SNOW! It’s spitting snow here on the Knolltop…we’re just not ready for that yet!

Well the boys made it home last night and we’re glad of it. I can breath a sigh of relief knowing the whole farm isn’t on my shoulders anymore. I can handle the cooking, cleaning, laundry, calf feeding, pen cleaning, milking and writing..but don’t give me all the feeding, cleaning, grinding and manure hauling. I just don’t like having it all fall on me. I think of Mary Lou Topp in Ohio and when her husband died a premature death, the farm responsiblities fell on her and her boys. She took over that farm because her boys wanted to keep farming and together they’ve made it work and have been mighty successful at it. I admire her, especially after a three day stint of being alone but I don’t want that load!

Another lesson to be learned for anyone involved in showing livestock. When Bobby got home last night and began to describe every detail of the show he said in Holly’s class the judge said in his reasons that he really wanted to use her but she wasn’t handling well enough to get any higher in the class.

That is a very valuable lesson to us all….make sure you have a pushbutton animal…she may not be the best cow in the class but if she handles better than another animal you might be up a place or two just because of the handling!

And I will take a vow here and now….that cow will not enter another show ring unless she can virtually show herself!

Better get…chores are waiting!

Well, it’s over….and we did pretty well.

We were all gathered around the computer…me and my mom a little ways down the road was Lori from Knolltop Morgans, Nana in Griffin, GA, Aunt Carole in Flower Mound, TX and Aunt Ginny and Tommy in Joliet, MT. We needed a conference phone line for all the chatting we did while Luke was in the ring with Holly. “Do you see her yet?….yes, she just entered the ring…no, not that one…yes, the big white cow..does Luke have a white shirt on or a blue shirt?….Oh my doesn’t he look grown up…oh my isn’t he cute….Oh my she looks the best I’ve seen her look…Oh my well there’s no doubt about it, if Holly doesn’t win then that judge doesn’t know what he’s doing…..uh…Holly..don’t put your head down….stand still Holly….Oh Luke don’t let her do that….that doggone Holly….I bet she hasn’t acted like that in a month of Sundays….she’s being pulled in…she’s in third…no fourth…no third….well…he’s looking at her…oh my ….she’s in third…that’s good…that’s really good!….well third place…wait…there’s no sound…how are we going to hear the reasons?….does your computer have sound?…no, mine doesn’t either…does’ Lori’s…no her’s doesn’t either…how are we going to hear the reasons?……that stinks…now we won’t hear Lukie’s name being called!

All that was said with seven people calling each other during a class that took about 15 minutes. Can you tell there were seven people who love Luke and think he’s great? Can you tell there were seven women who thought this was probably the biggest event of the decade? Okay…we are pathetic! But this was a big day for Knolltop Farm and all those who care about us here.

Holly left the ring and Bobby milked her out. When that was done they left and are headed home. When I finally talked with Luke he was disappointed. Yes, that was the exact reaction I expected from my competitive second born child. “Third isn’t okay…I wanted to win!”

I’m just happy they are on their way home and I can’t wait to hear all the wonderful things that happened on their trip!

Thanks to all of you who watched and “participated” with me and my family.

I’d better stop and head to the barn…after my coffee!

It’s a breezy cool morning here on the Knolltop. The cows are milked and the kids are off to school. I went over and plugged the tractor in this morning on my way in from chores. The other morning it was a bit hard to start so I thought it might need a little warming up this morning.

I just talked with Bobby, he’s all ready for the show…and it turns out the cows will show first so Holly will be in a little earlier than I expected. She will be in the ring at about 12:30 or 1:oo pm..we’re guessing….if you want to see Holly live and in person…well kind of….go to http://www.livestockexpo.org/index.htm and click on Freedom Hall East Ring, then after a minute or so, it will show up and you can watch too!

Of course those of you who think I’m about as silly as I could be about a cow showing at a national show, you are probably thinking I’m out of my tree about all of this…but this is what breeding purebred cattle is all about. You breed for a good one and when you think you have one then you take her to a show and see how she measures up to the other good ones out there and if she wins you’re on the right track, if she stands at the bottom you know what you have to work on and you go home and reevaluate your breeding program. At least that’s what I think it’s about. Of course, here at the Knolltop, we think Holly is beautiful no matter where she stands and when she stands in her stall and we can look at her every day we think we’re blessed as all get out! So when she comes home tomorrow with whatever color ribbon, she will still be our Holly that we enjoy feeding and milking and showing. (But a purple ribbon would be nice!)

Okay, now I have to head back out to the barn to clean gutters, sweep, feed a little more, clean the heifer pens and feed some hay to the outside heifers before I come in and wash dishes and do laundry…boy I wish the maid was coming today.

It’s been a perfect Sunday here on the Knolltop.

Since we had to set our clocks back last night I don’t have a clue what time it really is anymore. When I went to bed, I just left my clock alone and turned the alarm on and got up when it went off and milked the cows when I thought I was supposed to. I hate the time change… I want it to just stay the same all the time.

We were able to get to church…on time….and then afterwards, because a third of us were not here, we stopped and had brunch at Bob Evans and then did a little shopping at TSC…Jake bought a tractor….and then came home to a nice quiet nap! That constitutes a perfect Sunday…church then dinner out then a nap!

JW worked for the neighbor all day today and got home just in time to milk with me.

The report from down south was different. I recieved this email from Russell, I just had to share it with you. Remember, he’s in Louisville at the show and it sounds like they are having a whale of a time down there….but here is what he sent…remember– read this with humor in mind….he’s a jokster!

“I ran into Luke and his buddy this evening…..he was not wearing the new hat (the Jersey Canada Hat that Russell brought to us) but said that Bubba was! There are some of us who are mildly concerned about young people of that age being that drunk but one good thing is that while your smoking under pressure trait has been passed on at least it is “only marijuana” and not “real cigarettes” and thus there are no health issues! We also pacified ourselves that the valium the boys are popping like candy MIGHT be able to counteract the alcohol that was being downed like it was koolaid! Other than that it is very quiet and boring and I have to get over to see the Red Hot one although I hear tell she is on the bottle too! So, yes, all is going well down south! Cheers! Russell”

I’m not sure…but I think he was trying to alarm me….but to no avail, I busted out with laughter instead…where does he come up with this stuff?

Tomorrow is the big show…I can’t wait!

It’s been a perfect Sunday here on the Knolltop.

Since we had to set our clocks back last night I don’t have a clue what time it really is anymore. When I went to bed, I just left my clock alone and turned the alarm on and got up when it went off and milked the cows when I thought I was supposed to. I hate the time change… I want it to just stay the same all the time.

We were able to get to church…on time….and then afterwards, because a third of us were not here, we stopped and had brunch at Bob Evans and then did a little shopping at TSC…Jake bought a tractor….and then came home to a nice quiet nap! That constitutes a perfect Sunday…church then dinner out then a nap!

JW worked for the neighbor all day today and got home just in time to milk with me.

The report from down south was different. I recieved this email from Russell, I just had to share it with you. Remember, he’s in Louisville at the show and it sounds like they are having a whale of a time down there….but here is what he sent…remember– read this with humor in mind….he’s a jokster!

“I ran into Luke and his buddy this evening…..he was not wearing the new hat (the Jersey Canada Hat that Russell brought to us) but said that Bubba was! There are some of us who are mildly concerned about young people of that age being that drunk but one good thing is that while your smoking under pressure trait has been passed on at least it is “only marijuana” and not “real cigarettes” and thus there are no health issues! We also pacified ourselves that the valium the boys are popping like candy MIGHT be able to counteract the alcohol that was being downed like it was koolaid! Other than that it is very quiet and boring and I have to get over to see the Red Hot one although I hear tell she is on the bottle too! So, yes, all is going well down south! Cheers! Russell”

I’m not sure…but I think he was trying to alarm me….but to no avail, I busted out with laughter instead…where does he come up with this stuff?

Tomorrow is the big show…I can’t wait!

Good Morning from the Knolltop! It’s a typical clear cool fall morning here with the sun just coming up over the horizon and there is frost on the windshield of the tractor sitting out in the field behind the house hooked up to the grain cart that is full of that gold stuff that is now worth more money than it’s been in a long, long time.

Today is an exciting and busy day because we are hosting an international delegation here on the Knolltop. Yes, there will be people from Austrailia and Canada coming to the farm today to see the herd. They are due to arrive after lunch and I will have a buffet of cheese and crackers, apples and apple dip, grapes, fresh, hot sweetrolls and of course milk, iced tea and coffee.

This all sounds so exicting doesn’t it? It sounds like something that would happen at Arethusa Farm in Connecticut or Mohrfields in Ohio on a regular basis, but really I have to come clean. Jerseyboy, aka Russell Gammon, the executive secretary of Jersey Canada and two Austrailian fitters who are here to work a couple of shows with Budjon are on their way down to Louisville and they wanted to stop in for a visit.

But, they are international guests…and I will be feeding them all that stuff and they will see the herd…so while I made it sound a big deal, we’re really a good half way point for them to stop and stretch their legs and get a free bite to eat. I guess it’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it?

Well, I’ve got lots to do before the international delegation comes, I’d better hop to it! Don’t worry, I’ll take lots of pictures of them for everyone to see…people get so tired of being in front of my camera!

Good Morning from the Knolltop! It’s a typical clear cool fall morning here with the sun just coming up over the horizon and there is frost on the windshield of the tractor sitting out in the field behind the house hooked up to the grain cart that is full of that gold stuff that is now worth more money than it’s been in a long, long time.

Today is an exciting and busy day because we are hosting an international delegation here on the Knolltop. Yes, there will be people from Austrailia and Canada coming to the farm today to see the herd. They are due to arrive after lunch and I will have a buffet of cheese and crackers, apples and apple dip, grapes, fresh, hot sweetrolls and of course milk, iced tea and coffee.

This all sounds so exicting doesn’t it? It sounds like something that would happen at Arethusa Farm in Connecticut or Mohrfields in Ohio on a regular basis, but really I have to come clean. Jerseyboy, aka Russell Gammon, the executive secretary of Jersey Canada and two Austrailian fitters who are here to work a couple of shows with Budjon are on their way down to Louisville and they wanted to stop in for a visit.

But, they are international guests…and I will be feeding them all that stuff and they will see the herd…so while I made it sound a big deal, we’re really a good half way point for them to stop and stretch their legs and get a free bite to eat. I guess it’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it?

Well, I’ve got lots to do before the international delegation comes, I’d better hop to it! Don’t worry, I’ll take lots of pictures of them for everyone to see…people get so tired of being in front of my camera!