Dear Dairy Diary

Parents: Shari and Chris Popp 
Pierz, Minnesota • Morrison County • 145 cows

Editor’s note: Dairy Star is having dairy kids journal a day in their life on the farm.

Thursday, June 5

I got up around 6 a.m. and played around with my horse, Annie, until Mom was ready to feed calves. Then, I went to the barn and fed the calves. Then, I took Annie outside to walk around in her pen. I like feeding the calves and feeding Annie. I don’t really like when the calves are lazy or sick and don’t come up to drink, because then I have to go into their pen and help get them to come up and come eat. They are heavy.

Then, I went to get the heifers to put them on pasture. I went back to the barn to help clean up since my dad was chopping. My mom milked the cows in the parlor; we milk over 100 cows at our farm. Next, I went to the house and, on my way, I let the five chickens that we have out of their chicken coop for the day, and I gave them feed and water. Then, I went fishing in the small pond in our pasture, but the heifers harassed me by trying to eat my fishing rod. They do that a lot when I go fishing, and it is annoying. I like to go fishing there and go there a lot in the summer. I only catch fish every once in a while. I fished for about half an hour but didn’t catch any fish, then went back to the yard. Later, I went back to the house and swung on the swing set we have.

At 5 p.m., my mom and I fed the calves, and after my mom fed the calves, she went to the house. Our calves are in individual calf huts outside. I fed them feed and water and held the bottle for the babies. Mom fed milk to the rest of the calves. I think there are about 12 calves in the huts. My brothers, Ashtin and Gavin, Camden feed the cows with Dad after milking.

Then, I put Annie into her inside pen and gave her hay. Then, I went to the pasture and put the cows back in their pen. I bring them in every night. In the morning, I just have to open the gate and they go out, but at night, I have to walk them back in. Then, I went to the house and put the chickens away and got the three eggs, then put the eggs in the fridge. Then, at 10 p.m., I went to bed.

I like living on the farm because we have lots of animals; Annie is my favorite. I got her last year for my birthday. It is my responsibility to take care of her and feed her every day. Sometimes, I ride her around the farm; that is my favorite. I even ride her in the winter, but we just stay in her pen because it is cold and snowy.