November 2016 On the Farm

November 2 - Finished harvesting soybeans last week - today we're roasting them!
They smell so good!

November 5 - Brownie & her 2-hour-old baby!

Bubba says hi

This is Angel.
She had her first calf on October 25 and she makes almost 7 gallons of milk per day!
She's a very curious little thing & likes to watch whatever is happening around the barn.

November 10 - started chopping corn today

Local is good, but I need my chocolate! 😜  💜

We have some pretty spoiled barn cats...
They get their dishes of milk right in front of the heater.

- - - - - - - - - -

November 20 -  Yesterday was a warm 56...how quickly the weather can change!

- - - - - - - - - -

Phantom the kitten is getting braver! She/he will come in for food when we're nearby now.

- - - - - - - - - -

Happy Thanksgiving to you & yours!

- - - - - - - - - -

When you're 6 & it's cold you get carried around by your two cousins while exploring the neighbor's new barn.

August 2016 On the Farm

I have decided to blog each month about what's happening on the farm (or our life in general).

I'm going to begin with some quick highlights of the last couple months since November isn't over yet...

This is a terrible photo, but those pails are full of yummy, frothy, nutritious milk for my babies!
How many cows to make that much milk (100 lbs)? you might be asking...
Only two (2)!!!

Aug. 4 - Most of the corn has tasseled!

So proud! Hubby's first time loading bales & he did a splendid job! He's a natural farmer :)

Yuck! And it's just going to get worse they say...
Neither the cows nor I like this weather at all! This is why we have lots of fans & shade for them all inside!

Aug. 12 - One month into milking with robots & every day keeps getting better!

Aug. 13 - 1,461 days since he had me from hello.

- - - - - - - - - -

August 13 - Very grateful for the gentle steady rain after a dry spell. (Update @ 11:30: not so gentle anymore...)

Praying for those that need moisture and for those that have too much - a constant struggle in the farming community.

- - - - - - - - - -

Mad-scientist-baby at Addison County Fair & Field Days.

One of our carpenters got a Rottweiler puppy!

Since the bulls live outside in the summer, the cats have taken over their pen.

- - - - - - - - - -

August 26 saw the third and final robot up and running! Cow 172 was the first to milk in the new robot and in the first three hours of operation it milked 30 cows!!! They sure are liking the new set-up. :)

- - - - - - - - - -

George is keeping my seat warm for me. :)

Lashes for days!

Saying goodbye to our first home...wonderful memories.

August 31 - What a beautiful morning it was watching storms roll through the Champlain Valley
(Those bumps at the bottom are the ladies headed up tp the feed bunk enjoying breakfast & the view.)

Late (or Early??) New Year's Resolution...

I have been silent on my blogging endeavors for a while now.

Farming, photography, and life in general has taken up my time.

However, I miss it, so I am going to attempt to be more active!

Stay tuned! :D

October 2016 On the Farm

It's so fluffffffffy!!!!

(Left) is how the snaps are supposed to look...
The (middle) and (right) snaps?
Because cows.

October 9 - Brother packing the bunk so we can cap it with black plastic & tires tomorrow.

(I'm still learning about photography & how to take night photos...but I have to say this came out decent considering I was only using the flash on my Canon (and Lightroom does wonders!)

Messy eaters are the cutest

October 12 - Getting the combine fueled-up & serviced for bean harvest.

October 17 - Overhead doors were installed today on the milk barn additions.
Winterizing has begun.

- - - - - - - - - -

It always amazes me the amount of food farmers in this wonderful country of ours produce with such limited land resources!

Farmers must be and *are* stewards of the land, natural resources, and animals.

Farmers are the ultimate environmentalists.

- - - - - - - - - -

October 18 - Well, it is New England...

- - - - - - - - - -

October 18 - We belong to a local co-operative where our milk is shipped through that is farmer owned. Tonight was the member informational meeting.

Highlights:

> milk price doesn't look good for farmers

> 2017 has been difficult to predict what will happen in the dairy world - hoping positive #FingersAndToesCrossed

> our co-op has lost 10 farms in the last year

> our trucking company (& the *whole* country) needs more young truckers to haul products, produce, everything #TruckersAreImportant

> our lovely (sarcasm) state is trying to tax and regulate us out of farming

> this election could make or break agriculture as a whole ✔ #GetOutAndVote

There's still a large surplus of milk & dairy products - so Eat & Drink More Dairy everyone!

- - - - - - - - - -

October 19 - We are privileged to host a meet-&-greet /farm open house for Randy Brock who is running for Vermont Lt. Governor.

(If you missed it, don't worry! We will have another open house later on!)

Setting up.

Everyone enjoyed learning about the robots.

- - - - - - - - - - -

October 24 - A bit of color & some snow on the Adirondack peaks across the Lake

October 27 - sigh not yet please!

New boots mean dry socks!

September 16 On the Farm

Cuddles loved chin scratches & loving, but on her terms

Sitting Moo

September 6 - Found our George curled up on an insulation bag in the utility room outside my office this morning.

September 8 - Tell Tail is used on some farms to show heats; today I'm using it to mark cows for the vet - saves time looking for them later.
No, none of our ladies are sick; we're having our veterinarian check a few for pregnancies.

301 is enjoying her time in the loafing pen - we made the old parlor into an area with food, water, & a comfy bed for new mommas to recoup.
From the pen they are able to access the 3rd robot, milk, & go back into the pen without any trouble at all.
(The chain in the man-pass is to discourage any bovines from thinking they can fit through like a human...)

Did you know that calves are born with teeth? And strong jaw muscles...

September 9 -Happy Birthday to the man who made me a big sister 26 years ago.
We've been through a lot together, & I am thankful to have you in my life.
Man of God, farmer, politician...God has big plans for you, little brother; you're going to do great things!

I'm beyond excited!!!
I suggested Dairy Carrie as a speaker for the Vermont Dairy Producers Conference last year, & they invited her!!!
Thank-you for accepting the invitation, I cannot wait to hear you in person & meet you!

We knew that Indy's mother was close to giving birth, so she spent the night in the maternity ward. This morning, she had calved, but Indy was no where to be found...
Until we walked into the robot room...
The story as well as we can piece together/imagine: Indy was born sometime during the night & momma pushed her out of the maternity pen. Indy wandered down the back ally of the freestall (milking) barn & got close to Olaf The Robot where a cow butted her through the hole down into the robot room...
Indy was happy to be found & quickly gulped down a big bottle of milk while she enjoyed lots of pettings and scratches from her new momma - me

September 12 - Raking 3rd-cut hay while enjoying the sunshine, cool breeze, smell of autumn, & the view.
(That's our farm over yonder over the corn)

September 13 - I'm mowing one field while my brother mows another.
We don't normally have two haybines, but when our old one broke last year in the middle of haying we had to have one, so a used one was purchased.
Now that our old one is finally running again, we're able to mow hay in record time!

September 14 - Married to my best friend for 2 years now...looking forward to many, many more to come!!!
And yes, we got married right here on the farm!

September 16 - Little heifer (left) & bull (right) snuggling after their mommas brought them into the world.

Just as no two snowflakes are alike, neither are cow prints.

Ahhh there's nothing quite like a fresh pair of sheets...or bedding as the case may be.
These new mommas are enjoying their recovery time.

George is my neck-warming fuzzy purring office-manager

September 21 - Started chopping corn!

September 23 - A chilly, dreary day to most; but to us it means moisture & a day to get some things accomplished on our never-ending to-do list.

September 26 - It's a lovely day for a pedicure!
Twice a year our ladies get pedicures. This helps keep their hooves healthy & looking moo-velous.
The hoof-trimmer's rig is set-up with cow & human safety in mind - the girls don't mind one bit.

154 is checking to see if she's on my list.
This was taken just as she tried to eat my list...