It is a cool, sunny morning on the Knolltop. Good Morning!

We are finally done with the All Michigan Holstein show and the whole week seems like a blur. Yesterday we went up and helped out with the show and had a lot of fun. (By the way, Todd Watts had champion and Koebels had reserve.)

We came back home and did chores and then the boys fired up their tractors to head to Boardman Farms for a tractor show. They only took one tractor down last night…actually a friend pulled JW’s tractor down there…it’s not exactly independently mobile. Luke’s tractor needs a new fuel line, that is getting worked on this morning and mine and Jake’s tractor is not going. I just don’t want to fool with it. Blame it on too much cow show, but I’m too tired to monkey around with a tractor that might quit half way there. Besides, I want a John Deere A,B,C,D,G, any old putt putt, and it can even be in it’s working clothes for all I care, I just want an old John Deere that runs when I want it to run! Enough of my ranting and raving!

So today we will go to this tractor show south of us. It’s not a public show, it’s by invitation only…doesn’t that sound special….not really, they just don’t want the liability of having a public show, so they invite people and have a tractor show. We’ve not been able to make this one before, even though we’ve been invited, it’s always been right before Dairy Days…and there’s no time for a tractor show the day before we leave for a cow show.

I’ll take my camera so you can see all of us pigging out on roast pig and all the trimmings and yes, I might even take a picture of a tractor or two!

It is a cool, sunny morning on the Knolltop. Good Morning!

We are finally done with the All Michigan Holstein show and the whole week seems like a blur. Yesterday we went up and helped out with the show and had a lot of fun. (By the way, Todd Watts had champion and Koebels had reserve.)

We came back home and did chores and then the boys fired up their tractors to head to Boardman Farms for a tractor show. They only took one tractor down last night…actually a friend pulled JW’s tractor down there…it’s not exactly independently mobile. Luke’s tractor needs a new fuel line, that is getting worked on this morning and mine and Jake’s tractor is not going. I just don’t want to fool with it. Blame it on too much cow show, but I’m too tired to monkey around with a tractor that might quit half way there. Besides, I want a John Deere A,B,C,D,G, any old putt putt, and it can even be in it’s working clothes for all I care, I just want an old John Deere that runs when I want it to run! Enough of my ranting and raving!

So today we will go to this tractor show south of us. It’s not a public show, it’s by invitation only…doesn’t that sound special….not really, they just don’t want the liability of having a public show, so they invite people and have a tractor show. We’ve not been able to make this one before, even though we’ve been invited, it’s always been right before Dairy Days…and there’s no time for a tractor show the day before we leave for a cow show.

I’ll take my camera so you can see all of us pigging out on roast pig and all the trimmings and yes, I might even take a picture of a tractor or two!

Yesterday Jake and I had the rare chance to be together without anybody else. We ran some errands in town and of course on our way we had to stop and celebrate Ice Cream Month! While we were eating our ice cream we were discussing Jake’s future. He was telling me where he was going to live and how I could ride to town with his wife and kids whenever I wanted to.

Then we began talking about his kids…this is how our conversation went:
How many kids are you going to have?
Two.
Boys or girls?
Two boys.
What are you going to name you two boys?
Humpy Almondinger and Frank.

Laughter ensued for about 10 minutes as we both just fell out! We laughed and laughed together, it was so funny. He gave than answer without skipping a beat…it was so absolutely funny it still makes me giggle! Sometimes that kid can come up with the best stuff…I’m so glad I have him. But I can’t imagine showing off my infant grandchild at church and saying, “Yes, isn’t he cute, his name is Humpy Almondinger.”

Yesterday Jake and I had the rare chance to be together without anybody else. We ran some errands in town and of course on our way we had to stop and celebrate Ice Cream Month! While we were eating our ice cream we were discussing Jake’s future. He was telling me where he was going to live and how I could ride to town with his wife and kids whenever I wanted to.

Then we began talking about his kids…this is how our conversation went:
How many kids are you going to have?
Two.
Boys or girls?
Two boys.
What are you going to name you two boys?
Humpy Almondinger and Frank.

Laughter ensued for about 10 minutes as we both just fell out! We laughed and laughed together, it was so funny. He gave than answer without skipping a beat…it was so absolutely funny it still makes me giggle! Sometimes that kid can come up with the best stuff…I’m so glad I have him. But I can’t imagine showing off my infant grandchild at church and saying, “Yes, isn’t he cute, his name is Humpy Almondinger.”

Today is the Holstein heifer show in East Lansing, so we’ll head up there after chores are done. Plus we get to bring the boys home…I’m glad of that… I miss them.

I need to give a Holly update. She’s been gimping along, not really getting any better but not any worse. But Wednesday morning when I went to the barn for the first time since Monday morning, I noticed she look absolutely awful! Bobby called the vet and he came out and ended up doing surgery, she had a right DA (displace abomasum). Left DA’s are no problem and are quite common, but right DA’s are bad and the vet usually gives them a 50/50 chance to recover. We’ve had 2 right DA’s one lived, one died….so those stats were running pretty close on our farm. Last night when we went to the barn she was eating much more aggressivly..a great sign. By this morning she was on her knees eating the other cows feed next to her. The old Holly is back and on the mend…Madison…here we come!

Today is the Holstein heifer show in East Lansing, so we’ll head up there after chores are done. Plus we get to bring the boys home…I’m glad of that… I miss them.

I need to give a Holly update. She’s been gimping along, not really getting any better but not any worse. But Wednesday morning when I went to the barn for the first time since Monday morning, I noticed she look absolutely awful! Bobby called the vet and he came out and ended up doing surgery, she had a right DA (displace abomasum). Left DA’s are no problem and are quite common, but right DA’s are bad and the vet usually gives them a 50/50 chance to recover. We’ve had 2 right DA’s one lived, one died….so those stats were running pretty close on our farm. Last night when we went to the barn she was eating much more aggressivly..a great sign. By this morning she was on her knees eating the other cows feed next to her. The old Holly is back and on the mend…Madison…here we come!

Good Morning from the Knolltop. We’re home…kind of. Yesterday I brought the heifers and two kids home from Dairy Days. I left the other two boys up there to work the Holstein Sale and then JW will do the dairy judging contest today and Dairy Management tomorrow. Luke has to help do some things for the Holstein Association today. But Jake and Sarah and I are home for one day and then we’ll go back up for Thursday and Friday to help run the Holstein show.

Usually we stay the whole week, but this year we didn’t have much in the way of quality cattle to show so we just decided to let Jake and Sarah do their thing and come home. They did a great job of taking care of their “show string.” Jake’s first time out was successful in my eyes. Success in mom’s eyes is taking the calf in the ring and having it behave without running off on him…regardless of his placing. But obviously that’s not Jake’s idea of success. He still had a good time.

Sarah on the other hand had a great day in showmanship. She started out in 6th place and worked her way up to 2nd. There is one boy who always beats her and beating him is her personal goal. They are the same age and this will always be a rivalry. She came very close to beating him…but he had the edge yesterday. Next time!

Right now, this farm is grand central station….more later!

Good Morning from the Knolltop. We’re home…kind of. Yesterday I brought the heifers and two kids home from Dairy Days. I left the other two boys up there to work the Holstein Sale and then JW will do the dairy judging contest today and Dairy Management tomorrow. Luke has to help do some things for the Holstein Association today. But Jake and Sarah and I are home for one day and then we’ll go back up for Thursday and Friday to help run the Holstein show.

Usually we stay the whole week, but this year we didn’t have much in the way of quality cattle to show so we just decided to let Jake and Sarah do their thing and come home. They did a great job of taking care of their “show string.” Jake’s first time out was successful in my eyes. Success in mom’s eyes is taking the calf in the ring and having it behave without running off on him…regardless of his placing. But obviously that’s not Jake’s idea of success. He still had a good time.

Sarah on the other hand had a great day in showmanship. She started out in 6th place and worked her way up to 2nd. There is one boy who always beats her and beating him is her personal goal. They are the same age and this will always be a rivalry. She came very close to beating him…but he had the edge yesterday. Next time!

Right now, this farm is grand central station….more later!

We’re all packed and ready to go, and everything is on the trailer except the heifers and in a little while we will be headed north for MSU and that wonderful event called Dairy Days! The kids are excited to say the least and we had fun getting everything around for it. Jake and Bobby clipped his heifer Saturday night and Sarah and Bobby clipped her heifer last night while we loaded the trailer. I have to say, this is probably the most trouble free trip so far…I know, I shouldn’t have said that!

Well, I’d better get going…pray for safety for us!

We’re all packed and ready to go, and everything is on the trailer except the heifers and in a little while we will be headed north for MSU and that wonderful event called Dairy Days! The kids are excited to say the least and we had fun getting everything around for it. Jake and Bobby clipped his heifer Saturday night and Sarah and Bobby clipped her heifer last night while we loaded the trailer. I have to say, this is probably the most trouble free trip so far…I know, I shouldn’t have said that!

Well, I’d better get going…pray for safety for us!