For being a dairy farm family, we sure do talk about chickens and eggs a lot. Last summer, Monika and Daphne started an egg business partnership. Daphne tends the hens and collects the eggs. …
We haven’t had a female cat — and, thus, kittens — on the farm in over five years. All of that changed last weekend. As we drove into the yard after 4-H Dairy Project Bowl …
It’s been one month since my shoulder surgery, and it’s been one wildly emotional month. The first two weeks were easier than I expected. The initial pain was manageable thanks to …
This time of year, most mentions of gifts invoke mental images of colorfully wrapped boxes adorned with ribbons and nestled under Christmas trees. But the gift I’ve been thinking about most …
“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” – Zig Ziglar Back in August before the start of the Minnesota State Fair, …
First, butter made a comeback. Americans love butter’s clean label, minimal processing, and rich, distinctive flavor. New research that shows the health benefits – not health risks …
As if county fairs aren’t eventful enough for families who exhibit dairy cattle, our county fair this year was extra eventful. First, we had to evacuate our fairgrounds on check-in day due …
The Great Minnesota Get-Together is once again underway and, once again, I have the privilege of serving as a chaperone for our county’s 4-H livestock exhibitors. I truly am lucky to have …
After several years’ worth of experience with beef-on-dairy calves, I’m beginning to think that beef-cross calves aren’t suitable for calving on pasture. I absolutely love …
Three months ago, I started a new chapter in my life that’s so far proven to be rather challenging. I got braces. I made the decision after about 10 years of prodding by our dentist. …
Sunshine. Lilac blossoms. Occasional showers. Emerging corn. Fluffy baby chicks. A flood of new calves. May is full of joys, both big and small. We had two sets of healthy twin heifer calves …
What an interesting, and concerning, spring we are having. At any given time, there are a handful of concerns swirling around in my thoughts. Our livestock hauler said the auction has twice as …
Three years ago, when Dan joined the wrestling team, I could often be heard saying, “Never in a million years did I think I’d have a wrestler.” Now, I have three wrestlers, and …
Schedules and lists. That’s what parents and dairy farmers are made of. The top questions in our house are: What do we have going on today? What’s on your list for today? Who’s on …
If you drive into our yard right now, it looks like a hay auction and an equipment dealership got together and had a baby. We always buy several loads of hay during the winter, but because the …
What makes a Christmas gift special? Is it special because you hoped for it? Is it special because it surprised you? Is it special because it reflects the giver’s love and thoughtfulness? Is it …
We have experienced the full spectrum of fall weather so far this season: rain, snow, wind, clouds, and sun. Our cool, sunny, lovely fall turned cold and winter-like just in time for …
Fall has arrived. All of us here – humans and cows – are enjoying the cooler temperatures. We’ve actually been getting rain, so the cows can graze again. On the sunny days when fall …
We use technology to make virtually every task in our lives easier, more effective, and less time-consuming.
By the time these words are inked on a page of newsprint, I’ll be at The Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, Scotland.