Hart Communications

Author: Melissa

  • Green Meadow Farms: “Where the Latch String is Always Out”

    Green Meadow Farms: “Where the Latch String is Always Out”

     Green Meadow Farms turns 100 years old this year and, in
    their generosity, they invited everyone to the farm to celebrate. As they prepared
    for this day of celebration cleaning up the old barns and pulling out their
    historical photos and memorials of milestones, they discovered an entire side
    of Merle Green they had never seen before.

    According to a feature in the Michigan Dairy Cattle News, Merle
    Green was the organization’s founding father, purchasing the original farm at
    18 years old with co-signing from his father, who owned a lumberyard. He joined
    the Holstein Association in 1919 at the age of 14, buying his first heifer calf
    at 13 when the transaction – including calf shipment – was made through the
    mail. As they sifted through records, photos, and transactions, they found
    letters written by Merle for all of his livestock pursuits.

    On his Greendale Stock Farm letterhead, a 14-year-old Merle
    Green wrote a letter to M.J. Prince in Bloomer, Wisconsin trying to sell a choice
    boar of the litter of his Duroc Jersey Hogs. 
    He enclosed a pedigree of the hogs and said the mother to these boars was
    the best brood sow that he had ever owned, and he would sell a pick of the
    boars for $45.

    Did this young Merle Green have any idea of the legacy he
    would leave in his wake?  Did he know
    that Greendale Stock Farm now known as Green Meadow Farms would host a century
    celebration where his efforts would be displayed, and his hard work and
    tenacity admired? When he was applying for a lifetime membership to the
    Holstein-Friesian Association of American on February 13, 1919, did he know
    that Green Meadow Farms would be the largest Registered Holstein Herd in the
    country?

    As a teenager Merle had no idea he would have two sons,
    Duane and Velmar who would take the leadership of the farm, have a record-holding
    cow named Green Meadow Lily Pabst, be one of the first farms in the country to
    install a methane digester while exhibiting champion cattle from Michigan to Tennessee
    to Tulsa and every state in between.

    I’m sure Merle never envisioned a governor who would celebrate
    his accomplishments, a herd sire flown in from California or thousands of
    visitors descending on his brick tie-stall barns to witness firsthand the
    fruits of his decades of labor.

    People like Merle take one step at a time as they move toward
    their dream of owning a farm complete with champion livestock. They aren’t inhibited
    by fear of failure.  They are not limited
    by their age nor are they concerned with social norms.

    When I visited with Velmar at the centennial celebration, he
    said there should always be something going, you can’t just stay the same as he
    pointed to a piece of equipment that was the beginning of a new biodigester
    with carbon credit technology. They will be one of three farms in Michigan to
    install this new biodigester.

    As the farm continues into the next century under the
    leadership of Craig and Darcy Green, they will lead the way in adopting new
    technology while remembering the value in exhibiting cattle, merchandising genetics,
    and serving the industry on local boards and state associations. 

    Green Meadow Farms: “Where the Latch String is Always Out”

     

     

  • To Stay or Go on Christmas?

     Moving away from family when you start your own family can
    be liberating and solidifying for your marriage. But when the holidays come, it
    means making a choice between staying home or hitting the road. When you do you
    go? When do you stay home? When is the time when you finally decide that
    Christmas will be at your home on the 25th?

    There are so many expectations that we put on ourselves and
    others when it comes to family gatherings. 
    But I believe it can be less dramatic and more meaningful when you plan
    ahead with all of your family.

    Young couples with no children, this is your time to be flexible.  While you may want to start your own
    traditions, keep in mind that you have the easiest time traveling and
    scheduling.  It’s important to make your
    extended family a priority, but don’t feel as though you have to accommodate 10
    different family gatherings. You may need to alternate between Thanksgiving and
    Christmas for the various celebrations.

    Empty nesters, you also can  be flexible and accommodating.  You not only have the time, you likely have
    more resources than younger family and can give generously in more ways than
    one to make family celebrations meaningful. 
    Offer your home for a gathering. 
    Offer your resources for a central location to gather. This could be a
    great way to give to the entire family. 

    For those parents right in the middle, I believe you have limited
    time for those kids under your roof and if you prefer to stay home on Christmas
    day, then do it.  Allowing your children time
    to enjoy their gifts and time with their parents is so important in a world that
    wants to pull your attention in all directions. Our little ones need time with unoccupied
    parents. Our teenagers also need your undivided attention.  One special day at home with limited screen
    time for everyone is not too much to ask. 
    Maybe you want to leave because a day at home with your family doesn’t
    sound that fun.  Just try it once and see
    what happens.  You’ll be amazed at how
    much your kids love your involvement!

    Maybe you host extended family in your home on the 25th,
    or maybe you simply celebrate on another day, but if you want to be home, then
    by all means, stay home with your children. And do this without guilt, shame, or
    misgivings. 

    Planning ahead will eliminate confusion, frustration and
    will help keep expectations in perspective. Make sure everyone knows what you’re
    going as soon as you know so those planners can plan!

    Whether you eat on paper plates or matching Christmas dishes,
    enjoy the closeness of your kids.  When
    we leave this earth, the only thing that will matter is the impact we had on
    others for the glory of Jesus Christ.  Our
    influence on our kids is greater than we believe.  Don’t take that for granted! Be their number
    one influencer!

     

  • Be a Champion, Extend Grace

    On a recent shopping trip with my daughter to one of our
    favorite home decorating stores I found myself in the baseball décor section
    snapping photos of all the inspirational thoughts eloquently painted on cheap
    pressed board. I’m drawn to these kinds of pick-me-up quotes that seem so
    transformative when I read them but exit my memory when I’m struggling in the
    pit.

    One of the signs said, “No Excuses. Play Like a Champion.”

    I immediately wanted this one on my wall.  I really dislike it when people offer excuses
    instead of completing a task.  We can all
    come up with excuses on why we are late, can’t make an appointment, didn’t make
    it to an event or didn’t get the job finished on time. I think I know every
    excuse because I’ve heard them come out of my mouth at one time or another.
    This is probably why I have little patience for others who offer their excuses
    to me.

    Two months ago, I was driving down the highway in Ohio,
    chatting with my passenger and noticed those pretty red and blue lights in my
    rear-view mirror.  When the no-fluff
    state trooper came up to my window he simply said he stopped me for speeding,
    asked me for my documents and a few minutes later delivered my citation and
    told me where to pay it.  He didn’t ask
    if I knew why he stopped me.  He didn’t
    ask why I was speeding.  He didn’t offer
    to reduce the clocked speed.  I didn’t
    even have a chance to come up with an excuse or work up some tears, he just
    gave me the ticket and drove on.

    I was guilty.  There
    was no need for an excuse.  I paid my
    debt and learned my lesson.

    While we may not always come out with the championship
    trophy, if we play like a champion, we won’t need any excuses. When you’ve
    given the endeavor your best shot, that feeling of regret doesn’t haunt you
    near as much as if you knew you could have worked harder.  There’s nothing quite like those painful
    pangs of emptiness when you came up short because you didn’t play like a
    champion.

    Right across the aisle was an equally appealing sign that
    said, “Live by grace, not perfection.” This was the sign that ended up on my
    wall. Mostly because in my quest to accomplish my day to day work, I need to
    remember to extend grace to others instead of expecting perfection.  While I don’t like excuses, there is this
    reality called life and free will and sometimes it happens without our input or
    control.

    Maybe I need to make my own sign, “Be a Champion- Extend
    Grace.”

  • I love these boots!

    I often receive offers to review books and I always get
    marketing reps who want me to write a review about their product.  But it’s those companies who are willing to
    send me their product, let me try it out and then allow me to offer my unbiased
    opinion who I have the most respect for.
    There are products out there that I may or may not like for
    one reason or another. And recently I was sent a pair of women’s muck
    boots.  The Women’s Tall Chore boot to be
    exact.
    After about a month of tromping round the fall weather, I
    can honestly say, I like these boots. When my four kids were little, each of
    them had a pair of tall chore boots that they would wear in the barn.  They were fantastic at keeping their feet
    warm and dry and because they fit so snuggly, I knew they would not kick them
    off or lose them in a mud hole. They were great, but I have to admit they were
    a bear when it came time to pull them off. I did not look forward to that after
    a long day and three hours of milking cows and doing chores.
    So, when Muck Boots asked if I would try their chore boot, I
    was skeptical.  But after trying them, I
    love them.  They are easy to slip on and
    take off.  And when I head out the door,
    I invariably have my hands full, so being able to just slip my foot into them without
    having to fight them on or off, is a bonus. 
    They are durable, warm and they have a thick sole that will not wear out
    anytime soon, (which is something I’ve had problems with other boots in the
    past).

    If you’re looking for a good solid, flexible boot that is
    durable, my vote is for Muck Boots.  

  • A.S.K.

    I was walking behind a young man in a sports complex and on
    the back of his shirt were the big letters: ASK.  So of course I did.

    I asked him what ASK stood for or was I just supposed to ask
    him a question and he would answer?  He
    smiled and then kindly explained that it stood for Audacity, Service and
    Kaizen.

    You see, he was a basketball coach at a college, and I knew
    that whatever those letters were, it would be some sort of motivation tool or
    leadership tip and I would not regret asking him for an explanation.  I also knew that whatever those letters stood
    for, it would let me capture a glimpse into his leadership style.

    Audacity.

    Do I have the audacity to continue to improve?  Do I have the desire to be the best? To
    conquer fear? To take the next logical step in my career path, even though it
    means a commitment to more work, but a really great reward?

    Audacity is a challenging word that inspires me daily.  When I think about audacity it makes me think
    of daring to be better.  Daring to put in
    the extra work. Daring to write about a subject that may not be well
    received.  Audacity also means to take
    that step of faith, even if I can’t be sure of the outcome. Trusting that God
    will take my effort and courage to move forward, and work all things together
    for good.  

    Service was the next word. For anyone to succeed in life,
    they need to learn how to serve.  For
    some of us, this is as natural as pushing open the screen door on your way out
    of the house. But for others, they have to be reminded to push instead of pull
    or they have to be told when to push and when to pull.  But if you’re not willing to serve anyone or
    at anything, don’t be surprised when you find yourself isolated and devoid of
    influence.  Those who are not willing to
    serve will look behind them and see few willing to follow. 

    And that last word is one I had to look up, Kaizen.  It sounds like some middle eastern religious
    doctrine or maybe even a yoga pose.  But
    really, it’s the definition of slow, incremental improvement.  It seems this is something I need to be
    reminded of lately.  My all or nothing
    mentality takes over when I only have twenty minutes for a workout instead of
    an hour. If I can’t get my whole workout in then I might as well sit down and
    have another cup of coffee…..and maybe another muffin.  But if I took the Kaizen approach, I would
    seize the moment and take a twenty minute walk and while it would be a small
    step forward, it would still be incremental improvement.  Strength doesn’t come from exercising once a
    month, but a consistent practice of training and it may be slow, but it’s much
    more beneficial than a sporadic regime.

    What do you need the audacity to do?  Are you facing an attractive challenge, but
    you just can’t muster up the audacity to take a step of faith?  Or maybe you need to exercise your service
    muscle?  Or like me, you need to get out
    of the all or nothing mindset?  Now you
    have one word to remind yourself of what you need to do.  Just ASK.

  • If you only knew…..

    If you only knew…..

    Let’s take a moment and fill in that blank. 

    If you only knew…. what I’ve been through in the last week.

    If you only knew… where I started out.

    If you only knew… what I witnessed when I was a child.

    These are all statements that we either say in our head or
    out loud when confronted with someone who questions us, doubts our ability or
    even offers up some constructive criticism.

    Recently I saw on a social media site that many women find
    it difficult to receive an honest compliment. While they may say thank you to
    the person, deep down inside they are thinking, ‘NO! I’m not THAT! I’m not the
    person you think I am, I don’t deserve that kind word! Please stop saying that!’

    But why? Why do some folks find it difficult to receive a
    kind word from someone?

    Other than the fact that it’s easy to listen to the negative
    self talk that plays like an unending loop our heads, I think there is one
    underlying factor:

    We are the only ones who know everything that we’ve done,
    everything we are thinking, our selfish intentions, our manipulative mind and
    our self-seeking motives.  No one (except
    God) knows what’s going on in our head. 
    And honestly, sometimes we don’t know either, but that’s a different
    blog for a different day.

    So, when someone comes along and pays us a compliment, all
    we can think is, ‘Are you kidding? You have no idea that I was just critiquing
    your entire outfit thirty seconds before you walked up here.’ 

    Can I get a witness? Am I alone here?

    Add into that a critical parent or an abusive boss or a
    manipulative spouse and you have a woman (or man) who has a hard time believing
    anything nice about themselves.  It’s
    easy to believe the bad and oh so difficult to believe the good stuff about us.

    But remember, others don’t see all that ugliness that you
    see and feel inside.  People like
    offering you a genuine word of encouragement. Take it. Soak it up.  Use it to propel you forward into your next
    project or getting through your next difficult circumstance.

    And when you receive the compliment, kindly thank the person
    for offering you encouragement. They want to bless you, let them. When you
    refuse or sidestep a compliment, It’s like someone offering you a cold beverage
    on a really hot day and throwing it back in their face. 

  • Flowers and Queens

    District dairy shows used to be a big deal in a lot of
    states.  In most areas of the Midwest, a
    district show will consist of maybe 50-75 head and it provides a great place
    for younger exhibitors to get their feet wet. As in several areas of life, what
    used to be formal is now more casual and the formality and the pomp and
    circumstance of the show has gone by the wayside….in some places.

    Last week I covered the Ohio District 12 Holstein Show at
    the Auglaize County Fair in Wapakoneta, Ohio. We had arrived early and were
    sitting ringside visiting with friends. I sat and watched the ring steward,
    Gregg Topp, get things in order.  He
    gathered up the wheelbarrow and shovel to keep the ring clean, he made sure the
    announcer was making the correct announcements and that the judge had arrived
    and knew how the show would flow that evening.

    Samantha, the Auglaize County Dairy Princess arrived for her
    duties to hand out ribbons and like any good princess will do, she introduced
    herself to those administrating the show and familiarized herself with the
    awards that she would be handing out.

    Lou Brown, a local dairy farmer and the man in charge of the
    district show, walked up and handed Samantha a beautiful wrist corsage to wear
    and thanked her for attending the show. Now this was not a big state fair where
    the queen is treated like royalty being brought in on a six-horse hitch or
    paraded around in a cool corvette.  There
    was not a lot of glitz and glamor at this particular show. But that night, this
    busy dairy farmer thought enough of the fair princess and the Ohio Holstein
    Queen to call a flower shop and order flowers just for these young ladies to
    wear, at a district show that would have maybe 50 head and take 2 hours to
    complete.

    As I watched this whole thing unfold, I witnessed a sweet
    exchange between a dairy producer and a very appreciative dairy princess.  You would have thought someone gave her a
    million dollars.  Samantha’s face lit up
    and she couldn’t thank Lou enough for his thoughtfulness. 


    Throughout the show I would catch her looking at her corsage
    and then she would say to the Ohio Holstein Queen, Kinley Topp, “That was so
    kind, that just made may day. I can’t believe they bought flowers for us.” And
    Kinley agreed it was a very generous gesture.

    That sweet gesture was a great reminder to me that every day
    is an opportunity to make an impact. 
    Saying a kind word, waving at an acquaintance, being present at an event,
    they are all small things that seemingly make no difference. But don’t be
    fooled, in this crazy world, filled with the need for immediate acceptance and
    validation, those small things can be the difference between life and death.

  • Who Can Stop 87?

    Who
    can stop an 87-year-old farmer? Not me and I’m not even going to try.

    I
    think it’s in a farmer’s DNA to just figure it out.  When something breaks down, they figure it
    out. When they run up against an obstacle, they just figure it out. When planting
    season is delayed by six weeks, they aren’t happy, but they figure it out and
    keep going.

    I’m
    always amazed at the confidence it takes to look at a problem and take a step
    out of bounds on the way to solving the problem.  If you were to drive down the road and visit
    farm after farm after farm, they might all look the same on the outside, but on
    the inside, they all have signs of a man who decided to ‘fix’ a problem or
    ‘customize’ a piece of equipment.

    While
    to the everyday farmer, that is just part of their job. But to those on the
    outside looking in, it takes a tremendous amount of courage to step up to the
    plate and take swing at a 90-mph fastball with a ‘customized’ bat. You not only
    have to know how to solve the problem, you have to believe you can do it.  I think the belief is where many of us fall
    short.

    Earlier
    this spring my 87-year-old father was told his kidneys were not working and if
    he wanted to continue to live, he would have to be on dialysis.  While he processed the thought of having to
    drive to a facility, be hooked up to a machine three times per week for four
    hours a day, he realized he didn’t like that option. So, like any normal
    farmer, he started thinking of ways he could ‘customize’ his treatment. He
    began looking on the eBay for a dialysis machine that he could buy and put in
    his home.  And when he found one, he
    started a search for a dialysis technician who could come hook him up to the
    dialysis machine and supervise his treatment.

    When
    he told me this, my mouth dropped open and I couldn’t process the thought of an
    87-year-old man who would take on such a project. But then I realized, this is
    the farmer in him. He sees a problem and figures out a way to solve it.  He had no qualms about buying the machine or
    the fact that it takes a very learned person to operate it. He just knew he
    would have to take that first step and believed that it was possible.

    I
    want that kind of belief.  I want it now
    and I still want it when I’m 87 years old, I want to believe that I can get
    over an obstacle. I want to believe there is a solution and I want to have the
    confidence to get up every morning and take a run at it.

    Yes,
    I know the One who can solve all problems and can fix anything. But the hope
    and belief required to know there is a solution needs to come from us.

    My
    dad did not buy that dialysis machine, but he did find a solution and will be
    having home dialysis so that he can continue to keep his life moving forward.
    Afterall, his wife of 62 years depends on him to drive her to the school for
    her volunteering obligations, monitor the farming activity, and do the taxes. #NeverWasteAMoment

  • Creativity and Passion

    Entitlement is the archenemy of creativity, passion and
    joy.  When I read this recently, it was
    in the context of a woman whose parents moved her from an exclusive private
    prep school with every amenity imaginable, to a public school with little to
    nothing to offer this advanced student who was used to being academically
    challenged.

    This author described the numerous extracurricular
    activities that she was involved with at the prep school.  Sports of all kinds, Fellowship of Christian
    Athletes, social clubs, student government and a rigorous academic program that
    would prepare her fully for college. 

    The public school that her parents transferred her to,
    because of convenience was, as she described it, had lackluster academic
    standards, rampant drug use, racial tension, campus violence and a total lack
    of civility.  But there she was, dropped
    in the middle of this public school as a sophomore in high school. My heart
    sank as I thought about this young woman having to not only move schools, but
    to move to a school that sounded so atrocious, not unlike many of the public
    schools in our society today.

    Walk into some of our smaller schools and you can cut the
    apathy with a knife. In fact, that lack of pride, and expectation of the worst,
    is fed to the students on a daily basis by a staff who feels as unappreciated
    as the struggling administration trying to keep the doors open.

    I read this author’s story further and found that instead of
    lowering into the standards of the school, she was able to rise above it and
    pull others up as well.  She decided to
    stop with the entitlement mentality that nurtured her expectation that she
    deserved more because of her privilege, and instead she began to build programs
    that enriched the lives around her.  This
    was a place where she established a community of students who set goals and
    accomplished them. While she could have thrown herself a pity party, she hosted
    a leadership gala instead, where her peers could learn how to make a difference
    in their own communities.

    The mindset of this young teenager is inspiring.  To decide to make a difference in her little
    corner of the world instead of wallowing in her lonely, narcissistic state of
    being, is something for all of us to emulate.

    When we decide to get to work on making things better around
    us, what we can accomplish is nothing short of amazing. The creativity and
    passion that we are born with, are just waiting to be tapped into and can provide
    the horse power to achieve great things. But it will never happen if we decide
    we are owed a successful life. You were created to work, earn, and enjoy, not
    sit and soak.

  • It’s More than a Perfect Tree and Great Vacation

    By Melissa Hart
    It’s Monday and you have exactly one week to get all of your Christmas shopping done.  Aren’t you glad I reminded you?  Some of you are in a panic, and others are thinking you have all the time in the world to get it all done.  Either way –one week, y’all!
    Over the weekend, we went to my parents and put up their Christmas tree.  At 85, my mom still insists on a real Christmas tree, and I can’t blame her.  There’s nothing quite like the stories that are re-told about the failed Christmas tree hunts that we seem to go on every year.  I was just reminiscing with our second oldest son, Luke about that the other day.
    Luke is nothing if he’s not practical. He’s a no-nonsense kind of kid but Luke also has a very
    soft, sentimental side. This is the kid at twelve years old wanted to bring his
    friends to the fair with him because their parents couldn’t afford the price of
    admission.  This is the young man who comes
    to the rescue of any family member when their car breaks down, no matter if it’s
    day or night. He is the boy who helped me put down a new kitchen floor, fixed
    by KitchenAid mixer and when he was an adolescent I enjoyed taking him to run
    errands because he never asked for anything and we enjoyed great conversations. 

    This is the tree JW went and cut down and on the way home, it fell out of JW’s truck and broke in half.  Luke and JW tried to make it presentable before they brought it into me. It was hopeless, but we used it and it made for a great story.  

    Luke and his high school sweet heart, Jessie. 

    While he doesn’t remember those early years when we pulled the kids on the sled through the snow in search of the perfect tree, he does remember the year just he and I went and cut one down. We talked about the practicality of an artificial tree and that maybe we should all get one and stop this silly tradition of cutting one down. And then he said something I didn’t expect out of this practical young man, “It’s the whole experience of going and getting one that makes it fun.”
    That served as a reminder that maybe there were some great moments that came out of their childhood. You see, there are days when I feast on mom-guilt.  I can spend a lot of time mulling over all of the wrong things I did as a mom. So when Luke said this, a little moment of relief swept over me.  Maybe our busy days as parents and dairy farmers weren’t all spent on work and no play.  And just maybe all the time we spent working side by side served as an opportunity to deepen the bonds of family. 
    If you find yourself wondering if you’re doing the right thing by having your kids work on the farm with you this Christmas holiday instead of providing a week-long trip to Disney, rest assured that time spent together is time well spent.  Use your errand running as a time to talk with your kids about their dreams sprinkled with a little encouragement about their strong points.  Instead of loathing the thought of sitting in the bleachers for another game where they will go 2 for 10, know that your mere presence gives them confidence.  And if you’re eating pizza on paper plates instead of that Pinterest worthy meal, remember it’s better to sit down to a meal of vegetables where there is love than a a fattened calf with hatred. (Prov. 15:17)
    When you settle down and remember that less is more, it will always pay off in the long run.