This time of year is busy around the farm.

A new crop of calves are arriving from now until Dec...which we call Fall Calving Season

Cows still have to be milked and pastures made ready for winter

And sometime farm babies start practicing driving early.

Not to mention show season kicks into high gear here in the Southeast.  

Some shows like the pullet show at our local livestock show just award participation ribbons, while others place kids and their animals all the way from 1 to 10 (or more).

Showing livestock isn't for everyone.  

It takes lots of work to teach your animal to walk and set up.

Not to mention it takes a good deal of funds to feed your animal properly for show.

Sometimes it even takes a little help from a friend, when you are showing a ewe or a calf bigger than you.

But all that hard work pays off.  

Not only to the kids get ribbons and prize money

They also learn valuable lessons in responsibly, animal husbandry, and sportsmanship.  

Overall our 1st full weekend of showing went well but more than the ribbons and awards, the Farmboy enjoyed hanging out with his friends and eating Nana Peggy's animal themed cupcakes :) 

Until we meet again...

Caci

The boys enjoyed splashing around in the creek and playing in the sandy bottoms.

Wyatt's hens have started laying eggs consistently.  We have 16 chickens now as one of our hens have wandered off.  Of the 16, four of them are old enough to lay.  We are getting on average 3 eggs a day.  Our other 12 should start laying around the 1st of October.  Not really sure what we are going to do with 16 eggs a day!!

School started this week and the farm baby has been having a blast riding in the silage truck...

well that is until he gets covered from head to toe in silage and then he pitches a fit.  I think he's loving his only child time.  Those sweet curls you see above are no more :( The baby got his first haircut Wednesday.  

I am always amazed at how much a hair cut can change a person.  It is official we now longer have a baby.  He is quickly growing into "Big Boy" status.

Speaking of big boys...the farm boy started 1st grade on Wednesday.  (Side note: Wednesday was a very emotional day for this momma).  He was excited to know many of the others in his class but nervous about a new teacher and new expectations.  

The Farm Boy was getting settled in at his table on the 1st day. 

It floors me how much he has grown up in the last year.  I can't wait to see how he flourishes in 1st grade!

Needless to say this week has been busy and full of re-establishing routines.  

The Farmboy wasn't very happy about "having to quit work" to return to school but all good things must come to an end.  So as we say goodbye to summer we pray that all of you will have a blessed school year! 

Until we meet again,

Caci

So this past weekend the #farmer, #farmboys & I took a mini vacation, 

thanks to our milk cooperative.  

We attended our 1st Summer Break...in Amish Country.

Now some of you may think we spent the 4 days eating ourselves silly, 

touring Amish Farms, and visiting the world's largest Coo-Coo Clock.

However that's not exactly how it worked out. 

We did eat.

We did get to explore some very scenic parts of Ohio

Visit a popular town park...which puts our playground to shame

Celebrate National Ice Cream Day

Enjoy some great family time together

Meet lots of new folks (yes, all dairy farmers)

But the purpose wasn't solely for fun, but also education.

You see this is organized by our milk cooperative to allow young farmers (18-40) 

to visit other dairies and learn how they operate.

  What are those dairies doing differently? 

We also were able to spend time with other folks just like us,

who work hard each day to supply others with safe, wholesome milk for their families and ours.

Who value their cattle and their land...

You see on this tour

 there were 120+ people...

I didn't see one factory farmer.

I saw moms, 

dads, 

and kids

 who all make up family farms 

from Georgia to Pennsylvania. 

Each farmer was attending so they could learn more,

get new ideas,

and fellowship with fellow farmers.  

When the Farmer & Farm Boy arrived back from the evening activities

I took the boy back to the pool.

Where many farm families sat around watching the kids play

while they chatted about everything from cow comfort to #momlife.

You see farmers make up a very small portion of the U.S. population (less than 2%),

so when we get a chance to visit with others like us...

we tend to play catch up because 

you most likely won't see them again for another 6 months to a year!

Overall we had a great trip.  

The Farm boys did great on the trip,

but were super excited to be back home 

and out of the car.

The farmer had some much needed time to relax.

He was headed to the farm within 30 minutes of getting home.

As the farm wife & mom,

I still have a mountain of laundry to catch up on,

have to return to our normal routine today. 

But wouldn't trade a minute of it.

Until we meet again...

Caci

So what's in my 'stash??

This the majority of our stash.  

About a dozen flat diapers,

10 flour sack towels (not all pictured)

and 6 receiving blankets.

I am using the Gerber flats you can purchase at Wal-Mart.  Mainly because my goal is to show others that you can use what is readily available locally.  Many folks on a tight budget don't have the means to order stuff online...so I wanted to use diapers that you could get locally.  Now that can't be said for most of my covers.  But later this week I will be sharing how I made my fleece covers!

For covers we have 2 fleece covers (at the moment a few more are still on the machine),

6 econobum one size covers I got on a seconds sale at CottonBabies (less than $30 for all)

4 Mother-Ease covers I got from a friend.

1 Flip Cover

2 gpants 

1 Pro-Wrap (that is pushing the too small side)

& 2 LiteWrap covers (which are my favorite)

We also have 3-4 pocket diapers in rotation for others to use.  

I am also using snappis to secure my folds.  

My entire stash costed me around $100 however that has been over time not all at once.  The flats themselves cost $12, the flour sack towels about $10 and the receiving blankets where gifts we received.  The rest of my money is in covers.  All of these covers except the Econobum have been used on multiple kids.  

Needless to say we have lots of covers...but this little farm boy makes lots of messes so he get's changed often.  

He loves

 playing with the new kitten which includes 

emptying the poor things food and water bowls multiple times each day...

Climbing gates to get to the horses, after crawling through the red dirt...

plus this week he will be in and out of the silage field helping to harvest feed for our dairy cattle. 

Are you interested in knowing more about the Flats Challenge?? Check out Dirty Diaper Laundry for more info and the rules!   

Until we meet again...

Caci

Easter is a huge thing for us.  We believe that without Easter there would be no reason to celebrate Christmas.  If Christ had not died on a cross, ascended into hell, and then rose to sit on the right hand of God...all for us...we wouldn't celebrate his birth.  Easter is HUGE!!!  Really think about it...the Son of God died a horrible death to save you, me and anyone else willing to believe in him from our sinful ways!  That's pretty awesome!!!

So with that said we have been talking, praying, and preparing our hearts for Easter since early April.  

We started off Easter weekend by having some yummy takeout on Friday night.  Poor Farmer can't eat without the Farm Baby trying to steal his food. 

Saturday morning the boys and I made Empty Tomb or Resurrection rolls.  Afterwards we attended our church's Easter program and did some inside egg hunting because it was pouring rain.

Our boys don't really know about the Easter Bunny.  We have never really gotten into that but we do fill their baskets for Easter morning.  Honestly not to offend anyone but giving your kid a basket at Easter with $100's worth of toys and such is a little much in my world.  Farm boy got a Veggie Tales DVD, bubbles, an Easter book, homemade playdough and some candy.  Farm Baby got pacis, paci clips, a sippy cup, a Bible storybook and homemade playdough.

Farming doesn't stop because it's a holiday...the Farmer still had to get up early and milk cows.  Actually he got the truck stuck before sunrise and had to borrow my car until he had time to pull the truck out.  

After Sunday lunch with the family we did a small egg hunt in my in-laws front yard.  The kids had fun but it was WET!!

Sorry for the sideways picture but it won't turn!  As you see we color code our eggs based on the child so no one gets all the eggs...Farm Boy would not leave any if we didn't!  

We took our annual family Easter photo.  It's amazing how the boys have grown in the last year!

And we ended Easter weekend with a stomach virus that got the Farm Baby first on Sunday night.

(Yes my cloth diapered baby is in a disposable diaper...I didn't want to have to deal with all the extra washing due to the stomach bug)

And then hit the Farm Boy yesterday.  

So how was your Easter weekend?  Did you celebrate bunnies and egg hunts or did you celebrate Jesus's love for you??

Until next time...

Caci