Appreciation for Making Hay

- November 02, 2009

Thanks to Sarah Holm for her well done article. We, grandparent age, learned about the things she  wrote about from a young farm family.  I got to be bossed around by the youngest girl, then eight, I think, while the other children did the milking chores. I felt foolish alot and I learned alot. My husband helped the teen-age boys birth a calf one time and I got told countless times not to pet the sweet, little bull calves on the head, cause of what they will do when they grow up!

We are grateful to those children for their patience with us. We never became dairy farmers....my husband, a very hard worker himself, thought it was too much work.  But I never leave our property because I am happily taking care of a flock of goats, milking two, and learning about husbandry and herding.  We started with one goat and over the years have a family of 21.  I call it my Therapy herd because I was very sick when I came to the country and now I have strength most days to do my chores and haul up and down the hill with the goats.

I admire all the families that consistently produce product for our communities.  The teamwork and tenacity as well as learning so many facets of knowledge that is not taught in school is awesome.  You guys are always in our prayers.