The storms keep coming, the sky keeps turning sickening shades of green…and I keep shooting pics.
Here’s the latest batch from July 26, 2011:
Is it a blizzard? No, just rain. As in 1.75 inches in 25-30 minutes.
Starting to clear up, right?
The sun is there...somewhere.
As my 4-year-old says (EJ), "These clouds creep me out!"
Tired of the storms...
Even when they bring beauty.
Now, before you go off, accusing me of lying and thinking that I’m discounting a HUGE portion of the blog-o-sphere…let me explain. I’m not sure Mommy Bloggers exist.
What?!?
Yeah, that’s right…there’s no such thing as a Mommy Blogger. That term ranks up there with Big Foot, Toothfairy and Santa (just don’t tell my boys!). Why? Well, it’s simple. When you’re a mom, there’s no way you’re writing just about the cutesy-precious things your children do…and there’s no way you’re just writing about how many diapers you change. Being a Mom is so much more than that.
Last week, I had an online conversation with a friend of mine. She’s actually partially responsible for the creation of this blog in the first place! Let’s just say that she gave me that final push to get this blog started.
Anyway, we were talking blog stuff and the Mommy Blogger title came up. And again, I’m not sure such a thing exists. You see, when you’re a mom and you’re writing about your kids, it’s not just your kids that you’re writing about. Do I have you confused yet?
You write about society, you write about coping skills, you write about recipes. You share cleaning tips, you ask for advice and you share humor and entertainment. You write about education, you write about the future, you write about the past. You explain the simplest of life’s lessons, you share photos of the world and you pass on travel tips. There isn’t a piece of the pie that you don’t touch at some point in time. And all of that information can be translated into different realms.
Read about how a mother convinces a three-year-old that it’s their idea to take a nap. That same reasoning can be used to deal with the most difficult of customers in the retail world. Don’t think so? Trust me, I’ve done it.
Explain to a 7-year-old why our cows don’t make the milk that we drink, but they make the hamburger we eat. Then use that same conversation to base your ag education off of…trust me, a 7-year-old will ask you every hard-nosed question most reporters would think of!
Yes, in every essence of the term, I am a Mommy Blogger. Yet, I’m not. Actually, I’m more of a Farmmy Blogger.
When you come in to my blog, you will read about my children, my farm and my view points. You will learn about cattle, about crops and about life. You will hopefully laugh a lot, cry a little, but come back for more. And I will do the same.
Talk about a complicated answer to a simple question, eh?
Now ask me if I’m Republican or Democrat. 😉
I realized that my posts lately have been heavy on family and emotions, and light on farm and facts! So here goes a great Friday post!
Check out this video on our no-till corn planting (only 45 seconds, won’t kill ya to watch it!):
And now here are some pics of that same corn…growing!
All our little corn plants, growing in a row!
Planted a little later than liked, but looking good! Happy corn makes for happy cows makes for happy Boss Man!
Yes, the corn appears to be a little on the weedy side right now, but thanks to the never-ending rain, there’s not much that can be done about it at this time. It’s raining as we speak…and I took some cool pics, but you’ll have to wait for my Wordless Wednesday post on those! 🙂 Now you have a reason to come back…
See you soon!
No, we’re not losing our farm…and I hope we never have to face that kind of hardship, but unfortunately I know too many that have.
As I read headlines and articles regarding the devastating flooding in the south, I can’t help but think of those to the north of us. Although Louisiana, Missouri and other southern states are undergoing some drastic water issues right now, those in the Devils Lake area have been fighting these same types of issues for years. The only difference has been timing.
I wonder which would be easier…watching your hard work disappear in the blink of an eye, knowing that there is nothing you can do about it, or watching slowly, year after year, as the water creeps steadily closer? Knowing that there are answers and resources available to stop (or at least slow down) the advancement of the water, but not be able to access those resources? Knowing that local, state and federal government is well aware of what’s happening, people come and tour your devastation, and yet nothing is done.
How would that feel?
Would it be better to lose your farmland in a flash of water? A wave that washes over your land, wiping it clean like a slate, but then having the opportunity to reclaim and rebuild what you once had? Or watch as the water claims the land that you once farmed, lived on, called home…knowing that you may never be able to return to it again?
Unfortunately, both are realities. And not only are the landowners and the farmers the losers in this battle. Each and every one of us has a stake and are hurt when farmland is lost.
As the world’s population continues to grow, those involved in farming and acres available to farm are on a decline. Losing thousands of acres to flooding isn’t going to help matters any.
Hopefully the water will recede quickly in the south, and we’ll be able to reclaim some of that fertile ground. But the answer for those in the Devils Lake area seems to be further off…and the longer it takes, the more we’ll ALL be hurting.
It may not seem like much now, but it’s a pain we should ALL be sharing in…and ALL be trying to find a solution.
Well, it’s official. I’m starting a new adventure in my life. I am officially a columnist for a regional daily newspaper.
Yeah, that’s right, someone is actually going to publish what I write. Hah! 🙂
Actually, I used to work at the Aberdeen American News prior to married life. I typed up wedding announcements and birth announcements and all sorts of community events. I proofread the paper and worked on special assignments. I met some amazing people and I LOVED my job.
But driving an hour one way, starting a new life (and family) with my new husband and having an opportunity closer to home all convinced me that I needed to travel down another path. Fast forward 10 years, and here we are!
My columns will run every other week, starting May 25…and I’m nervous! Aack! But I’m also excited. I have a chance to share my story, share my farm, and share my family with others on a scale that not many are given. How amazing is that?!?
With these guys around, I probably won't run out of stuff to write about!
And to top it off…some of the same great people are still working at the paper. So it’s a little like coming home. In fact, the same amazing woman who was my boss so many years ago will now be my editor. Cool, eh?
Well, I better get to writing down all these ideas floating in my head. I can’t wait!!!
P.S. If you have any ideas, suggestions, etc. you’d like to share, shoot ’em at me!!
I’ve always liked Mike Rowe. And earlier this year, (thanks to our time served on the American Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Committee) I was able to see him up close and personal. It was an amazing time, an amazing speech and he is an amazing man. I feel even more so now.
Mr. Rowe testified in front of the Senate Commerce Committee recently, regarding what he considers a “Skills Gap.” In essence, we push, prod and reward those that strive for excellence in careers such as doctors, lawyers, etc., but consider skilled labor as something fit for those that couldn’t make it in college, or at least not far enough to get a doctorate. It’s an amazing read, go ahead, it’s linked up above. Read it. Now.
He’s right.
And I’m guilty of it, too.
When I think of my boys’ futures, I think about doctors and lawyers and all things that moms dream of…but I’m forgetting about what they’re dreaming of. Why? Every day we rely on those people that are behind the scenes, but how many people look at their child and say, “Someday, I hope you’ll be a mechanic.” Why?
EJ is working on his truck, while Dad is washing the combine.
We use electricity, but forget about the linemen. We get into our vehicles everyday, knowing that if something goes wrong a mechanic is a phone call away. We eat, but the dirt is under someone else’s fingernails. All these things we take for granted everyday. And Mr. Rowe is right…it needs to change.
Technology is changing the world, but our reliance on skilled labor is as great as it has ever been. We need tradesmen as much as we need doctors. And we need to encourage those that have a passion for those careers.
The next time my son picks up a wrench and asks what it’s for, my answer will be different. That tool is just as important as a scalpel. Who am I to try to determine what the tools for his future are? I can provide for him all the options available, but the choice is his to make.
So whether he decides to go into a cutting-edge profession such as social-media marketing, or a centuries-old one such as farming, I know one thing for certain…I’ll be there to hand him the tools he needs.
I’m not sure if you heard, but we had a slight deer problem this winter. Well, slight is an understatement…it was a MAJOR deer problem. If you look back through my posts, you will find pictures, videos, eloquently-written, almost poetic-like blogs, etc. (well, I’m pouring it on a bit thick about that one, sorry 😉 )
I figured I would wrap up the winter deer posts with this update:
This is a pile of deer carcasses that were collected from our hay yard. Approximately 60-80 deer in this group.
Yeah, we had a problem. And some deer died. I’ve been asked many times, “Why?” The answer isn’t so simple. Game and Fish statistics say that most of the dead should be does and fawns that couldn’t handle the winter conditions. But from personally witnessing and inspecting many of the dead animals, (well, from a distance anyway) I can tell you that there were a LOT of nice-sized bucks in that pile.
So, again, why did they die? They had protection. They had plenty of protection. They had feed. Very nice, dairy-quality alfalfa. Which would have been worth between $10,000-$20,000 in the hay market. Ouch. That hurts. My guess is that the deer couldn’t handle the feed. It was truly too rich, and they basically died from really bad stomach aches. Kinda like dying from too much caviar. (Can that happen???) You see, deer are built to browse, they eat things like leaves and berries and your brand new trees that you plant! 😉
But the fact of the matter is, they died. And beside this pile of deer, remember that Game and Fish had already come and picked up a pick-up load of carcasses? So that’s more than 100 deer that died on our farm.
A closer shot of the pile that Mark buried.
What frustrates me almost more than the lack of action by Game and Fish is the waste of meat. Can you imagine the food pantries that could be stocked with this much meat? But I have an idea for this year…and it’s a way that we can curb our deer problem, encourage hunting, AND stock the food pantries!
Stay tuned for an announcement tomorrow! I can’t wait!!!
Today will be my last Ag Book of the Day post…until I decide to do it again! (That’s my perogative, as author, since this blog is about the only place that I have control! LOL!) I tried to feature an agriculture-based children’s book every day that the boys had school in April. It coincided with their April Reading Month theme of Cultivating Reading.
It was a fun month, and I loved some of the new books that I was made aware of, plus I’ve found a few others that I really can’t wait to add to my collection. And it was such a popular theme, that I’m sure I’ll do a week here or there, as I find new books to add to our collection.
Since I missed a few days, due to George’s little break he decided we needed, I’m going to feature three books today. Enjoy!
1) “The Life and Times of Corn” by Charles Micucci. With corn being such a big newsmaker lately, I wonder how many kids actually understand what it’s all about? This book goes into the actual history of corn, and how it’s used today. It gets great reviews, and I can’t wait to add it to our collection!
2) “Pigs” by Gail Gibbons. Who can live without a book about pigs? And I LOVE the illustrations!
3) “How Do Apples Grow?” by Betsy Maestro. Probably for an older child, at least first grade or so. But when you’ve been asked a million times how or why we have apples, this book is a GREAT tool! Goes through each step and the seasons of a tree. Love it!
And, since I’m wrapping up my Ag Book of the Day month, I’m going to throw the best one in as last. Because I know that our farm has this book at the top of our list, and although we don’t refer to it nearly often enough, it’s always there with the answer when we need it:
We made it home last night. It was a relief to finally pull in, see the lights of home, hear the cows mooing to their calves, see our lab sitting at the front gate and to hear George raising a ruckus, because he knew where we were…home.
Our last appointment went about as well as our first. She did order another test to check his ferritin level, since I told her that he was waking up during the night a lot. (Apparently it’s a measure of iron, and a lack of it can cause your legs to feel restless.) Normal levels are between 25 and 336. George’s were 11. So we start a multivitamin to combat the low Vit. D and the low iron.
I asked about getting a prescription for a trip to Florida for a week or two. Dr. L said that the sun would work, but Boss Man piped up that the vitamins were cheaper. He’s no fun.
When I sat at my desk last night, I was going to write up a new blog post, but then I read a few of my friends’ posts and decided to wait until today.
Apparently a group, called Mercy for Animals, released hidden video footage of animals being abused on a dairy farm in Texas. Again, this group is attempting to undermine all of animal agriculture, because of one sick, twisted situation.
Here’s my take on the situation: If you are on a farm, and someone is abusing an animal, they should be IMMEDIATELY reported to the proper authorities. If they are a hired hand, they should be fired and turned in. If they are the owner, they should be turned in. Simple as that. The animal deserves better. Yes, I raise animals that I know are being consumed by someone. I know that our cows will someday be processed into something that will feed others. But we treat our cattle with respect.
There is no excuse for the action taken by the perpetrators in the video. That’s not what raising cattle is about. I don’t know of one single cattle producer that would condone such behavior…and it’s definitely the exception, not the norm.
We just spent three days away from our farm. We were on a medical trip with our youngest child. Although our focus was definitely on George’s appointments, part of Mark’s mind was back here. He was constantly on the phone, making sure that there weren’t any problems, the cattle were being fed, none had become ill, the mud wasn’t becoming unmanageable, planning for what to do when we got home, etc. It was non-stop. He spent hours upon hours before our trip, preparing the lots, so that things were easier when we were gone. Making sure that there was enough feed ready to go. Moving panels so that the mud was a little easier to manage, for both the tractor AND the cattle. That’s just what ranchers do. That’s what ANY animal caregiver would do.
I didn’t watch the latest abuse video. I don’t need to. Hearing about it is enough. It disgusts me. It angers me. And it frustrates me when groups try to tell the rest of the world that those types of actions are normal in our industry. It’s not. No way. No how. And if you don’t believe me, come to my farm and I’ll show you.
And I know of many others who would do the same.
I had to make a quick, mid-appointment update to bring some really great news…George no longer needs to have growth-hormone shots!
Now, this may only be temporary, we will have to come back in 4 months and double-check on things, but I’m certain that things will continue to go on the right track. Sadly, our visits with Dr. Lteif (endocrinologist), may become fewer and farther between…but that’s only sad because she’s such an excellent physician, and thinks pretty highly of our little man.
Up next, we see the neurologist, who will become the lead doctor in George’s care. Dr. Renaud is a pretty great doctor, too.
So, as long as everything goes as planned, we’ll be on the road heading north shortly after lunch. And for once, I’m leaving Mayo feeling as if we’ve finally turned a corner, not just headed further into the abyss. What a great feeling that is! (And for those new to my blog, George is suspected to have Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency, a disorder that doesn’t allow him to break down protein…which means he won’t be enjoying full servings of meat, dairy, etc., for most of his life.)
Yesterday, when they drew his blood, I saw on the paperwork that his tests were heading to Baylor for the genetic testing. George hasn’t travelled much in his almost-2 years, but his blood certainly has!
Ag Book of the Day 13:
“What Do I Make? (Let’s Find Out!)” by Dale Simpson. A great board book, with turning wheel, where you can match up the animal with their gift to us! Great for the little guys! Include milk from cows, honey from bees, clothes from sheep, etc. And with the cute cow-shape of the book, and great illustrations, it keeps the little ones interested in the book!
Wag'n Tales 