Knolltop Farm Wife

District dairy shows used to be a big deal in a lot of states.   In most areas of the Midwest, a district show will consist of maybe 50-75 head and it provides a great place for younger exhibitors to get their feet wet. As in several areas of life, what used to be formal is now more casual and the formality and the pomp and circumstance of the show has gone by the wayside….in some places. Last week I covered the Ohio District 12 Holstein Show at the Auglaize County Fair in Wapakoneta, Ohio. We had arrived early and were sitting ringside visiting with friends. I sat and watched the ring steward, Gregg Topp, get things in order.   He gathered up the wheelbarrow and shovel to keep the ring clean, he made sure the announcer was making the correct announcements and that the judge had arrived and knew how the show would flow that evening. Samantha, the Auglaize County Dairy Princess arrived for her duties to hand out ribbons and like any good princess will do, she introduc...

Who can stop an 87-year-old farmer? Not me and I’m not even going to try. I think it’s in a farmer’s DNA to just figure it out.   When something breaks down, they figure it out. When they run up against an obstacle, they just figure it out. When planting season is delayed by six weeks, they aren’t happy, but they figure it out and keep going. I’m always amazed at the confidence it takes to look at a problem and take a step out of bounds on the way to solving the problem.   If you were to drive down the road and visit farm after farm after farm, they might all look the same on the outside, but on the inside, they all have signs of a man who decided to ‘fix’ a problem or ‘customize’ a piece of equipment. While to the everyday farmer, that is just part of their job. But to those on the outside looking in, it takes a tremendous amount of courage to step up to the plate and take swing at a 90-mph fastball with a ‘customized’ bat. You not only have to know how to solve the p...

Entitlement is the archenemy of creativity, passion and joy.   When I read this recently, it was in the context of a woman whose parents moved her from an exclusive private prep school with every amenity imaginable, to a public school with little to nothing to offer this advanced student who was used to being academically challenged. This author described the numerous extracurricular activities that she was involved with at the prep school.   Sports of all kinds, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, social clubs, student government and a rigorous academic program that would prepare her fully for college.   The public school that her parents transferred her to, because of convenience was, as she described it, had lackluster academic standards, rampant drug use, racial tension, campus violence and a total lack of civility.   But there she was, dropped in the middle of this public school as a sophomore in high school. My heart sank as I thought about this young woman...

By Melissa Hart It’s Monday and you have exactly one week to get all of your Christmas shopping done.  Aren’t you glad I reminded you?  Some of you are in a panic, and others are thinking you have all the time in the world to get it all done.  Either way –one week, y’all! Over the weekend, we went to my parents and put up their Christmas tree.  At 85, my mom still insists on a real Christmas tree, and I can’t blame her.  There’s nothing quite like the stories that are re-told about the failed Christmas tree hunts that we seem to go on every year.  I was just reminiscing with our second oldest son, Luke about that the other day. Luke is nothing if he’s not practical. He’s a no-nonsense kind of kid but Luke also has a very soft, sentimental side. This is the kid at twelve years old wanted to bring his friends to the fair with him because their parents couldn’t afford the price of admission.  This is the young man who comes to the rescue of a...

Such a beautiful day out there today.  As I look through my window at this noon hour, the sun is beaming through and melting the snow! This afternoon, I will have to move my work station to a different location, the sun will come through my unshaded window and I won't be able to see my laptop.  But, that's okay with me.  I love the sun! Tom Turkey is being harvested today.  We bought a homegrown turkey from Ezra Yoder and Bobby will go pick it up today.  My mom always loved fresh turkeys for Thanksgiving, so I had the chance to follow in her footsteps and went right to the source.  Hopefully it will be as good as last year.  Everyone enjoyed it, but honestly, I can't remember what I did to make it so great.  Did I brine it?  Or not?  Did I put it in the oven? Or in the roaster?  What seasonings did I use?  I have no idea. So, I will pull up Pioneer Woman and find out what she does and then I'll copy it. My nephew, his wife ...

If you follow some of the young bloggers out there on Instagram, you know, those chic moms who have beautiful homes, perfect wardrobes and more on the ball than I ever thought of having at age 30, then you've seen how they are all revealing their Christmas decor.  I just want to say....I'm not ready yet!  I just took down the dead ferns that were hanging on my front porch with the fourth of July swag.  I just turned the calendar from summer to fall and they are already on Christmas! They have young children, I don't.  They are on Instagram filming a zillion stories in a day, I'm not.  Their wardrobes are complete from A to Z in their huge walk-in closets and I'm over here with my old Farmhouse closet that I'm constantly shoving clothes into because I don't have enough room.  While I may sound just a little jealous of their closets, which I am, I will admit, I have learned a ton from them!  They know more about hair, make-up and shopping hacks than ...

It's a chilly Saturday morning at Plainfield Farms in Belmont, Ohio where they are hosting the Ohio Holstein Fall Tour! The Simpson Family has been preparing for Holstein enthusiasts to come and enjoy some great food, fellowship and take a gander at some beautiful Holsteins. This is where it's all happening today at 11 am in Belmont, Ohio! The younger generation made the Fall Tour pre-party fun. Allie Bourne, Ben Simpson and Hannah Dye keep things lively! We came down last night and had a great meal at the Simpsons all graciously prepared by Marty Dye. It doesn't get any better than homemade lasagna with a choice of Chocolate or Pumpkin pie for dessert.  And yes, I had a small slice of both. You can't eat just one piece of pie....it's only proper to sample each kind. Oh...there must be a Spartan Fan down here in Ohio! The Simpson crew was gettin' after it this morning.  Have a great Saturday!