You should always beware when you have teenagers in the house who are savvy on a computer! While I was out watching my two youngest kids at a church program this evening, my relief milkers (the older boys) felt they needed to do some editing to my blog. For those of you who saw the caption with my youngest son’s picture you noticed the insult that my teenage editors thought they needed to add. (I fixed it) There is nothing sacred with these boys! But at least they are keeping Jake “real” which he needs….being the baby of the family.

It seems that’s what the heifers on our farm think they have, open range priviledges. Yesterday morning while bedding the stalls, a neighbor stopped by, not for a visit but to let us know we had some heifers out. We chased them through the freshly planted corn field and got them back in, fixed the hole and went on about our business. After an evening of chores and a double header that had a 45 minute rain delay, we dropped into bed later than normal only to hear the phone ring. It was another neighbor calling to let us know their were some heifers out! We rolled back out of bed, headed out in the pitch black darkness, of course it was cloudy, no moonlight to illuminate the cornfield and I drove the truck while Big Daddy got his exercise. When we got them back to the barn, I opened the door only to allow the rest of the heifers and the horse out. As I began to mutter bad things under my breath about how stupid those heifers were acting and something about wishing I had a shotgun, one heifer shot back through the barn door and all the rest followed her. A big sigh of relief came as I slid the barn door closed and headed back up to the house. My bed never felt better.

It seems that’s what the heifers on our farm think they have, open range priviledges. Yesterday morning while bedding the stalls, a neighbor stopped by, not for a visit but to let us know we had some heifers out. We chased them through the freshly planted corn field and got them back in, fixed the hole and went on about our business. After an evening of chores and a double header that had a 45 minute rain delay, we dropped into bed later than normal only to hear the phone ring. It was another neighbor calling to let us know their were some heifers out! We rolled back out of bed, headed out in the pitch black darkness, of course it was cloudy, no moonlight to illuminate the cornfield and I drove the truck while Big Daddy got his exercise. When we got them back to the barn, I opened the door only to allow the rest of the heifers and the horse out. As I began to mutter bad things under my breath about how stupid those heifers were acting and something about wishing I had a shotgun, one heifer shot back through the barn door and all the rest followed her. A big sigh of relief came as I slid the barn door closed and headed back up to the house. My bed never felt better.

On this beautiful Tuesday, I have the wonderful opportunity to teach city kids where their food comes from….from the ground up! I will be explaining to school children that pizza comes from the soil. I’m excited to have the chance to promote agriculture and to see what kind of goofy questions these kids come up with. After then it’s off to another double header, if it doesn’t rain. And somewhere in between I have to get replacement parts for my vacuum cleaner…then I’ll have to use it!

On this beautiful Tuesday, I have the wonderful opportunity to teach city kids where their food comes from….from the ground up! I will be explaining to school children that pizza comes from the soil. I’m excited to have the chance to promote agriculture and to see what kind of goofy questions these kids come up with. After then it’s off to another double header, if it doesn’t rain. And somewhere in between I have to get replacement parts for my vacuum cleaner…then I’ll have to use it!

It’s another beautiful morning here on the Knolltop and it’s promising to be a nice day. Before school this morning, I played catch with the kids. It’s amazing what great conversation can evolve from throwing a ball back and forth to each other. Connecting with our kids is so important, especially right before we send them into the world to fight another day.

It’s another beautiful morning here on the Knolltop and it’s promising to be a nice day. Before school this morning, I played catch with the kids. It’s amazing what great conversation can evolve from throwing a ball back and forth to each other. Connecting with our kids is so important, especially right before we send them into the world to fight another day.

It’s Sunday morning and you’re trying to get the chores done quickly so you can get to church on time. Then your neighbor who never darkens the door of any church shows up while you’re in the barn and out of the blue wants to attend church with you. You’re excited to say the least because you know he needs Jesus as much as you do, so you put a spring in your step to make sure you get done. Then it happens. The Sunday morning breakdown. Our breakdown was the gutter cleaner, it broke in a place it hasn’t broken in two years! Vowing not to let this make us late, we worked together to fix it and with chores done we dashed in the house, cleaned up and headed to church…and we were on time no less! Nothing is impossible with God!

It’s Sunday morning and you’re trying to get the chores done quickly so you can get to church on time. Then your neighbor who never darkens the door of any church shows up while you’re in the barn and out of the blue wants to attend church with you. You’re excited to say the least because you know he needs Jesus as much as you do, so you put a spring in your step to make sure you get done. Then it happens. The Sunday morning breakdown. Our breakdown was the gutter cleaner, it broke in a place it hasn’t broken in two years! Vowing not to let this make us late, we worked together to fix it and with chores done we dashed in the house, cleaned up and headed to church…and we were on time no less! Nothing is impossible with God!

After the cows were milked, I was washing the milking system to make sure it’s nice and clean so we can ship clean milk. As I was standing in the milkhouse looking out the window I spotted one of my favorite pictures. JW was in the pickup which was chained to Jake’s Allis Chalmers and they were pulling the Allis off. JW had to get out several times to give Jake instruction, but when it was all said and done, the Allis was started and Jake was driving it around. It’s amazing to me how fast they grow up. Last year I would’ve have let Jake drive that tractor 10 feet without someone responsible with him. Now he is driving it quite capably and it’s a beautiful sight to see. One thing that will make a mothers’ heart melt faster than butter in a hot frying pan is to see her children cooperating to accomplish one common goal, without any adult involvement. Life is good.