A good mechanic….everyone needs a good mechanic.

Yesterday Big Daddy came in and said something was wrong with the hydraulics on the skidsteer. Not being a mechanic, he gets a little fretful about these kinds of things. So after dinner, he was headed out to see if he could fix it and JW and I were going to milk. When I began milking I looked out at the skidsteer and there he was…our wonderful mechanic!

Immediately I stopped worrying…with Glen around there is no fear…he can fix anything and does so with a smile. He’s just one great guy. Before long, Big Daddy was on his way to the store for parts and he would have it fixed in no time. The bad news is, at this time at night, the right store wasn’t open, so he has to get the part today. So that meant all the feed was shoveled to the cows. Bobby and his crew, JW, Luke and Jake shoveled and wheelbarrowed and shoveled and wheelbarrowed until all the feed was fed. They had a great system going and it was done in no time.

You know that old saying, “You know the wealth of the water when the well goes dry?”Now we know the valued of the skidsteer when the hydraulics go dry!

It’s a busy, beautiful morning here on the Knolltop. We just got done with a breakfast of pancakes and bacon. I had extra mouths to feed this morning. Jake and Luke both had a friend spend the night, so we had a slumber party in the livingroom. They are out playing football, working off all the pancakes!

Big Daddy and JW just went out to treat a cow. She freshened last night and had no trouble, til this morning when she wouldn’t get up. Bobby will give her calcium and see how she does. Luke is out fixing the gate on Hollywood’s boxstall, she knocked it off and was wandering around all night.

Sarah and I are headed to a presentation for Bob Shinaberry over in Osseo. The Waldron Tractor Club is driving to his equipment dealership where they will present an award of service (he’s retiring) and I have to take pictures and write something about it since he’s been a long time advertiser in the Farmers Advance. Better get going!

It’s a busy, beautiful morning here on the Knolltop. We just got done with a breakfast of pancakes and bacon. I had extra mouths to feed this morning. Jake and Luke both had a friend spend the night, so we had a slumber party in the livingroom. They are out playing football, working off all the pancakes!

Big Daddy and JW just went out to treat a cow. She freshened last night and had no trouble, til this morning when she wouldn’t get up. Bobby will give her calcium and see how she does. Luke is out fixing the gate on Hollywood’s boxstall, she knocked it off and was wandering around all night.

Sarah and I are headed to a presentation for Bob Shinaberry over in Osseo. The Waldron Tractor Club is driving to his equipment dealership where they will present an award of service (he’s retiring) and I have to take pictures and write something about it since he’s been a long time advertiser in the Farmers Advance. Better get going!

Over the weekend, Big Daddy volunteered our hay wagon and barn for the sophomore class Homecoming float building extravaganza. The kids at school informed JW this week that they would be spending all day Sunday and Monday night here to construct the float. That was fine, until JW realized his whole family would also be here too. Then he got worried. I think he went into panic mode when Big Daddy volunteered to help out by making sure everyone was “entertained” I think he said something about running the radio but I’m not sure what else he has in mind. It sounds like I’d better keep the camera ready.

Since I didn’t get my Farmers’ Advance column done yesterday that’s first on the agenda…I did do the column for the local paper though…so I did get something accomplished.

AND, there seems to be a cow color feud brewing here on the blog. I mentioned it to my neighbor last night on the phone…she is a Jersey breeder as well and basically takes care of the whole herd… her husband has a job in town. She told me that she’s had to pull some of her Jersey calves… so they aren’t all that easy to deliver! And to add credibility to her and give her family some kudos…just last week at the State Fair, her family had the futurity winner and Junior Champion and missed Premier Exhibitor and Breeder by 6 points! Jim VanBuskirk won breeder and exhibitor by the way.

Okay, off to write!

Over the weekend, Big Daddy volunteered our hay wagon and barn for the sophomore class Homecoming float building extravaganza. The kids at school informed JW this week that they would be spending all day Sunday and Monday night here to construct the float. That was fine, until JW realized his whole family would also be here too. Then he got worried. I think he went into panic mode when Big Daddy volunteered to help out by making sure everyone was “entertained” I think he said something about running the radio but I’m not sure what else he has in mind. It sounds like I’d better keep the camera ready.

Since I didn’t get my Farmers’ Advance column done yesterday that’s first on the agenda…I did do the column for the local paper though…so I did get something accomplished.

AND, there seems to be a cow color feud brewing here on the blog. I mentioned it to my neighbor last night on the phone…she is a Jersey breeder as well and basically takes care of the whole herd… her husband has a job in town. She told me that she’s had to pull some of her Jersey calves… so they aren’t all that easy to deliver! And to add credibility to her and give her family some kudos…just last week at the State Fair, her family had the futurity winner and Junior Champion and missed Premier Exhibitor and Breeder by 6 points! Jim VanBuskirk won breeder and exhibitor by the way.

Okay, off to write!

It’s not clear on the Knolltop..it’s cloudy. But muggy and warm. Well, it’s only warm if you work up a sweat and I did that this morning, like I do every morning when I clean out the calf pens. I do it in the mornings and the kids do in the evening. Luke put his show heifer in a box stall and is now cleaning that morning and night. She is by herself so she can eat a specific diet….and she’s easier to catch in a pen than in a pasture. Sarah’s heifer on the other hand has to be caught in the pasture and that’s not always easy.

Jake’s heifer is in a pen too, she’s easy to deal with, everytime you open the gate, she’s in your hip pocket, nudging you for some attention. She is spoiled rotten and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Today is writing day and I haven’t had a thought on what to write! So, I just keep thinking until one comes to me, oh yes, one just came to me!

And to all you Jersey enthusiasts out there…yes, that heifer would’ve calved much easier had it been brown instead of black and white. But around here if you haven’t figured it out by now, cows are not like TVs, they come in black and white, not color. Besides, I’m lobbying for sheep, not colorbreeds.

It’s not clear on the Knolltop..it’s cloudy. But muggy and warm. Well, it’s only warm if you work up a sweat and I did that this morning, like I do every morning when I clean out the calf pens. I do it in the mornings and the kids do in the evening. Luke put his show heifer in a box stall and is now cleaning that morning and night. She is by herself so she can eat a specific diet….and she’s easier to catch in a pen than in a pasture. Sarah’s heifer on the other hand has to be caught in the pasture and that’s not always easy.

Jake’s heifer is in a pen too, she’s easy to deal with, everytime you open the gate, she’s in your hip pocket, nudging you for some attention. She is spoiled rotten and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Today is writing day and I haven’t had a thought on what to write! So, I just keep thinking until one comes to me, oh yes, one just came to me!

And to all you Jersey enthusiasts out there…yes, that heifer would’ve calved much easier had it been brown instead of black and white. But around here if you haven’t figured it out by now, cows are not like TVs, they come in black and white, not color. Besides, I’m lobbying for sheep, not colorbreeds.

Okay, I’ve had someone ask about how the Allis got the name the “Chicken Chaser.”

It’s quite simple, last year when we took it to the first tractor show, the boys laughed and teeheed about how small it was and then all of a sudden they all gathered around and said to Jake and me, “That tractor ain’t good for nothin’ but chasing chickens around the yard…that’s what we’ll call it, the chicken chaser!” And then more laughter busted out! Jake and I had the last laugh, as the chicken chaser was the only tractor trusty enough to go to a show this summer! What about the chicken chaser now boys????

Okay, I’ve had someone ask about how the Allis got the name the “Chicken Chaser.”

It’s quite simple, last year when we took it to the first tractor show, the boys laughed and teeheed about how small it was and then all of a sudden they all gathered around and said to Jake and me, “That tractor ain’t good for nothin’ but chasing chickens around the yard…that’s what we’ll call it, the chicken chaser!” And then more laughter busted out! Jake and I had the last laugh, as the chicken chaser was the only tractor trusty enough to go to a show this summer! What about the chicken chaser now boys????

Good Morning from the Knolltop! It’s another clear morning and it’s going to be hot.

We had another delivery the other night. One of our first calf heifers was calving and during chores she had two feet out. We got chores all done, went in the house, popped the popcorn and were relaxing when all of a sudden Big Daddy jumped up and said, “I forgot about Pinky!” So he got his boots on and ran out to the barn…well who followed him but Sarah, the midwife.

I said, I’d be over in it a bit, she hightailed it over and came running back and yelled for help. By this time, I put some hustle in my step and headed over. When I got there, Sarah was preparing the boxstall for the cow and when we got Pinky in the pen, Sarah gathered up all the tools we would need if we had a rough delivery. And sure enough, we needed all those tools and all the help we could find. Sarah and Big Daddy started pulling and I went after reinforcements. Everyone showed up and the boys with the “big guns” got the job done.(That’s what they call them anyway!) Pinky had her first calf, a bull, and immediately went to town taking care of her new arrival.

We cleaned up and came back in, sat down and resumed our popcorn eating frenzy.

Today is mowing day…I can’t believe how often I’m having to mow!