Its Tuesday evening…..my son is busy at the other computer where my photos reside so I decided to take a look at the few pictures here on the laptop to see if I can find one that’s not been posted on the blog yet. The one above is what I found. It was taken EARLY one morning in EARLY spring, probably around the time of the equinox. The golden sunlight was slanting its way just so through the kitchen window, creating the fascinating shadows in the picture. I thought they were rather fascinating, anyway. The old canning jar is filled with grapevine curliques. The glass fisherman’s ball came was found at an antique show several years ago…..its shadow reminds me of pictures I’ve seen of the planet Jupiter.
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My daughter sent an email from Germany today. Her group is staying in Miesau. They walked around town last evening and found a place to eat. She said the word “menu” means “meal” in German. She ordered a “Dunker Kabob Menu”. It was freshly-roasted chicken in a flatbread wrap with lettuce, cucumber, pepper, goat cheese, and garlic sauce…..a “fantastic” meal, she said. There are lots of cute houses in the town, with shrubs, trees, and plants growing everywhere. They don’t really have lawns, and she thought I would like that. Yeah…..no mowing!! Gas costs 1.47 Euro/liter (she said that would be around $2.80).
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Here on the farm, the guys were cutting more hayfields. Hopefully, the weather will stay dry so we can bale some of it…..the rest will go in the silo, probably. I’m not caring for the weather right now…..its muggy and heavy. The heaviness just weighs me down…..why is that? Maybe the economy is part of the problem, too. Dairy farmers’ financial situation is dire. Our income has fallen 50 % since a year ago, but all our expenses are the same or higher. NOT GOOD. The tension is written all over my husband and my stomach is in knots continually. A couple weeks ago there was a gathering of dairy farmers in Manchester; they met to “discuss” the poor milk prices. I talked to a guy from our area who attended……he said there was plenty of anger in the crowd that day. Yipes…..I’m glad I wasn’t there. Being in close proximity to ONE angry farmer is bad enough, let alone 200 of them. Dairy farmers can’t just turn off the lights and walk away from the barn until the economy turns around…..the cows continue to need milked and fed and cared for, and that costs money……money that doesn't exist.
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I know the economy is tightening up everywhere, pinching a portion of the joy out of many peoples’ lives. I’m trying to smile, but it is definitely getting more difficult to do so.
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16 comments:
Fascinating blog. It's been my first visit, but I shall return.
First: your old photo is exquisite! I love the shadows. Your eye is SOOOO good!
Second: About all I can do on the milk problem is to drink more milk. There's something not right in the fact that milk prices for the consumer continue to rise and the price paid for milk to the dairy continue to fall. Too much expense on the part of the middleman? Or, greed? I'm so sorry for your and the Farmer's worries.
That's a beautiful picture, Jeannelle! You really do have an artist's eye.
People who work as hard as your family does deserve better than having to worry about how to pay bills. Saying that doesn't change anything, I know. Are there any milk products made in Iowa that I can look for in Chicago stores?
Your photo is gorgeous.
I can't imagine that a farmer would walk away from his dairy farm even if he could. The responsibility is something most people just don't understand, I'm guessing.
You're in my prayers.
I am praying seriously and often for you and your family: your finances, decisions you might be making, your daughter's travels, and your health.
The photo is absolutely beautiful.
I wish I had an answer for the farm problem. The milk prices sure aren't dropping in the store! And when I buy I think the farmer not getting his fair share!
As the granddaughter of a dairy farmer who had to sell his herd because of a mix of the economy and his age, I understand somewhat what you are going through.
I just never understand how milk can be so darn expensive in the store but the farmers get so little!
Good luck. I hope you can hold on. America needs the farmer more than it knows!
Jeannelle, I am going to try this again...first comments went poof, satellite does not do well with rainy days!
Anyhow...
Your photo is beautiful. I love the lighting, coloring against the glass and other objects.
Farming is so difficult. I can attest to that and I am such a small farmer compared to those that have 100's and 1000's of acres that they are trying to make a living by, not to mention the livestock, and milk.
Here, a quart of goat milk is $3.99 retail. I do not have a grade A license to sell milk, but I would imagine my profit might end up being a small amount of change in comparison.
I believe we are still dealing with fuel prices, diesel for transportation and the high cost of diesel each time the tractor is fired up.
I farm livestock and also operate retail. The retail end seems to be picking up slightly, and I have heard others say the same. We are a long distance from being out of the woods, no doubt about it.
If anything I have learned from this economy is to buckle the belt a bit more tightly, and prepare for the worst. And, to look for small companies to do business with, those that are honest and offer a solid service.
Doldrums...yes, I understand. It is hard to keep the chin up. But, as my prayers have taught me, there is normally an answer when we let go of our worries. As lame as it might sound, hang in there...I am there with you, sister.
The photograph is almost as wonderful as your saying that the glass ball's shadow reminds you of pictures you've seen of the planet Jupiter. Together, they're fantastic!
I hope that things get better for dairy farmers in general and for you and your husband in particular. We are on a fixed, but regular, income, so the things I want kept at bay are runaway inflation and China convincing the world bank to do away with the dollar. Or however it works.
You have many friends pulling for your success.
I'm glad to hear the daughter is enjoying her vacation. But sad to hear of your sad Dairy Farm Woes. We had a Beef farm and only kept one milk cow for our own use. But, if the husband hadn't had another job, we could not have lived on what the farm paid. Oh, yes it helped out, but we still needed the outside job.
I sincerely hope things get better for you and hubby.
GREAT photo doldrums or no doldrums.
Di
The Blue Ridge Gal
Be at peace. Give us this day our daily bread is both a prayer and a promise.
Well I know just how you feel! We ended up getting more rain here! The guys went out to rake hay on Tuesday and it rained right after they were done! Now the raked hay sits in the field molding some more!! It rained more late yesterday and into the night...we had terrible thunder and lightning too. The weather has everyone grumpy. Also dairy hay prices are in the crapper so to speak. Our boss was offered $100 a ton....a joke as it is costing around $85 a ton to put it up! Not sure what is going to happen.....very scary times for us farmers! We all just need to hang in there together!
I love your photo....it has a peaceful quality to it.
I'm so glad your daughter arrived safe and sound in Germany. And her dinner sounded so good too...=)
((((HUGS))))
I will take it on faith that $1.47 Euro equals $2.80 American dollars, but it's a bit misleading since "per liter" ain't nothin' like "per gallon"...isn't a liter something like 1.1 quarts, or vice versa? And since there are 4 quarts in a gallon, in Germany they are paying $10.50 to $11.00 American per gallon for gasoline, if my numbers are anywhere close to being right....
Maybe we should consider exporting Ethanol (part corn) to them.
I grew up on a dairy farm and I know the cows don't take a day off. And they are always hungry. I wish there was a good way to help out honest hard-working people like farmers and teachers without "others" thinking they need a cut of the deal to line their pockets. Hang in there!!! Best wishes to the student in Germany.
Hi, Dave,
Welcome and thank you for commenting!
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Hi, Pat,
Oh, I wish I knew the answers to why milk prices are low for the producer. Probably our dairy industry is just too efficient....it produces too much. When prices are good, then farmers expand or build new dairies....that should probably not be allowed.
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Hi, Sempringham,
Thanks for your concern. Using ANY dairy products is a good thing.
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Hi, Flea,
Yeah, dairy farmers are very dedicated to their animals....that's probably part of the problem....attachment.
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Hi, Gail,
You and me both would like answers. Thank you for stopping in.
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Hi, Trisha,
Thank you for your encouraging words. Your last line is very true, I think.
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Hi, Mary,
I'm happy to hear the retail is picking up. That's good news. You are correct that high fuel costs are part of the problem....it pushes up expenses across the board. Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
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Hi, rhymsie,
Thank you for your kind words! Keep drinking milk!
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Hi, Gramma Ann,
Thank you, too, for your understanding words.
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Hi, Blue Ridge Gal,
Thank you! Clever comment!
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Hi, todd,
Thank you for the needed reminder of God's faithfulness. And, I need to put things in perspective.....I'm not in danger of starving or losing my home, so I have much to be thankful for.
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Hi, Deserthen,
Oh, my.....I am very sorry to hear of the weather woes out there affecting your hay crop. And, the poor hay prices. A bad deal all around. I hope your weather improves soon....so the next crop will be a good one! You hang in there, too!
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Hi, rhymsie,
I don't know either how accurate that Euro fuel price is.....its what my daughter told me, that's all. But, I have heard that fuel prices are MUCH higher over in Europe. People ride trains and bicycles more over there, I think. And, places aren't so far-flung like over here in the U.S.
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Hi, Leenie,
Thank you for your kind words! Always nice to hear from ones who understand what its like to deal with cows day in and day out.
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