The power of a simple connection

We sometimes underestimate the power a simple connection can make in one’s life. Those of us writing for this paper, and likely you reading it, connect over the dairy industry. It is our shared adoration and appreciation for all things bovine that brings us to these pages in one way or another. I welcome the chance to connect with someone over a prized book or wonderful author that we cherish. Flowers are often a way to make a person smile and connect with someone that you may not have expected to. My tendency to hoard old cookbooks, burn through a 50-pound bag of flour, and throw on a timeworn apron and roll out a pie crust helps me connect with many different generations of women. Life is that much richer with all the people we know, love and connect with.

Recently, our employees had asked about butchering a cow and sharing it among themselves before winter hits. We decided that Maude would be a good fit. Despite the hobbles and all the wishing I could muster, she was not moving in the upright direction. Watching these young guys, mostly in their twenties work together — as they had most likely watched the generations before them do — is so neat. I can only pick out a word here and there, but enough to know that some of them paid closer attention to the butchering process growing up than others did. They were appreciative of the meat, did a good job cleaning up after all the work was done, and brought us a plate of fresh tongue tacos, rice and beans.

Jaime, the one I work most closely with in the barn, mentioned that it was nice to have the cousins all together to help. I thought of how it probably makes their mothers happy in Mexico knowing that they are all getting together up here to carry on traditions she likely worried about them losing.

Last weekend Cora and I were lucky enough to attend a baby shower to celebrate a beautiful human and the new life she is growing. Dana was positively glowing in her delicate flower crown, likely got hugged out and probably had sore cheeks from all the grins and laughter. Ladies of all ages gathered together, connecting despite some having never met one another until that moment. The menu was fancy cookies and good food. The pure joy of knowing a new life is destined to arrive soon, giving Jeremy and Dana their membership cards into ‘club chaos’ (made up of parents) brought us joy. There were collective ooohs and ahhhs over the tiniest clothes that make those of us with elementary students puzzle over how they could have ever been that size. There were also coos of a handful of tiny baby girls that were in attendance and being passed from one pair of willing arms to the next. All these things made up a simple, yet important occasion to celebrate, and it was glorious.

Our neighbors down the road from the farm had a party to break in their new swimming pool on Saturday afternoon and evening. Live music, a slip and slide, a warm pool, a ping-pong table and tables laden with food and any beverage you could think of (and perhaps some new concoctions) made it a worthwhile place to go after chores. Getting a headcount of children was next to impossible as they were all running in and out, squealing or chasing. Even the littlest one had a walker and was cruising around happily.

Adults were enjoying dancing, the food, one another’s conversations and the fire in the driveway. Jason and Heather are newer to the area, but have connected to many through the sporting desires of their son. We love that they’re chill, easy-going humans. Henry has been known to drive his lawn mower up there to ‘hang out’ (also known as a way to get out of more chores). They are great about welcoming him in without pause. It is a gift to have such wonderful people on our road.

I have mentioned our summer intern, Marion, in a couple of my previous columns. Through the beauty of the internet, she found us this past winter. She had wanted to come to a Wisconsin farm for her college-required internship, and lo and behold, stumbled upon our website. After corresponding with my dad for a few months, they decided it would work out for her to come here from France. She flew in on July 2 and will be leaving us Oct. 3. I think it took no more than a few days for us to be sure she was a good fit.

She is such a joy to have here – not to mention a huge help. She also has a great sense of humor. This alone is an absolute necessity on any farm, but seems to be of high priority on ours during the summer with extra kids and any number of unplanned things happening over the course of a day. Her favorite line of response is, “Why not?” Which, frankly, is the best way ever to react to new experiences. She laughs and shakes her head as she says that “every day is different” as we chase the fatties in for the tenth time, or butcher chickens, or have five calves in two hours. Her English has gotten better over the past couple months, and I am not looking forward to having to tell her goodbye. While I may be twenty plus years her senior, we sure have connected and had some fun adventures this summer.

As we all head into the busy corn harvesting season, don’t forget to take a moment or two and connect with people. It is a sure way to make both of your days richer.

Jacqui Davison and her family milk 800 cows and farm 1,200 acres in northeastern Vernon County, Wisconsin. Her children, Ira, Dane, Henry and Cora, help on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos, and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.