Knolltop Farm Wife

It's sunny, breezy and quite warm out, now that it's nearly noon here on the Knolltop. I'm getting used to my new winter schedule. Now that the cows are staying in at night, my morning routine has changed and I have to go back out and help do some morning chores. I really don't mind, that just means I do more work and I can eat more. I like that. Especially that Halloween candy that I bought to give out tonight in hopes that no one will show up on my porch! Yes, I plan on turning the light on....for a few minutes anyway! Then it's an evening of pigging out on chocolate and popcorn! We had a new calf born last evening during chores and it was a hoot watching the kids trying to bring the new mom and her baby in from the pasture. Jake had a rope halter, I guess in hopes of putting it on the heifer and leading her into the barn. Never mind that she's not a show heifer and acts like she hasn't seen white man since she was born! While he chased her around...

Yep, it's official, the flowers in the planters by the entrance to the barn are dead. I pulled them out and threw them into the field. Now I've got to think about what to put in there for Christmas......but I have time for that later! The gutter cleaner worked so beautifully this morning, so now I've got time to watch the Autumn Opportunity Sale online where Tom Barrends is dispersing his herd in Fremont, Michigan. It's fun to just listen to the sale while I work around the house. Actually I should be cleaning off my desk...it's a mess! I think I'd rather be out cleaning out my flower beds and riding my lawn mower, but then there's that blasted laundress. She hasn't shown up in weeks! I pay her good money and she's still a no show...so I have to do all the laundry myself. By the way, in regards to the comments: Tom- You do not weigh 250! I don't think you could ever weigh that much, so you're not getting my treadmill! Not everyday is ...

It's a beautiful sunny morning here on the Knolltop. A cool 27 out this morning, I think all my flowers will finally be dead. I tried to keep the ones by the barn under protection, but I don't think they made it. I'll check on my way out to the barn...which is right now. More later!

Finally, I'm on this computer. What a morning! It's cool today with sun and clouds. This morning I remembered that the boys asked me last night to make something for their FFA lunch. Why not? So I started some sweetrolls as soon as I got in from milking. Then we went through our normal breakfast but I had to take the two younger kids in to school because JW and Luke went in early to pitch. Actually, JW was pitching and Luke was catching. It's basketball season you know....so it's time to wake up early and practice pitching????? It makes sense to them...so I guess it's all good. After breakfast clean up we headed back out to the barn to let the cows out, bed, clean the mangers, put more feed out and let them back in. While I was sweeping I remembered I needed to roll out the dough and make it into sweetrolls so they could have time to rise. I ran in, made up the sweetrolls, put them in a pan and covered them with a damp towel. Back out at the barn, the gutt...

It's a very cool 30 out this morning! Even the coons stayed in their warm nests this morning during chores. Usually they are bold enough to come right out and practically say good morning and put in their order for breakfast. Yesterday the rain came and went. It stayed long enough for harvest to shut down. So the fields will be quiet today and the dealerships and cafes will be filled with farmers. That rain was just in time, I have a Michigan Holstein meeting today and the odds are, most of the board will show up since they can't get in the fields. Better get to sipping my coffee before I head back out to the barn and then to the meeting.

It's cloudy and dare I say...we had snow falling this morning during chores! I'm not that excited about snow yet. I've still got to mow the yard one last time and really, I don't want snow yet. This is a very special day at Four Dot Dairy in Joliet, Montana. The matriarch of that ranch is turning the big 50 today! Yes, my wonderful sister, Virginia Stene is now a half century old! She won't mind me telling her age...in fact, she should be proud of it. She is a beautiful woman who is so accomplished. She has done more in 50 years than most do in a life time. She not only is a stay at home mom of five boys but she has homeschooled her boys and three of them have graduated. She is also a horse breeder and breaks and trains her own horses, she now has a dairy where she retails their milk and besides that she has a homeschool choir, plays the piano at church and does a whole host of other things. I should do a story on her, I could sell that story to any farm ...

The annual Legends of the Fall Sale, managed by the one and only (thank heavens) Burton-Fellers Used Cattle Sales team garnered another great sale at Gloryland Holsteins in Grottoes, Virginia. When the last cow was struck off the sale averaged $14,964 on 68 lots. The high selling consignment was lot 1 sold to David Tait and Lawson Bennett for $150,000. Those are the sketchy details as of right now. Maybe I'll have more later!

It's a cool, cloudy morning here on the Knolltop . We might get some rain...we might not. Yesterday afternoon we had three of the four kids at the supper table which is a rare occurrence these days. As we sat and enjoyed BBQ meatballs, baked potatoes, steamed vegetables and bread, the boys talked about the Haunted Barn that the FFA is putting together for the elementary kids to walk through this evening prior to the last football game of the year. Then they asked, "What are you making for the bake sale mom?" SURPRISE! I quickly replied while searching the empty corridors of my memory of this bake sale, "What bake sale? You didn't tell me about any bake sale...did you? Please tell me you didn't tell me so I can console myself that I'm not really losing my mind yet!" JW and Luke looked at each other and kind of grinned and then flashed their sweet smiles at me and said, "Well, maybe we forgot to tell you that the FFA is going to have a ba...

Good Morning from the Knolltop. It's clear, cool with a little breeze blowing in. It's going to be another pretty fall day here in southern Michigan. I went to SArah's game last night with my BFF Sue and they won! Both the 7th and the 8th grade teams beat Camden and they were pretty close games. They seem to be really improving, I'm anxious for AAU Volleyball to start again next spring so Sarah can improve even more and play more games. But until then we have one more football game, for the varsity and then we have a couple of weeks off until basketball practice begins and Sarah will be the only one coming home after school. Luke will have practice, Jake will be the manager for Luke's team, so he will stay also and then JW will have practice after Luke's team gets done. I never thought I'd have to go back to cooking for small groups even though I have a house full! As Sue and I were visiting last night I told her I was praying that God would lead us ...

Good Morning from a cool Knolltop! I thought I would share some more pictures, now that I'm getting into this new picture program. Last week when Sarah and I ventured north to the Great Lakes International Draft Horse Show, plowing was the first thing we saw, and right before this farmer started plowing he was on his cell phone. I tried to capture it, but was too late. As we walked through the barns we were most impressed with the displays, I mean the horses were nice too, but the displays were so great. We both think we need those curtain things that go around a stall at our cow shows so we could put all of our junk in there and no one would see our mess! They are becoming more and more popular at the dairy shows, but we don't have one.....YET! This exhibitor was all the way from Texas and they had a great display. Then we came along these two wall hangings. Oh my goodness! I was so excited to see what someone had done with all of their ribbons! I've seen it do...

What so many have been waiting for...pictures of the Jerseys....there you go. Well, actually it's only one Jersey, right there in the center....can you see her?

It's another cool, clear morning here on the Knolltop. The kids have a two hour delay, so it's pretty calm around here right now. Yesterday we had parent-teacher conferences and while I won't tell you all the stuff the teachers said about my kids I will tell you how times have changed. This year we've hired several new teachers and I think my kids have every one of them. So we got to meet all the new educators and see what they were like. Of course, they didn't know us, so when we walked in I would hold out my hand and say, "I'm Melissa Hart, JW's mom" and then Bobby would say, "I'm Bobby Hart, JW's dad" and then one of us would say, "And yes, we're married to each other.....and we're also the parents of Luke, Sarah and Jake." I never thought I would have to say that, but in this day and age, I feel compelled to explain that I'm married to one man and we have four children....together! How strange is that? La...

Good cool morning from the Knolltop. It's clear and cool here in Southern Michigan. It was a busy weekend on the farm. I had three of the kids with me in the pasture picking up old boards from broken fences that had been repaired. We had a great fire and of course we roasted marshmallows. Can you have a fire without marshmallows? I didn't think so. Then we watched a little bit of the MSU-OSU game but had no problem tearing ourselves away from the TV to go to the barn when OSU was up 21-0 in the first quarter. I didn't even want to listen on the radio in the barn. But at least we lost to a good team....not like Michigan losing to Toledo last week.....in the big house! I loved it. Today is parent-teacher conferences so we'll so see what our kids have really been up to in school. And I think we'll sort through some clothes to give away to the Goodwill. I can hear the sounds of overjoyed children in the background over the thought of cleaning and sorting! YIP...

Good Morning from a cool, cloudy and still dark Knolltop! It's been confirmed, JW did hit another deer and now my van has a bigger dent in it. You know, most people would be embarrassed to drive that van around the way it is...but not me. Today, Sarah and I will head north to the MSU Pavilion for the Great Lakes International Draft Horse show in that van. I've never been one who was impressed with cars. Tractors? Yes. Cars? No. So I'll probably be the only one driving it until we get it fixed. Okay, now for the update about the Jerseys that Threecollie, from Northview Diary in New York asked for yesterday. They are getting along just fine, although they like to play around when going to their stalls. The Holsteins head straight for their spot...they know a manger full of food awaits them...the Jerseys like to wander by their stalls, maybe peek in, take a step in the right direction and then duck back out to see what everyone else is doing. Most mornings, I can f...

It was a busy day for sure yesterday and promises to be more of the same today here on the Knolltop. It's kind of overcast, still and cool, like 48 out this morning. But from Pyrovu's post it sounds like I'm living in the promised land! Honestly, I don't think I would be too happy waking up to all that snow in October! We don't have the storm windows up (yes, this old house still has storm windows) and the barn is far from winterized! You guys in Montana can keep your snow! I'll keep looking over the pretty leaves turning here in southern Michigan. Yesterday I traveled up to my parents house to pick up some hay and the time I was dreading of having to drive an hour and a half was actually so nice because I had time to think while I enjoyed the beautiful fall colors....it was like my very own color tour! I just got off the phone and it seems my van is a deer magnet! JW just called to tell me they hit another deer on the way to school.....EVERYONE IS OKAY! ...

Good Morning from a cool, clear and sun not peeking through Knolltop! It promises to be a busy day here, I've got to get an estimate on my van, then head north again to get the hay and hope the truck doesn't give me anymore problems. I guess I should look at those problems as learning experiences....I actually feel more confident now knowing what to do if it over heats! Then back home to cook dinner, chores and Sarah has a volleyball game tonight. Okay, now we have a new feature on this blog....I just realized it's available...it's my follower option. I'm not sure how it works, but I can list people who follow this blog on the left hand side. I only found it because Erin, a fellow blogger and mom in Montana registered as a follower. So I added that option to the blog. I think if you click on "follow" you can register as a follower and put your picture in. I still haven't figured out how to get Erin's picture there....but I'm working on it...

It's a beautiful, sunny afternoon here on the Knolltop ! I got slightly side tracked this morning on my way to blogsville . First I got a call from Trent to be on Rural Route and of course I said yes, who wouldn't? Then I got a call from my dad saying he had baled some fourth cutting that was a little wet and needed to be fed up....of course I said, Yes, I'll be there this morning to get it! Then on my way to my parents, the truck overheated and I had to play mechanic and of course I said, Yes, I'll open the radiator and pour in some anti-freeze all the while getting step by step instructions from my husband. The real victory is, I got the hood open on the truck, found the radiator cap, opened it up, didn't get burned, poured in the antifreeze, closed the hood and went back home to safety! I hate being alone when my vehicle breaks down. Now there's a story I'll have to share sometime....broken down on I-96 at midnight....alone! Oh, yes and I forgot to sha...

Since I had a vote to start my blog off with what's happening out my window, I will refrain from dragging my poor sorting and organizing skills into this blog and only report on the cool clear morning here on the Knolltop without saying a word about the walls that need to be repainted and the pile of stuff still sitting behind me. Before I say another word, I have to say Happy Thanksgiving to our Canadian friends....especially to Rustico, the Jersey fanatic! (Russell Gammon, Exec Sec of Jersey Canada, aka the consummate promoter of the Jersey breed and someone I'm glad I met over two years ago when I happened to pick his table to dine at when I sat down for the banquet at the Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference in Frankenmuth, MI. Sitting between Russell and Trent Loos that evening made it one of the most memorable banquets I've attended to say the least!) So glad Trent was brought up today, he apparently thinks my views are not normal. Duh? You finally just figured ...

Here's that winning Michigan FFA Team after garnering their hardware at the All American Dairy Show in Harrisburg. From left, Sarah Mann, KT Arndt, JW and Brittany Westendorp. I'm so glad to finally have a picture of these great kids!

It's a cool clear morning here on the Knolltop. That reminds me...does anyone get tired of my weather reports? I just can't start this blog without letting you know exactly what's happening out the window that I'm looking out when I work on the computer. It's right in front of me...I just can't help it! But if you all are getting tired of it, I'll start my entries with something else like....the walls still need painting here in my office/catchall room. Or how about, "My desk is still a mess here in my office where my walls need painting in my office/catchall room. Or maybe you'd like "There is still a pile of stuff sitting behind me, next to my desk that is still a mess in the office/catchall room where the walls still need painting. Well? I think I'd better stick to the weather outside my window since the piles on the floor and the messy desk and the walls in need of paint will still be like that for the next month or so! Okay....l...

I took one last shot before Luke went into the ring...notice he was still clean!

Luke and Jake play a minature Connect Four game with the neighbor girl....wow...this fair stuff is exciting!

Matt Mann on his steer....I don't think they have a pleasure class in the steer show.

This is one of those priceless father-son shots. Gregg Hardy and his son Parker at the Michigan Summer show. I'd say Gregg is a little more intense, wouldn't you?

With a little black and white, this photo looks really old, doesn't it? I'm going to just play around with this new method of posting pictures.

It's a beautiful morning here on the Knolltop. We're getting summer weather again and I'm not complaining! I was commenting to Bobby last night during milking that I hadn't left the farm after chores at night for five days in a row! Now that's unusual for me....but very, very nice. Tonight I will break that streak by going to Luke's game. They play a tough team, so it should be a great game. I'm fixing baked pork for dinner today, I should have a table full. He keeps bringing his football buddies home after school for dinner before they go back to the school for the game. That's fine with me, but the first time he did it without warning and when I saw the extra boys pile out of the van I started scrambling for more food from the fridge! No one went away hungry that day, but today I'm better prepared. That reminds me of something one of Luke's buddies said. They were talking about an incident at school between a boy and a girl and one of ...

It's a cool, rainy day here on the Knolltop. I don't mind the rain, I got my yard all mowed yesterday! Besides I could use a rainy day to take care of some inside projects, like the mess on the floor right behind me! It's all that stuff that needs a place because it's not in use all the time, but I can't get rid of it. I hate that stuff because I don't have a closet big enough to store it all and then close the door! My laundry room is over flowing again, I don't know how that happens so fast. It's just so prolific! So I've got laundry to do and grapes on the vine that should be made into jelly and errands to run. So once again, I will get the urgent needs taken care of and leave the important stuff behind for another day...until we run out of underwear and socks!

Good cool morning from the Knolltop ! Do you ever have those days when everyone is in a talkative mood? It doesn't matter where you go, everyone you meet wants to visit. That's what happened yesterday when I left the house for a quick trip to Walmart and home. I got stuck in my car talking to someone while on my way to the bank. I didn't want to do my banking while talking business, so I waited outside and in our small town, I'm sure everyone wondered what I was doing sitting in my van talking. Off the phone with the first visitor I entered the bank and both tellers wanted to talk. They are fun to visit with especially when we talk about body fat percentages and muscle mass indexes. After 20 minutes, I finally got all my banking done and headed to the store. Wanting to get my oil changed and my tire fixed while I shopped, I took my car to Walmart's tire and lube. I decided they had too much money or too much business as I bought my groceries and headed int...

Good Morning from a Knolltop that has all it's family members under one roof again! After spending all day on Saturday glued to the internet, watching the Holstein show at World Dairy Expo, we then turned our attention to when JW might get home. He called and said he would be staying at Levi's and coming home Sunday morning. Watching a movie in bed, I got up for a commercial break and went out to the kitchen. I saw a body on the couch, Luke, and a body on the floor that didn't resemble Jake or Sarah. I had to really take a good look and when I did I saw it was JW! He had snuck in unannounced and crashed on the floor. Last evening after a busy day he sat down and we visited about every detail of his week. It was so much fun to hear about his experience and even better to have him home!

Well the Planet Holstein averaged more this year than last on twice as many lots! On 41 lots the sale average was $18,200 with the high seller Ralma Shottle Camouflage-ET consigned by Marlin J. Bontrager of Iowa bringing $101,000. She will make her new home north of the border in Canada. Last year's Planet Holstein sale offered 27 lots and was the second highest averaging Holstein sale of the year at $17,300.

A beautiful sunrise is peeking over the horizon here on the Knolltop and while we ate our hot sweetrolls this morning we noticed how pretty Miss Stanna's tree was with the sun shining on it with the leaves just starting to turn. Last evening Luke's team beat Camden again. Luke had a much better game this week than last...of course he wasn't getting up at the crack of dawn to milk cows at a county fair this week either, so his performance was much better. It was a cold game, but a good one. When we got home we watched some of the Agriprize sale on the Internet, but we didn't see JW. He called last night and sounded very tired. But he is excited about going to the World Classic sale tonight. Wednesday there was a comment on the blog from someone, I don't know who, but they said they saw Levi and JW and that they looked tired but were doing well. I thought about that comment and had a feeling of comfort as a mom knowing that my 17 year old is 600 miles from home a...

If any of you were wondering why there was a picture on the top of the blog with no caption...it was because yesterday I was fooling around with Picasa, where my pictures are stored and it said, "Blog it" so I blogged that picture just to see how it worked. Then I never went back to see it. So, that picture is at the fair last week when Bobby and JW were blowing up tops on all the cattle. I have to say it was nice to have JW on the scene, a first this year, as he and Bobby worked together to make the cattle look their best. It works out rather well because JW doesn't enjoy showing near as much as Luke and Sarah do and Luke hates fitting the cows and really enjoys showing, so JW can fit the cattle while Sarah, Luke and Jake show them. And with JW helping Bobby with the fitting, I can actually try to watch the kids in the ring while keeping an eye on the cattle so they don't get dirty. Yesterday Dallas Burton called. I answered the phone and he hardly got hell...

Good Morning from a cloudy Knolltop. It's cool and feels even more like Fall around here this morning. I told the kids this morning I would have to bake something today to warm up the house! I garnered all smiles with that! Last evening Sarah was doing her homework, she had to write two fables. One was to be 250 words and the other 500. She was complaining about how long they were to be, I told her it was a cinch, and that she'd have 500 words in no time. Of course, both of her fables were stories with cows in it, and what she had written was very, very good! I'm sure her English teacher wonders why she is so obsessed with cows! We spoke with JW last night, he was doing well out there in Madison. They went to Expo yesterday and saw some familiar faces. A couple of Juniors from Michigan fared well in the Junior Holstein Show yesterday. Tera Koebel had the Junior Champion bred and owned and placed 5th with her three year old. Parker Hardy was second, behind Tera in ...