I am kid free until tomorrow night. I am also a farm widow unless it rains today. It's like a vacation without having to leave home!
The boys took off with Grandma and Grandpa for a wedding in St. Louis. I would love to have gone, but such is life on the farm. I am thoroughly enjoying being alone. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids and will be happy when they are home, but everyone needs a break.
So what did I do on my first night off? I mowed the lawn (heavenly, I know). Then I sat down and read a book, WITHOUT interruptions! That's a very rare thing.
My plan today is to run errands, BY MYSELF. I have to go activate my new phone (thanks Sam!) and I thoroughly look forward to going to Verizon without having to corral my kids every 30 seconds. I'm also washing sheets since I don't have to worry if Blankie will be dry by nap time.
Speaking of washing sheets. I went up to strip the boys' beds this morning and discovered the Farm Industry News in my son's bed. I guess if we keep with those kinds of magazines as he gets older, I'll be a happy mom ;)
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Myth Busters: Dairy Edition
Myth #1: Only bulls have horns.
Ok, so I'm going to embarrass my sister with this one. She was under the impression that only males have horns. In fact, all Holsteins, male and female, are born with horns. However, we dehorn them at a young age. Horns can be very dangerous, to us, and to the other cows. Dehorning isn't full proof, and occasionally you'll get a cow with a bit of a horn or two, and they know how to use them. That is why we dehorn. There are breeds of cattle that do not grow horns, but most Holsteins do.
Myth #2: We have a calving season.
I get a lot of comments and questions about how our calving season is going from family, friends, etc. Those who raise beef cows typically have a calving season in early spring. However, in the dairy industry we need to supply milk year round which means we need to have cows calving year round. There are a few dairy farmers that can time their calving so that they have time off from milking, but it's tough to do. We tend to calve heavier in the spring and fall, but we have baby calves year round. Ideally, you milk a cow for 10 months after calving. We try to breed them 2 months after calving, so they should have a calf every year. That's ideal. Of course, like humans, cows don't always get pregnant as planned. It takes some longer than others and some cows we decide not to breed anymore. Once a cow is pregnant we milk them up until 2-3 months before their due date. Then they get a vacation where all they have to do is sleep and eat. We've had cows that we didn't breed back that have milked for years before they dried up. So we always have calves and we always have milking cows. That way you always have milk to drink!
Ok, so I'm going to embarrass my sister with this one. She was under the impression that only males have horns. In fact, all Holsteins, male and female, are born with horns. However, we dehorn them at a young age. Horns can be very dangerous, to us, and to the other cows. Dehorning isn't full proof, and occasionally you'll get a cow with a bit of a horn or two, and they know how to use them. That is why we dehorn. There are breeds of cattle that do not grow horns, but most Holsteins do.
Myth #2: We have a calving season.
I get a lot of comments and questions about how our calving season is going from family, friends, etc. Those who raise beef cows typically have a calving season in early spring. However, in the dairy industry we need to supply milk year round which means we need to have cows calving year round. There are a few dairy farmers that can time their calving so that they have time off from milking, but it's tough to do. We tend to calve heavier in the spring and fall, but we have baby calves year round. Ideally, you milk a cow for 10 months after calving. We try to breed them 2 months after calving, so they should have a calf every year. That's ideal. Of course, like humans, cows don't always get pregnant as planned. It takes some longer than others and some cows we decide not to breed anymore. Once a cow is pregnant we milk them up until 2-3 months before their due date. Then they get a vacation where all they have to do is sleep and eat. We've had cows that we didn't breed back that have milked for years before they dried up. So we always have calves and we always have milking cows. That way you always have milk to drink!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Random Ramblings
Ok, so here's our life update, in bulleted form:
- I finished student teaching and it's been really nice being home, mostly.
- I did not pass my licensure test, so I have to wait until July to retake, which means I won't be able to get my license by the beginning of the school year, so no teaching job for me next year (I wasn't planning on getting one anyway, but I was hoping to go through the interview process this summer). I missed by 9 points, which is like 2 questions.
- Tate is potty training. Any suggestions on how to get a kid to poop in the potty?
- Cole is super excited for his birthday (June 10) and the houseboat. He tells EVERYBODY about it.
- We've had way too much rain, so much that our sewer backed up in our basement. Fantastic! It also means we need a new septic tank, to the tune of $10,000. Just when I thought we were starting to catch up again with $!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Nebraska...the good life
If you've ever been to Nebraska, that is the sign that greats you as you enter the state. I always loved that. Nebraska is where I really found myself. Sounds cheesy, I know. The 2 years I spent in college there are the years when I came out of my shell and met some of the most awesome people.
This weekend, we got to go back. Ironically, it wasn't for friends I knew in Nebraska, but for a wedding of one of Pat's NDSU buddies. It was a blast. As is typical of Farmhousers, the wedding party consisted almost entirely of FH guys, nearly all of whom are married with kids or expecting kids. It's kind of nice that we are all in the same place in life. One thing that struck me this weekend is that of all the FH wives of Pat's pledge class, I've been around the longest. Apparently, as usual, I'm the trend setter :) We got married first, and had kids first. It just strikes me as odd for some reason. At any rate, it was a blast to be together, dance, drink, and have fun.
This morning we headed to church nearby. The pastor there was my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade teacher. His wife also taught with my parents many years ago. It was fantastic to catch up, even if it was brief. They have a very friendly church and I'm sure we could have spent all morning visiting. Instead, we had to head for home. Getaways always seem to be too short. Such is the life of a dairy farmer. Off to chores...
This weekend, we got to go back. Ironically, it wasn't for friends I knew in Nebraska, but for a wedding of one of Pat's NDSU buddies. It was a blast. As is typical of Farmhousers, the wedding party consisted almost entirely of FH guys, nearly all of whom are married with kids or expecting kids. It's kind of nice that we are all in the same place in life. One thing that struck me this weekend is that of all the FH wives of Pat's pledge class, I've been around the longest. Apparently, as usual, I'm the trend setter :) We got married first, and had kids first. It just strikes me as odd for some reason. At any rate, it was a blast to be together, dance, drink, and have fun.
This morning we headed to church nearby. The pastor there was my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade teacher. His wife also taught with my parents many years ago. It was fantastic to catch up, even if it was brief. They have a very friendly church and I'm sure we could have spent all morning visiting. Instead, we had to head for home. Getaways always seem to be too short. Such is the life of a dairy farmer. Off to chores...
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