The smell of spring is permeating the farmhouse these days. Around here, that is the smell of the manure pit being agitated with a hint of freshly mowed lawn. Between Don the milkman and Henry, no …

I heard the hum of the lawn mower and smelled the fresh-cut grass blowing into the window in our upstairs bedroom. I was in a Zoom meeting and was able to look out the window to see the flowers on …

When he was a little boy, Peter had a print hanging that had this quote on it. “Some days you step in it, some days you don’t.” There were beautiful Holstein cows in front …

I can recall sitting next to my mom at her sewing machine when I was young, listening to the tap-tap-tap of it doing its work.   I watched with amazement as she created whatever her mind …

“Teamwork makes the dream work.”   This line oozes with cheesiness. It is one of those you hear coaches saying to pump kids up and get them playing better. You can hear the …

I arrived at my home farm a few weeks ago; the ride wasn’t bad, but my travel mates sure did complain and wiggle around and squish me a little too much. The driver was some young kid who …

Questions. Questions. Every day. Some come at me from every which way They make my head spin and spin Which answer to give to win? Life is full of them, at all ages Out of …

It was cold last week, in case you were hibernating and didn’t know.   I had a great routine of thawing out waterers every morning on the way to check on my cows. I even had to bust …

We have hung calendars. I have ceased baking cookies by the dozen.

‘Twas the weeks before Christmas, when all ‘cross the farm There was many a reason to sound an alarm The creatures were indeed stirring, causing quite a tizzy The chaos that ensued has …

Aug. 19, 1932 Dear Annie,   “Got yous letter tuuday and we also send that darn bead away am glad it is gone surely we done fine packing dont let them tell you that it wasent pack …

Lately I ponder how it would be If each child had come with a handbook It could be delivered after their birth I would surely take more than a quick look   It would tell …

I spent the day being interviewed on camera a few weeks back. It was exhausting — thinking deeply about things, answering questions coherently and attempting to limit the number of …

Carried away go my thoughts Like fall leaves on a brisk breeze My feet are in boots My mind does as it may please It floats to the meals I will make for the crew It flies to the work — …

I heard the furnace hum the other night as the wind blew us in the door after chores, and all I could think was how great squash soup would taste. I might have the only 6-year-old who craves squash …

Labor Day weekend marked our first foray into the cattle showing world.

Happy June Dairy Month. It should surprise none of you who have read this rambling column before that I have a slight obsession with books.

Temperatures this week may trick us into thinking we skipped over spring in favor of the heat of summer. The calendar, however, tells us differently.

A woman’s strength is there when She walks back through the barn door After one of her beloved bovines has Done the unthinkable, then stomped once more She shines on A woman’s strength is …

For those longtime readers of my rambling columns, you will perhaps recall all of the joy surrounding the book Craig and Fred five years ago