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  • Girl Power realized on the farm

    As I said in the post below we had a chaotic day baling. But I have to make an announcement….The only granddaughter in the whole family, my side and Big Daddy’s side has now mastered driving the tractor and baler! I know my father will be proud to think his only granddaughter has stepped up to the plate and like the farm girl he raised, Sarah has taken on a responsibility and did it with ease.

    You see, growing up as the youngest of four with two boys ahead of me, tractor driving for me wasn’t realized as quickly as the boys. I had to basically wait my turn and my teacher…my brother…was meticules on how I did it. For instance, I couldn’t listen to the radio, it would disturb my concentration. At the time I thought he was a little controlling, but now I realize he was totally right. As I got older and the oldest boy got an off the farm job or the boys had to mow the hay away…most of the tractor driving for hay baling landed on me. Which was fine…you know the tanning potential on a open top tractor is stupendous!

    Anyway…anyone who has driven a tractor and baler knows the inner turmoil it induces. Which row should I go down…am I going to fast….am I going to slow….if I stop now, they’ll fall off the wagon….I can’t do that hill the whole load will fall down….what is he saying…..oh he’s really mad now…..oh no, I missed that little bit of hay….which row did he say….this row or that one…I sure wish he wasn’t so picky about what row to go down….we’ll get them all for heavens sake!….I’m so hot and thirsty!

    You can see the pressure is immense! So yesterday while I was driving the baler Luke was loading and Sarah was supposed to be helping but he clearly didn’t need it. So she came up on the tractor with me. I looked at her and said, “You want to drive the tractor?” She said an absolute “NO!” We went back and forth, yes, no, yes, no, yes, no…and finally she said, “You’re going to make me cry mom!” And that was all it took, I put her on the seat and told her what to do and said I wouldn’t leave her, I’d be right here for her.

    She let the clutch out slow and easy…first gear, how bad can she pop the clutch? And we were off. She didn’t cry, she didn’t panic, she didn’t swerve, she just took over… looking back and forth from the baler to the front tire and before long she was smiling with confidence.

    We loaded up the wagons, and brought them back to unload and while I milked the cows, she continued to drive the baler. I was so impressed! When we sat down to eat dinner last night at 9 pm…which is way late for us….she chirped, “You know, I never thought I say this, but I really like driving that tractor.”

    Any farmer who has raised a farmgirl knows, there is nothing like a girl’s help. They don’t but heads with you, they just do as they are told. They don’t come up with different ideas, they just do as they are told. They don’t quit on you, they just keep going. You gotta admit…farmgirls are special!

  • Girl Power realized on the farm

    As I said in the post below we had a chaotic day baling. But I have to make an announcement….The only granddaughter in the whole family, my side and Big Daddy’s side has now mastered driving the tractor and baler! I know my father will be proud to think his only granddaughter has stepped up to the plate and like the farm girl he raised, Sarah has taken on a responsibility and did it with ease.

    You see, growing up as the youngest of four with two boys ahead of me, tractor driving for me wasn’t realized as quickly as the boys. I had to basically wait my turn and my teacher…my brother…was meticules on how I did it. For instance, I couldn’t listen to the radio, it would disturb my concentration. At the time I thought he was a little controlling, but now I realize he was totally right. As I got older and the oldest boy got an off the farm job or the boys had to mow the hay away…most of the tractor driving for hay baling landed on me. Which was fine…you know the tanning potential on a open top tractor is stupendous!

    Anyway…anyone who has driven a tractor and baler knows the inner turmoil it induces. Which row should I go down…am I going to fast….am I going to slow….if I stop now, they’ll fall off the wagon….I can’t do that hill the whole load will fall down….what is he saying…..oh he’s really mad now…..oh no, I missed that little bit of hay….which row did he say….this row or that one…I sure wish he wasn’t so picky about what row to go down….we’ll get them all for heavens sake!….I’m so hot and thirsty!

    You can see the pressure is immense! So yesterday while I was driving the baler Luke was loading and Sarah was supposed to be helping but he clearly didn’t need it. So she came up on the tractor with me. I looked at her and said, “You want to drive the tractor?” She said an absolute “NO!” We went back and forth, yes, no, yes, no, yes, no…and finally she said, “You’re going to make me cry mom!” And that was all it took, I put her on the seat and told her what to do and said I wouldn’t leave her, I’d be right here for her.

    She let the clutch out slow and easy…first gear, how bad can she pop the clutch? And we were off. She didn’t cry, she didn’t panic, she didn’t swerve, she just took over… looking back and forth from the baler to the front tire and before long she was smiling with confidence.

    We loaded up the wagons, and brought them back to unload and while I milked the cows, she continued to drive the baler. I was so impressed! When we sat down to eat dinner last night at 9 pm…which is way late for us….she chirped, “You know, I never thought I say this, but I really like driving that tractor.”

    Any farmer who has raised a farmgirl knows, there is nothing like a girl’s help. They don’t but heads with you, they just do as they are told. They don’t come up with different ideas, they just do as they are told. They don’t quit on you, they just keep going. You gotta admit…farmgirls are special!

  • Too much testosterone

    A family of boys is a great thing…until they let the testosterone take over.

    Baling yesterday turned out to be quite a revelation for me. When we start a task..usually Big Daddy lays out a plan, gives everyone a job and then we all march to that drumbeat. But yesterday when the baling began everyone just skattered and started doing what they thought they should do. Let’s just say that didn’t work.

    Two people went to the field…two people hopped on tractors and no one knew what the other one was going to do. It was a communication failure. This all ended up in chaotic yelling. Then I thought I needed to step in and lighten things up a bit. But I got infected with the attitude bug and stomped off.

    So when the day ended, the cows were milked, they hay was baled and put away and a couple of things were realized. 1. Boys are great, but when they all think they have a plan and it’s the best plan and everybody else better do that plan…it’s a bad plan. And number 2. Girls are sometimes the best help on the farm…..explained in the next post.

  • Too much testosterone

    A family of boys is a great thing…until they let the testosterone take over.

    Baling yesterday turned out to be quite a revelation for me. When we start a task..usually Big Daddy lays out a plan, gives everyone a job and then we all march to that drumbeat. But yesterday when the baling began everyone just skattered and started doing what they thought they should do. Let’s just say that didn’t work.

    Two people went to the field…two people hopped on tractors and no one knew what the other one was going to do. It was a communication failure. This all ended up in chaotic yelling. Then I thought I needed to step in and lighten things up a bit. But I got infected with the attitude bug and stomped off.

    So when the day ended, the cows were milked, they hay was baled and put away and a couple of things were realized. 1. Boys are great, but when they all think they have a plan and it’s the best plan and everybody else better do that plan…it’s a bad plan. And number 2. Girls are sometimes the best help on the farm…..explained in the next post.

  • Baling on the hottest day

    Well, I have to say, I’m the lucky one to be the dispatcher today. I get to stay inside and run things while the rest of the crew is baling hay, unloading hay, delivering wagons, delivering water and supporting the crew on this very steamy day.

    Luke got to use his tractor today for something other than riding in a parade. He got to rake hay and there is nothing better than watching a young boy on his tractor doing a man’s job. Let’s just say Luke is all business today. Those of you on farms and ranches across this great nation can relate to the value of a young man contributing to the family business with something of his own. It’s a great feeling.

    Now that JW can drive all on his own…and let me tell you…it was a little scary watching he and Luke drive out of the yard last night to head to TSC for baling supplies….we now have someone who can run to town for this and that. And he loves it! Today he went to the John Deere dealership for shear pins for the baler. Anything to drive down the road!

    Yesterday was also a fun day because I was on Rural Route Radio with Trent and Kyle. It was really great because we discussed the topic from the day before. If you get a chance, listen to Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. You’ll be amazed at what crazy ideas are out there from people. One vegan believes that if we all stop eating animal products, meat and dairy, then the world will return to paradise, like before when Adam and Eve had sinned and that crime will go down and that we won’t have so many sociopaths because people who eat meat have sociopathic tendencies. Interesting…..

  • Baling on the hottest day

    Well, I have to say, I’m the lucky one to be the dispatcher today. I get to stay inside and run things while the rest of the crew is baling hay, unloading hay, delivering wagons, delivering water and supporting the crew on this very steamy day.

    Luke got to use his tractor today for something other than riding in a parade. He got to rake hay and there is nothing better than watching a young boy on his tractor doing a man’s job. Let’s just say Luke is all business today. Those of you on farms and ranches across this great nation can relate to the value of a young man contributing to the family business with something of his own. It’s a great feeling.

    Now that JW can drive all on his own…and let me tell you…it was a little scary watching he and Luke drive out of the yard last night to head to TSC for baling supplies….we now have someone who can run to town for this and that. And he loves it! Today he went to the John Deere dealership for shear pins for the baler. Anything to drive down the road!

    Yesterday was also a fun day because I was on Rural Route Radio with Trent and Kyle. It was really great because we discussed the topic from the day before. If you get a chance, listen to Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. You’ll be amazed at what crazy ideas are out there from people. One vegan believes that if we all stop eating animal products, meat and dairy, then the world will return to paradise, like before when Adam and Eve had sinned and that crime will go down and that we won’t have so many sociopaths because people who eat meat have sociopathic tendencies. Interesting…..

  • More like Georgia

    This weather has got to come to an end! It feels just like Georgia…hot and steamy. Although I don’t mind the hot, I really don’t like the steamy…but how can I change it? I can’t so on to something else…it just made a really good post header!

    Yesterday was a great day. The boys left early to go pick rocks for the neighbor…oh how they wished there was something pressing to do here on this farm yesterday…they really hate picking rocks. But who doesn’t? That’s just one of those things a farm kid has to endure at some point. It’s a rite of passage of sorts. You aren’t a true farm kid unless you’ve picked rocks on a hot summer day in a dry field coming home with a dirt covered face looking like you’re wearing eye liner.

    I had my rock picking days….with my dad and brother. I even have evidence from it. While out in the hot sun with my dad on the loader tractor and my brother and I walking and picking, I picked up two rocks and put them together so I could put them both in the loader at the same time. They were too heavy and too big for me to carry one in each hand so by putting them together I could manage it better. In true Melissa fashion, I accidently smashed my middle finger in between the two rocks. Oh it bled and bled and it hurt and hurt. My Air Force Medic dad decided it just needed a bandaide and it would be fine. Today you can still see a lump on the tip of my middle finger because it healed that way. I don’t mind it, it’s kind of like a rock picking battle scare. And don’t think I didn’t show it off and wave it around the other day when I heard all that complaining!

    One good thing came from that accident…our rock picking session ended early!

    Coffee is perked, gotta go…more later about the rest of the day…so much fun!

  • More like Georgia

    This weather has got to come to an end! It feels just like Georgia…hot and steamy. Although I don’t mind the hot, I really don’t like the steamy…but how can I change it? I can’t so on to something else…it just made a really good post header!

    Yesterday was a great day. The boys left early to go pick rocks for the neighbor…oh how they wished there was something pressing to do here on this farm yesterday…they really hate picking rocks. But who doesn’t? That’s just one of those things a farm kid has to endure at some point. It’s a rite of passage of sorts. You aren’t a true farm kid unless you’ve picked rocks on a hot summer day in a dry field coming home with a dirt covered face looking like you’re wearing eye liner.

    I had my rock picking days….with my dad and brother. I even have evidence from it. While out in the hot sun with my dad on the loader tractor and my brother and I walking and picking, I picked up two rocks and put them together so I could put them both in the loader at the same time. They were too heavy and too big for me to carry one in each hand so by putting them together I could manage it better. In true Melissa fashion, I accidently smashed my middle finger in between the two rocks. Oh it bled and bled and it hurt and hurt. My Air Force Medic dad decided it just needed a bandaide and it would be fine. Today you can still see a lump on the tip of my middle finger because it healed that way. I don’t mind it, it’s kind of like a rock picking battle scare. And don’t think I didn’t show it off and wave it around the other day when I heard all that complaining!

    One good thing came from that accident…our rock picking session ended early!

    Coffee is perked, gotta go…more later about the rest of the day…so much fun!

  • Happy Birthday JW!

    Yes, today is a big day at the Knolltop. JW our oldest is 16 today. And yes, we will be heading to the Secretary of State’s office to get his license today and he will be able to legally leave our farm in a vehicle without any of us….yes…I’m sad!

    Although I’m only 28, somehow with this milestone I feel 42. Just 16 short years ago I was in labor with this little one and he took forever to be delivered…might I add I delivered him without any drugs! Silly me…had I known I could’ve had a pain free labor I would’ve begged for drugs with the first twinge of pain while I was pulling weeds in my garden in Southwest, Indiana. I kept thinking it had to get really bad to ask for drugs otherwise they would consider me the wimp of the year. So by the time I wimpered for some medication, the nurse looked at me and said…”It’s way too late for that, just keep pushing!”

    As our oldest child, we have every breath JW ever took photographed and in a scrap book and his first two years of his life are documented…every little detail. And as the familiar story goes, our fourth child was so forsaken he was losing weight before I realized I had another mouth to feed. You see he liked sucking on his fingers and I just never thought about feeding him…I had three other little kids to take care of for heaven’s sake! Waking up a sleeping baby to feed him was absolutely against everything I stood for. Of course before you call the authorities on me, take another look at our baby…he’s well fed.

    So, back to Dub….he was definitely the biggest challenge to raise…he’s ADD, although I’ve never had him officially diagnosed, I know he is…and we live with it! He never wanted to go to bed at night…he was always pushing the envelope and I tell you, he got more spankings than any of the rest of our children. But today, he’s a very hard working young man with a big smile and a very generous heart. He can give a pep talk at the drop of a hat and make you feel like a million bucks. He’s done that for me more times than I can count and then I turn around and ask “Who’s the parent here?”

    So before he gets an ego, because he does read this to see what I’m saying about everyone…I will quit and say…I love you Jaybird! Won’t he love that!

  • Cleaned up and happy

    Well, yesterday I whinned about all our troubles…and today I’m feeling so free! Why is it that cleaning something that has needed attention for a long time feels so good? My back room is where we come in from the barn and take our barn clothes off. Needless to say, it can get pretty raunchy out there at times. It’s also my “collect-all” place, if I don’t know what to do with a shoebox, but I don’t want to throw it away because it will make a great cupcake transporter or a display box for a tractor collection at the fair or a barn for an indoor farm set up…I just put it in the back room. Well, you can imagine how that can get from time to time. But today it is beautiful!

    My garage was also a great place to put unwanted things….now that is clean! I can actually put my van in there! I’m feeling so free, I will now go to my closet and get a little freer feeling today! Then when guests come and Jake gets the impulse to show them every dirty nook and cranny on our farm, I won’t go into hysterics trying to come up with some excuse why they need to stay seated at the table while I casually give Jake the “If you take them out of this room, I cut off your toes” look!

    Off to perk the coffee!