10. Do you have a blog, a farm Facebook page, twitter, etc where people can find out more about you and your farm?  

I can't believe it's already July!

And honestly it's quickly approaching the middle of July.

That means that lots of our friends who grow produce have many yummy things in their roadside stand.

Over the holiday weekend I grabbed some peaches, tomatoes, corn, squash and cantaloupe

from one of our favorite family farms....Cotton Hills Farm  

(If you are a regular to the blog you've probably seen me mention them before.)

I put up most of the corn, squash and tomatoes this weekend.

Well I put up what didn't make it's way into our tummies I should say ;)

This Farm Boy really impressed me this past week.  He has taken to writing in his journal often.  I can't always tell you what he's writing but he's putting his thoughts on paper!

He also did a great job of helping to shuck corn.  He was very meticulous on his silking duties,

which slowed us down but that's ok. 

His favorite part though was fresh corn on the cob.  As you can tell Farm Boy #2 

was quite pleased as well!

Speaking of FB2...he's a mess!

He loves to entertain everyone...see here why we have dubbed him...

"PACI MONSTER"

we never leave home without at least 2 sometimes 3 or more!

Those peaches you saw earlier were made into peach cobbler for the boys 

with a side of home made ice cream

And to cool off on the farm...we fill the old sandbox

with ice cold well water

and splash around

The farmer cut the hay field next to our house this week,

which means no more "over my head" field

and Farm Boy is excited to be able to run through it without fear of getting lost.

Here's the field while they were baling.  

And we are finally getting a few things out of our own 

tiny raised bed garden.

Farm Boy #2 is happy to help pick each evening,

while the original Farm Boy tends to his hens.

I'm just glad I don't have to deal with the chickens!

Until we meet again,

Caci

It seems like I only post on Wednesday...

maybe because it's easier to share pictures than words at times

This past week I was #blessed to find some photos our favorite photographer had done for us.  She had dropboxed them to me and I didn't even realize it!!  

Farm Boy #2 loves to walk up and down the calf rows and inspect each calf

Farm Boy #1 has gotten into the habit of helping feed calves more regularly, which is good since starting next week he will be feeding every morning

The boys have also been fascinated by the 4-H pullets they got.  

It's nothing to drive past our house and see at least one of them playing in the front yard with the chicks.

Farm Boy #2 loves the kitten as well... he has picked up a new word "KitKit" 

which he will yell until you find the kitten...who is probably hiding for safety 

We have been enjoying sweet strawberries and some yummy blue berries as well from some local farms.  We actually have had berries from Bush-N-Vine, Black's Peaches, and Cotton Hills Farms already this year.  We consider each of these farms to be owned/operated by dear friends which makes deciding on the best berries very difficult.  Let's just say we enjoy them all! 

Our show lambs have finally picked up on eating again since bringing them home a little over a week ago.  Lambs have to adjust to their surrounding and learn the new routine before they resume their piggish appetites.  

Farm Boy #2 was loving this toy we borrowed from a friend.  He likes to make tractor sounds from behind the paci.  He is actually in a field we had just cut for silage.

The Farmer...ever working.  He is honestly the hardest working man I have ever met.  I am amazed daily by his work ethic and passion for agriculture.

I'm not sure when the last time I talked to him on the phone that he wasn't on a tractor either mixing feed, chopping silage or baling hay.

That's all for now..

Until we meet again...

Caci

So do we grow GMO's on our farm?  Yes, many of the crops we grow are from GM seed.  Why do we choose to use GM seed? For us using GM seed allows us to increase our harvest amounts without increasing our farm size, spray & fertilize our fields less and utilize no till or low till planting methods.   

Do you have more questions about GMO's?  Please feel free to ask them!  I will be happy to help you understand when, where, how & why farmers may choose to use GM seeds.  

For our family Cheerios will still be a staple but not because they are labeled "Non-GMOs" but because we like the taste.  

Caci

Here is a polled bull calf from a few years ago. 

 I then realized that I don't have a single picture of a horned bull because well to be honest we don't have any.  You might asked why we don't have any horned bulls and it's simple...horns can cause problems and they are undesirable in meat animals as the horns can cause injuries to the animal it's self or to other cattle.  So all our calves are either polled (meaning they are born without horns) or they are dehorned (which means we remove their horns).  

So let's review... 

Some cattle are born with horns,

they are called horned cattle...

these cattle can be male or female.

Some cattle are born without horns, 

these are called polled cattle...

these cattle can be male and female as well.

Here's another set of examples

I realize that some of you may think that I am crazy for writing this post however it's misconceptions like these that are easily corrected.  And while I have to admit it has been fun to tease our friend about her "blonde" moment there are many people in our area that really don't know the difference.  So let's start small educating others about farms and farming.  We don't have to teach them the difference in types of operations from day one...let's teach them the basics...just like we teach our children on the farm

We didn't start off teaching Wyatt about the vast difference in how people raise cattle,

 we began by teaching him the difference in a bull and a cow, 

between a dairy cow and a beef cow...

we kept it simple...

And now we have this

a 5 year old who can appreciate the birth of a new lamb or calf 

but realizes that without hard work and proper care that lamb or calf will not excel

who spends his days at the farm helping Daddy, milk, feed, and care for livestock

who would rather spend Tuesdays at the sale barn pushing cows that a week at the beach.  

He's a little man who understands and respects where his food comes from 

and how hard someone had to work to get it to his plate.  

He is also the little man who gets mad at Team Umizoomi for misrepresenting how milk gets from farm to table...so I guess after 5 years we must have done something right.  

My challenge to all my ag friends is to start small...

keep your message simple and educate one person at a time.  

To all my non-ag friends take time to ask questions...

no matter how silly you think they are...

the key to understanding farming and farmers 

is asking questions and talking with them one on one...

So until next time....

Caci

Wyatt at the 2008 National Cheviot Show and Sale in Springfield, IL

Union County Sheep Show 2008

Riding the tractor with daddy

County Hog Show 2010

Easter 2010...Wyatt is hugging on today's birthday boy Drew!

Summer 2011...right before Samuel (middle) and his family left for a 4 year mission to Malawi!

Muddy boy

Wyatt & Bartow

Summer 2012

Wyatt & Pet

First scar...SC Junior Beef Round Up 2011

Working in the garden

Sept 2011

Even cowboys need a nap during a Wal-Mart run

Early mornings

Checking heifers

Bale sitting (Summer 2012)

Stealing daddy's lunch

Hanging out at the sale barn

barn kittens

Wyatt & Teddy 2010 NAILE trip

So as you can see our little man has grown quite a bit in the last 5 years.  I can't wait to see what the next 5 hold!  He is an amazing little boy who we are very thankful for!  

Until next time...

Caci