A mom, her boys, too many cows and lots of farming
Sometimes talking about farming means talking about the weather. Because at the end of the day, a successful crop is dependent on plenty of sunshine, productive rains and consistent cycles of warm and cool temps. When a local reporter texted earlier this week to see if we want to talk about how happy we … Continue reading Mud, Mud Go Away
As a working mother of two boys who is married to a farmer with an 80-plus-hour-a-week job, I am instantly drawn to the articles or Ted Talks that promises to deliver the secrete to work-life balance. I'm always searching for it, wondering if I've made it and then, sadly, realizing I may never find it. … Continue reading Work-Life Balance, Farm Style
My farmer hubs proposed to me almost one year to the day after our first date. Whether he would admit it or not, I knew we would get married about six months in. I spent the next six months waiting for him to pop the question. After we were engaged my farmer explained that he … Continue reading The Seasons of Farming
An inside look at mother cows and their calves - and another reminder that mothers rock!
Ranchers Work to Keep Livestock Safe As Fire Rips Through Ranches We have a few hundred cows, calves and steers on our farm and on pastures across the state. My husband is responsible for the well-being of ALL of them, 365 days a year, rain or shine, holiday or weekday. When snow falls or the rains … Continue reading #AnimalCare
The truth about antibiotic use in farm animals continues to be buried in mislead and false articles and headlines found across the World Wide Web. Wednesday night I stumbled across a Tweet from MSN.com claiming Americans are eating more "antibiotic laced food" - the result of the use of antibiotics in livestock. But that is simply … Continue reading Don’t Trust the Label
It seems Ryan Gosling has a soft-spot for cattle. Unfortunately he's opting to donate his celebrity status to a group that does not have the best interest of livestock in mind. The AP reported Wednesday that Gosling has decided to take on the plight of horned dairy cattle, issuing a letter to the National Milk … Continue reading The Dehorning Debate
It’s easy to be an agriculture advocate when the opposition is on the other end of the country and your listening audience is on your side. But standing your ground becomes more difficult when those fighting your lifestyle are standing toe-to-toe with you. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is coming to the … Continue reading PETA vs Kansas State Fair
This morning I was greeted with a unique email from a producer with NPR's All Things Considered program asking if livestock producers had insurance like crop growers and it not, why. It was an odd question but one that sparked a few inquiries in my mind. Why don't livestock producers have access to the same … Continue reading NPR: Farmers Reflect on Drought
The use of antibiotics in our cattle has, like the cattle themselves, evolved over the years. Going off prior wisdom that it was best to protect all cattle from disease and infection, my husband and his father provided a low dose of antibiotics to all cattle entering our farm as feeder cattle. These animals – … Continue reading The Antibiotics Debate
