First the trade show, then the calf show

Today I worked in the United Dairy of Industry Michigan's trade show booth at the Michigan International Women's Show in Novi, MI.  It was huge!  There were tons of women there and they eagerly snapped up our recipe books, nutritional information, and Got Milk? magnet clips.  (We were calling them 'chip clips' but decided 'magnet clips' was a more descriptive name.) 

 

 

UDIM also hosted a cooking show, with chef Dina Tallman, where she cooked guacamole, smoothies, and parfaits with lots of dairy ingredients.  I assisted her in handing out the prepared food to the attendees.

 

 

This show had everything ... people getting their teeth whitened, people using shaking machines, poison ivy removal services with HORRIBLE pictures of poison ivy rashes ... everything.  It was a great show, UDIM has wonderful staff, and with all the choices of booths to visit - it was nice to hear people rave about dairy!

 

Meanwhile, back on the farm ...

 

Kris came home and said, "I need your help getting calves.  You can drive."

 

I said, "Eh ... you can drive."

 

He said, "I need to open and close the fences, so you should drive.  Come on - it can't be trade shows and marketing all the time, there needs to be some farming!"

 

We laughed, gathered up the boys, and went to collect calves. 

 

At one point you have to throw a log on top of a wire fence, then drive straight over it.  (We switched on the way back so I could get the 'log throwing' experience under my belt.)

 

We picked up some newborn calves:

 

 

We took them to the barn where Kris clipped their umbilical cords shorter, then dipped the cords in iodine to clean them:

 

 

I took this picture because Kris got a call right then.  His phone never stops ringing, actually - salesmen, farm stuff, farm stuff, farm stuff, friends and family.  Today one of his calls was from Kris' former co-worker friend who just quit his job to go back and farm with his family!  So trendy! 

 

 

We have six heifer calves and two bull calves in the barn right now.

 

 They're all healthy and good looking!  Some little ...

 

 

Some big ...

 

 

Some really, really loud:

 

Whether we're in a booth in a city or on our little farm, it's all the same deal.  Thank you!  We hope you're enjoying your dairy products!  We're enjoying producing them.