Raw Milk Monday

Sorry about missing last week. I was selfishly enjoying some relaxation time in the middle of a pond on a kayak...yes, Michigan was berry berry good to me.

So where is this raw milk struggle in Illinois?

A recap.

November 2102 IDPH decides they need to have rules about sales of raw milk even though there have been no illnesses related to fluid raw milk produced on an ILLINOIS farm. They organize a group of folk and have a meeting.

January. They meet again. Someone suggest they maybe want to include an actual raw milk farmer.
I get invited to join

February. I attend the 3rd mtg of this work group and discover they have three  pages of proposed rules out together by those who do not make their living producing raw milk. In fact the majority of the work group is comprised of government officials and big dairy employees. The proposed rules are very slanted against raw milk production , consumption and sales.

February. I sound the alarm and start calling all the raw milk farmers I know plus the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund and we get to work

May. The BIG meeting in Bloomington. With the Dairy Work group now (finally) being comprised of equal number of pro and con raw milk folk real discussion with IDPH begins. We counter all the proposed rules and are well supported by over 125 general public attendees all opposed to the new proposed rules. Physicians, lawyers, retired heath care personal give moving testimonies in favor of not limiting raw milk sale in Illinois. IDPH appears to be listening

June. Conference call with IDPH. The agenda not only ignored what the new Dairy Work Group members asked for in May, it now includes even STRICTER proposed rules especially in the area of milk testing. The farmers unanimously refuse to accept the agenda and refuse to move forward. A request is made to start over from scratch and IDPH agrees. Note: very few anti-raw milk work group members bothered to attend this conference call.

June. The Pro-raw milk members of the Dairy Work Group submit a brand new agenda to IDPH for consideration at the July 11 IDPH sponsored mtg. It remains to be seen ( as of this writing) if that new agenda will be accepted. If indeed it is, I'll share that agenda with you.

In the meantime journalist Tom Kocal  Of The Prairie Advocate News continues to hold IDPH feet to the fire in regards to the Open Meeting Act of Illinois which they claim they do not need to follow., by registering a complaint with the Attorney General  He has also filed Freedom of Information Act requests related to the FDA grant IDPH accepted which IDPH has not been open and forthright about. In other words WHO is behind the drive to severely limit raw milk sales in Illinois and why?

So, just 7 months ago it looked as if IDPH wanted to say HALT to raw milk sales in Illinois but now, due to aggressive involvement of Illinois Farmers, Consumers and Media, and several of our state representatives who are as opposed to the addition of non-sensical rules as we are, those wheels have significantly been slowed.

But we are not fools. Government has a way of feigning public interest while at the same time generating extreme and escape free restraints on American Farmers. So we remain acutely aware and prepared for what we may have to do next if indeed the atmosphere of "working together for a common goal" goes sour.

Surving the Family Vacation

Keith enjoying the joy of doing nothing.

It is a rare thing for a farmer to get off the farm for any real extended time period, especially a livestock farmer, especially, especially the dairy livestock farmer.

But due to the very hard work of a young man and his mother who did our chores, we made it happen.

Michigan. Cool, forest and lake filled Michigan. Canoes and kayaks, ponds and rivers, killer mosquitoes that were seen carrying around baby rabbits and of course...time with family.

Family.

What one word in the dictionary elicits more gut retching feelings of love, devotion, angst, disappointment, pride and passion than that one word?

Family.

The true test of a families worth and strength is in times of trouble such as serious and life threatening illness, death, marriage and the most frightening of all...the family vacation.

It is always perfect in the beginning. Shared meals, group events, friendly teasing, evenings of chatter and camaraderie. A time to catch up on each other's jobs, and lives. Time to laugh and relax and enjoy. But as can happen when a large group of people is together for more than 3 days (the old fish and family rule) things can go sour.

It is never planned or intended but it happens. Perhaps a verbal disagreement or a clash in behavior rights and wrongs. The group may divide and actions are misconstrued, feelings are hurt, wounds are inflicted and one might very well end that family time with the raging and over-whelming feeling of "Never Again"

But what a loss that would be.

Families are not meant to be carbon copies of each other. Conflict is unavoidable. But how a family handles this noise of togetherness, the times of discontent is its true measure. Few families bother to come together anymore at special times like Christmas, Thanksgiving, Birthdays, let alone the summer house tucked into the cool woods between babbling water sources.

It is too hard, they say, too much work.  Uncle Martin is such a bore. Aunt Agatha is so bossy. Cousin It is so hairy. Grandpa Festus is too lazy.

But the bottom line is effort. No family is without it's issues but real families are worth fighting for. We can take the low road and refuse to speak, share or gather together because of some perceived mis-deed or we can reach out to those we've hurt, apologize, ask and RECEIVE forgiveness and move on.

There is perhaps not a single home anywhere which does not display a easily purchased, often trite sign about the value of family but there are few who are willing to do the tremendous heart breaking work it takes to remain a solid, loving , despite all odds, willing to take on any invader, REAL family in these very self centered "I-Have-The-Right-Me-First" times we are submerged within.

Perhaps it is true in this world that there are few things worth fighting for. I myself believe Family is one of them.




Back row from left, Brother -in-law Dave, BIL John, nephew Nick, nephew Logan, Son Colton, son Jason,  The Midlife Farmwife aka Donna, Husband Keith, son Kyle, daughter-in-law Amanda, sister Mary, sister Teresa, niece Bridgette, nephew Connor, BIL Brandon, sister Peg, DIL Tab, daughter Raven, GK Nicole, GK Wesley, GK Allana

Planter Junque

I get a big kick out of antique shops who sell "vintage" farm items for hefty prices.

I got your vintage right here

.
Most of the year it looks like junk. Rusty, falling apart should be in the dumpster junk.

Then summer comes and I get tired of the eyesores and start planting.

By mid August I am tired of the watering and it all reverts back to cheap farm junk.

Just one more cycle here on the ranch.

The Amazing Cull Cow

Cull Cow

The term was not always one of distinction, at least not in the CAFO (confined animal feed operations) world.

There, a cull cow is usually a sick cow, a near death cow, a badly injured cow where the goal is to get them to the locker as fast as possible...before they die on the truck. We've seen some horrible things come off livestock trailers and loaded into sale barn rings or locker holding pens.

Animals that had to be dragged off, beaten off or in the most extreme cases actually killed on the back of the truck and then drug into the plant, to be made into burger, soap bones, dog feed etc..

This was years ago, before there were laws to protect innocent mammals. Years ago before locker plants were fined for accepting such atrocities but the negative  connotation that comes with "cull cow" sadly still remains.

Here, on our farm, a "Cull Cow" is a bit of  a hero.

She is usually a fine young heifer who at about the age of 2 has her first calf. Her milk goes to feed the calf and us and our customers. She spends her days on pasture, happy and healthy. Each year she is re bred and has a new calf. In the confinement world most cows last just 3-4 years , their bodies worn out from the excess grain given to increase milk production as well as the cramped living conditions.

Here, there is no grain just sweet grass from April through Oct and organic hay over winter. And they have room to roam. Lots of room. Eventually Puppy or Ariel or Moonbeam will slow down but usually she'll have 7-8, maybe 10-12 calves before that happens. So when she doesn't breed back, when her body naturally tells her it's time to give in and long before she shows any signs of illnesses or injury we "cull" her from the herd.

She takes a nice slow trip to a locker not farm away, escorted off the trailer by the farmer she has been cared for every day of her life. Her death is quick and humane. She becomes burger. Wonderful, healthy, tasty ,organic,burger. She completes her life cycle with one more great gift to her farmer in the way of 400 plus little white wrapped one pound "chubbies" we call them.

It's the cycle of life here on South Pork Ranch

Twenty and counting

Our first date years ago was a hospital Christmas party where one of the nuns said "Donna, so nice to finally meet your better half"  Embarrassing, but we got married anyway.

Our second date was Christmas shopping for our children. He had two barely potty trained pre-schoolers. I had two angst ridden pre-teens. No romantic dinner, no dancing under the moonlight but we got married anyway.

Our third date was supper at my house where his two year old threw up spaghetti and red sauce all over my living room. Messy, but we got married anyway.

His first wife had sadly died of a brain tumor leaving him with two tiny boys.
I had been around the block more than once determined I could never trust another man ever again.

But we got married anyway. Two kids became Four. A farm was started with one cow. Nursing career grew bigger and bigger. Children raised and moved out. Grandchildren arrived. Nursing career kissed goodbye. Farming continued.

Still, The very best decision of my life. Happy Twentieth Anniversary to us!

Raw Milk Monday:The Reason Why

There are days when we ask ourselves why do we work so hard

 to keep a farm life that often times can indeed be so hard...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THIS is why.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basement, BASEMENT, BASEMENT!!!!!



Beginning of a
tree fort

End of a tree fort

 

There I was sitting upstairs minding my own business yesterday afternoon, trying once again to get some honest work done on my novel, you know, the one I started three ridiculous years ago when the power went out.

Looking out the window I noted an oddity. Trees blowing sideways. Hmmmm. We've had lots of rain the last few days, mant T-storms both day and night but this looked different. Rushing down the stairs and yelling for my husband and GK"s at the same time, we gathered at the bottom of the stairs and...hey, look at that...the furniture on our front porch was LEVITATING. Yup in mid air as things that LEVITATE have a tendency to do.

In my calmest and most in control voice I advised my family, basement, BASEMENT,
BASEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mad Max's Hogcienda. But where is the roof?

And off we scurried through the dining room, the kitchen and down into the basement as winds of spooky force slammed against our farm. Rain poured and we could hear things rumbling about on the porches. Our 5 years old Grandson, maybe too smart for his own good asked with a shaky voice if it was an F-4 or an F-5

Oh, HERE it is!

Having no idea what was over our heads we of course lied and told him there was no tornado, just high winds and basements are just fun places to visit are they not? I further reassured him by reminding him we were underground and SAFE. He responded :if we are underground then why can I still see light through that window?" He pointed to the small basement window above our heads.

It was obvious at this point he needed to be blindfolded.

But before such drastic measures took place, the wind was gone. In its place, some destruction but not real devastation. After awhile we ventured into the yard, the air a full 20 degrees cooler, and assessed the storms damage.

Calf Hutch. Relocated and repositioned. No calves
were harmed in the storm experience

Gone was the tree house, one heavy picnic table (later found) the roof off of Boar Mad Max's Hogcienda, trees branches, two sections of fence and a pregnant sow's hutch. Concerned over the stress on her Keith quickly moved her into the barns box stall where she delivered 12 babies just a few hours later.

Good timing on her parts of those piglets would've flown into the next county. Yeah, I know...when pigs fly :)

GK Allana assists with picture taking of farm damage. The DS proves
it is good for more than just game playing.