See The Hidden Value of Milk

I was sent a video a few weeks ago about the costs of milk. I let the cows respond to it, but the more I thought about it I the more I realized it was the wrong conversation. What it should be about is the value of milk and dairy products. Milk, fresh and natural, is probably the most regulated and tested food on the market. It is nutrient dense and the research proving its value to our diet is overwhelming and still growing.



Milk is more than just a great tasting drink, as my cows might agree. Milk is so much more.

• A bargain of 9 Essential Nutrients
• Dairy and Heart Health
• Dairy and a Healthy Weight
• Protein in Dairy
• Dairy and Mental Performance 

Whether you choose milk, ice cream, yogurt, cheese, or any other dairy product you enjoy know that you are always getting the hidden value of milk.

Frankenstein Discbine

We have done so much with so little for so long, we can do anything with nothing. 

My Dad has that quote posted in our shop and has it attributed to Dave Marcis, who may have gotten it elsewhere. Sometimes I wonder if it references the past, present, or future. Maybe it depends on what day it is, but this week it speaks of the present.

Our John Deere discbine had four bolts that lost their nuts and let a cog break a tooth. Not a problem, right? Well, the assembly to replace part, I say part, of it will cost over $1000 and it is a small piece. Our dealer, luckily, said they could rebuild it for much less. In the meantime, however, we've got hay to mow.....

We had a theory when we bought this discbine that the bar with all the spinning blades on it was the same as the one on our old broken down New Holland discbine. So we began harvesting parts off the New Holland and tried very hard to avoid the wasps that had made it their home.

It took a couple of days of working on the disc bine between milkings and feedings, but we finally got the parts from both mowers put together. Then it was time to put our theory to the test.

I suppose if "nothing" is an old discbine with weeds growing around it then we were definitely able to do "something" with it!  After all of this I can't decide if we're more like Dr. Frankenstein  (It's Alive!) building something out of different brands of machinery or more like the guy in the Johnny Cash song One Piece at a Time. I'll let you decide for yourself.

Lower Temps and Rain Make a Difference

It is amazing the difference that ten degrees and a little rain can make. With 105 degree temps and no rain for around two weeks, things were getting dry. The corn was twisting and we didn't know if it would be able to last. The cows had lost some milk production as well, from the heat.

Hay Field Whirlwind

I was raking hay this afternoon when I saw a whirlwind going through the field. I have tried to photograph or video tape them before and never been able to get one. This one was one of the widest I've seen and lasted a very long time. It eventually went on to the left and out of sight.

The good news was that it only bothered the hay I had yet to rake!

Hot, Dry Weather On the Farm

Many people notice heat and lack of rain by how green or brown the grass is in their yard, but this has a more dramatic affect on dairy farms. When it is hot cows can slow down in milk production which directly influences the farmer's income. To help offset the heat we make sure our animals have access to shade and plenty of fresh water.

Hot, dry weather also can put a strain on crops. We have some mid summer crops we'd love to plant, but until there is rain we can't put the seed in the ground. Likewise with our corn, when there is little moisture the plants will twist in the heat while patiently waiting for the rain. The dry weather has been good for putting up hay as it can be quickly mowed and baled, however 2cd and 3rd cuttings will not come if there's no rain.

One of our local television stations and my extension agent came to my farm this week to highlight how the weather is affecting farmers.