Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Dedication or Sacrifice?


We're closing June Dairy Month today. For the last month we've tried our best to promote all the wonderful things dairy and will continue doing so. Being the end of dairy month, we wouldn't want to leave you without some dairy fun, so July kicks off National Ice Cream Month.


Dairy products offer a great way to get essential vitamins and nutrients in your diet and it certainly helps that they taste good. I mean really, almost anything is better when you add a little cheese. How could you start your morning without milk on your cereal? Yogurt in a parfait or smoothie is a wonderful way to add fruit to your diet.


Independence Day is just around the corner and everyone I talk to seem to have plans for the weekend. So what do farmers do to celebrate? Like most, they'll probably make it to a gathering of some sort or even go away for the weekend if they have someone to do chores for them. Work on the farm doesn't stop for a national holiday and we sure aren't going to get a floating holiday off. Chores will still need to be done, cattle tended and the milking will take place twice a day.


Over the years, people just can't imagine why we can't make it to a party that starts at 4 PM or why we're late to something. Well what can I say? The farm comes first. Some might say we're making a sacrifice because we don't get out as much as our friends. We consider it dedication to the land we live on, the animals we care for and the food we produce.


I've added a picture of the little premature beef calf, Biscuit, we had this year. Realistically, she shouldn't have made it, but I spent many nights getting up every few hours to feed her and I'm proud to say she's thriving. This is why we do what we do. It isn't really a sacrifice when we have something like Biscuit to prove that our hard work was worth it.


In my own opinion, the real sacrifice was made by the men and women who gave us the privilege to be able to celebrate Independence Day. So THANK YOU to everyone who has served our country. Without their dedication and sacrifices, we wouldn't have anything to celebrate.

1 comment:

  1. The picture of Biscuit was taken the day she was born. She weighed 20 pounds.

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