A Sad Day for Friends

I recently got an email from some farm friends. They are selling their dairy cows after struggling to recover from the low milk prices of 2009. It is such a sad time for them . My heart just breaks to think of them having to sell their girls. I know exactly how they will feel. We sold our dairy cows on Friday, May 13th , 2011. They will be selling their cows on Friday , January 13, 2012 . She said they could maybe have continued to " rob Peter to pay Paul " . But the stress was getting to them both. I know so well that awful stress you have ,worrying how are you going to buy feed , gas, seed, fertilizer and on and on. It wears on you year after year . It still is a very hard time for many farmers and I see no end to the stress and worry for so many of them . She said she doesn't think she can bear to be there when the cows are loaded. That feeling of seeing your barn family being loaded up on a trailer and being taken away , it is awful and so absolutely heart breaking . There are many , many tears and as hard as it is to see them being loaded....that is nothing to when you go out to the barn the next day and it is empty and quiet. There are no cows in the stalls , the milk pump no longer is running and there are no milkers to carry into the barn . Like us, she knows it probably is the best thing to do for them . But it is still so very hard to see them go. Janice, you will be in my thought and prayers tomorrow . I wish I lived closer so I could come be there for you and give you a hug . And tell you it will be ok , things will work out . Good luck to you and Todd !!!