Life lesson: generation to generation

On Saturday, the Jersey kids grandpa Jim was showing them how to measure the moisture in corn. To be honest, I didn't even quite know how this was done. It seemed complicated to me, but Tyler easily figured it out.
The cute part of the story is grandpa Jim explaining to the children that he received the moisture test kit as a present from his parents when he graduated high school in 1973. He told the Jersey kids, who seems to be in total amazement how this work (and he had me very intrigued too)about how much that gift cost 35 years ago, a whopping $98.00 and his parents did not have that kind of money. Jim is one of eight kids. He explained how it was very important to take good care of your stuff and have pride in it and it can last a long time. 35 years seemed like a "very long time" to the kids!
Just a simple life lesson shared first hand from their grandpa. I love when generations share life stories. It touches the heart.

A Taste of Summer...a month later

We enjoyed this yummy salad with our dinner tonight. Delish, easy & figure friendly!

Strawberry Spinach Salad
2 bunches of fresh spinach
1 pint of sliced strawberries
1 small red onion thinly sliced
Handful of sliced mushrooms
1 bag of shredded Parmesan cheese

Toss the above together in salad bowl.
Place the following ingredients together in a blender until it thickens for a delicious dressing:
¼ c. sugar
1 T. Poppy seeds
¼ tsp Worcester sauce
¼ tsp. Paprika
½ c. vegetable oil
1/ c. apple cider vinegar

Pumpkin Stop '09

Fresh cool day with sunshine on our backs, we decided to take the Jersey kids to the local pumpkin patch farm. What a blessing to head out, watch the kids giggle as they find their very own pumpkin in the field.

Pumpkin crops were similar to the rest, slim pickin'! Wet, cool summer and fall made for few prize pumkins. Luckily, the Jersey kids were able to find a few winners to take home!

Chop. Chop.

Every year around Labor Day, this Jersey crew gets out our John Deere combines, tractors, wagons and head to the corn fields. This year we began chopping Labor Day weekend and finished the first day of October due to the cool and wet summer we endured.
I really do think the Jersey kids, both big and small look forward to this time each and every year. Don't get me wrong, it is a lot of work, I mean A LOT of work. We put up 4,000 ton of corn silage to feed our 350 head of milk cows. Our cows milk an average of 65 pounds a day, ranking in the top ten nationally for our herd size, so in ordered for them to produce a lot of milk, they have to eat a lot of good, quality feed. We feel proud to produce such great forages and feed for our cows, so they can reach their best potential.

The chopping process is the beginning of the fall harvest. We carefully go over all the machinery to make sure that it is in its best shape to endure the long hours. Next we set up our team of people to run the chopper, haul the wagons and fill the bags of corn silage. Next, we plan the meals for the hard workers, which is my favorite role. I always hear my own mother's voice echoing in my head to feed them with nutritious, filling meals. She says, "They work hard." That they do and I love feeding the hard workers that I love.


Of course, the tractor nor the men don't stop for this process, so whatever meal is fixed is carried out to the workers in the field and generally is wrapped in-between two buns! Today, we've made up two grilled cheeseburgers with the fixins', a piece of fruit and chocolate chip cookies with a cold drink for each worker. It looks like we are feeding a small army, but its the least we can do for all of their hard work.
The Jersey kids are grownin' up. They used to help this Jersey mama fix the meals, but now they ride in the tractors and choppers and the oldest is told to be the next foreman on the project, as he directs the new guy to which field to go to, where the bag is and letting them know when the wagons are full.
The grown men love the Jersey kids and my hubby adores when they ride with him. The kids are full of enthusiasm, ask a lot of questions and get the same satisfaction as do the grown kids from the hard work of making feed for our Jersey cows.

When we call it at night, lets just say everyone sleeps well, after clockin' way too many hours to report. Before my oldest, Tyler says goodnight, he lifts his head and begs to help out again tomorrow. This warms the Jerseys mama's heart.