December has been CRAZY!

Wow, I can't believe its almost Christmas. This month has flown by. We have had a rough month. We have not had a bed time before midnight all month, and its not looking better till the new year comes. But we have gotten a lot done. Here are some pictures of what we have been up to.


Went to our Longhorn Associations winter meeting




Got alot of snow on the 10th. (most of it is gone now)



Not the best picture but, I got a new hat, that keeps me warm and makes me laugh.



Pounded posts for what seemed like 3 weeks




With the help of my dad and our farm helper, we pounded 33 of these 10ft tall posts





Put in enough feed bunk so ALL of our cows can eat at the same time




With more help from my dad and farm helper, we put up a winter wind block for the Longhorns and Heifers




The black thing on the left is our 12ft high wind block; on the right, 2 years worth of bed pack from our milk cows!




Got someone to haul out the bed pack (aka.. poop)




Every month we test our cows output and cell count. This is how we get the sample for those numbers.




Some of our Longhorns coming up to the barn for food and water.





This girl has grown alot of horn from when we got her!

 With all this extra stuff getting done, we are very tired but glad it all got done. Every year things seem to get a little better, but we are never ready for winter and frozen ground. We have been very lucky this year with the average temp in December being about 30 degrees and the ground not freezing. The regular chores have been averaging 4 hours a day to milk, 4 hours to run feed out of the silo we bought from another farmer, an hour to run that feed home and unload it, 2 hours a day to feed the cows, 15 min per bale to bed the cows (on average we have been doing 4 bails a day because the ground is soft), we have had some of our young stock get sick so we spend about 2 hours a day helping them, and we have young stock at another farmers place that we have to drive over to them to take care of, that takes about another hour. Wow, even just reading this makes me tired.

I didn't take pictures, but I also went up into the silo to help Noel chisel away frozen feed from the inside wall. That was a lot of work and realized that I love buying feed from a bag better. I can't believe that that is how ALL farmers stored their feed back in the day. Now farmers have seemed to get away from silos and put their feed in bags or in a concrete bunker, although some still use silos.

Even with all this I still found time to join the church choir and have been going to practices once a week. I also have been still working 40 hours a week at the group home. I can't wait till my next weekend off. I think we will be finding someone to milk the cows and we will be sleeping.

Now you may be asking, "Why would someone want to put themselves through that?" The awnser is simple and the main one for why we started farming...money. There is alot of money that flows though dairy farms and there is a lot of potential to make more. The big farms, that have been handed down through generations of family, will think nothing of spending $100,000 on one piece of machinery, and pay cash for it. They make enough to pull that kind of money out of their milk checks! They have a lot of costs too though. I am always amazed at the money that flows though our 52 milking farm. We spend more to feed our cows then we do to feed us. In 2012 we will finally be making money. In fact, we will be making more in one month on the farm then I will in an entire year at the group home! This is the main reason why we do what we do. Yes it is a lot of work, but no one ever got anywhere if they didn't work for it.

It has become about more than just money though. We both love taking care of things. We, most of the time, love working together. I have grown so much as a person and have learned to do things I never thought I would. I have seen and done things I never thought I would. We have actually been fortunate enough in 2011 to find some great helpers and been able to travel away from the farm without having to worry too much. We also have made enough money to allow us to pay for traveling. Most of our "vacations" have been going to Longhorn events, but we love doing that and mingling with those people. We have gone to Indiana, Virgina, Texas, and Oregon all in one year. There are many other reasons but this post is already pretty long.

With it being this close to Christmas I would like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas. I hope you are able to spend it with the people you care about the most and take a little time to remember the true reason for the season. Not the stress of a big meal, what to get everyone on your list, lights and other decorations being up or not, or cards getting out in time. It is about Jesus being born to save us. Let that resonate in your heart. Let it really sink in. Then you will know that we all really are truly blessed. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Perspective

Life seems to be all about our perspective on things. One of my clients at the group home was being particularly rambunctious today. I thought maybe he wanted to get out of the house. So we went to the grocery store. They have tables set up there and we just sat and watched the people. Turns out that was just what he wanted. He was so good. Till we got home, of course. Then he was right back at it. I would have sat there all day except my coworker needed me to help with the other clients in the home.

While I was at the grocery store, I saw a mom with her child. They caught my attention because she was quietly scolding him for wandering off. He kept saying he was sorry and explaining to his mom why he had wandered. I'm guessing she thought that it was going to be a quick trip to the store. In and out, just for a few things. But her son kept wandering away. I could tell she was frustrated. I wanted to go up to her and tell her that I thought she was doing a great job, even though she was frustrated at that moment. (She didn't come close enough to us, so I didn't say anything) I felt for her because the boy had Downs syndrome. I'm sure that he was always this way and she was trying to teach him how scary it is when she doesn't know were he is. Like any other parent. But he was different and special. He just couldn't help himself. I'm sure she knows that too. I just wanted to give her a hug. She really was doing a great job.

Every time I'm out with one of my clients I get looks. From children, mainly out of curiosity, because the look different. From adults who understand, they always try to help or make comments about what a great job I am doing. From adults who don't understand, they seem annoyed that the client is out in public. I just go on doing what I am doing.

I got home from the store and looked at the clients like I haven't looked at them in awhile. Like they are human and have feelings too. I know this, but get lost in the moments of frustration like I had in the morning. I am always tring to be a better person and I think my goal, no matter how frustrated I am, will be to make people around me smile more. Everyone deserves to smile and it make me feel good knowing that I was the one that put it on their face. Great things happen all around us, everyday. We just have to pay attention. Change our perspective on EVERYTHING that we feel bad about. Have no money.. realize that we have more than most. Have a aching body... realize that Christ died on the cross, a very painful way to die. Have to stay up and work long days... realize that they are for a limited time and won't last forever. Feeling alone...we all have at least one person that cares and that's enough.

Do I like farming?

I'm not sure why, but I was asked this question the other day and it threw me for a loop. Do I like farming? I guess I have never really thought about it. I think this person asked because it seems like that is all I talk about. So I did think about it, and I thought I should make a list...

Things I like...Babies. I love them. Working with Noel. Challenging myself. Figuring out how animals work. Finding out that THEY ALL have personalities. Strange, I never thought a cow could have one. I knew my cat growing up did, and all the dogs I have had did, but a cow. I ever would have guessed. The farming community (has so many good people with our same values). Seeing a sick animal get better because we helped it. Working with my husband toward a common, long term goal. I think we have grown closer because of it.

Things I don't like... Late nights. Physical labor. Sore body. Helping cows give birth is gross. Dust in my face. Hay down my shirt. Weather is too hot. Weather is too cold. Not enough time in the day to cook or clean.Working with Noel (it can be hard to like each other all the time). Dealing with the circle of life. Picking apart bails to bed the cows in the winter. Walking 5 (seems like 500) miles a day in the summer while running lines for a new piece a grass for the cows. The fact that my life revolves around cows. Not seeing the people I care about the most as often as I would like.

Things I haven't decided on... Milking (I'm good at it but don't REALLY like it). Just this last weekend I found out I was good at pounding posts but I don't really like that either. Training calves to drink from a bucket makes life easier in a group but goes against their natural instinct to suck.

Humm... This was all I could think of right now. This doesn't seem to have helped. As someone else said, it's a "mixed blessing". Good in some ways, bad in others. For now, it's just what I do. We are too far in to turn back and give up so we keep moving forward. Keep making plans for the future. Keep praying that we make enough to pay bills and put food on the table. Keep trying our hardest. Keep trying to be nice to each other, even when things are not going well. I know things will not be so hard someday because they are not as hard as they were when we started. I take pride in what I do on the farm and love it when it all works out the way I want it too. Farming is something that gives you a chance to improve on everything in your life. And you can see your progress or failures. If your are taking good care of your cows they milk more. If you can start it from nothing and keep it going you know it must be right. If you still like your spouse at the end of they day then you must be in it for the long haul. This, like everything in life, is a test. If we can make it out to the other side during these hard YEARS then we can make it out of anything. Yea, I guess, I like farming.

Who needs sleep?

Who needs sleep? We do. On Saturday we got up at 5:00am and went to bed at 1am Sunday morning. Even though we didn't get a lot of sleep I can hardly complain. We got a lot done. Of course it is my weekend off from the group home. And we have our helper.

We pounded in some posts and got some more things ready for winter. We started putting our cows on the bed pack. We did take some time to go to our Longhorn Association's winter meeting. The GNTLA are a great group of people that all love the longhorn breed. I was secretary and was up for re-election. I am now in charge of the web site and another member took over the job of secretary. We'll see how this goes. I have never designed a web site before but I think I can do a good job. If anyone out there has any advice, please share.

This weekend I have stood in awe of my husband and our helper. Our helper is 15 years old and never complains about anything. He was such a trooper on Saturday. It was snowing, things were not going well with the pounder (Noel smashed his hand), and he was soaking wet and hungry. We would never had even known if we wouldn't have asked. Wow, even I had a hard time not complaining about my frozen toes! I told him how I was not looking forward to using our elevator for feed because they get frozen. Then chains break and we don't like it when things break. He said, "Well look at the bright side, at least you don't have to use the pitch fork to unload all the feed." Aaggh, I know he is right. Makes me think I complain to much. I have to work on that.

Then, even after our late night on Saturday, Noel got up on his own and headed out to the barn without us on Sunday morning! Any one who knows us, knows that I am usually the one out of bed first and I have to help Noel get out. I heard him get up and go outside but I heard him restart the drier. My barn clothes that were washed were still a little wet yet, I had thought. I waited till I heard the clothes drier go off and got up for the day. When I got out to the barn I asked Noel if the clothes were indeed wet. he said "no I just thought I would warm them up for you." Aaww, it's the little things that make my heart melt.

With all the snow, I woke up on Sunday and took some pictures. Feeling very grateful, and in awe this morning on my way to church, I took A LOT of pictures. Then we got home from church and took a nap, watched to Packers play,and win, went over to my parents for supper, then I went to choir practise for our church's Christmas eve mass. When I got home from practice Noel was still milking, and our helper had left. I knew we were in for another long night. I was right. 1am bed time again.

Who needs sleep? It is times like this were it is hard to stay positive. Sunday night we didn't even do anything extra, like pound posts. This not getting enough sleep is starting to wear on us both. I can tell we are both moving slower and are a little crabby.

 We have a lot to do today. I think the only thing keeping us going now is the fact that our cows are going up in milk, which means a bigger pay check for us! All this work will pay off.

As I sit here and write this post I got and email from our adoption social worker. She was supposed to be sending us dates that would work for her to come out and do her second visit. Turns out, her supervisor said she didn't have to come out and we could just send her pictures!!!!!! Then our book will be started to be shown to Birth moms!!!!! I am so excited!!!! Finally moving forward again!!!

This is how our life is right now. Hard in some ways, but still good. We really do have so much to be grateful for and just have to keep that in mind when times are tough. FYI Noel's hand is sore but doing OK. I don't think the Dr. would do anything for it anyway, so no trip into the ER.
Here are some pictures from the weekend...


The GNTLA winter meeting and fundraiser



Put up this wall in our feed area so Noel can push the feed against it and not have it push off the concrete.



Our post pounding efforts. 12 in on Saturday night!




Trying to pound the first post on Saturday.




Buddy watches the cows while we bed them with hay.



Everyday on the farm

Every day we have to scrape the lane where the cows eat. Every day we have to feed our Longhorns. Today we also put in some more feed bunk. Now our cows all have enough space to eat. This should help us increase our milk production. Cows need lots of food, water, and time to rest. That is how they make milk. Here are some pictures. Sorry, it gets dark pretty early now so all of these were taken in the dark.

Today, we have a helper. We met him by chance and has turned out to be a big help. A friend was going to round up some of her friends to help us cut wood one day. She called a woman and her son to come and help. We had never met him before but we learned that he had worked on his uncles farm and would like to help on ours when he is not in school. It is so nice when he comes over. He spends the night and works when we work. I think Noel likes having someone around to help. He actually has to rest the day before and after because he knows that he will be working hard while our helper is here.

Every day we also have to deal with the circle of life. Sometimes its good. Sometimes its not. Noel doesn't seem to be effected either way. That's just the way it is for him. For me, I have a hard time with death. I have gotten better. I don't cry every time it happens. But today is especially hard for me. 6 months ago I had to make the hardest decision of my life so far. I decided to have Polar put down. It was hot 6 months ago and the vet figures that he had a heat stroke. He was old and seemed to be in pain for awhile before this day, so I knew it was coming. It was so hard. I had Polar for almost 13 years. I got him when he was 3 months old from the humane society. He was one of my best friends. We had been through a lot together. I miss him so much. RIP Polar. We miss you.