A Little Update

*Disclaimer - the piglets have not arrived yet. These are old photos. Over and out.*

I really wanted to post my last Texas trip post today, but honestly I've decided it would take too much brain power that I can't afford to lose. So you get a brain dump instead, you lucky people.

Unless you've been living under a rock (or are new here I suppose) you must have heard me say about 15 times by now that my gilts are farrowing soon. Soon as in starting tomorrow. There's been boatloads to do both physically and mentally. I realize that 22 pigs farrowing over the course of a week is a small, small number compared to the average farm and how many they farrow in a day.

However, we do things a little differently and a lot more intensely than the average farm. We are providing 24-hour supervision (most farms would be 8-12 hours a day, perhaps maybe 16?). We are literally catching every single piglet as it is born. We are tagging the umbilical cord attached to the placenta, cutting the cord, taking a blood sample from the cord, and putting another tag on the piglet's umbilical. We are weighing all of the piglets as they are born, and will do the same 24 hours after birth, at processing, and weekly until they are weaned. We are also getting the sows out of their crate and weighing them the day after they farrow, and weekly too. This is on top of our "normal" duties like feeding, cleaning, etc. Also instead of the two people I usually have working for me I now have about 25 extra people, whom we had to train and schedule, and about 5 of those have decided to back out in the last 48 hours, meaning we had to redo things.

I hope you don't think I'm complaining - because I'm really not. Guess I'm just trying to explain what I'll be doing for the next week that will be leaving me so brain-dead? But I swear I wouldn't trade it for the world. I've shed blood, sweat, and tears to get to this point of craziness - and I'm sure I'll lose more of all of those in the coming days. Nothing makes me happier than catching those piglets, seeing them survive and thrive. Sometimes I have to euthanize the ones who aren't going to make it, and I won't pretend that it's easy. But I firmly believe that no animal should suffer like that for any longer than necessary. After we wean and send the piglets off, my heart aches for weeks - I'm not even kidding. There's a dull feeling in my chest that I've lost something, and eventually it fades with time, but never totally goes away. This time is especially bittersweet since it will be the last.

But enough with the sappy stuff - here's the details. There are 2 gilts due tomorrow. 5 on Sunday, 9 on Monday, and 6 on Tuesday, but we likely won't be done until Thursday or Friday of next week. I'm planning on working 12 hour days until we're done, but will likely be here longer. Now it's supposed to snow bad on Sunday (when it rains it really pours I guess) so I might be sleeping here as well. If you want the real-time updates - be sure you are following my Facebook Page, Instagram, and Twitter as I'll be posting there a lot more than here simply because it's so much faster.

Wish me luck! See you on the other side!

National Ag Day

Today, March 19th, is National Ag Day. I wish I had a beautiful, eloquently written post for you today. But honestly between the head cold I've been fighting and the fact that my 22 gilts are going to farrow in just three short days, my brain is not functioning like it should.



So while I'm organizing coveralls and hanging heat lamps, I wanted to give you a list of some fantastic agriculture/farmer/ranching blogs that I love to read (in no particular order), with the hopes that maybe you'll celebrate Ag Day by checking a few of them out and learning a bit more about who grows your food and fiber. Enjoy!

Faces of Agriculture

Circle the Wagons

The Ranch Wife Chronicles

WestEastern

High Heels & Shotgun Shells

The Bacon Blogger

Country LINKed

Feedyard Foodie

Buzzard's Beat

Crystal Cattle
Dairy Carrie

Life on a Kansas Cattle Ranch

Pinke Post

The Beef Jar

Midwest Farm Girl

Diaries from the Dirt Road

Hoosier Farm Babe

Inspiration for the Week

It's been a long time since I did one of these posts, but seeing as how it's a Monday and it's the Monday after daylight savings, I figured most everybody could use a little pick-me-up. I personally would like a nap, how about you?

(source)

Texas Trip - Part 3

Wow, sorry for the long delay in these Texas posts. But I'm determined to finish them up in the next couple weeks because two weeks from today the farrowing starts and the piglets arrive and things are going to get crazy around here! 

Texas Trip - Part 1
Texas Trip - Part 2

Day 4 of our Texas trip had us heading out of San Antonio bright and early, on the road for the drive down to Corpus Christi, TX. The only request Dustin made when I was planning this trip was to see the beach, so that's where we went.

First stop was the Texas State Aquarium, which was just ok. I guess I was picturing something different for an aquarium, when there was really only a few exhibits and not really much to see, but it was fun while it lasted.

 And while we were at the aquarium, we got a really good view of our next stop - the USS Lexington. 

Dustin is a huge military history buff, so the Lexington was a must see. Other than the fact that it was around 85 degrees in the middle of October and the ship didn't have air conditioning, it was a really neat place. They had a little onboard cafeteria were we had amazing hot ham and cheese sandwiches, a 3D movie theater, and a self-guided tour set up where you could walk around at your own pace and see everything. 

After the Lexington, it was on to our beachfront hotel room on south padre island I paid way too much for - but you only live once right? Honestly, before arriving in Corpus Christi I thought I hated the ocean. Bold statement, I know, but I'm not a very good swimmer, I'm not a fan of being in water where I can't see my feet, and the whole contains deadly creatures and goes on forever and ever thing was not my idea of a good time. Plus we had just seen jelly fish at the aquarium and read a sign that said they were in this part of the ocean, so I kept telling Dustin he had to pee on me if I got stung by one, because I saw it on "Friends". I'm the picture of romance, I'm telling ya. 

But I'm glad to say my opinion has been changed. Although it was mid-October and windy, the ocean was warm. It also helped that we were literally the only people around on the whole beach except for a few stragglers. Don't get me wrong, I still didn't go in very deep and still screamed and jumped on Dustin every time something touched my leg, but I actually enjoyed myself. I wish I was back there right now in the warm water with sand between my toes instead of here in all this snow...

We stayed until the sun went down and then it was to the main drag to find something to eat (not as easy as it sounds during the off season) and hit the sack since we needed to be up super early to get to Houston the next day. 

National Pig Day & Pork Facts

Happy National Pig Day!

Here's a few pig and pork facts in honor of this special day :)

• The pork industry provides 35,000 direct full time jobs and 515,000 indirect jobs.
• Hog heart valves can be used to replace weakened or diseased human heart valves. 
• A total of 2.3 million metric tons of pork valued at more than $6.1 billion was exported in 2011.
• Japan is the top destination for US pork, followed by Mexico and China. 
• Pigs can be used for many different drugs and pharmaceuticals, including insulin.
• Pig byproducts are also used to produce glue, buttons, water filters, insecticides, crayons and matches. 
• President Harry Truman once said "No man should be allowed to be president who does not understand hogs". 
• "Farrowing" is the term used for the act of a pig giving birth. 
• Ounce for ounce, a pork tenderloin is just as lean as skinless chicken breast. 
• China is the world's #1 producer and consumer of fresh pork. 
• Relative to their body size, pigs have small lungs and their stomachs are proportionally smaller than those of cows and sheep.
• Pork is the world's most widely eaten meat at 42% (Chicken is 33% and Beef is 22%). 
• Most Americans consume pork in the form of ham, followed by sausages and bacon.
• A pig's squeal can range from 110-115 decibels. Compare that to the Concorde jet, which is usually under 112 decibels.
• Most pork on restaurant menus is offered in the form of bacon. 
• Pigs can't sweat, hence why they prefer to roll in mud/water when hot. 
• Pigs are monogastric (meaning they have a one compartment stomach like humans) and will only eat until full, they won't overeat. 
• On a list of the top ten sandwiches served at home in the US, ham is the #1 choice.
• The heaviest pig in history, Big Bill, weighed 2,552 pounds. (Pigs today generally range from 300-500 lbs for mature adults)

So God Made a Farmer's Wife

I know it's been a while since the Super Bowl and the debut of the stunning, So God Made a Farmer commercial. However, one of the farm wife's I'm friends with on Facebook wrote this piece in dedication to the farmer's wife in response to the Paul Harvey commercial. I don't think it's ever too late to share something this good. Again, these aren't my own words, but Megan agreed to let me share them with you. Enjoy.

Inspired by the Super Bowl commercial and a comment from my youngest sister, Tory, I have fashioned this reply to Paul Harvey’s speech. Dedicated to my Mom, sisters and hundreds of farm wives that are some of the most spectacular women I know. This is for you… 

And on the 9th day God looked down and said, “I have just asked a lot of this old boy, he is going to need some help,” So God made a farmer’s wife. 

God said, “She has to get up before dawn and not let that farmer hit snooze for the third time, cook breakfast while he is milking cows, wake and ready the brood for school, take supper to him in the field and remind him to quit in time to get to the school board meeting in town.” So God made a farmer’s wife. 

“I need someone strong enough to carry his children and at 8 months along run cows out of corn field. Someone to run for parts, come home and throw a meal together and deliver another meal to a sick neighbor. Someone to mend his clothes and keep them clean, who will deliver her good towels and own hair dryer to the barn to warm a shivering calf.” So God made a farmer’s wife. 

“I need someone who will trade off with him in the barn while saving that newborn colt. And when it dies, she will cry, when he says, ‘Maybe next year.’ Someone who can use that ax and knows where to find it. Who can fashion a child’s belt out of baling twine, while running horses back in and fixing the hot wire. And who at planting time finishes her forty-hour week by Tuesday noon, 16 of those hours at her in town job.” So God made a farmer’s wife. 

God knew that farmer would need someone out there bucking bales & bouncing along at double speed helping get that hay in ahead of the rain. Someone who would run with him to the neighbors’ when he sees smoke and then come up with enough food to feed the tired, hungry, impromptu firemen. So God made a farmer’s wife. 

God said, “She has to be strong enough to heave bales, scoop out bins, carry feed buckets, yet gentle enough to fix a child’s boo-boo with a duct tape & shop towel bandage in the middle of a field. It has to be someone who won’t cut corners when it comes to the land and animals but cut them in her clothing, grocery, beautician and decorating budget. Somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed and rake and disc and plow and mix calf bottles and load livestock and haul them to town. Who makes sure everyone is bathed and in the pew Sunday morning for church.” 

“Somebody who would trust his guidance, but offer her suggestions, as he baled his family together in love and sharing. Who gently reminds him of who he is working for. Someone who would laugh, then sigh and then reply with smiling eyes, when her daughter says she wants to grow up and ‘marry a farmer.’” So God made a farmer’s wife. 

Megan Gottman

For another perspective on this topic, check out this similar post by Diane over at her blog, A Farm Wife.

**This post has gotten tons of views, and I appreciate that! However, if you care to repost this poem or share on your own blog, PLEASE include a link back to me and give credit where credit is do! Megan is a talented writer and I would be so ashamed and sad if someone was to claim her words as their own. She gave me her permission to share these words, so please do us both a favor and don't share without proper credit. Thanks.**

Bittersweet Memories - National FFA Week

This week is National FFA Week, and if you were ever one to be involved in FFA, I can guarantee those three little letters bring back memories.

Even as a toddler, my sister was a FFA fan.

My own FFA memories bring back a mixture of smiles and tears, but the truth is I wouldn't be who I am today without that organization. I still remember that day in 8th grade where we toured the high school. All of the organizations and clubs had booths set up in the library to try to recruit new members. My friend led me over to the FFA table, she knew some people there and her older sister had been in FFA. Sure, it sounded cool I thought, why not? Little did I know that organization would change my life.

One of my senior pictures - in FFA official dress.

If you knew me now, it would be hard to imagine that there was ever a time that I wasn't passionate about agriculture. But until I joined that club, I honestly hadn't thought about it. Sure, I preferred to live in the country, and I knew country boys were more my style, but that's about as far as my thoughts went on the subject. Over the next four years I began to realize what a huge impact agriculture had played in my heritage and the even bigger impact it would have on my future.

Receiving a state award for Nursery CDE team.

I'm not sure anyone can make it though high school drama free, and I know I definitely didn't. Surviving seemed to be a daily battle, and the ag department wasn't an exception to that rule. But from my sophomore year on, I lived and breathed ag and FFA. Throughout high school I was our chapter Secretary, Vice President, and President. I was on the forestry, soils, knowledge, floriculture, and nursery CDE (career development events) teams. I competed in national CDE events twice, and was a district FFA officer. I went to National Conventions in Indianapolis, IN and Louisville, KY. I went to the WLC leadership conference in Washington D.C. I received numerous chapter awards, my state FFA degree, and later my national FFA degree. For a few years after I graduated high school, my heart would literally ache when I watched my brothers participate in FFA activities, because I missed it so much.

My FFA officer team senior year.

Now would be the time when I tell you that the friendships I made in FFA are still strong to this day, and I wish I could. I had a small group of friends and we were thick as thieves in high school. We planned events and coordinated meetings. We traveled and laughed and competed and succeeded and failed together. But the sad truth is people change, and sometimes in that change things fall apart, and it's not really anyone's fault. This is why the thought of FFA is bittersweet to me, but I wouldn't change my experiences for anything - I met my husband through FFA and he was the best thing that ever happened to me.

Newly dating - Dustin and I at a FFA community service event. 

I've never been a life of the party, social butterfly type of person. In fact I was painfully shy as a child. I still don't look forward to new situations and interacting with new people. But through FFA, I was able to become chapter president, and a district officer. Things I would have never dreamed of being able to do when I was younger. I could stand up in front of a group of people and take charge, even if it wasn't my idea of a good time. FFA taught me important life skills I would have had a hard time developing otherwise, there's no question about it.

My brothers and I when I received my National Degree.

I still believe this organization is doing amazing things for today's youth. And it's not even about the agriculture, although that's an important part. It's about those life skills, making connections, achieving goals, and setting yourself up for greatness. It's about recognizing and respecting where we came from and planning for the future. I only hope this great organization continues to get the support it needs to be available to my future children, so they too, can make their own bittersweet memories.

My first meeting presiding as chapter president. 

"I believe that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life and that I can exert an influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in that inspiring task."

The FFA Creed - E.M. Tiffany