I am looking into another crazy idea! How about fertilizing my fields with raw milk instead of chemicals that have lasting bad effects.
If you want to, here is an article I read about the guy who discovered the benefits by mistake. Read about David Wetzel.
This article mostly talks about using milk on pastures, but I am waiting for a newly published article that claims it will help with other crops as well. That seems like simple common sense to me. Shock of all shocks, it is way cheaper. I should thank the processors of my milk for paying so little that they have given me a money saving better use for my milk.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Life with Sadie and autism
I have to spend more time sharing my Sadie stories. (Sadie is our 14 year old daughter with autism.)
Friends invited us to their house for dinner after Mass today. Sadie was excited to go to dinner. I brought her portable DVD player, she likes to put on head phones and tune us out and that's fine. So that's what she did, started her movie right after she greeted Sue and Antony.
When it came time for dinner Sadie was overwhelmed and wouldn't join us. For Sadie, sitting different people around a little dinner table at once, where people sit across from you and talk is sometimes too much. That seemed okay until I went to check on her a few minutes later. She had stayed in the living room which is out of sight from the dining room, I heard her saying "did put it in the fire" over and over again. Now with Sadie, that could be something that just happened, and yes they did have a fire going in the fireplace, or it could be about the time she through something in the fireplace at our house 6 years ago.
Well, it was recent. She had taken off her tights and panties, put her tights back on, and her panties were in the fire! Nothing like being a guest in someones house and having your daughter burn her own panties at the party.
As the parents, this is not what you want to happen, but we are blessed to have understanding friends. I like to keep these little memories for a good giggle in the future. Most of the time Sadie is a good girl, she's just what we lovingly call high maintenance.
We are not always proud of the things Sadie does, she can be down right embarassing at times, but we love her with all our hearts just the same. I think there are a lot of parents out there with special children who can really relate to this, that's why I decided to share more. Maybe even parents that don't deal with this sort of thing will read and be more understanding, or like us, just get a good laugh at life.
Friends invited us to their house for dinner after Mass today. Sadie was excited to go to dinner. I brought her portable DVD player, she likes to put on head phones and tune us out and that's fine. So that's what she did, started her movie right after she greeted Sue and Antony.
When it came time for dinner Sadie was overwhelmed and wouldn't join us. For Sadie, sitting different people around a little dinner table at once, where people sit across from you and talk is sometimes too much. That seemed okay until I went to check on her a few minutes later. She had stayed in the living room which is out of sight from the dining room, I heard her saying "did put it in the fire" over and over again. Now with Sadie, that could be something that just happened, and yes they did have a fire going in the fireplace, or it could be about the time she through something in the fireplace at our house 6 years ago.
Well, it was recent. She had taken off her tights and panties, put her tights back on, and her panties were in the fire! Nothing like being a guest in someones house and having your daughter burn her own panties at the party.
As the parents, this is not what you want to happen, but we are blessed to have understanding friends. I like to keep these little memories for a good giggle in the future. Most of the time Sadie is a good girl, she's just what we lovingly call high maintenance.
We are not always proud of the things Sadie does, she can be down right embarassing at times, but we love her with all our hearts just the same. I think there are a lot of parents out there with special children who can really relate to this, that's why I decided to share more. Maybe even parents that don't deal with this sort of thing will read and be more understanding, or like us, just get a good laugh at life.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Make my nutrionist story clear
I just read my last 2 postings and realized it didn't sound right. My newest nutritionist are Arron Park and Steve Fitzner. I had another guy in the middle that didn't work out.
Aaron and Steve have put this farm in order for me. They sell Kalmbach feed and it is great stuff!
Aaron and Steve have put this farm in order for me. They sell Kalmbach feed and it is great stuff!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Our Tank Runnith Over!
Our new nutritionists, Aaron Park and Steve Fitzner have us on the right track. In fact we did so good today that our bulk tank overflowed and milk ran on the floor! A much better problem to have!
We have been through a lot on the farm in the last 6 weeks. We changed our nutritionist once and that didn't work out for us. Our production dropped 20 pounds of milk a day per cow! Do the math on that with 120 cows and $20 per cwt milk. We lost a small fortune in one short month.
Recently I figured out I was losing even more. My cows quit cycling! No cows in heat means no cows getting bred. No calves and no milk follows that. That put a big drop in our success rate for artificial insemination, but it is all better now and we will recover.
We have been through a lot on the farm in the last 6 weeks. We changed our nutritionist once and that didn't work out for us. Our production dropped 20 pounds of milk a day per cow! Do the math on that with 120 cows and $20 per cwt milk. We lost a small fortune in one short month.
Recently I figured out I was losing even more. My cows quit cycling! No cows in heat means no cows getting bred. No calves and no milk follows that. That put a big drop in our success rate for artificial insemination, but it is all better now and we will recover.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Way better cow feed!
We have a new nutritionist team; Steve Fitzner and Aaron Park are my new best friends! These two are not just good at what they do, they understand that I don't want to be a conventional, commercial dairy farm. They are really helping me get stuff done the way I want it. Most guys act like I am crazy and it can't be done. These two don't even bat an eye.
We also have our chickens on an all natural, antibiotic free feed. Better eggs for all!
I am so pumped up about getting the cows out on pasture again this spring. I am totally pleased with the way things are going. I really want to thank all my cow share holders for your support! We are making huge steps in the right direction. Now that I have the cows diet in order, I will set my heifers up with proper facilities. At that point, I will begin to redo the parlor. I have big ideas for a better place to milk the cows, as well as a better place for you all to gather your milk. It will take me some time, but it will happen.
We also have our chickens on an all natural, antibiotic free feed. Better eggs for all!
I am so pumped up about getting the cows out on pasture again this spring. I am totally pleased with the way things are going. I really want to thank all my cow share holders for your support! We are making huge steps in the right direction. Now that I have the cows diet in order, I will set my heifers up with proper facilities. At that point, I will begin to redo the parlor. I have big ideas for a better place to milk the cows, as well as a better place for you all to gather your milk. It will take me some time, but it will happen.
Cream Separator
Cow share holders get ready. I have decided to buy a cream separator! I will be purchasing the separator and pint bottles. Any of you experienced holders have advice or ideas? All comments are invited.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Chickens
Glenn loves his chickens! We now have our chickens eating feed from the new feed company. They are on an all natural chicken feed, no antibiotics, no GMO. How cool is that- better eggs for all of us! Remember to grab some of his farm fresh eggs when you are at the farm.
Glenn has a ledger and has to keep track of his income and expenses from the chicken operation. He also mows a few lawns and snow blows driveways if we have any snow. I think it is important for kids to learn how to take care of money, especially if he wants to take over a farm business. I don't think our economy would be in such bad shape if more people knew how to take care of their money.
This picture is not his laying hens, these are his pets.
Glenn has a ledger and has to keep track of his income and expenses from the chicken operation. He also mows a few lawns and snow blows driveways if we have any snow. I think it is important for kids to learn how to take care of money, especially if he wants to take over a farm business. I don't think our economy would be in such bad shape if more people knew how to take care of their money.
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