Waiting...

It seems like in the past week, we've done alot of WAITING...

Last Thursday we WAITED for the (much needed!) rain to stop.  By evening, we assumed that it was finished;  the rain measured 4 1/2" by supper time.  It was more than we had expected, but less than disastrous.  Jim was WAITING to chop our late corn; hoping that it wasn't already too dry for the silo.  Too much rain would make it impossible to get into the fields any time soon.

We went to bed, WAITING for morning to come,along with the sunshine!  However, the next morning, it was still raining!  I had forgotten to empty the rain gauge, so we aren't certain how much we got, but people around us had measurements of up to 8 1/2" total.  Wow!

We WAITED some more, and finally the sun came out, and we had a beautiful drying day on Friday.

Saturday arrived, and this is what we did...

We still can't quite believe that the chopper was able to get into the fields after 8+" of rain, without making any ruts, and no mud on the driveway!!

We chopped a few loads of silage to refill the one silo, but needed to WAITuntil Monday to do the silage ag bag. (Several peoples' schedules have to mesh in order to get this done!)

Monday arrived, along with more rain.  So, we WAITED some more...

What do we do while we're WAITING?

We had a little time in the afternoons to do some reading...

I did some baking...made my first apple pie from scratch in ages!  (Sorry, no picture...it didn't last long enough! :)  

I made a wreath for my front door with some ladies from Church...

We WAITED to see if our best milking cow would recover from what we think might be "hardware".  (see Dairy Farming 101 - part 1)  The jury is still out on her fate...

We watched a cross country meet on a muddy course...

We enjoyed supper with our Life Group...

And as we WAITED out was seems now to be the last evening of (three consecutive days and another 1 1/2") rain, we were given a beautiful gift...this rainbow!  I think it might've been  the most beautiful, complete, double rainbow that I've ever seen!  Thanks God!

And now...after all the WAITING we've done this week, the sun is once again shining beautifully, a strong breeze is blowing, drying things out, and we hope to finish up chopping corn tomorrow!



I guess we'll WAIT and see!

From drought to deluge...

Oh. My. Goodness!

When it rains, it pours.  Literally!

Wasn't it just a few days ago that we so desperately needed rain?  We had a nice 1.7", and were so grateful.  Now today, we're beginning to wonder if we'll ever see the sun again!

Almost 5" of rain and four changes of clothes later, it's STILL raining.  And blowing.  And raining some more. 

Just about an hour or so ago, I decided to take my camera for a walk.  The rain had slowed to a slow drizzle, and I walked outside, looking for the perfect picture to capture the day.  I was out behind the barn when the heavens let loose again.  I ran for the house...or tried to anyway.  The big barn doors were blowing wildly in the wind, and I was bombarded with pieces of hay in my eyes.  Several large branches blew down in the yard, and the rain was literally blowing sideways.  Jim ran out and we closed the barn doors, propping them shut with the pickup.  Schools even dismissed early due to the weather...I don't ever remember that happening before, other than for snow of course.

I am now temporarily clean and dry, and looking forward to seeing the sun, hopefully tomorrow.

And...I never did get that perfect picture, so I guess you'll just have to use your imagination!

It's a girl! And she needs a name...

The population on the farm grew in number by one yesterday.

Last evening during milking time, we got to witness the birth of a new heifer calf.  It was so nice that it happened like this; in view of the barn, with no complications, and before midnight!

I really wanted to get a picture of the actual birth, but I was milking and couldn't get my camera in time. Jim was feeding and Eric was replacing a hoe blade, so Jenna ran for my camera and had the honor of taking most of these pictures.

Calving isn't especially pretty, so if you don't like to see "messy", don't bother looking any further!


Newborn...

5 minutes old...

10 minutes old...

About 30 minutes old and trying to stand.  Can you imagine if our kids did this?!

Only 40-45 minutes after birth!!  A bit wobbly, but she did it!!  Mama is proud...

She's a big, strong heifer calf with a good set of lungs, and a healthy sucking reflex.  She downed her two quarts of Mama's milk in no time this morning. 

Now, all she needs is a name.  Any suggestions?

Rain!

Ok, so you ask, "What's the big deal about a puddle?  Or a rain gauge for that matter?!"

If you live in Lancaster County, you already know...

Last night as I sat at the computer beside an open window, I heard the most wonderful sound...I heard rain falling outside!  Oh what music to my ears!  I was really hoping that it would still be raining in the morning, and it was.  It's now just after 3 pm and it's raining still!

This is the first significant rainfall we've had in quite some time.  The brief thunderstorm we had last week doesn't count.  That just settled the dust.  This is an official rainy day...it's dark and dreary outside, and the rain just keeps on falling.  Even the dogs went into hiding!  It's been a great day for both Jim and I to take a little bit of a break...when the sun is shining it's hard to justify taking "time off" during the week.

Hopefully this rain will help to make up the deficit we have ...and hopefully it will replenish the well at the "other farm" where we keep our dry cows and heifers.  They've been out of water over there off and on for several days now.  A stock tank filled by a water tanker will provide water for the heifers for now, hopefully conserving the rest of the water for use in the house!

It is so easy to take things like having plenty of water for granted...so I'll take this opportunity to say, "Thank you God for the rain!"

More fun at the fair...

Although it’s not life on OUR farm, it’s life in our community!   This week we hurried through the barn work so we could spend as much time as possible at the fair.  Here are just a few highlights…

Our friend won Reserve Champion for her Dairy Beef!

Another friend and her pig…

And another…

Sheep belonging to another friend…

We enjoyed the personality of this curious goat…

These alpacas are beautiful animals!  The baby is only one month old…

Beautiful handiwork…

A sampling of creative, original pumpkins…our favorites were the pink mouse, the penguin and Lady Liberty...

It wouldn't be fall without some gourds...

Farmall row...

And the fair wouldn’t be complete without the long milkshake lines!

So until another year, we say goodbye to the Lampeter Fair!  I hope you enjoyed it!

West Lampeter Fair

This week has got to be hands down one of our family’s favorites, every year!  It’s West Lampeter Fair time!

In late September, the tents go up, the animals are brought to the fair grounds, the committee chairpersons call on their volunteers, the bakers heat up their ovens, the fair queen contestants practice their speeches, old friends reconnect, and the community comes together for a week of hard work and fun.  The smell of funnel cakes and french fries fills the air. This is a true farm fair; no fairways or rides at Lampeter!

Antique tractor parade

Tuesday and Wednesday of fair week are two days that Jim knows I’m simply not available to help him much on the farm.  It is my job to line up the judges and volunteers to process all of the delicious baked goods that are entered in the baking competition.  Jim becomes the kids’ taxi, the chief cook and bottle washer and does most of the barn work without my help.  And, I must say...he does it quite well!



Baked goods ready for auction



Yesterday (Tuesday), I was at the fair almost all day.  We accepted items in 70+ categories for judging.   This morning, the items were judged and prizes were awarded.  Tonight, the items were auctioned off to the highest bidder…the prize winning cake in the Hershey’s Cocoa Contest brought an amazing $83!  It was purchased by the father of a delighted young lady who won, and is now eligible to compete at the State Farm Show in January!  (I wish you could have seen her face as the price went higher and higher!)

As the last items were being sold, a fast moving thunderstorm blew through, sending people scurrying for shelter, the fair queen competition to the dairy barn, and me to my car!  While it put a damper on things a bit, we desperately need the rain, so we won't complain!  Perhaps it will also bring relief from the 90+ degree heat we had today!

I was at the fair by myself tonight.  Both kids were at home with Jim, under the weather.  They were so disappointed to miss it, but hopefully tomorrow evening we'll all be there!  The kids enjoy wandering through the tents, collecting candy, pens and other "goodies".  Jim, among other things, enjoys looking at the old tractors, and I for one, am looking foward to not having to cook supper two nights in a row!

For now, however, it's off to bed.  My eyes are falling shut as I write!

A few of my favorite things...

These are just a few of my favorite things from this summer and early fall...

Cousins came to visit...it was fun seeing them enjoying farm life:

gathering eggs...



just hangin' out...



getting ready to feed hungry calves...

feeding hummies



Murphy had nine puppies which we all enjoyed:

Well...we enjoyed them anyway...she was a bit overwhelmed!

By the time they were ready to be sold, we had all become quite attatched!

And then...just a few random shots:

Jim takes a minute to enjoy the cat with twelve names.  I can't remember them all, but I know they start with Percy Peter Punky Buster Bobo...

Jenna has a new hangout while we're milking...and she gets there from the outside...no ladders for her!

Happy perennials, BEFORE it got so hot and dry!