7 Reasons Farming is like childbirth

Well it's official, I just survived my 15th harvest as The Farmer's wife.  Normally we would have a small little celebration of sorts, but I think this year everyone is just looking for a good night's sleep as this has been one of the longest harvest seasons I can remember.  This got me thinking... farming really is a lot like childbirth and here are my top 7 reasons why.

1.  It can be short.

Whether we are talking about planting or harvest season, it is all dependent on Mother Nature so it can be a short season or defer to #2.

2.  It can be long, as in never ending like this year.

3.  It can be a false alarm.

 Just like some women experience early contractions only to be sent home from the hospital, planting and harvest can often have a false alarm thanks to Mother Nature.  You know where you get everything ready to go to the fields and then it rains and rains and rains for days.

4.  It can be painful.

As a farmer there is not much worse than a broken piece of equipment, tractor, or combine during the planting or harvest season.

5.  It might require medication.

There might be a few nights during a long and painful planting or harvest season that some adult beverages are needed after many hours in the tractor or combine.

6.  It is all about family.

One of the best parts of being a farmer is getting to share our love and life with our kids each day.

7.  You can't wait to share the news.

At 6:32pm tonight I got the text from The Farmer that Harvest 2014 was finally done and I couldn't wait to tell all of you.

You see farming is a lot like childbirth because in the end we don't remember the bad parts of planting or harvest season.  We just remember the good, our love for the land, and doing our small part to make sure our family and all of yours have food to eat.  Just like my experiences with labor and delivery with these 3 amazing children.

So here's to the end of Harvest 2014 and looking towards Planting 2015.

15 things to do on fall break

Fall Break...

I don't really even remember having a fall break from school growing up.  Now I do remember maybe a half day here or there or one day off in the fall for parent/teacher conferences, but it was never a big deal at our house when I was growing up.  When Big Sissy first started school, Fall Break was a 2 day (Thursday-Friday) vacation from school.  This year our school is now on a balanced calender which means Big Sissy and Bubby started school on August 1st and now currently in the 1st week of their 2 week fall break.  While I must admit I was a bit apprehensive of the 2 week fall break when it was announced (because as a full-time off-farm working mom I wasn't quite sure how it would work), the kids and I have checked a lot off of our fall break bucket list and it is only Thursday of the first week.  (We are in overdrive as this momma will be gone all next week for work.)

I thought I'd share some of the things we've checked off our list as well as a few we are hoping to yet accomplish and although this is a fall break bucket list, a lot of the items could be done on any break from school.  

 

15 things to do on fall break

1.  Go to a basketball game - Big Sissy's first ever school basketball game was last Sunday.  Although the score was a bit lopsided, we know the fun is just beginning.  (Go #20!)

2.  Get your craft on - Heading to Jo-Ann's with this family is often dangerous for my checkbook.  We left with fabric and fleece to make blankets, pillowcases, and maybe even a 4-H project or two for next year.  

3.  Make some of Gal in the Middle's pumpkin chocolate chip muffins 

4.  Go shopping

5.  Visit Kelsay Farms - We haven't made it there yet this year, but we absolutely love visiting Kelsay's and this year they have special fall break hours.  

6.  Get a flu shot - Big Sissy, Bubby, and Little Sissy all got their flu shots yesterday.  

7.  Check out the programs at your local library - Little Sissy has been to a few story times and Big Sissy and Bubby attended a program entitled grossology yesterday.  

8.  Read

9.   Make a new recipe 

10.  Check out The Children's Museum Guild's 49th Annual Haunted House, Wicked Workshop - Big Sissy, Bubby, and I were very lucky to be able to preview the Wicked Workshop yesterday with the lights on.  I don't think I would have made it out alive with the lights off.

11.  Spend the day at The Children's Museum - After visiting the Wicked Workshop, we decided to spend the day at the museum.  

12.  Take a nap

13.  Visit with family and friends

14.  Take a road trip - The kids and I are headed north to The Homestead Resort for this weekend as Uncle A is getting married on Saturday and we can't wait to gain a new family member.  (The Farmer is staying behind for reason #15)

15.  Celebrate the harvest - In our opinion as farmers, it is hard to beat this time of year.  We love harvest.  Although the effects of this summer's drought are making for a less than desirable harvest, we still consider ourselves very blessed to be able to raise food for our family and yours.

I hope your family has as much fun as this pigpen checking these item of your fall break bucket list!

Farmer Fridays - 2011 Harvest Season

Well Harvest 2011 is not quite in the books for us yet as we still have a couple hundred acres of corn to shell, but the end is definitely in sight.  I thought I would share some of my favorite photos from this year's harvest season for today's Farmer Fridays.

And remember Big Sissy shared some of her own earlier this month as she shared her view from the combine with us.

And just because our real harvest is almost over, doesn't mean Bubby's harvest is over.  He is planting and harvesting crops year round in our house.

Don't be alarmed by the red equipment.  He is a John Deere boy 100% just ask Miss Liz, but he will use whatever people will give him. 

Please feel free to ask me any questions you might have about our harvest season.

Farmer Fridays - Big Sissy's view from the combine

When Big Sissy went for a combine ride the other day, she asked if she could take my camera so she could share her view from the combine with all of you.  (I don't know if it is good or bad that she has taken an interest in my blogging, but I'm going with good for now.)  

During Big Sissy's combine ride, we were cutting soybeans.  As you know, we raise soybeans on our family farm in addition to corn, wheat, and pigs.  We sell all of our soybeans to a local soybean processing plant.  We then buy soybean meal from this plant made from our soybeans and those of other local farmers to feed our pigs along with corn raised on our family farm and other essential nutrients.  

So with no further ado, here is Big Sissy's view (with her own commentary):

Here comes Pop Pop to pick me up

The soybeans coming out of the combine's auger to fill the truck

The soybean field

Pop Pop using GPS auto steer technology to cut soybeans without actually having to steer the combine himself (unbelievable, right?)

The combine cutting the soybeans

The soybeans in the combine's holding tank waiting to be unloaded into the truck

I hope you enjoyed Big Sissy's view.

Farmer Fridays - What do we feed our pigs

In case you didn't know, October is National Pork month.  As a pig farmer, we love pigs and pork so it is always fun to celebrate them.

During the month of October, my Farmer Fridays will focus on different aspects of our family pig farm and how we raise our pigs so that we can produce healthy, nutritious, and safe pork for my family and yours to eat.

Today I'd like to focus on the diets of our pigs and what we feed them...

I'm back... at least I hope so

It's been a long time since I sat down to write.  I thought my summer funk was over, but then I realized today it has been more than a few weeks since my last post.  So I'm back and I hope it is for good this time. 

There hasn't been one specific reason that has kept me away, it just been a case of life with both ups and downs. 

My fellow farmwife and friend, Miss Leontien, was diagnosed with cancer again which is something no one should have to deal with once let alone more than once in a lifetime.

Today our church celebrated the life of our amazing priest who lost his battle with colon cancer last week. 

And My Aunt S who was diagnosed with leukemia this summer had a bone marrow transplant two weeks ago this Friday.  Although her recovery is going as planned, she has a long road ahead of her. 

So we've been distracting ourselves with several different activities. 

We've been busy with Big Sissy's fall soccer season

Bubby's first flag football season

Big Sissy's fall piano recital

trying out some new Pioneer Woman and Gooseberry Patch recipes

and the start of our family farm's harvest season.

Farmer Fridays - As much family time as possible

I've said it before, but one of the best things of being a part of a family farm is spending time with the family.  There are definitely better days than others, but the fact that my husband works with his parents every day and our kids see their parents and grandparents almost every day is awesome.

Now that being said, planting and harvest season are two times of the year that quality family time comes at a premium.  The 2011 harvest season is still a few weeks away, but this pigpen is going to be using this weekend as our opportunity to catch up on family time before harvest starts.

In addition to taking care of our pigs and working on some maintenance issues on the farm that we would like to be taken care of prior to harvest, we actually have some big plans for this weekend.

Tonight, The Farmer, his parents, Big Sissy, Bubby, Little Sissy, and I are headed to the Indianapolis Indians game complete with fireworks after the game.  Now I must admit the current temperatures and heat advisory are not making tonight's festivities sound like the best idea, but I know we will have lots of fun.

Tomorrow night, The Farmer, his parents, and I are headed to Rib America.  We have talked about going to this event for the past several years, but have never made it.  Well if all goes as planned, tomorrow will be the night even if Mother Nature has her own agenda with almost record high temperatures predicted with a chance of thunderstorms.

Truthfully though ... what is new.  We make our livelihoods by the grace of God and Mother Nature so why should this weekend be any different even if we are talking about our usually non-existent social calendars and the forecast does look good for our family cookout on Monday so I won't complain.

What do you have planned for this weekend?