I may be a little too comfortable at the farm. This leads to getting caught in some awkward situations by dad, Frank, the milk hauler, and anyone else that decides to show up unexpectedly.
Fishing feed out of my bra, underwear, pants........
Some of the cows like to throw their feed up in the air like they just don't care. If you happen to be next to them trying to wipe their teats or put a milker on it will most of the time go down your shirt and into your bra. If you have ever had feed in your bra or any other clothing you know how uncomfortable it is and that it has to come out ASAP.
Singing, dancing, basically just breaking it down.
It's early in the morning and I have to do something to keep myself awake and entertained. From time to time I also like to use the broom or shovel as a microphone. I have to keep things interesting.
Getting the milker caught on your boob.
Yeah it happens. If you're curious about how using a breast pump would feel for when you have kids I have a pretty good idea. Of course men don't have this issue. I'm glad I have small boobs because they already get in the way. I can't imagine how often bigger boobs would get caught up in that.
Having cow shit land in your mouth, on your face.......
That saying shit happens, well it happens in the barn more often then you would like. I've actually had a cow poop while leaving the barn and it came shooting straight back and onto me. I totally needed to hose myself down after that.
Getting caught with your pants down.
Sometimes you have to pee and there isn't a bathroom anywhere around so you take a piss outside. This is a time that I wish I was a guy because they have it so much easier. All they have to do is whip it out and piss. As a girl you have to take your pants down and squat down. Thank God you wear mud boots to the farm for that pee splatter.
For now these are my most awkward moments at the farm. There are always new ones from time to time so I'm sure I'll have some more things to add. Hope you enjoyed my best moments :)
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Monday, February 24, 2014
I am a workaholic
The last week has been a busy one at the farm. Ever since our electrical problems on Valentine's Day the milk cows have been giant pains in my ass. They haven't wanted to come into the barn. This means I have to chase every. single. line. into the barn. We've got 17 lines at the moment so it gets pretty old by the time you're done milking.
Last Wednesday and Thursday we also had 4 new babies born. The babies are my favorite part of dairy life. They're so cute and tiny, at least until you try to feed them and they don't want to eat. All of these babies were first calves for their four mamas. So the mamas had never been in the milk barn before, which leads to a lot of prodding and yelling to get them into the barn. Then you need a lot of patience to get the milker on the cow without getting kicked upside the head. We successfully got all 4 cows in the barn and milked without anyone getting hurt. Overall last week was just a rough week for me.
I am a bit of a workaholic as is my dad, Frank, and both of my sisters. Basically we are a bunch of yes people. If dad or Frank need me to do something I automatically say yes and I make it work no matter what else is going on. We are McCollum's and McCollum's get shit done, no matter what. This goes back to my grandparents who were both workaholics as well. You could say it's embedded in our DNA.
With all of us having this attitude I find myself forgetting to simply live sometimes. I have to remind myself to take care of me. Working on the farm is a very physical job and I can't afford to get sick or seriously hurt because there is no one to take my place. I push myself to the limit more times than I would like to admit. My body always has a nice way to tell me to slow down, usually by me hurting myself because I'm too tired to pay attention to everything.
This morning my moo moo's were actually happy and well behaved. They all came into the barn willingly. No chasing, no yelling. It was the most peaceful morning I've had in over a week and it made me remember that I need to slow down. And I did just that. I took time to look at the sunrise and dad and I spent about 30 minutes just talking. No working and talking, just sitting and talking. We become so good at multitasking that we forget how nice it is to slow down and take a look around. If you don't take the time to appreciate what is around you then you can become bitter about it. Farm life is hard and it did make my grandmother a little bitter.
One thing that my grandparents did teach my dad and Frank to do is to travel. Once my dad and his siblings were old enough to handle all the farm chores on their own, my grandparents started taking vacations. None of us are world travelers by any means, but we have made our way to a lot of the United States. Dad and Frank both take vacations once a year as do I. You have to get away in order to miss the farm. Everyone needs a break and luckily we have a set up that allows us to all have a vacation.
The first time I truly missed the farm was when I moved away and went to college. My sisters and I started working weekends on the farm when I was 15 so my weekends had always been full of work. I had to figure out what to do on the weekends. This lead me to going home a lot of weekends and hanging out at the farm. Not being able to go to the farm whenever I wanted was the strangest adjustment I had to make when I went to college. I missed it. Missed the cows, missed the babies, missed my sisters, and missed dad and Frank. I didn't think I would miss it like I did. And obviously it just goes to show that the workaholic in me never stops. It's good to miss the farm though. If I didn't have time to miss it then I wouldn't be able to appreciate it the way that I do.
The gorgeous sunrise from the barn this morning :)
Last Wednesday and Thursday we also had 4 new babies born. The babies are my favorite part of dairy life. They're so cute and tiny, at least until you try to feed them and they don't want to eat. All of these babies were first calves for their four mamas. So the mamas had never been in the milk barn before, which leads to a lot of prodding and yelling to get them into the barn. Then you need a lot of patience to get the milker on the cow without getting kicked upside the head. We successfully got all 4 cows in the barn and milked without anyone getting hurt. Overall last week was just a rough week for me.
I am a bit of a workaholic as is my dad, Frank, and both of my sisters. Basically we are a bunch of yes people. If dad or Frank need me to do something I automatically say yes and I make it work no matter what else is going on. We are McCollum's and McCollum's get shit done, no matter what. This goes back to my grandparents who were both workaholics as well. You could say it's embedded in our DNA.
With all of us having this attitude I find myself forgetting to simply live sometimes. I have to remind myself to take care of me. Working on the farm is a very physical job and I can't afford to get sick or seriously hurt because there is no one to take my place. I push myself to the limit more times than I would like to admit. My body always has a nice way to tell me to slow down, usually by me hurting myself because I'm too tired to pay attention to everything.
This morning my moo moo's were actually happy and well behaved. They all came into the barn willingly. No chasing, no yelling. It was the most peaceful morning I've had in over a week and it made me remember that I need to slow down. And I did just that. I took time to look at the sunrise and dad and I spent about 30 minutes just talking. No working and talking, just sitting and talking. We become so good at multitasking that we forget how nice it is to slow down and take a look around. If you don't take the time to appreciate what is around you then you can become bitter about it. Farm life is hard and it did make my grandmother a little bitter.
One thing that my grandparents did teach my dad and Frank to do is to travel. Once my dad and his siblings were old enough to handle all the farm chores on their own, my grandparents started taking vacations. None of us are world travelers by any means, but we have made our way to a lot of the United States. Dad and Frank both take vacations once a year as do I. You have to get away in order to miss the farm. Everyone needs a break and luckily we have a set up that allows us to all have a vacation.
The first time I truly missed the farm was when I moved away and went to college. My sisters and I started working weekends on the farm when I was 15 so my weekends had always been full of work. I had to figure out what to do on the weekends. This lead me to going home a lot of weekends and hanging out at the farm. Not being able to go to the farm whenever I wanted was the strangest adjustment I had to make when I went to college. I missed it. Missed the cows, missed the babies, missed my sisters, and missed dad and Frank. I didn't think I would miss it like I did. And obviously it just goes to show that the workaholic in me never stops. It's good to miss the farm though. If I didn't have time to miss it then I wouldn't be able to appreciate it the way that I do.
The gorgeous sunrise from the barn this morning :)
Friday, February 21, 2014
Gentlemen, Can you pass the farm test?
When my parents first got married my dad didn't want any kids, but my mom had other plans. Almost four years after their wedding I made my debut into the world and I also had my dad wrapped around my finger. When I was 3 my little sister, Aadrian made her appearance and when I was 5 Brenda came into the world. Needless to say our dad was in a losing battle. The man ended up with three daughters and to say he is overprotective is an understatement. We are all daddy's girls and we always will be no matter how old we get.
Having 3 daughters means that we have all had our fair share of boyfriends over the years. Most boyfriend's worry about meeting the family, but we have a few other ladies they have to meet as well. My sisters and I refer to it as the farm test. Before the boy can take us on any dates they have to go to the farm and milk the cows with us.
All 3 of us plan on being involved with the farm in some aspect throughout our lives and the guys that come into our lives have to be able to handle that and handle themselves on the farm. Plus it's been pretty entertaining with some of the boys that we've had out at the farm. It's something that shows a person's true character and their work ethic and it only takes a few hours.
When they go to the farm they also meet our dad and uncle Frank. Dad usually won't talk to the guy, but Frank will. It's like Frank is doing the detective work so dad doesn't have to. My dad didn't even talk to my husband the entire first year that we dated. My husband passed the farm test with flying colors. His family used to have a dairy when he was growing up. After that first year of dating and Josh spending many hours at the farm my dad and Frank both love him.
If you actually want to date one of us you have to get both sister's approval as well as dad and Frank's. All of us McCollum's are very opinionated and we'll let you know what we think. Aadrian and I have run off quite a few of Brenda's boyfriends because they just couldn't handle the farm. The boys that date my sister's have a little harder time than I did because now that I'm married these boys also have to pass Josh's inspection.
It's not that we have ridiculous expectations. Our dad and uncle Frank just set the bar very high. We want guys who are going to be able to help out on the farm and who respect the farm and our family. The farm is just part of the package and if that's not something you're into that's fine, we'll just move onto the next. That's why we bring the guys to the farm so we don't waste our time or anyone else's time. Better to know sooner rather than later.
Having 3 daughters means that we have all had our fair share of boyfriends over the years. Most boyfriend's worry about meeting the family, but we have a few other ladies they have to meet as well. My sisters and I refer to it as the farm test. Before the boy can take us on any dates they have to go to the farm and milk the cows with us.
All 3 of us plan on being involved with the farm in some aspect throughout our lives and the guys that come into our lives have to be able to handle that and handle themselves on the farm. Plus it's been pretty entertaining with some of the boys that we've had out at the farm. It's something that shows a person's true character and their work ethic and it only takes a few hours.
When they go to the farm they also meet our dad and uncle Frank. Dad usually won't talk to the guy, but Frank will. It's like Frank is doing the detective work so dad doesn't have to. My dad didn't even talk to my husband the entire first year that we dated. My husband passed the farm test with flying colors. His family used to have a dairy when he was growing up. After that first year of dating and Josh spending many hours at the farm my dad and Frank both love him.
If you actually want to date one of us you have to get both sister's approval as well as dad and Frank's. All of us McCollum's are very opinionated and we'll let you know what we think. Aadrian and I have run off quite a few of Brenda's boyfriends because they just couldn't handle the farm. The boys that date my sister's have a little harder time than I did because now that I'm married these boys also have to pass Josh's inspection.
It's not that we have ridiculous expectations. Our dad and uncle Frank just set the bar very high. We want guys who are going to be able to help out on the farm and who respect the farm and our family. The farm is just part of the package and if that's not something you're into that's fine, we'll just move onto the next. That's why we bring the guys to the farm so we don't waste our time or anyone else's time. Better to know sooner rather than later.
Monday, February 17, 2014
No V-Day Love on the Farm
My Valentine's Day started promptly at 6am with a phone call from my sister, Brenda. She was milking that morning and something horrible had happened. I actually have what I consider nightmares about things going wrong in the barn. That probably means I spend too much time at the farm, but it's my job. The milk barn had an electrical failure in the feeder system. It shocked the twelve cows that were in the barn at the time and all the cows fell down. They were all able to get up and were fine, but they sprinted out of the barn and the rest of the cows in the holding pen sprinted out as well. They were freaked, as we all were. Brenda only got 6 lines out of 17 finished. We had a bigger problem to worry about though. Our feeders were out of order and we needed to get them fixed before the evening milking. If we couldn't get them fixed that would mean we have to pack feed which is not fun or enjoyable for anyone.
I had to wait for the rest of the world to open up at 8am so I could start calling electricians. After calling ten different phone numbers I finally found someone who could come out and possibly fix the situation. The electrician was coming from about 45 minutes away. I headed to the farm to be there when the electrician got there to see what could be done. Once he got there he took a look around and what he said was the most disappointing thing ever. He basically told my dad and I that he could fix the problem, but it was going to be more work than what he wanted to do. Needless to say I would not recommend calling this person. He left and we began the process of going through all the wiring. Thankfully we got it fixed and the feeders were a go for the evening milking.
Growing up on the farm I was always expected to work hard and finish the job you were asked to do. One thing that has been shocking to me as I got older is how hard it is to find people to do work out on the farm. The electrician's response to a farm problem is not the first time I've heard that. Farming is messy and dirty and it's too much for a lot of people to handle. Dad and Frank have had to learn how to do most repairs themselves. My husband is very handy as well and he has even done some repair work around the farm. It's just part of owning your own business and it's what I have grown up around. My grandfather was very handy as well and he is the one that taught dad and Frank a lot of what they know.
My father has always expected a lot out of my sisters and I. Of course I expect a lot out of myself as well and the people around me. That's a problem that I have when it comes to dealing with people in a business aspect. I expect a lot from them and most of the people we do business with are fantastic and very hard workers. It's just when you get someone like the electrician that you start to wonder about what is happening in the world.
The farm has taught my sisters and I a lot about work ethic. I pray to God that the farm will still be around whenever I decide to have some kids of my own. I want them to be raised the way we were so hopefully they have a good work ethic and respect for farmers. It's a way of life that isn't as prominent as it used to be. Some of the kids my sister goes to school with make me sick to my stomach when I see how they act. Basically I think the world needs more farm kids in it.
I had to wait for the rest of the world to open up at 8am so I could start calling electricians. After calling ten different phone numbers I finally found someone who could come out and possibly fix the situation. The electrician was coming from about 45 minutes away. I headed to the farm to be there when the electrician got there to see what could be done. Once he got there he took a look around and what he said was the most disappointing thing ever. He basically told my dad and I that he could fix the problem, but it was going to be more work than what he wanted to do. Needless to say I would not recommend calling this person. He left and we began the process of going through all the wiring. Thankfully we got it fixed and the feeders were a go for the evening milking.
Growing up on the farm I was always expected to work hard and finish the job you were asked to do. One thing that has been shocking to me as I got older is how hard it is to find people to do work out on the farm. The electrician's response to a farm problem is not the first time I've heard that. Farming is messy and dirty and it's too much for a lot of people to handle. Dad and Frank have had to learn how to do most repairs themselves. My husband is very handy as well and he has even done some repair work around the farm. It's just part of owning your own business and it's what I have grown up around. My grandfather was very handy as well and he is the one that taught dad and Frank a lot of what they know.
My father has always expected a lot out of my sisters and I. Of course I expect a lot out of myself as well and the people around me. That's a problem that I have when it comes to dealing with people in a business aspect. I expect a lot from them and most of the people we do business with are fantastic and very hard workers. It's just when you get someone like the electrician that you start to wonder about what is happening in the world.
The farm has taught my sisters and I a lot about work ethic. I pray to God that the farm will still be around whenever I decide to have some kids of my own. I want them to be raised the way we were so hopefully they have a good work ethic and respect for farmers. It's a way of life that isn't as prominent as it used to be. Some of the kids my sister goes to school with make me sick to my stomach when I see how they act. Basically I think the world needs more farm kids in it.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
So why'd you go back to the farm?
That is a question that I get more than I would like to admit. I grew up in a small town where most people are farmers, but we are the last dairy in Greenwood County. Where I grew up it is the general thought that you go to college to get away from the small town and family farm. My own mother even asked me if I just couldn't find a job. I graduated from K-State with a degree in Agribusiness because I always planned on going back to the farm at some point. I'll be honest though, I didn't think it would be right after graduation. I thought it would be down the road when my dad and uncle were ready to slow down.
The summer of 2011 I interned with Case IH in Racine, Wisconsin and at the beginning of that fall semester I thought that's where I would be headed for a job. Everything changed two days after Thanksgiving that year. I was at a Thanksgiving dinner with Josh's, my fiancé at the time-husband now, family. Since we were at dinner I had set my phone on silent and left it in my coat pocket. At one point I went to look at it and saw I had about a dozen missed calls and texts from my mom and sisters. I listened to the voicemail and read the texts to find out that my uncle Frank had been in a horrible accident. I immediately called my mother back and asked what was going on. She and my dad were headed to the hospital in Wichita that Frank was being air lifted to. Frank had gotten his sleeve caught in the PTO on the manure spreader. This got ahold of his arm and ripped off most of the skin and muscle on his left forearm. He was at the farm by himself at the time, which my dad still beats himself up about, but he called 911 and the ambulance came and got him. Going to the hospital was the scariest time of my life. We didn't know anything about what they would be able to do for Frank. All we knew was that he had lost a lot of blood and could possibly lose his arm or his life. Frank doesn't have a wife or kids of his own, and my sisters and I have always been like his kids. We grew up around him at the farm and he's been there for everything in our lives. He walked me down the aisle with my dad at my wedding.
Once we got to the hospital he was in surgery and they were bringing in a nerve specialist to see if they could save his hand. He was in surgery for about 6 hours that first day. They were able to save his hand and his arm by some miracle. He spent the next three and a half weeks in the hospital in and out of surgery. Frank underwent multiple muscle and skin graphs to build his forearm back up. Luckily he was able to come home 4 days before Christmas so we didn't have to have Christmas in the hospital. We were prepared if it came down to that though.
This tragedy was devastating for our family farm. Frank did most of the milkings at the time as well as numerous other chores. Since he was not able to be at the farm for months this left dad to do everything by himself. My sisters and I made a decision among ourselves that we would do everything we could to help dad keep the farm running. Aadrian and I were both in college at the time and Brenda was still in high school. She already helped out on the farm over the weekends, but obviously dad needed all the help he could get. From the time Frank got hurt I went home every weekend and Aadrian came home every weekend she didn't have a track meet. She was on a track scholarship. Since we were both in college we had about a month and a half off from school for Christmas break. We decided to spend every moment we could at the farm to help dad. We handled the majority of the milkings and helped out with whatever else was needed, including working pigs and calves.
Fast forward to March 2012 and Frank was finally allowed back at the farm, granted he couldn't do much because his arm was heavily bandaged and strapped down to his side. He had been a horrible patient during his time of physical therapy. Frank would show up at least once a day at the farm and dad would chase him away because he wasn't supposed to be there. That following spring he did a lot of the planting since driving a tractor is something he could do that the doctor was okay with. And today he is back to doing everything he could before the accident. His arm isn't as strong and it probably never will be, but it's a miracle that they were able to save it.
So long story short this is what led me to come back home to the farm. My last semester I was already coming home every weekend to help out and dad was relying heavily on me for a lot of things. It just made sense. After Frank got hurt I flushed all of my out of state job leads down the toilet and tried to find something closer to home. I found some things, but in reality I needed to be at the farm full time. I asked dad what he thought about it and almost two years later here I am. This is where I'm meant to be at this point and I am more than happy with it. I love being able to work with my two favorite farmers and I'm also able to be more involved with both of my sisters activities. This wasn't my original plan, but I think God put me here for a reason. I'm taking things day by day and seeing where God leads me.
Us with Frank this last Christmas. Two years after his accident!
Frank and dad walking me down the aisle almost one year after his accident. They clean up pretty good :)
The summer of 2011 I interned with Case IH in Racine, Wisconsin and at the beginning of that fall semester I thought that's where I would be headed for a job. Everything changed two days after Thanksgiving that year. I was at a Thanksgiving dinner with Josh's, my fiancé at the time-husband now, family. Since we were at dinner I had set my phone on silent and left it in my coat pocket. At one point I went to look at it and saw I had about a dozen missed calls and texts from my mom and sisters. I listened to the voicemail and read the texts to find out that my uncle Frank had been in a horrible accident. I immediately called my mother back and asked what was going on. She and my dad were headed to the hospital in Wichita that Frank was being air lifted to. Frank had gotten his sleeve caught in the PTO on the manure spreader. This got ahold of his arm and ripped off most of the skin and muscle on his left forearm. He was at the farm by himself at the time, which my dad still beats himself up about, but he called 911 and the ambulance came and got him. Going to the hospital was the scariest time of my life. We didn't know anything about what they would be able to do for Frank. All we knew was that he had lost a lot of blood and could possibly lose his arm or his life. Frank doesn't have a wife or kids of his own, and my sisters and I have always been like his kids. We grew up around him at the farm and he's been there for everything in our lives. He walked me down the aisle with my dad at my wedding.
Once we got to the hospital he was in surgery and they were bringing in a nerve specialist to see if they could save his hand. He was in surgery for about 6 hours that first day. They were able to save his hand and his arm by some miracle. He spent the next three and a half weeks in the hospital in and out of surgery. Frank underwent multiple muscle and skin graphs to build his forearm back up. Luckily he was able to come home 4 days before Christmas so we didn't have to have Christmas in the hospital. We were prepared if it came down to that though.
This tragedy was devastating for our family farm. Frank did most of the milkings at the time as well as numerous other chores. Since he was not able to be at the farm for months this left dad to do everything by himself. My sisters and I made a decision among ourselves that we would do everything we could to help dad keep the farm running. Aadrian and I were both in college at the time and Brenda was still in high school. She already helped out on the farm over the weekends, but obviously dad needed all the help he could get. From the time Frank got hurt I went home every weekend and Aadrian came home every weekend she didn't have a track meet. She was on a track scholarship. Since we were both in college we had about a month and a half off from school for Christmas break. We decided to spend every moment we could at the farm to help dad. We handled the majority of the milkings and helped out with whatever else was needed, including working pigs and calves.
Fast forward to March 2012 and Frank was finally allowed back at the farm, granted he couldn't do much because his arm was heavily bandaged and strapped down to his side. He had been a horrible patient during his time of physical therapy. Frank would show up at least once a day at the farm and dad would chase him away because he wasn't supposed to be there. That following spring he did a lot of the planting since driving a tractor is something he could do that the doctor was okay with. And today he is back to doing everything he could before the accident. His arm isn't as strong and it probably never will be, but it's a miracle that they were able to save it.
So long story short this is what led me to come back home to the farm. My last semester I was already coming home every weekend to help out and dad was relying heavily on me for a lot of things. It just made sense. After Frank got hurt I flushed all of my out of state job leads down the toilet and tried to find something closer to home. I found some things, but in reality I needed to be at the farm full time. I asked dad what he thought about it and almost two years later here I am. This is where I'm meant to be at this point and I am more than happy with it. I love being able to work with my two favorite farmers and I'm also able to be more involved with both of my sisters activities. This wasn't my original plan, but I think God put me here for a reason. I'm taking things day by day and seeing where God leads me.
Us with Frank this last Christmas. Two years after his accident!
Frank and dad walking me down the aisle almost one year after his accident. They clean up pretty good :)
Monday, February 10, 2014
Can winter be over yet?
I HATE SNOW. I mean really can not stand it. When I was younger I liked snow because it meant no school and sledding. Now snow just means that my job is going to be twice as difficult. Cows don't like snow. And if there's snow on the ground, that means all the water sources are frozen. This means I have to break ice. Usually I can break the ice open with a rock or my foot. The coldest temperature we've had this winter was -13 and that was a day that the axe had to be brought out to break open the ice. Breaking ice with an axe is my youngest sister's, Brenda, favorite thing to do. I think it's just because dad trusts her with an axe, but at least someone enjoys it.
We have now had snow on the ground for 6 days and the temperature hasn't been above freezing for just as long. To make things even better we got 3 more inches early this morning. Normally in Kansas the snow doesn't stick around this long because it warms up. I'm starting to feel like my good friend Liz who lives in Wisconsin and has more snow than she knows what to do with. Brenda had two snow days last week and she got today off too. For her this means she got called into the farm to help out with everything. She lives with my husband and I. My awesome husband brought her out to the farm on his way to work.
A lot of people don't realize that farmers have to be out in all kinds of weather. I've actually been asked if I get snow days. The person that asked just didn't quite understand that the cows still need milked even if the only way to get to the farm is to put the truck in four wheel drive and try to find the roads that haven't been drifted shut yet. Farmers are some kick ass people to get out in all kinds of weather.
I do think that snow is pretty.... At least until I have to go outside into it. And once it gets below 20 degrees outside it's just too damn cold. I'm a much bigger fan of winters where it never gets below 30 degrees, but sadly that doesn't happen here. I'm a person who is much better at sweating my ass off. If I can pick between 100 degree days and 5 degree days, I'm going for the 100 degree weather. My friend Liz is from Wisconsin so she is much better equipped for the cold than I will ever be. Basically my chant until spring shows up is, "Let's move to Florida! Or anywhere else that it never snows." Below is a picture of all this awful snow in our milk cow pasture. Which is proof that the snow can be beautiful no matter how much I despise it.
We have now had snow on the ground for 6 days and the temperature hasn't been above freezing for just as long. To make things even better we got 3 more inches early this morning. Normally in Kansas the snow doesn't stick around this long because it warms up. I'm starting to feel like my good friend Liz who lives in Wisconsin and has more snow than she knows what to do with. Brenda had two snow days last week and she got today off too. For her this means she got called into the farm to help out with everything. She lives with my husband and I. My awesome husband brought her out to the farm on his way to work.
A lot of people don't realize that farmers have to be out in all kinds of weather. I've actually been asked if I get snow days. The person that asked just didn't quite understand that the cows still need milked even if the only way to get to the farm is to put the truck in four wheel drive and try to find the roads that haven't been drifted shut yet. Farmers are some kick ass people to get out in all kinds of weather.
I do think that snow is pretty.... At least until I have to go outside into it. And once it gets below 20 degrees outside it's just too damn cold. I'm a much bigger fan of winters where it never gets below 30 degrees, but sadly that doesn't happen here. I'm a person who is much better at sweating my ass off. If I can pick between 100 degree days and 5 degree days, I'm going for the 100 degree weather. My friend Liz is from Wisconsin so she is much better equipped for the cold than I will ever be. Basically my chant until spring shows up is, "Let's move to Florida! Or anywhere else that it never snows." Below is a picture of all this awful snow in our milk cow pasture. Which is proof that the snow can be beautiful no matter how much I despise it.
Friday, February 7, 2014
4:00 am is early
Every week I get one morning to sleep in, because everyone needs a break. Usually my days begin at 4am. We begin milking at 5am in the morning and 5pm in the evening. Having the same amount of time between all milkings maximizes your milk production. And more milk means more money, which is the goal of every business.
That one morning where I do get to sleep in I almost always get up a little before 4 to pee. My body is hardwired for that alarm to go off. The longest I can sleep is usually about 6am and then I am wide awake, physically and mentally. I've always been an early riser so in some ways you could say I have found my calling.
The only way I can handle 4am is naps. Everyday I milk I usually end up passing out for about 2 hours once I get home. Naps are the secret to everything I have decided. Little kids have the best schedule's since they have naps built in everyday.
My grandmother, Arlene McCollum, is the one who started our family dairy. Our family has farmed and had beef cattle since the 1880's, but she is the reason we have a dairy. My dad says, "We had to start a dairy because they had too many kids to feed." She started with two cows milking twice a day and built the herd up to 150 cows. My sister's and I constantly say the woman was a beast because she did every. single. milking. The only time she had off was Sunday afternoon's when the kids, my dad and his siblings, milked. (She also took naps, so it must be the secret.)
I'm not sure that I ever want to have a herd the size that my grandmother did, but I do know she was an impressive woman with everything she accomplished. One big advantage she had was living 500 feet from the milk barn so she had a little more time to sleep. :)
That one morning where I do get to sleep in I almost always get up a little before 4 to pee. My body is hardwired for that alarm to go off. The longest I can sleep is usually about 6am and then I am wide awake, physically and mentally. I've always been an early riser so in some ways you could say I have found my calling.
The only way I can handle 4am is naps. Everyday I milk I usually end up passing out for about 2 hours once I get home. Naps are the secret to everything I have decided. Little kids have the best schedule's since they have naps built in everyday.
My grandmother, Arlene McCollum, is the one who started our family dairy. Our family has farmed and had beef cattle since the 1880's, but she is the reason we have a dairy. My dad says, "We had to start a dairy because they had too many kids to feed." She started with two cows milking twice a day and built the herd up to 150 cows. My sister's and I constantly say the woman was a beast because she did every. single. milking. The only time she had off was Sunday afternoon's when the kids, my dad and his siblings, milked. (She also took naps, so it must be the secret.)
I'm not sure that I ever want to have a herd the size that my grandmother did, but I do know she was an impressive woman with everything she accomplished. One big advantage she had was living 500 feet from the milk barn so she had a little more time to sleep. :)
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Hello, my name is....
I have decided to jump on the blogging bandwagon to share some of my life stories with you. Let me begin by introducing myself.
My name is Kodie McCollum Unruh. I married an awesome dude and wasn't able to part with my maiden name so now I just have two last names. The whole hyphen thing just wasn't for me.
In May of 2012 I graduated from Kansas State University! Wildcat Alumni baby!
After graduation I returned home to our family farm. My awesome dad and amazing uncle Frank run the farm. We have a dairy, beef cattle, and also about 1,500 acres of farm ground. I have two younger sisters and with their help we all keep everything running smoothly, at least most days it does.
You may be wondering what I do on the farm. Basically I am the third hand. I do everything, from running errands to working pigs. (We also have some pigs. They are not my favorite thing to mess with.) My main job is milking my moo moo's. We milk twice a day and I am there for 8 of the 14 milkings every week. Most days I like my cows, but we have our moments. Everyone has that annoying co-worker that they have to deal with. Some days I have 98 annoying co-workers that just don't want to cooperate. 98 is how many cows that currently come see me in the milk barn. I've got about 20 more that are knocked up and waiting to pop. The most I've ever had at once was 118. The cow in the picture is one of my sisters and I's favorite. Her name is Shady 80. Her tag number used to be 80 and that's where the 80 part comes from. The shady part comes from how ornery she was last year after she had her calf. She would figure out how to get out of the cow pasture after every. single. milking. This went on for about two months before she decided to calm down. She had another baby last week and is back in the barn once again.
Growing up on a dairy farm is a very unique experience that I am blessed to have enjoyed. It's not common, but it is exciting. You never know what to expect. I'll use this blog to share my farm stories and other things that happen. I hope you enjoy!
KMU
My name is Kodie McCollum Unruh. I married an awesome dude and wasn't able to part with my maiden name so now I just have two last names. The whole hyphen thing just wasn't for me.
In May of 2012 I graduated from Kansas State University! Wildcat Alumni baby!
 |
| My lovely room mate and I in our cap and gowns. |
After graduation I returned home to our family farm. My awesome dad and amazing uncle Frank run the farm. We have a dairy, beef cattle, and also about 1,500 acres of farm ground. I have two younger sisters and with their help we all keep everything running smoothly, at least most days it does.
You may be wondering what I do on the farm. Basically I am the third hand. I do everything, from running errands to working pigs. (We also have some pigs. They are not my favorite thing to mess with.) My main job is milking my moo moo's. We milk twice a day and I am there for 8 of the 14 milkings every week. Most days I like my cows, but we have our moments. Everyone has that annoying co-worker that they have to deal with. Some days I have 98 annoying co-workers that just don't want to cooperate. 98 is how many cows that currently come see me in the milk barn. I've got about 20 more that are knocked up and waiting to pop. The most I've ever had at once was 118. The cow in the picture is one of my sisters and I's favorite. Her name is Shady 80. Her tag number used to be 80 and that's where the 80 part comes from. The shady part comes from how ornery she was last year after she had her calf. She would figure out how to get out of the cow pasture after every. single. milking. This went on for about two months before she decided to calm down. She had another baby last week and is back in the barn once again.
 |
| Shady 80 has returned! |
KMU
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