You can follow them on Facebook.

Meanwhile, back on the farm ... we're still chopping corn!  It's such a fantastic yield this year.  All the farmers are in the fields chopping.  Our milk co-op had an advisory board meeting today and I'm wondering who could have possibly made it!  When the corn's ready, it's ready.  We're still having newborn calves, today's the last day of summer, and the milk prices aren't budging.  Let's hope for a wonderful, dairy-loving fall!

If you want to know more, you can like my farm page on Facebook, follow @carlashelley on twitter, or get the posts sent to your email by filling out the form on the right. If you have any questions, please email carla.wardin@gmail.com!

Roll it

We rented a roller to help compress the pile of corn silage.  It's really heavy and it has the nubs on the roller and it vibrates.  It's a Caterpillar - regards to our old employer!

We've done 110 acres so far (5 entire days of chopping) and have about 130 acres left to do.  Almost halfway!  We store it in a huge pile so we'll have feed for our cattle the rest of the year.

Here's what the chopper looks like folded up to drive on the road.

The soybeans are all turning yellow - we don't grow any soybeans, but we do buy them as a supplement to our feed.  Lots of our neighbors grow them, and I think they're beautiful.  The leaves change on the trees and the leaves change on the ground.

It's a rough time of year, really.  It's hard work with the continued calving and harvest, and the milk price just keeps going lower.  We're really thankful for our great team of people and everyone who bought milk today!

A friend posted this story on Facebook - her son didn't eat any of his lunch today.  When she asked him why, he told her it was because he drank four chocolate milks - that he had taken, not paid for, and no one had noticed.  I think it calls for a new marketing line - dairy!  Good enough to steal!

***

Today I spoke at the US Department of Agriculture's Mideast Marketing Area meeting in Frankenmuth.  It was super enjoyable, and they had a lot of questions.  Thanks so much to Linda Garrett for inviting me.

I also participated in my first email conversation with the fourth grade class at Gateway North Elementary School.  Gateway is an AG-STEM school, and Kris and I are the class farmers for the fourth grade this year.  They had lots of good questions also, but my favorite was the first one because I've NEVER gotten it before.  It was ... Do you have turtles?


If you want to know more, you can like my farm page on Facebook, follow @carlashelley on twitter, or get the posts sent to your email by filling out the form on the right. If you have any questions, please email carla.wardin@gmail.com!

Summertime

We cut the alfalfa, and since then it's been overcast and cold.  This is not the weather you need to dry your hay.  The sun just came out this afternoon ... and it was a mad rush!  All at once, the farmers in the area got out and started chopping.  There was farm rush hour on our road!

Why can't you chop wet alfalfa?  Because it would get all gummed up in the machinery and not be the best quality feed for the cattle.  You try to harvest it at the right combination of moisture and yield.  This cutting, the weather is not fully cooperating.  When it dried today finally ... it was really dry!  Tomorrow will be another full day of chopping.

In other farm news, we have 44 calves out on pasture now, as we're filling up the barn with all the newborns.

And with the end of summer and vacations, scheduling is crazy for Kris and everyone.  We are so fortunate to have our great team members.

***

Today a crew came out to shoot a video about fresh food availability in Michigan, and they wanted a farming perspective.

It's always interesting talking to people about their jobs - they liked asking about our farm, and I liked asking about video production!  

They took some video of the boys, and I'm sure there won't be audio.  If there were, it would have captured this conversation - Cole and Ty want the same calf to show in 4-H.  After much negotiation, Cole traded Ty two of his toys for her.  They really have the bartering system down pat.

The people were delightful and had lots of questions about the farm.  (One I got twice was - what happens to cows when they don't give any more milk?  Answer - we sell them for meat, so they get eaten typically as hamburger.)

When they were leaving, Karen said, "I want to live on a farm!"  Matt said that his son would be torn - he loved tractors, but he hates the smell.  If only they'd been here later, when the air was full of the sweet, delicious smell of fresh-cut alfalfa.  It makes up for the manure!

My boys, on the other hand, are incredibly used to being on the farm.  So today we took a different tour - at TechSmith, where I used to work!  My friend Jim showed them around the office and they were duly impressed.

I asked if they wanted to work in an office, and Cole said yes, but in a skyscraper.  Ty said he wanted to work outside.  I said you don't have to choose just one - you can pick both.

As soon as Kris started chopping at home, they begged to go with him.

More chopping, more farming, more public relations tomorrow!  Let's hope for dry weather and good smells.

If you want to know more, you can like my farm page on Facebook, follow @carlashelley on twitter, or get the posts sent to your email by filling out the form on the right. If you have any questions, please email carla.wardin@gmail.com!

First cutting - done!

Yesterday Kris left the house at 4:00 a.m. to help dry up the cows, move cattle, work on a fence, and chop.  He chopped all day until he came home at 9:30 p.m..  We told each other about our days and he went to bed at 10:00 p.m.

I went to the airport to pick up his sister and husband (Meghan and Jon) at 11:30 p.m.  We stayed up talking until 1:00 a.m.  I said, "I'd better go to bed."  Jon said, "We could just wait up for Kris ... he'll be leaving in three hours!"

Yes!  Today Kris left the house at 4:00 a.m. again, fed and chopped until 9:30 a.m. when he came home to see Meghan and Jon.  At this point I convinced him that he should help me open the pool, but it was ONLY ten minutes of physical labor.  He left at 11:00 a.m. to chop again.  They finished chopping at 8:00 p.m. and they're covering the pile of first cutting alfalfa with tires and plastic. They'll all eat pizza together and come home about 10:30 p.m.

When I said Kris' schedule to a friend, she said something like, "Poor guy," and I was surprised and felt I had to explain.  Kris likes the busy season!

He likes when the harvest goes well, when the weather cooperates, when the machinery works, and when it all comes together nicely.  He finds it very satisfying to look at a giant pile of alfalfa and grass that was harvested at just the right time and under the right conditions.  It's always satisfying to put up feed that you know will be ready for your cattle in the winter.

So ... yes, he needs sleep, but he doesn't complain.  He'll even help take off your pool cover if you ask nicely enough.

If you want to know more, you can like my farm page on Facebook, follow @carlashelley on twitter, or get the posts sent to your email by filling out the form on the right. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me! 

The all-consuming chopping!

We chop our alfalfa and sudax (a kind of grass) for our cattle's feed.

To do this, you have to cut it, rake it into rows, and then chop it when it's dry enough - but not too dry!  We want to ensure the best feed for our cattle.

Sometimes it all goes perfectly.  Sometimes ...

It rains on it after it's been cut.
You have to rent a different kind of rake to rake it.
It rains again.  Not much, just enough to ruin your harvest plans.
You have to then buy a rake to rake it when you need to return the other rake.
A tire blows on your chopper.
You have to find the one tire in the area that someone will sell you to put on your chopper.  (Only dairy farmers really have choppers - they're not that common.)
You have to find a guy to come over really early in the morning to remove the rim and put the tire on the chopper.
You chop, find out one field is sort of wet.  Take the feed out and test it, decide it's fine.  Start chopping again.

So!  We got the hay chopped today, finally.  It took a lot of people and a lot of days.

Know what?  None of that matters to the next generation.

Yesterday, all three of the boys rode with Kris in the chopper.  Today they took turns.  (I also saw one of our team member's daughters riding with him in the buddy seat.  Kids just love it.)

My sons started asking about it as soon as we got home from town.  "Dad said we could take turns and each ride an hour with him!  Can we?  Call him!  Is he ready?"

They each eagerly left the pool, one by one, to go and ride with their dad.  They love the machines, they love the excitement of seeing the hawks in the field, a deer with antlers, the guys who work with us ... all of it.

When they're older, they probably won't remember any of the hard parts of farming - just the best parts. The harvest, the machines, and especially hanging out with their dad.

Want to know more about the farm?  Like the page on Facebook, on Twitter @carlashelley, or sign up to get the blog by email - the form is on the right side of the page. 

Sunshine

Last night Kris said he was thinking about how nice it was to take off early and play a doubleheader of softball. Then he said he calculated it, and taking off early meant he'd already worked 10 hours. Go crazy!

When we got home, my dad was trying to chase in a cow that was having trouble having a calf. But she just wouldn't go in. He and Kris chased her around for an hour, but she just would not go in. What else can you do when an animal with lots of determination and speed doesn't want to go in the barn in the dark?

We had a set of heifer/bull twins yesterday AND today. Twins aplenty around here.

Today Kris chopped 80 acres. All day! The weather cooperated beautifully. See how dry it is?

Creek on April 28:



Creek now:



Let's hope this keeps up. At least ... until we want rain. In the meantime, we'll enjoy our ever-changing scenery.

Chopping

They chopped 14 loads today!

What does that mean? It means they emptied 14 wagons of chopped alfalfa onto our concrete pad.

Here's wagonload number one. It's the green mound.



Looks tiny, right? Soon it'll be sky high. After three cuttings, it'll fill the entire cement pad.

This is what chopping looks like:



The tractor broke at one point, but Mike called the dealer and it took them about 10 minutes to fix it.

Kris says 14 loads isn't very many. Let's see how many happen (and breakdowns) tomorrow. Let's hope for a good ratio.