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Post by M-5 on Jul 11, 2019 14:20:42 GMT -6
I'm a herdsman on 190 cow dairy, milking 158 today. Will be close to 180 by October if boss don't let me sell some. Beef cows are side project. Just starting on year 20 here, started summer before my sophomore year of high school. Milk primarily Holsteins but few crosses around too. Just finished 2nd crop chopping into bunker. Anyone free tonight to help cover it I'll provide the beer! You have my respect. In the last couple years I have gotten to know a local small dairy about 200 head. They do not earn what the work is worth. Tiphat |
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ez14
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Post by ez14 on Jul 11, 2019 15:02:44 GMT -6
I'm a herdsman on 190 cow dairy, milking 158 today. Will be close to 180 by October if boss don't let me sell some. Beef cows are side project. Just starting on year 20 here, started summer before my sophomore year of high school. Milk primarily Holsteins but few crosses around too. Just finished 2nd crop chopping into bunker. Anyone free tonight to help cover it I'll provide the beer! You have my respect. In the last couple years I have gotten to know a local small dairy about 200 head. They do not earn what the work is worth. Tiphat ain't that the truth! I started being volunteered to help cover silage piles when I was 5 and this year will be the first time in a long time I probably won't have to cover any silage |
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Post by talltimber on Jul 11, 2019 20:27:25 GMT -6
Where you at, that's right up my alley.
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Post by tillhill on Jul 11, 2019 20:56:55 GMT -6
Where you at, that's right up my alley. Very NE Iowa |
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Post by tillhill on Jul 11, 2019 21:00:09 GMT -6
I'm a herdsman on 190 cow dairy, milking 158 today. Will be close to 180 by October if boss don't let me sell some. Beef cows are side project. Just starting on year 20 here, started summer before my sophomore year of high school. Milk primarily Holsteins but few crosses around too. Just finished 2nd crop chopping into bunker. Anyone free tonight to help cover it I'll provide the beer! You have my respect. In the last couple years I have gotten to know a local small dairy about 200 head. They do not earn what the work is worth. Tiphat Thanks M-5 but my boss is one that deserves it. 69 years old. At the farm every am before 330 and rarely leaves before 7pm. Sunday leaves for church and usually back by 1 or 2. 3 back surgery 2 kidney stone episode and 2 rotor cuff surgery and still going. |
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Post by okie on Jul 11, 2019 21:39:23 GMT -6
Where you at, that's right up my alley. Very NE Iowa How is corn looking in your part of the world? I'm clear out of cattle but I'm still sweating bullets on everyone else's behalf. With the way dairy has been for a while now corn is scaring me right now. It's hit and miss pretty much everywhere in between us and west for a ways with more misses than hits. |
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Post by tillhill on Jul 11, 2019 23:24:20 GMT -6
How is corn looking in your part of the world? I'm clear out of cattle but I'm still sweating bullets on everyone else's behalf. With the way dairy has been for a while now corn is scaring me right now. It's hit and miss pretty much everywhere in between us and west for a ways with more misses than hits. we have awesome corn and we have corn that will barely make silage. Just going to depend on the heat we get and how soon it freezes |
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Post by franklinridgefarms on Jul 13, 2019 15:56:36 GMT -6
I'm a herdsman on 190 cow dairy, milking 158 today. Will be close to 180 by October if boss don't let me sell some. Beef cows are side project. Just starting on year 20 here, started summer before my sophomore year of high school. Milk primarily Holsteins but few crosses around too. Just finished 2nd crop chopping into bunker. Anyone free tonight to help cover it I'll provide the beer! You have my respect. In the last couple years I have gotten to know a local small dairy about 200 head. They do not earn what the work is worth. Tiphat I second that, over the years have gotten to know and become friends a couple dairy families. Hard time consuming work that doesn't allow for much outside of it, and not much profit involved. Sadly the about all the small dairies have went out around here. |
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Post by tillhill on Jul 13, 2019 16:55:12 GMT -6
You have my respect. In the last couple years I have gotten to know a local small dairy about 200 head. They do not earn what the work is worth. Tiphat I second that, over the years have gotten to know and become friends a couple dairy families. Hard time consuming work that doesn't allow for much outside of it, and not much profit involved. Sadly the about all the small dairies have went out around here. Thank you franklinridgefarms, farming in general is tough. Hard work long hours and never know the pay. Thing about dairy deal is 330 am and 330 pm no matter what your doing it's chore time. Makes it tough some days but all in all it's a great way to raise a family. But my almost 6 year old is smart beyond her years. She said to me other day, daddy if we sold all our cows could we go on vacation like my friends do and come to my ball games? Bout broke my heart but I explained to her why we have to milk cows and feed them and take care of them. Then she rode with moving oat hay yesterday. She said it was ok I missed stuff because most of her friends don't get to ride in tractors and have calves/chickens and play outside with their dog. Sunday night is only time that milking and the schedule really bothers me. Wife and kids go to church and usually go do some fun family stuff. Well I got chores to do, but we try to do family movie or UTV ride or something Sunday night. I hope my kids understand what it takes to feed America some day and respects farmers/ranchers like I do. And the sacrifice it takes to do it from the family standpoint. |
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Post by franklinridgefarms on Jul 13, 2019 18:24:35 GMT -6
I second that, over the years have gotten to know and become friends a couple dairy families. Hard time consuming work that doesn't allow for much outside of it, and not much profit involved. Sadly the about all the small dairies have went out around here. Thank you franklinridgefarms, farming in general is tough. Hard work long hours and never know the pay. Thing about dairy deal is 330 am and 330 pm no matter what your doing it's chore time. Makes it tough some days but all in all it's a great way to raise a family. But my almost 6 year old is smart beyond her years. She said to me other day, daddy if we sold all our cows could we go on vacation like my friends do and come to my ball games? Bout broke my heart but I explained to her why we have to milk cows and feed them and take care of them. Then she rode with moving oat hay yesterday. She said it was ok I missed stuff because most of her friends don't get to ride in tractors and have calves/chickens and play outside with their dog. Sunday night is only time that milking and the schedule really bothers me. Wife and kids go to church and usually go do some fun family stuff. Well I got chores to do, but we try to do family movie or UTV ride or something Sunday night. I hope my kids understand what it takes to feed America some day and respects farmers/ranchers like I do. And the sacrifice it takes to do it from the family standpoint. Great description. That is great that you involving your children in what you are doing as far as work, and work ethic. They will learn so much that so many children don't have the opportunity to know about. I would also commend you and your wife for having your children in church. |
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Post by okie on Jul 13, 2019 18:52:30 GMT -6
I second that, over the years have gotten to know and become friends a couple dairy families. Hard time consuming work that doesn't allow for much outside of it, and not much profit involved. Sadly the about all the small dairies have went out around here. Thank you franklinridgefarms, farming in general is tough. Hard work long hours and never know the pay. Thing about dairy deal is 330 am and 330 pm no matter what your doing it's chore time. Makes it tough some days but all in all it's a great way to raise a family. But my almost 6 year old is smart beyond her years. She said to me other day, daddy if we sold all our cows could we go on vacation like my friends do and come to my ball games? Bout broke my heart but I explained to her why we have to milk cows and feed them and take care of them. Then she rode with moving oat hay yesterday. She said it was ok I missed stuff because most of her friends don't get to ride in tractors and have calves/chickens and play outside with their dog. Sunday night is only time that milking and the schedule really bothers me. Wife and kids go to church and usually go do some fun family stuff. Well I got chores to do, but we try to do family movie or UTV ride or something Sunday night. I hope my kids understand what it takes to feed America some day and respects farmers/ranchers like I do. And the sacrifice it takes to do it from the family standpoint. I feel your pain. When I was breeding cows I left the house at 1:30 AM and got back around 11 most days if I didn't make sales calls. Then I was either farming or dealing with my own cattle when I got home. When I DID get days off I was still on call because a new guy can't be expected to handle a route that size. I'd make big plans for my two days off ever month or two and wind up crashing so hard I'd literally be sick until I got back to work and then I'd go like a rocket for about a week until it caught back up to me. I owe everything I own to it but I'm still not sure it was worth it. |
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Post by tillhill on Jul 13, 2019 19:02:24 GMT -6
Thank you franklinridgefarms, farming in general is tough. Hard work long hours and never know the pay. Thing about dairy deal is 330 am and 330 pm no matter what your doing it's chore time. Makes it tough some days but all in all it's a great way to raise a family. But my almost 6 year old is smart beyond her years. She said to me other day, daddy if we sold all our cows could we go on vacation like my friends do and come to my ball games? Bout broke my heart but I explained to her why we have to milk cows and feed them and take care of them. Then she rode with moving oat hay yesterday. She said it was ok I missed stuff because most of her friends don't get to ride in tractors and have calves/chickens and play outside with their dog. Sunday night is only time that milking and the schedule really bothers me. Wife and kids go to church and usually go do some fun family stuff. Well I got chores to do, but we try to do family movie or UTV ride or something Sunday night. I hope my kids understand what it takes to feed America some day and respects farmers/ranchers like I do. And the sacrifice it takes to do it from the family standpoint. I feel your pain. When I was breeding cows I left the house at 1:30 AM and got back around 11 most days if I didn't make sales calls. Then I was either farming or dealing with my own cattle when I got home. When I DID get days off I was still on call because a new guy can't be expected to handle a route that size. I'd make big plans for my two days off ever month or two and wind up crashing so hard I'd literally be sick until I got back to work and then I'd go like a rocket for about a week until it caught back up to me. I owe everything I own to it but I'm still not sure it was worth it. I hear ya Okie. When we do take a day here or there with the kids I wanna sit down and drink beer with my feet up. I took them to the zoo last year and told wife you can drive home. 12 pack Budweiser passenger seat 2 hours home was vacation to me. |
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Post by highgrit on Jul 13, 2019 20:30:46 GMT -6
From my experience it's not worth it. Wish I was a better dad and spent more time with the kids as they were growing up. Take it for what it's worth .
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Post by tillhill on Jul 13, 2019 21:13:17 GMT -6
From my experience it's not worth it. Wish I was a better dad and spent more time with the kids as they were growing up. Take it for what it's worth . I dont doubt you one bit. I got a dad and a step dad. They graduated together. I was born when they were 18. Both of them work wise had their foot on the gas pedal to work and done well. My step dad is ready to retire and help me farm. Mom not so much! My real dad about same thing. Both of them agree kids watch you work your nuts off and when they grow they understand what you did for them. I dont know what the right answer is but I respect the hell outta all 4 of my parents working their asses off for me. I've been to Disney land and county fairs and kinds of things. What I remember was both of my dads taking me to the farm and milking cows, combing corn, hauling bales, feeding calves. But that's what I was into too, idk. My boy about to turn 2 is worse then I was according to my mother. 7 stitches and some glue so far. If there's a tractor in the driveway he is going in it. Or the utv or anything that will go! |
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Post by farmerjan on Jul 16, 2019 6:05:17 GMT -6
I've been a milk tester, DHIA, for 28 + years as well as milking cows off and on for 40. Ready to get out of it but there is no one that is willing to take a job like this anymore. Hours too irregular, and with the difficulties in the dairy industry, low milk prices and the milk companies constantly wanting more with no real incentive except for the get bigger mindset, it is a "way of life" that is disappearing. So many farms no longer test monthly with milk prices being so low, so it is hard to make a living with this job anymore. Glad I am "retirement age".
Always wanted a nice small farm of my own, but now am glad that I don't have to fight the industry.
I have several jerseys and guernseys and hol crosses that I have used for nurse cows raising calves and milked for the house. Not economical to even raise calves anymore. Next to no market here for hol steers either. I never expected to get rich, but making a living would be nice. we run 150 - 200 head commercial beef cows and both my son and I work off the farm jobs. Time to slow down a bit.
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