Wrapping up 2018

End of the year!  Let's reflect on what's happened with a list of firsts ...

1 - We added a new bulk tank.  First time in the history of the farm we've had TWO bulk tanks.  Now we have more milk in more tanks.  This means we're milking more cows, and they're giving more milk, and we have storage if the milk trucks ever aren't able to come. 

2 - First time we've been farming where the milk prices are this low for this long.  We're optimistic for 2019!  Really and truly!

3 - Hosted a podcast interviewing farmers.  Podcasts - remember when you didn't even know this term?  Me neither.

4 - We put in an awesome sprinkler system to keep the cattle cool while they're waiting to get milked.  We were rewarded with a super hot summer, which is usually the opposite of what happens when you do a project like this!

5 - Our boys drove various vehicles around the farm, including the wheel loader, tractor, go-kart, and who knows what else.  They will be so ready for drivers ed in four years. 

That's it for memorable firsts.  We're thankful for another year on the farm with my parents, our fantastic team members, and our wonderful herd. 

Just today I had a text from a friend who lives out of state.  She sent, "I have a milk question and I knew you were the best person to ask."  That warmed my heart, because I'm happy to answer anything, which is part of the reason I started this blog way back in December of 2010.  Thank you for reading, thanks for your questions, and here's to another year of happy firsts!     

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Modern farming

Well, November really flew by in a hurry.

Not only did Kris and I have a delegate meeting for our milk co-op, but we also had our annual meeting for Farm Bureau.  We had our first snow on November 9, which I thought was really early, but I looked back to last year and it ALSO snowed on November 9th!

I've been hosting a lot of podcasts and been sharing them.  I've learned a lot of interesting information about farms and people in general!  For instance, when I was talking to Christmas tree farmer Tony Stefani, he told me that if you broke the needles of a certain tree, it smells like citrus.  Then when we went to get our tree, our lovely neighbors Scott and Wendy told us the same thing!  (Go ahead.  We have a white pine.  Try yours now!)

On the farm, we're moving into winter mode.  The harvest is done, so it's mainly milking and (still) calving.

Kris says the best news about November was that it was so routine and good ... that nothing really stands out.  Hooray!  Let's hope the winter is just as regular!

Government to Gogurts

Yesterday Graham Filler, a friend who's running for State Rep, brought Congressman John Moolenaar to tour our farm.  He wanted to talk to farmers, see what was going on in our area, get our opinions on different policies, and basically hear what we had to say so he could be a better representative.  It's always nice when you meet one of your elected officials and you like them in real life!  No matter which party you're in, it's always appreciated when people want your view on your industry.  Thank you to John and Graham! 

Today I went to Mrs. Austin's and Mrs. Daman's begindergarten classes at St. Joseph Catholic School! We turned cream into butter, read books about dairy farms, and ate Gogurts and drank chocolate milk. The cutest part is when I asked who lived on a farm and most of them said they did ... even though Mrs. Daman assured me only one of them did. All in all, they were adorable, and it was great being there as usual.  Thanks, teachers!

Meanwhile on the farm ... we had a water leak under the calf barn and had to first cut into and second jackhammer the cement to fix it.  The new bulk tank is in and working, and the first bulk tank must be jealous because it immediately started being finicky.  We've had to have people out to fix things on it twice and it's still acting up.  There's always an adjustment period when the new baby shows up.

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Fill 'er up

Bulk tank #2 is finished!  Wall is built, window is done, door is in, and mostly important, it works.  We're using it already, and it makes us all happy to have enough storage for all the milk these wonderful cows are producing.

It's fall here, which means it's beautiful.  The leaves are gorgeous, the temperature has been one that the cattle like better, and our harvest is done.  We feel for the farmers that are still trying to do their corn and soybeans, because it's been really wet and they haven't been able to get into their fields.  

I have a friend that pays no attention to the weather, because - she really doesn't have to!  If your kid wears a jacket or doesn't, it's not a big deal.  But to farmers, there is nothing like checking your weather app and discussing the weather with other farmers.  Thinking about it, planning your life and business around it, discussing it - it's going to happen!  You can go years without talking about your bulk tank, but rain?!  Never.

It's homecoming in our town so I'm off for the parade and the game - so fun, and NO rain in the forecast!  

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Snake falling from tree

On Saturday, I was in my yard with Ty, and we'd just finished picking up sticks.  Beside me, a snake fell from the tree onto the driveway. 

It dropped.  From high.  I watched it fall.  Right next to me.

A SNAKE FELL FROM THE TREE.

I'm not scared of snakes.  They don't creep me out like, for instance, bats do.  In fact, I once found a snake in my laundry room and I was just annoyed.  (Note - snakes have never flown into my house and circled my head like some bats.  I would no doubt have a different view if this happened.)  In Michigan, we have a lot of garter snakes around, and they are small and harmless.  I kind of like them.

Yet!  I'd never seen one fall from a tree.

I ran to get the other two boys and the three of us stood and looked at it.  Its head was bloody, like its eye had exploded during the fall.

I was sure it was dead.  It looked dead.

DEAD SNAKES FALLING FROM TREES.

We wondered whether a bird had dropped it, but we didn't hear any bird up there when it happened.  Max poked at it with a stick and it sort of moved, so I suggested we leave it alone to die in peace.

We continued to work in the yard, and then Cole called to me. 

"The snake isn't dead.  It's moving!" he said.

"It's alive?!"  I said, amazed. 

We watched as it slithered through the grass, and winced as it continued hitting its congealed, bloody head on grass.  It kept sticking to it.  It would pull away, put its head higher, and move on.  It opened and shut its mouth wide many times.  It looked like it was in pain, but as it moved, it got stronger and stronger.

LIVE SNAKES FALLING FROM TREES.

"Where is it going?"  Cole said.  "Why doesn't it avoid the grass?  Why was it in the tree?"

We both lamented the fact he didn't speak Slytherin. 

We watched, fascinated, as the snake moved back in the yard ... and started climbing the same tree.

SNAKES CLIMBING TREES.

I googled 'snakes climbing trees'.  Sure enough, lots of people had videos of this amazing physical feat. 

The snake climbed about halfway up, with us cheering it on, and then hung out on the tree trunk.  We checked back on it over the rest of the night, and the next morning it was gone.  No doubt to wait in the tree for us.

Again, I'm not afraid of snakes, and I'm glad.  Because live ones are falling from trees in my yard.  On the farming side, the snake harvest is going really well this year. 

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Michigan GROWN, Michigan GREAT Podcast!

I've been hosting podcasts for Michigan GROWN, Michigan GREAT since August, and I've talked to a lot of wonderful and interesting people.

I've got this whole nifty little studio setup here.  It's Kris' office.  My office had too much ambient noise.  Kris is now used to coming home to a note on the door: "Do not come in or make coffee too loud."

To download the podcasts onto your phone, go here:  http://michigangrown.libsyn.com

To check out the site, go here:  https://michigangrown.org/podcasts/

I've talked to:

• a vet for veal farmers
• a truck driver who organized Ag Community Relief 
• an artist featuring farm animals
• a dairy farmer millennial and communicator
• a grain buyer and seller
• an Army Ranger turned farmer
• a farmer breaking stereotypes
• a dairy farmer running her own second business

I hope you like listening to them as much as I do.  Enjoy!

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Agri-Fit Challenge - 2018!

We had to do this on a course, so I'm guessing this was about the 12th time I was flipping it, due to my expression!

This weekend was my absolutely favorite race - the Agri-Fit Challenge!  Why is it my favorite?  Because it really IS a challenge!  

My boys and two of their friends were a part of it!  They had a ton of obstacles and just a little shorter run than the adults.  These cross country runners and friends did an awesome job, making up the top five!

Another thing I love about the race is it's doing activities that my kids, as farm kids, are used to doing.  Moving tires?  Yes.  5-gallon pails?  Yep.  Running as fast as possible?  Yes, sometimes after heifers that are out.  

After the kid race, it was time for Kris, our friends, and I to start our heat.

Our race was:

Jumping over round bales - I somehow did this flipping over my back.  Unplanned, but it worked!  Some people leaped over it like gazelles.

Running through tires - Like a football drill.

Crawling under ropes - Kris' cousin Jess was right behind me at this point, but I didn't know it was her.  Someone running behind you in the woods does make you go faster!

Climbing up boxes - Hard to do gracefully.

Climbing wall - It was made out of metal fencing, so climbing it was easy, since we do this all the time!

Carrying a bale around a circle - I was happy it was straw and not hay.  Kris ran with his like it was nothing.

Pulling a tire - When I started, I thought, I don't know if I can actually move this.  It was huge, but I got it going.

Flipping a tire down a course - See picture of effort this took!  Ultimately my favorite obstacle.

Carrying a 5-gallon pail of water - All in a day's work.

Crawling under barbed wire - One year I tore my shirt, but not this time.

Walking a balance beam over manure - I didn't even know it was manure until after.  I thought it was mud.  Kris thought we were supposed to run through it at first, and thought nothing of it.  It's a challenge, after all!

Climbing up a grain truck through sugar beets - This was fun!

Running through a pond - Mucky for sure.  Kris half-swam through it to go even faster.

...plus a 5k through the woods!

The toughest part for me was the tire flipping. Putting tires on the pile all summer was great training! You had to flip it about 15 times down a course, and then roll it back.  My parents and kids were cheering us all the time, giving me helpful advice like, "Catch it when it bounces up!"  (I did a few times, but really that was harder.)

We all had chocolate milk after, and celebrated Team Chocolate Milk.  Our friend and  Kris' fellow MMPA board member Gertie Van Den Goor was there, and she's also on Team Chocolate Milk!

I ended up second woman overall and first in my age group, and Kris got second in his age group!  (He also beat me - he essentially trains every day in more ways than one.)  It was a spectacular day with our friends and family.  My parents were as always a great support and took the nice action shots.    

The more the merrier - I hope to see you all there next year!  See race updates by liking the page here.  

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