Knolltop Farm Wife

I often receive offers to review books and I always get marketing reps who want me to write a review about their product.   But it’s those companies who are willing to send me their product, let me try it out and then allow me to offer my unbiased opinion who I have the most respect for. There are products out there that I may or may not like for one reason or another. And recently I was sent a pair of women’s muck boots.   The Women’s Tall Chore boot to be exact. After about a month of tromping round the fall weather, I can honestly say, I like these boots. When my four kids were little, each of them had a pair of tall chore boots that they would wear in the barn.   They were fantastic at keeping their feet warm and dry and because they fit so snuggly, I knew they would not kick them off or lose them in a mud hole. They were great, but I have to admit they were a bear when it came time to pull them off. I did not look forward to that after a long day and thr...

I was walking behind a young man in a sports complex and on the back of his shirt were the big letters: ASK.   So of course I did. I asked him what ASK stood for or was I just supposed to ask him a question and he would answer?   He smiled and then kindly explained that it stood for Audacity, Service and Kaizen. You see, he was a basketball coach at a college, and I knew that whatever those letters were, it would be some sort of motivation tool or leadership tip and I would not regret asking him for an explanation.   I also knew that whatever those letters stood for, it would let me capture a glimpse into his leadership style. Audacity. Do I have the audacity to continue to improve?   Do I have the desire to be the best? To conquer fear? To take the next logical step in my career path, even though it means a commitment to more work, but a really great reward? Audacity is a challenging word that inspires me daily.   When I think about audaci...

If you only knew….. Let’s take a moment and fill in that blank.   If you only knew…. what I’ve been through in the last week. If you only knew… where I started out. If you only knew… what I witnessed when I was a child. These are all statements that we either say in our head or out loud when confronted with someone who questions us, doubts our ability or even offers up some constructive criticism. Recently I saw on a social media site that many women find it difficult to receive an honest compliment. While they may say thank you to the person, deep down inside they are thinking, ‘NO! I’m not THAT! I’m not the person you think I am, I don’t deserve that kind word! Please stop saying that!’ But why? Why do some folks find it difficult to receive a kind word from someone? Other than the fact that it’s easy to listen to the negative self talk that plays like an unending loop our heads, I think there is one underlying factor: We are the only ones who know everythin...

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...