letter to the CDT

Dear CDT,
( I know this is longer than normal, but I think people need to know how it affects a family when they have decided to sell their cows and give up being a dairy farmer !)
The other year there was an article about us in the CDT . We told the reporter ( Nick M. ) how the low milk prices were affecting us and many other dairy farmers. We were close to being a Century Farm and just hoped we could hold on long enough to become one. Well , we are in the middle of filling out the application now and we did hang on long enough. It is something we are very proud of. But, after 39 years of being a dairy farmer , we have decided to sell our dairy cows. It was not an easy decision and it is going to be a sad time . On Friday , May 13 our cows will be loaded and taken to Centre Hall to the cow sale. For 39 years we have gone to the barn morning and night . We have milked the cows, fed them , tended to sick animals and were at the barn all night if there was a problem . Our cows all have names , mostly picked by our grandkids . Names like Miley, Hannah, Jones, Chocolate and Bluey. It is going to be hard to adjust to suddenly no longer go to the barn and do our barn work after doing it for 39 years every day . Friday morning we will feed the cows and milk them. They will be loaded in our friends trailer and taken to the sale. Saturday morning there will be no cows to milk or feed. The stalls will be empty . Our 18 month old grandson goes to the barn with us in his stroller. He knows in the morning we get our barn clothes on , get him in the stroller and go see Pap and the cows. He is going to be too little to understand why there are no longer any cows in the barn. A friend on Twitter ( JPloves COTTON) said it best : "The image of a grandson and granddad no longer having that reason to put on their boots and head to the barn may permanently reside on my eyelids." I am sure there are going to be tears when the cows are loaded and heading out our lane. To many farmers this isn't a job , it is a way of life .

closer and closer

It is getting still closer to the day our cows leave .It is now 5 days til they will be loaded on our friends trailer and hauled to the sale in Centre Hall. The cows are staying healthy , which is good. I worry one of them will get sick and then I don't know what we will do with that animal. I am sure the cows are wondering why we have not put them down in the meadow. Usually by this time of the year they are out there and running . But not this year . Last night after milking my husband went back up to the fields . It wasn't dark yet so I took a walk. I was thinking about how this time next week it will be all over and there will be no dairy cows in the barn . Just the small calves we are keeping. How we won't have to be home at a certain time for barn work . That we don't have to leave somewhere early to get home for the cows for milking. I guess that will be a good thing ? I am not sure.

FATHERS DAY

I also wrote a poem for my Dad . He wanted to be a professional ball player , but it didn't work out. One night I was watching FIELD OF DREAMS . And the words for this poem just came to me. Again, like I said I am not a poet ! LOL !


THE BALL PLAYER

When he was in his younger days he wanted to play the game
He was a wonderful player and everyone knew his name

People came from all over just to see the man play
They loved to see him catch the ball and run the bases away

There was no doubt that when the ball was flying through the air
His glove would be open wide and the ball would land in there

The balls would come rolling low and over the grass he'd fly
He'd scoop it up with his glove and then he'd hold it high

When he was at the base getting ready to swing the bat free
He'd look around the ball field and knew this was where he wanted to be

To feel the wind racing by him as he streaked towards the base
And knowing he would make it was written all over his face

His whole life was ahead of him there would be many games to play
He lived and breathed for this , these glorious , exciting days

He believed in his dream that someday he'd be there
With all the men he admired , the ones who were so rare

He had his dream so close , it was almost in his hand
But things didn't work out the quite the way he had planned.....

Now the memories are of long ago and of those cherished days
When he was young and had his dreams and hoped there'd be a way

He never fulfilled the dream , but it will always be there
In his memories ......... somewhere......

And now today the four of us Diane , Ken, Terry and Stan
Know he's a wonderful father...He is the BALL PLAYER....
a quiet and honest man .

Mothers Day

Years ago , for my mother I wrote this poem. I am not a poet so don't look too close ! LOL !

THE HEART
When you were young you had your dreams of what you wanted to do
They included lots of trips and plenty of fun too

The dreams were all changed when the kids were born
There were chores to do and your hands became worn

As I stroll down memory lane and think of all you've done
All the times you would go to see the boys make a home run

In our family there's always been a special closeness and giving
We're always together , in our hearts, no matter where we are living

As the years go by and we grow older I know we'll always treasure
That special bond between us all that we could never measure

We have a feeling in our hearts that will hold us all together
And any problems that we face we'll always be able to weather

And now the four of us Diane, Ken, Terry and Stanley
Know you are the greatest , our mother ....the heart of our family !

11 days and counting

It is now 11 days to the cows leave. The last couple of days have not been too bad. I think maybe it is the calm before the storm. My husband has finally been able to get into the fields and do some plowing. It has been so wet here in central PA. We will still do some crop farming and will keep a couple of calves and a few heifers. Just no more milk cows . We have vaccinated all the cows and heifers to get them ready to sell. We are getting copies made of the cows records for buyers to look at. Our daughter is making the copies for us. So everything seems to be moving along to the day the cows will be loaded up in the trailer and taken to the sale. A friend of ours , who hauls animals , will be taking our cows over to Centre Hall. It will take a couple of trips over the mountain. Hopefully , all will go well and they will be loaded without problems. But with cows , you never know ! LOL !

Getting closer

It is getting closer to the day we will be loading up the cows to leave.( 3 weeks ) I think God is trying to help us feel not as sad about them going. We have been having problems at the barn . Constant problems with the gutter cleaner , the chain keeps coming off, it is a struggle to clean gutters every time.We get so frustrated with our old and worn out equipment. The other night cows broke water cup, were at barn til 1130pm . Guess God is trying to keep us from feeling so sad ! LOL ! We will sure not miss the headaches and stress that go along with farming. But we both are under a lot of stress right now. Every day we think about how our lives are going to be so very different . Like I have said again and again , I realized this was going to be hard on us . But I didn't think it would hit us as hard as it is. Many times at the barn the last week or so, I find myself in tears . I know my husband feels the same. It is like losing someone . But what we are losing is a way of life we have had for all of our marriage .

The Cows

We had some one come and look at the cows yesterday . He was very interested in them. He thought they looked great and were in great shape. So all that was good. He wants to have our cows at his auction in May. He felt we could get a good price for most of the cows. Some , being older we won't get that great of a price. We have talked about it and we think we are going to go with this choice. Our cows will more than likely be sold to a local farmer. Which we like. The sale will be May 13. Friday the 13th ! but our family says that will be good luck ! So more than likely the cows will be gone by the middle of May.
Last night my daughter and I were talking about the person coming to look at the cows. Our "little farmer " was listening and she tells me " I don't want you to sell the cows ! Can't you at least keep Bluey ? " Bluey is the cow who she brushes and pets every time she comes over to the farm. She is her pet cow. Our grandaughter started to cry . About broke my heart . My daughter told her Mamma and Papee have to sell the cows. I told her , how about we name one of the calves we keep Bluey ? How about that ? That made her feel better . I thought maybe I can take a picture of Bluey and our grandaughter and she can keep it in her room. My other daughter said we will have to have the grandkids come and say goodbye to the cows. I hope they don't get too upset . Probably we will all be standing there crying our eyes out ! As I said before , this is going to affect more than just my husband and I when the cows leave .
Today I was telling my parents and my brother and his wife about the cows probably leaving in May and I start crying. The thought of the cows getting loaded and leaving made me sad . Although I won't miss the tail in the face, the kick in the leg and so on ! LOL !