Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Araminta Richardson, my childhood piano teacher, was a remarkable person and obviously very patient when you think about the many hours spent with a variety of students. She traveled every month to small towns in Northwest Arkansas and Oklahoma to offer an opportunity for young people to not only play the piano or organ but to create an army of pianists and organists  for future service to the churches in our area. 

Students from across the area  were brought together for several Christmas programs in Bentonville.

Not all came willingly, but we had a lot of fun practicing!

As I prepare music for our church service this week, I'm thankful for my special friend, Araminta, who lovingly taught me a skill that I could use in service to the church and for my own enjoyment.

Dairy Q&A

                                                                     Question:
                       How does a calf stay warm in the winter?

     Answer: 

 For the first three months, our calves live in a clean, dry individual pen called a calf hutch. Our hutches are made from fiberglass that  provides protection from wind and bad weather, allows ample space for the calf to move freely and protects them from other calves in the herd.

When the weather gets really cold , like this past week when temperatures dipped into the teens, we add sawdust shavings or straw inside the hutch for extra warmth and comfort.

Twice a day  each calf receives a measured amount

 of warm milk and grain and is  monitored closely for any signs or symptoms of illness. 

Happy Harvest

A lot happens from the beginning of harvest until the last load of chopped sorghum  crop is on the way to the silo. Weather changes  and mechanical challenges are constant  reminders of the need for a dairy  farmer to find his happy button and bucket of patience.  Weather conditions definitely stood out on Saturday afternoon as the last round was made by the chopper for  the 2014  harvest season. 

 When we began harvest, the days were longer and much warmer--at least 40 degrees warmer!

Although freezing temperatures over the last couple of weeks   changed the sorghum from green to brown, 

it will still make great nutritional silage for our dairy cows to enjoy this winter.

With the prediction of snow and colder temperatures, 

I'm pretty sure the chopper is happy to head to the shed 

 and settle in for a long winter's nap!

Happy Harvest from down on the Arkansas  dairy farm!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Celebrating Veterans Day always reminds me of how fortunate I am to live in America.

I'm thankful that our family has the freedom to farm and that the freedom to farm allows other Americans to follow their dreams and ambitions.

Dairy Farm Fact:

More than 51,000 U.S. dairy farms provide

 milk, cheese, and yogurt to  the United States and other countries.

Happy Veteran's Day!

During World War II, Ryan's mother, Bonnah Lyn,  milked cows in this old barn that sits in the middle of our dairy farm while his Dad was stationed in Japan as an army medic. As a multi-generational  dairy farm family, we appreciate the sacrifices that our family made for our country--it was definitely  a team effort. 

  We will forever be in debt to the men and women who have served and are serving  our country in times of war and peace.

Happy Veteran's Day!

Dairy Q&A

Question: 

How long is a cow pregnant?

Answer: 

9 months

FYI: A pregnant dairy cow that is being milked will be removed from the milking herd at 7 months so she can rest, enjoy a special diet  and prepare for the birth of her calf. We commonly  call this the "dry" period. In human terms, this is maternity leave!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Fall harvest is always an amazing time on the dairy farm. I consider the perfect timing and coordination between the chopper operator and the truck driver to be a form of harvest art.

It does pay to stay alert at all times unless you want a cab full of chopped crop!

                                 I'm thankful for the opportunity to live on an Arkansas  dairy farm,
                                    raise crops for our cows to enjoy and work everyday with
                                            my family to produce wholesome,nutritious milk.