The Winter Life of a Famer

Snow, ice, cold wind, cold temperatures, the snuffles, did I mention snow? The wonderful season of winter! For most of you, winter means starting your car earlier, scraping the ice off your windshield, and bundling up to stay warm! Don't get me wrong, every Michigander goes through this, but Farmers have a lot more on their list of winter hassles.

For instance:

• collecting eggs literally as soon as the hen lays them so the egg does not freeze
• breaking ice from the doors
• breaking ice from every bucket
• breaking ice from anything containing liquid
• making sure every pen has extra straw so the animals stay warm
• making sure every animal is warm
• making sure all heat lamps work
• hauling the hose downstairs after every use so it does not freeze
• hauling the hose back up the stairs
• and if the water pump is frozen, we have to carry buckets from the house to the barn...multiple buckets

And that's just a few of the many things we must take into consideration for the animals. Don't get me started on how I prepare myself for winter....

Winter can be a tough time for Farmers but especially for animals. Today, we had snow flurries and temperatures were freezing! Weather like this can be hard on our small animals, like our chickens. I went out to do chores and discovered a limp, frozen chicken lying in the middle of the pen. She wasn't even 1. As sad as it is, losses like these are not uncommon in the winter. But all we can do is move on.

But most of all, winter can be hard on a Farmer spiritually. My fathers job is seasonal, meaning he works whenever the weather permits him too. He's a carpenter/bridge builder, so winter brings no work. We constantly worry about weather we'll be able to feed our animals or run a heat lamp to keep them warm. Running a farm can be difficult at times like this.
But in the Book of Luke chapter 12, verses 22-26, we find guidance and hope in our lives during hard times.

Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Luke 12:22-26

Even though we may be living through a stressful point in our lives, God wants us to turn to him for guidance. He doesn't want us to worry or reap about house payments, or feed bills or electrical bills (you farmers know what I mean) We learn to praise God for what he has given us. Even though the winter brings lots of hassles, at the end of the day, I couldn't be happier for what God has blessed me with. Through the countless number of times we break ice away from the doors to the countless number of times we worry about our feed bills, we always pull through by the work of God. Besides, who ever said farming was easy? 

New Year, New Adventures!

I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe New Year! The farm sure did! We relaxed for most of the day...eating a great breakfast, sleeping in (well till 9) and we were able to stay in our comfy clothes! But the cows on the other hand had a different celebration in mind....

Ma and Dad were sitting on the couch, enjoying their morning coffee when something moved outside the window. Dad looked out and said "the deer are out running around....OH NO! THE COWS ARE OUT!" Dad and Mom quickly ran outside and gathered all 5 of the lil' boogers back into the pasture. Come to find out, after bringing the horses into their stalls the night before, I forgot to lock the gate. (whoops!) Of course the cows took advantage of the opportunity. They had been everywhere! They traveled all around our property and were even brave enough to venture into the neighbors front yard! (sorry Hoppers!) Over the next week, we were still finding hoof prints in the snow!

I guess the lesson here is to ALWAYS check the gates before you call it a night!

....although, I'm still convinced that lil' miss Red knows how to open the gate.....

Happenings around the Farm

My new boys: Willie (left) and Waylon (right)  

Brody getting his bath!

Dad's new tractor!

The new heifers: (left to right) Red, Annabel, Nella

I'm Back!

Wow! Its been so long since I have wrote something! There's a lot to catch up on....
 Since the last time I wrote, a lot has been going on around the farm: we purchased 3 heifers, all Hereford-Angus Crosses. There's Annabel, our moo-er, Red, our only red heifer and the sweetest, and Nella, our jumping calf, literally. I completely understand the saying, "the cow jumped over the moon." We also bought pigs, 7 of them! Our first three were from our friends, the Johnstons...there were 2 gilts (females), Marlo and Aldous and 1 barrow (male), Bauer. Later we bought 3 more from another farm...Blue (for her blue butt), Stella (who sat like a dog) and Hemi...who should have been renamed Dozer, for his Bull-Dozer moves that always knocked us over. Unfortunately, Marlo got sick and passed away, so we bought Brody...the fattest pig of them all!
Towards the end of June, I had the wonderful oppurtunity of breaking show calves until the end of summer. I broke 8 show steers and 2 heifers! My summer was booked, but it was well worth it! I saved up enough money to buy 2 of the calves I worked with...Honda and Indian who are now named Willie and Waylon (yes, after Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings) Waylon is a red, purebred Shorthorn and Willie is a white/blue roan, crossbred. 
In August, I took Emmit (the steer) and my 2 pigs, Brody and Bauer to the fair. I took 7th and 8th in my market class with the Pigs and 3rd in showmanship.  The next day, I took 2nd in showmanship in Steers and won Grand Champion! (way!) It was a very successful year, once again!
Not much happend between August and November, but the 2nd week in December, I took Willie and Waylon to Michigan State to compete at the annual MJLS Winter Beef Classic show.....lets just say it was a looonnnnggg weekend, but a fun one.
Since then, it has been pretty calm around the farm. We are recovering from a very blessed and festive holiday and are looking forward to the New Year!...which means new blogs! wooo!
I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday and can't wait till 2012!

Crazy You Say?

We've all been there; babysitting that 4 year old that can't seem to leave anything alone, having the 6 year old get his toys out, even though you asked him to put them away, or when you're making dinner and the kid is hoarding around you like a vulture (guilty). Now picture Marlo (my pig). Everything listed above is one of the many battles I encounter with her.
Marlo is synonyms with crazy, wild, senseless, outlandish, and ridiculous. This phsycotic four-legged phsyco has more energy than one can imagine. Come feeding time, it looks as though she hasn't seen food in weeks! She'll run around the pen, jumping in the air and running into anything that gets in her way. Then, to make matters worse, she'll run over to you (or run over you) and begin chewing on your boots! And if you ask her to stop, it's like telling a brick wall to soften up! And don't even get me started on the water! Lets just say I leave the pen with more water on me then in the water bucket.....all because of little Miss Marlo.
I actually took the time to look up the meaining of Marlo's name and it just so happens to mean "Drained lake"......well by golly, that pig is draining her lake all over me!

The Farm Expands in Family Members!

Their tails were curled tighter than Arby's curly fries, and their four little legs ran faster than the Kenyans. As they were squealing with every ounce of oxygen in their lungs, I stood in there, stuck in the mud and getting snowed on. But even the snow and mud and bitter winds couldn't blow the excitement out of me....the farm was bringing home show pigs! That's right...show pigs! This past Sunday, the Raymond Family Farm brought home 3 hogs; 2 gilts (females) and 1 barrow (male). Marlo, one of my pigs, is an all black gilt with more energy than the Energizer Bunny himself. Then there's Bauer...like Eddie Bauer or Bauer Hockey Sticks. He's the total opposite, being as lazy as men on a Sunday afternoon. And last but not least is little miss Aldous, the sweetheart of the bunch. She will be shown by another 4-Her who is keeping her at our farm.

There's not much to tell about these pigs right now but I will say, their unpredictable personality leads me to believe that my blog will hold many more stories about these crazy guys. Until then, stay tuned for the rest of the story....

(From Left to Right) Bauer, Marlo, and Aldous

Stand Firm!

The Egyptians were marching after the Israelites. They were terrified and cried out to Lord. They said to Moses "Was it because there was no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" (Ex. 14: 10-12)

Moses answered the people, "Don't be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still" (Ex. 14: 13-14)

When it comes to buying necessities for the farm like feed, parts for the tractor, vet bills, medications, etc., it can get stressful. It takes a toll on you, not only mentally, but emotionally and most of all, spiritually. I often wonder why we as farmers put so much money into things that we barely get a dime back for. Don't get me wrong, some farmers have the business figured out and make it out pretty well. But when you look behind the barn door, things don't seem to fine. With feed prices rising and gas prices as well, it gets difficult to pay for things and we are constantly finding ourselves making many sacrifices, just to pay for a bag of grain. And then I constantly find myself asking God "Why?" Why are grain prices rising? Why are we making little profit? Why God! WHY! .........

But then I realize that Jesus sacrificed more than what I will ever have to sacrifice. He paid more than what I will ever have to pay. And it was for Me....for You.....for Everyone! He sacrificed his own Life and paid for Your sins so you will be forgiven.

The Israelites had complained to Moses about the Egyptians but Moses said to them "...see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today." I realized that I shouldn't complain about the little things. I need to "stand firm" and "see the deliverance the Lord will bring me".