Nutrition...a confusing maze of information!

Like all young people, Jon & I are working on making sure that we are eating the right foods and taking care of ourselves.  With the change/move to the farm, we have been able to have at least one solid meal with each other, everyday.  Usually that meal is at about 1-2pm, when all of the cows and calves have been fed.  In addition to sitting down for an hour for a hot meal, we also talk about the daily happenings at the farm and catch a little daytime TV.  We bounce between local news and Rachel Ray.  Later, when doing dishes and book work I might catch the Doctors or Dr. Oz. 
While I am not an avid follower of any of these shows, their rhetoric lately has caught my attention.  In an effort to capture viewers' attention they throw out words like "organic", "natural", "toxic", "poison", "miracle cure", "fountain of youth", and many more sales pitches!  Since we are early on our journey to better nutrition, I thought I would find the information on these shows to be useful and informative, but instead I found it to be inflated and false.  My perception was that it was a lot of hype for a variety of  "natural" solutions with false promises.  Example: I would love to eat a miracle berry from China that can reverse the signs of aging while taking a plethora of supplements for every possible ailment I "could" have in the future.  If even half of these ideas worked I should live for...well, I don't know, how's about forever!?!?!?  The saddest part of this revelation is that the average consumer doesn't fact check it, and therefore falls into a trap of misguided intentions. 
My personal experience has led me to believe that the miracle cure & fountain of youth lies within ourselves and how we handle our everyday lives.  My grandmother passed away at the age of 93, my grandfather is still alive and will reach 90 soon.  My father boasts of being in his late 50's and still not needing an ounce of medication for his heart.  The key to their successful, healthy lifestyles.....a balance!  A balance of good nutrition, exercise/daily activity, and reducing stress through positive relationships.  I know for a fact that their lives had/have balance.  My grandmother was noted for her lunches and dinners.  My father still brags about how she'd feed everyone 5 times in a day!  (morning rolls, breakfast after chores, noon dinner, afternoon snacks, and finally supper)  She balanced fruits and vegetables with meats and breads, in addition to dairy.  without even knowing, my grandmother was teaching invaluable lessons.  My father starts each day with the same breakfast before milking...an orange, some type of cereal with milk and flax seed, and 2 slices of toast with jam.  Add his farming lifestyle, filled with physical activity, and his heart is that of a healthy 20-something.  And even though my grandfather is almost 90, he still comes to the farm to help my dad....staying young! 
I guess what I'm trying to point out is that with all of the hype about good nutrition these days, it pays to look back at see what worked.  Those skills that my grandmother passed down are far more important to good health than any special berry from China or supplement from the store.  As for me, I'm sticking to my basics...a balanced diet, lots of physical activity, and relationships with others to help me enjoy life.....and I too hope to live well into my 90's as well!

Never Marry a Dairy Farmer..ignored advice from a friend

A couple weekends ago, my dear friend wed her best friend.  As a gift to them, I wrote some thoughts on marrying a dairy farmer, as this friend once advised to avoid dairy farmers.  Turns out she ignored her own advice too!  So, here's some thoughts on the great gifts of dairy farmers!

Never Marry a Dairy Farmer

A wise friend once advised me, “Never marry a dairy farmer”. Apparently she thought that having been raised on a dairy farm I would have been observant enough to notice the amount of dedication required from a wife married to a dairy farmer when watching my parents. But….I missed the message and decided to follow my heart. I wanted to be with my best friend for the rest of my life, regardless of his profession. Contrary to the advice of my dear friend, there are some great advantages to being married to a dairy farmer!

Lo and behold, a few years later this very same friend decided to also ignore her own advice and today….she also married her dairy farmer!!!! She too will learn the joys and tribulations of being married to a man dedicated to his farm and cows. But more than anything, I believe she’s entering into a relationship that is stronger than any other married couple’s. For a farming husband and wife have a bond built to withstand anything that life, nature and the world can throw at it, that is if they continue to love and care for each other.

Dairy farmers have tender hearts, open and willing to care for the most fragile of God’s creation. They have a deep dedication to everything that they do in life. They have a willingness to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work required to see a project (or relationship) through. They never give up. They have an appreciation for the simple, precious moments in life; riding in the tractor together, sunsets bringing the cows home, milking/working together, enjoying a star-lit night in late summer, the smells of fresh rain on spring soils, and bringing in the fall harvest. There are so many great moments to share with each other both at the farm and in life.

Today I wish my dear friend and her special dairy farmer the very best! Together they will make a great team for life. I hope that they can find joy, discover the strength to get through the toughest times in life together, and have a love and bond that grows stronger through the years. May they realize humor on their journey and continue to make each other laugh. May they say to each other years from now, surrounded by family and friends on their 50th Anniversary, that they did indeed, “Marry their best friend” so many years ago.

God Bless You Both!

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Dairy Farming & Marriage, a Tough Mix

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and I am certain that couples everywhere will be enjoying the fruits of their thoughtful labors: flowers, candies, dinners, dates, and romance.  However, Jon and I will be spending our day in a completely different fashion....farming.  Since we married, I don't know if I can ever recall a Valentine's Day that we have ever spent together on a formal date.  I am not complaining, believe me, we never had luck on Valentines Day.  One year, in college, Jon thought he would surprise me with a special visit to South Dakota, but when he arrived he found me sick and in bed with the flu.  He spent the evening helping me rest instead of the date he had planned.  Nevertheless this Valentines Day I was thinking about dairy farming and marriage, and how they effect the relationship between a husband and a wife.  After much thought, I believe that dairy farming is a great place to teach couples about themselves and their relationship. 
6 years ago we started farming together, and a few months later we were married.  During that time I held a full time job as a dairy nutritionist and farmed with Jon part time.  Then, 2 years ago when I quit to farm full time.  When we decided to move me to full time farmer many of our friends and family thought we were crazy.  We are both stubborn leaders, with equal amounts of passion for what we do....it was a recipe for fights and arguments.  I assured everyone we knew what we were getting into....and I was right!
I married my best friend, who I have known since childhood.  I have been blessed to be able to farm beside him as an equal partner.  Dairy farming is VERY stressful on a marriage relationship.  There have been times along the way where dairying has challenged the strength of our bond and determination.  Whether is was the cow calving just as we were leaving for a date or the tractor breaking down just as we were finishing for the day.  There are many stressful moments in farming.   The financial stress of farming is another challenge.  These past 6 years have been a financial struggle to say the least.  No matter what we faced though, and no matter how scared we were, we have made it through.  There have been fights and disagreements, but I would never in a heart beat trade off the chance to work with Jon everyday. 
When I was working full time, I was constantly wondering what Jon was doing or if he remembered to do a task I had left for him that day.   Often I would come home and ask him how his day went and I would get the "fine" response.  Oh, how angry I would get with that!  I knew he did more than  "fine" that day, but he never told me.  Now, I have the opportunity to be there for his daily challenges, and that is so rewarding for us.  We are a team, each bringing to the table a different set of skills and traits that make us good at what we do.  I love the fact that we can milk cows in the morning together, split to do other chores and jobs on the farm for the afternoon, and return in the evening  to milk together again.  It's very rewarding to share those times together and spent that time apart.  We laugh together all of the time.  If it wasn't for laughter I don't know how we would get through the tough times. 
So for this Valentine's Day, just like others, I am thankful to be married to my best friend, who I know will be there as a teammate in life and on the farm, through sickness and health, good times and bad...always be my side.  How bless I am!!!