Hello Guernsey Dairy Mama

Have you enjoyed following me? You can now find me at: 

Guernsey Dairy Mama

It's almost with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to this space! This has been my blogging home for the past four years, and it definitely feels like home! But I have finally taken the plunge to have more creative freedom with my little space on the web. It's a whole new adventure and challenge that I am really looking forward to! 

Seriously Thank You for joining me here, reading my posts and following along with my journey. When I decided to re-brand last Fall, I didn't really know what a journey it would be. But I am excited for the future and where this fun little hobby can continue to go. So I hope you'll all join me:

www.guernseydairymama.com

Healthy Start

Hello February! 

Sometimes it take some healthy determination to make a difference. This month I am determined to carve out a little bit of time for myself! After a few months of just feeling blah by the afternoon, I knew I needed to make a change. It's easy to feel like I just need a break, Mama's need a break, and nap time is my usual down time. But this month I've decided to add in a little movement to help my body feel healthier.

I am not a workout person, and things have to be simple and easy or I won't stick with them. So I am simply trying to move for 20 minutes every day. Yesterday I simply carved out 5 minute intervals in between house clean up. One time I walked our stairs, the next I did a few easy exercises; push ups, plank, lunges and squats and lastly during chores I pushed myself at a little faster pace than usual. Those ten minutes during the afternoon really helped to boost my energy level and clear my head.

So after day one I am sticking to it! One more thing I threw in for fun is drinking more water. I get plenty of water every day, in coffee form, so I'm making a conscious decision to grab a glass every time I think of it.

Small changes, simple baby steps for a healthier and happier ME.
Cause we all need some time for ourselves!

Join me on instagram #30x20challenge, we'll keep each other accountable!

2015 Resolutions

I've never really been one for New Years resolutions, but I seem to always find myself thinking about all the possibilities that seem to be more readily available as the calendar turns over. Why is it that we are more ready to make a change when the date changes? I'm all for motivation, and anything that helps is great, but I find resolutions seems to hang a heavy weight over some heads. So I'm here to encourage you to let go!
If anything that has been my theme for the last year, anyone hear the Frozen song Let it Go playing in the background? In all reality embracing that thought, and only attending to what has to be done, has been liberating. I'll be honest that some areas of my life have suffered greatly from this mantra: my house is literally a disgusting mess, my long lost friends rarely get to see me and my to do list is literally a mile long.
So what have I been doing? Surviving, living, and even sometimes enjoying motherhood with two young boys and a dairy farm. I've embraced the thought that I literally can't do it all and am completely alright with it! Don't get me wrong, it took me a while to get here, and at times it feels like a lonely dark hole that I dug myself. But I find I am so much more happy, less stressed and free. And let's truly be honest, if we don't take care of ourselves, it's really hard to take care of the others in our life.
I am all for making positive changes in your life, just don't be afraid to examine them realistically and be easy on yourself if you don't at first succeed. Above all, take some time for you. Enjoy that extra cup of coffee and chocolate without counting the calories, leave the laundry for tomorrow and play with your child instead, pick up that book you've been meaning to read, go for that run because you want to!
I understand this fast paced crazy life often leaves us with little time for the things we really want to do. Stop longing to do them and make them a priority! 

Above all don't believe that investing in your own happiness is selfish!

 Happy New Year! I hope 2015 is a blessed, healthy, prosperous and HAPPY year for you! ~Darleen

  

Through the Daily Grind: The Passage of Time

I have a theme.

Where did the time go. How is it June, July, August, September already.

Each day clouded by an immeasurable number of diaper changes and tasks for every living being in my vicinity except for myself, I am always amazed as the hours seem to slowly creep by in the day. And yet, the Months, Seasons, Years so quickly pass by! How is it possible to be battling both aspects of the passing of time?

And how did I arrive here? 27 years have immeasurably slipped through my fingers and I look at myself in the mirror as an adult. When did that happen? A mother of two, a wife, a business and home owner, when did that happen? When did my babies sweet chubby cheeks and fat baby toes, lengthen and lean? From days that would never end, to wondering where the days, months, years have gone.

Time, it's hard not to feel it looming in the background. The daily hum to which our feet must dance. Always there in our minds, all we have in this life. It's immeasurable in ways we can't see, and yet always ticking away. On our computer screens, phones, walls, always there reminding us as the numbers cycle by. How many times have you watched it, hoping, wishing, waiting, wanting?

It's hard not to get caught up in the passage of time, as it leads such a role in our daily life. Yet it's not the time I wish to catch, to hold on to. I know my time here can only be enjoyed as a present, in the present. It's the moments.  The life in our years!

 

Changes Coming Soon......

In the middle of our busiest time of year; show season, harvest, the biggest calving month we've had in years, I got a crazy idea to reexamine my blog and the direction I want it to take. I love this space, it feels like home, but I am ready to take it to the next level. So hopefully in the next couple of months, you'll see a new name and new site. I've felt that I am lost among all the other Farmer's Daughters out there and am in search of my own unique name I can really own.
I so appreciate all of you who've been with me on this ride so far! And I hope you'll follow me as I take it to the next level! I'll be sure to try to keep you all in loop as things progress.

All the Best,
Darleen  

Capturing our Family in Photos

We just finished another amazing shoot tonight with the talented Heidi Helser Photograghy. I am so happy and excited to have found her and to have her capturing our family. When our first little farmer was born we captured pictures of him every 3 months. I loved having those pictures and seeing the changes as the first year goes by SO quickly. So I was determined to make that happen for our second little farmer. So after maternity, newborn, 3 months and now 6 months, I am so thrilled to continue to work with Heidi. If your in the Northwest and looking for a good photographer, I can' recommend her enough!!

I really love spending time with a photographer and the images they can capture. Those moments, those smiles are so precious! Usually being behind the lens, it's nice to enjoy someone with a professional eye. I encourage you all to find someone to work with. I promise you won't regret capturing your family in photos! Now to get some of these printed and on our walls! So sharing our pictures from this Spring with you all in anticipation of the shots we got tonight!

 This was such a special shoot full of so much celebration. Mason turning 3, Nolan 3 months, Ben and I being together for 10 years as well as our birthdays. April is just a big celebration and I am loving looking back at this special session tonight! Thanks again Heidi!

Northwest Farmer's Fighting Hunger Results

The beginning of June Dairy Month I brought to your attention the Northwest's Farmer's Fighting Hunger campaign. Well the results are back and I am so happy to have been involved in such a successful year:

So THANK YOU to everyone who participated and helped #fightsummerhunger!

Very proud that Oregon won this little Challenge, of course everyone was a winner in this situation. Hey The Farmer's Wifee, better have Washington step up their game next year! ;-) Extra thanks to her for helping spread the word! 

Dairy Farmer Roadtrip "Vacation"

Dairy Farmers are a wonderful breed of people. Each caring for and producing the best quality product they possibly can. I am reminded of this time and time again as I forge more friendships throughout the dairy world.

This latest expansion of my "dairy family" took me to eastern Washington state near the town of Spokane. We sold one of our Ladies, to Spokane Family Farm. They run a herd of Holsteins and Jerseys and process their own milk. We were interested in seeing their processing facility, so made the drive up to deliver them their "prize" Guernsey.

The Hutchins are a great dairy family. That is clearly reflected in their pride and care for their herd and their products. I am so excited and inspired by their success in the short amount of time they have been running Spokane Family Farm. I can't wait to see where their venture takes them. Obviously great places with some Guernsey milk in the tank now! ;-)

Since we were "in the neighborhood", we drove a little further north to visit with the Stauffer's. I had "met" Krista online as she started her agvocacy with her blog The Farmer's Wifee. If you aren't following her there, you should check out her facebook page as well. Being a fellow Darigold producer and Northwesterner we had followed each other for a while. We got to meet up at the Agchat Conference in January and it was great to meet her in person.

Even better to get to visit her at her farm. They run a mixed herd of Jerseys, Holsteins and crosses. Beautiful farm, nestled in the foothills with obviously happy and well cared for cows. It was great to get an inside look at their operation and catch up with each other.

I have to laugh, because it seems to be true for every dairy farmer, if you are going on "vacation" or a trip somewhere, you always look for farms you can stop at along the way. Dairy farmers are always learning and looking for ways to improve our own operations. Seeing other farms and talking with other farmers is a amazing way to not only build friendships, but share and grow knowledge.

Time and time again as I walk away from new farms I am always impressed with the common cause of healthy and happy animals. Dairy farmers truly do love their cows and this lifestyle. Your milk production is in good hand folks!

So who will we visit next!

     

My Ultimate FarmHer Dilemma

Oh hello August! Yet again my posts are missing here! I had big plans and quite a few posts brewing for July, but slow internet has completely SLOWWwwwwed me down!

I love sharing my story and pictures with you all, but when it takes 10 minutes just to upload one picture, I simply run out if time! 

So as I bang my head against the keyboard in frustration, my ultimate blogger FarmHer Dilemma: is rural internet  availability!! 

How anyone got anything done in the "Stone Age" of dial up is beyond me! And I am hoping that something a little more high speed comes to our area soon!! Wishful thinking!  So bear with me, as I continue to try to bring you my story!!

A Little Perspective on my Dairy Lifestyle

Dairy farming, farming, ranching, most sectors of agriculture are a lifestyle all of their own instead of a job. There's no nine to five, TGIF's, leaving it all at the office for the weekend. We are married to our job, we live our job 365 days a year. There's usually no vacations or weekends off and away. It's in our blood, our bones our very souls.

It's a very special calling. One that is definitely not for everyone. It's hard, SO hard some days. You go to bed with it, you wake up with it, there's really no escape. When there's a bad day, when it all goes to heck and back you can't just leave it on the desk and come back to it tomorrow.

There's days when no matter how hard you work, how much effort, sweat, blood and tears you put into it, you still fail. When you try to battle the elements, guess mother natures moves and loose everything in the blink of an eye. There's times, seasons, years where you make no profit at all. When it can all hang in the balance of the market of a foreign country, the weather for growing hay two states away, and product prices that you have no control over. One tiny tip of that scale in the wrong direction and you can forget about breaking even or even being able to pay all the bills.

There's a driving force, a passion, a fire in our very core,(maybe just call it stupidity) that makes this lifestyle not a choice at all. It's something most of us could never imagine leaving. This lifestyle provides countless blessings, wealth that isn't measured in money and precious moments that make it all worth it.It's in seeing a beautiful sunrise, welcoming a newborn calf, celebrating a great cow's production, working beside our family and children that we face this reality daily.

We get up every single day and provide the very best care we are capable of for our Ladies, not because it's our job, but because it's our life!

       

FarmHer Dilemma #16

FarmHer Dilemma #16: Clean clothes are an invitation for "accidents" to happen. Fairly certain the Ladies view them like a empty canvas. Behold and enjoy the art!

The work of Picasso, truly!

Northwest Farmers Fighting Hunger

Today is not a Wordless Wednesday! Lately all the posts and conversations I have seen about food, seem to be GMO related. That topic can get everyone on every side very riled up and passionate. I am not advocating for either side, but simply asking you to put that passion somewhere it can be put to good use. I love that in our safe and vast selection of food we have the choice to consume the products we want. But for many families right here at home, they don't even know when or where their next meal will be coming from.

Hunger Doesn't Take a Summer Vacation

The biggest population faced with this dilemma is children; 1 in 5 kids in the Northwest faces hunger. Especially during the summer months when school is no longer in session they lose access to meals that would otherwise be covered.

Milk and dairy foods are the #1 requested item by food box recipients.

 This June, Dairy Month our farm along with all the other Dairy Farmers of Oregon challenge you to donate $10 to the Oregon Food Bank.  For every $10 donated, your local food bank can distribute enough food to provide 35 meals. That $10 goes a long ways to helping many families in need! So skip your next two coffees and put that money to use right here in our own community!! Because no one should be hungry!

To donate simply visit Northwest Farmer's Fighting Hunger. And help us #fightsummerhunger!

 Help Oregon raise more money then Washington in this competition that is for a great cause. Use the hashtag above and visit our farm facebook page for shareable content.

I got Washington Dairy Farmer: The Farmer's Wifee on board with spreading the news about this great fundraiser. Be sure to follow her blog and facebook page!

Living the Present

In October I won the ticket lottery to attend a Jack Johnson concert. He is my absolute favorite and I never win anything, so I was beyond ecstatic. Me and three close friends shared the tickets, and embarked on a fun filled night in the big city (I don't get out much!)   After a delicious dinner we arrived just in time for the main act to begin. 

I settled into our seats and as the lights dimmed and Jack Johnsons smooth voice enveloped the auditorium............I was blown away. All across the seats and pretty much every other person was accompanied by a blue screen. Smart phones held high, they were "capturing the moment". Blessed by my rural location, I don't have a smart phone, no carriers have good enough service to justify the cost. I felt like the only person in the whole audience that wasn't virally sharing this awesome experience. For a minute I felt left out, but then I merely felt sad for humanity.

We've replaced immediate human interaction for online worldwide sharing. I think we've made the wrong choice. I thoroughly enjoyed the concert screen free; singing along, taking in the lighting and atmosphere, dancing.......living in the moment. And I vividly remember that night, it is a great memory. 

Everywhere you go it's the same, I'm sure you've seen it too, people on their phones, iPods, tablets; out at dinner, in a movie, at the park; digitally sharing their current experience with the world. Don't get me wrong, I fully enjoy the world of social media, sometimes too much. 

I'm not one for "New Years Resolutions", but this year I am making a conscience decision to live in the moment. It stems from having a newborn and realizing that each moment, every experience, every day is so fleeting. It's here, it's the now, it's the present. A gift to you to take and make it what you will. 

So next time your out to dinner, enjoying a beautiful sunset, watching your kids play. Don't update your status about it, don't pin it, don't Instagram it: Live it! Take it in, take a mental picture and enjoy it!! It'll be gone before you know it. I challenge you to live in the present. 

That age old saying, sleep when your baby sleeps, I found impossible to do today. All I wanted to do was stare at my newborn son. His forehead wrinkled, his eyes fluttered in sweet baby dream land. He slowly opened and closed his fingers, his bed head of dark hair was sticking up at the top of his head. His lips gave off a soft sleepy smile. 

Today was a present and I lived it, did you? 

Merry Christmas!

Sometimes your heart is so full it's hard to put into words how you are feeling. This year I am feeling overly blessed! Sometimes it's so easy to look at all the hard and difficult, stressful and consuming things in your life and lose sight of what really matters. When you let go of all that, and just live in the moment soaking up the little details..............it's so rewarding!

I hope this finds you all with full and happy hearts after the Christmas Season! 

From me to you I am wishing you all the best!!

Merry Christmas!  From me and the Ladies!

FarmHer Dilemma #42

FarmHer Dilemma #42: Work wear does not come in maternity sizes. Somewhat of an issue when your big preggo during the nice cold winter months!

Dear Carhartt,
                         You need a maternity line!

FarmHer Dilemmas

This morning I felt like I waddled through morning chores 38 weeks pregnant, and the real eye opener came when I realized I couldn't squeeze through the people walk way in the parlor. Yes it was comical, luckily I didn't get stuck! ;-)

I realized that we as women face numerous "dilemmas" as farmers, things that are unique to us as females. And well it's a part of our everyday glamorous life. From awesome work outfits, to amazing hair days, creative bathroom stops, fashionable footwear, hazardous laundry duty, literal child mud wrangling, the array and extent of these dilemmas is vast! And with the number of women counted as U.S. farm operators growing, I thought quite a few of you out there could relate.

So Welcome to a new series..........FarmHer Dilemmas

From the comical to the somewhat irritating I'll bring you things that I might find I run into as a FarmHer.

So what have you found is one of your FarmHer Dilemmas? 

P.S. I get no credit for the term FarmHer. Seen it floating around facebook and blogs for some time and think whoever came up with it is a creative genius!

A Year of....

Another year......another year flown by......at pretty much the speed of light!!!
A year whose theme should simply be: behind

Ok please tell me I'm not the only one sitting here wondering how in the world it's only 15 days till Christmas! While I could blame my behindness on  many things, I mainly think it's just lacking spirit. I usually love decorating and getting into the spirit of all the Holidays, but this year it's just been missing! :-( And that makes me sad!

First it was my son's 2nd birthday that I had fun plans for, but pushed those all aside as I fought back morning sickness. That seemed to last for far longer this go around and then I was suddenly looking at Summer. Summer flew by as if nothing could stop it. Add in an extra two cow related road trips and I felt like May to September passed in the blink of an eye! We didn't even get a garden planted this year! Technically I guess it's still Fall, but where October and November went I am still wondering.

And December, here you are! I had big plans for you! Mostly I feel this time crunch because well my due date for baby number two is 19 days away.....at little over two weeks! I was going to be so organized and get everything for Christmas done early, so just in case this little decides on an early exit, and also to enjoy this last time as a family of 3. But alas I still have the majority of my shopping to do, as well as decorating.

 I will give myself this pat on the back, I got our Christmas cards out early this year! The earliest they probably will ever be, they were done by Thanksgiving and I think I got them in to be mailed that following Monday. I love sending and receiving Christmas Cards! Probably one of my favorite things about the season!

And this weekend I finally felt a little Christmas spirit as we visited Santa and his reindeer. Well really just his reindeer, my animal lover son refused to go see Santa, but insisted on several trips to pet the reindeer. We also had a freezing, but at least dry, trip to get our tree.  Now to decorate, finish our gifts, and still have time to focus on our impending new arrival. So many blessings in this year, I just feel like it flew by!

Behind...my New Year's Resolution; to put this year behind me and find my Spirit. Wouldn't hurt if you told me you've had years like this as well?!?

*Also another New Years Resolution, get faster internet! Supposed to be getting installed on Monday, so maybe I can finally share pictures with you all again!* Woohoo, so far it's faster, so I'll add some pictures!*

   

There's Truth in That

I am seriously blown away by the response and support for my last post! To watch my tiny blog, and one little post reach over 15,000 people and growing in the last 48 hours seriously blows my mind. That's half again more people then live in my little home town!

But more than that I am loving the feedback from others who have felt the same! Both here and on our Facebook page. Who loved their own Mercedes and carry those favorites in their hearts forever. I just might have to compile all the stories that have been shared in feedback, it just goes to show that farmers really do care!  And that care isn't just for dairy cows, but all sectors of agriculture!!

That was my mission in my last post, the raw, unedited emotion that we farmers truly feel for our jobs. Because farming isn't just a job, it's a way of life, it's in our blood, sweat and tears, all the way down to our core.

And there's nothing more truthful than that......

Me, me, ME! Mercedes -- Scratches for me, right?

Christmas in the Country!

 

I am so excited to be joining CountryLinked and ThisUnchartedRhoade for Christmas in the Country! They came up with such a fun idea!  Really looking forward to a wonderful event with fellow "aggie bloggers'!  I feel like my Holiday spirit (how in the world is Thanksgiving already here?!?) has totally been lacking all year long. Maybe this can jump start my love for Christmas!

Are you a blogger? I hope you'll join us too!!

A Two and a Half Year Old!

I know, I know I was promising some awesome farmie posts, but pregnancy hormones have been demanding nesting and reflection. I think every Mom has a little spell when they are getting ready for their second child that they really take a look at their first born. I will be honest that I am having a hard time not seeing him as my baby, but every day he amazes me with how big and grown up he really is! I think it is also hard for me to get my brain wrapped around two kids. How will I love another baby as much as my first, what will he be sacrificing with my attention on a newborn, how is there enough time for two kids! I know it's doable, and I know it will come naturally, just having a hard time getting my brain to wrap around the idea.

Also can't believe I have a 2 1/2 year old! Where does the time go! Seems like just yesterday he was born and trying out those lungs of his, something he still does on the daily! To say my Little Farmer has been a challenge would be an understatement, he still manages to test and push the limits every day. Two has definitely been a hard age for him and seems like this week especially he has really been struggling (I think we are going through another growth spurt!) It's times like these that really make me take a deep breath and try to remember all the things I love about my two year old as he screams "No Mommy!" for the hundredth time in the last minute!

Mommy fail; as I feel there are lots of memories I am kicking myself for not writing down or getting a picture of. So I thought I would start a list for every 6 months or so of what Mason is like in this moment!

True Mason Style: I take pictures and only get one out of 100 where he's somewhat looking and smiling!

• Full blown boy! 
• Is totally into his animals right now. He's always loved animals, but now he is all about them. He'd play with his animals all day if he could. Toy tigers, horses, farm animals are always his first go to.
• Wears size 3T clothes! 
• Eats more then me most days. Seriously I am worried about how much food he'll be able to consume when he's a teenager!
• Says "I love you SO much!" and truly really means it. And says it in the best voice. Heart melt! 
• Still LOVES fruit, especially Apples. Kid would eat 5 apples a day every day and not bat an eye! 
• Calls me Mommy now instead of Mama. I think this change came with his stopping nursing-mamamilk-a couple of months ago. I will admit that I miss being called Mama, but kind of nice to not be identified as a food source. But I also dearly miss nursing him!
• Wears size 10 shoes! He ridiculously went from a size 7/8 to 10 overnight, not even joking!
• Still talks up a storm and can carry on a full blown conversation that is mostly understandable with anyone. Isn't shy in the least bit in that respect! 
• Would watch movies and nature shows all day if I let him. But currently isn't stuck on one movie, thank goodness! 
• Is convinced there is a baby girl in my belly and that he only wants a Sister! 

So incredibly blessed with my son. He's way more then I ever imagined a child to be, and way more then I ever imagined parenting to be. I know it might be a bit of a rough road with the new arrival on the way, but he also loves to helpful and I think will fill big brother shoes perfectly!  
Mommy Loves You Mason!