Connection Issues

Everywhere you go or anywhere you live, you may have internet and phone connection issues.  This happened to me many times in my city girl life.  But when you live out in the country and have internet and phone issues, you are pretty much helpless!

Of course, a few days ago I had a paper due in the drop box for a class that night.  And wouldn't you know, the internet doesn't work.  I am panicking because this paper HAS to be turned in that night and EVERYONE around us is on the same line, so obviously NO ONE'S internet or phone works.  Logan suggests that we wait a few hours and see if it comes back on.  He then suggests that if it doesn't come back on, we will have to take my laptop into the Brentford Bar and do my homework IN THE BAR!! I am just like you have got to be kidding me!!

Well, lucky for me, the internet and phone came back to life around 7:00 that night, so I didn't have to do my homework in the Brentford Bar! 

Farm Girl Tip # 30: If your internet doesn't work and you have a paper to submit, don't worry...there is ALWAYS the Brentford Bar!!

The Coon

This morning I was just getting up out of bed to make some coffee and eat some breakfast.  Logan was already out in the kitchen and he was looking out the window to check on the farm.  He looks out, and while I am still getting up, all I hear is HOLY SH*T! I come running out of the room and ask what? What is going on? He says there's a huge coon sitting outside by the shed--this is as he is scurrying to get his shoes on and get his gun out.  I look out the window and I see nothing.  I ask, Where did you see it at? I'm not seeing anything! He says right out there, by the shed.  I don't think he could have gone under the door into the shed. (Logan is basically scurrying to get all his stuff together to get outside)

I watch from the window as he walks outside.  He walks over one way, then comes back and walks the other way, then walks over to the shed and opens the door.  Nothing.  (I found all of this walking around kind of humorous because there was nothing out there)  But Logan insists that he was out there and doesn't know where he could have walked to in a matter of seconds!! (More like a few minutes if you ask me!!)

Farm Girl Tip # 29: Make sure your gun is always right next to the door so if you see a coon you can get outside in a matter of seconds!

The PINK Tag

After being out on the farm and being around the cute little calves for a few years, I decided it was time to TAKE ACTION!!  A year ago, I had been joking to Logan about how there should be a PINK ear tag out in the lots.  We need some color out there besides blue, orange, and red!!

During the winter last year, we had gone to a sale at the sale barn, and wouldn't ya know  there were some cows that were being run through with PINK and PURPLE ear tags!! Whoever this guy was that had these ear tags is my HERO!!! So of course, I had to tease Logan again about putting some color in his life and getting a PINK ear tag out in the lots.

I'm sure Logan was getting sick and tired of me telling him to get a PINK ear tag.  All he hears is blah blah blah PINK blah blah...I'm sure!!  So this Christmas, Logan and I exchanged gifts and I decided to get Logan a PINK ear tag for Christmas.  I had it all wrapped up in wrapping paper and placed it under the tree.  When Logan and I exchanged Christmas gifts, he saved the smallest one for last.  (the ear tag!)  He finally got around to opening up the ear tag and WOW was he surprised!! (I think I was more excited about the whole situation then he was!)

Here is the PINK ear tag as it STILL sits on the kitchen table awaiting to be tagged onto a little baldie or another cute calf!!

The Tour Of A Lifetime

I had a Dr. appointment in Sioux Falls last week.  My mom and I were driving to SF and we happened to be chatting about my blog.  One of her friends, who happens to be a farmers wife, was asking her if I had ever gotten the Titan tour before.  My mom didn't really know what she was talking about but asked me while we were on our way to Sioux Falls.  I said OH YES, MOM!! EVERY SINGLE TIME we go to Aberdeen, we ALWAYS have to pull into Titan Machinery to either see the new equipment, what Logan wants to buy, or who traded what in and what they are getting. (Because I really, sincerely care!!)  After I had told this to my mom we were laughing and admiring how different farm life is from city life.  

As we were rolling into Sioux Falls, the fastest way to the Dr.'s office was to take Cliff Ave.  We pulled onto Cliff and I told my mom, OH MY--this is another tour I get EVERY SINGLE TIME Logan and I come to Sioux Falls.  We ALWAYS have to take a night or an afternoon to drive down Cliff Ave. and admire all of the trucks and whatever else is on that road--again, because I truly and deeply care!!  Again, my mom and I just had to laugh about the difference and the priorities people have from farm life to city life!

Farm Girl Tip # 28: If you EVER want the tour of a lifetime, you know who to call! And TRUST ME--It REALLY IS a one of a kind tour you will never forget!! 

The Adventures of Going to Runnings

After I was done with class today, I was told by Logan that I needed to run to Runnings to get a calf sled before I came home.  I knew in my mind that going to Runnings is always an adventure, but this time it TRUELY was an adventure.

I walked into Runnings and knew I needed to find a calf sled.  So I walked around Runnings acting like I knew what I was looking for and where it was, even though I really didn't!!  I got asked a few times if I needed any help finding what I was looking for--Nope, I'm good, as I continued to wander around the store.  Finally I asked a guy if they had calf sleds and where they were.  Yea we do--they are outside in the front of the store.  Ok, thanks.  So I walk up to the front of the store to the checkout counter to pay for the sled.  

I get to the counter and tell the lady I need a calf sled.  She says ok, what size? I'm like uhhh I have no clue, let me call and find out.  So I call Logan and ask him what size.  He says the medium one.  Oh, AND I need one with rope.  AND I need a pipe heater.  I'm thinking oh my...WHY ME!! WHY do I have to come to Runnings for you!!  I get off the phone and tell the cashier that I need a medium calf sled with a rope and I also need a pipe heater.  She says ok, you can go back to plumbing and I will walkie someone to meet you back there to help you find what you are looking for.  As I leave the cashier counter to go back to plumbing, I hear this over the walkies:  I need assistance in the plumbing department.  There is a lady coming back.  She is wearing a white coat, is dressed up with her hair in a ponytail. --REALLY?! I really had to be identified in that much detail?!! This is South Dakota people!!

So I get back to the plumbing, and wouldn't you know..there is a guy standing there waiting for me.  He asks me what I need help with.  I said I need to get a pipe heater.  So I follow him down the aisle and he says here they are--what size do you need? I tell him I have no clue, so I just pick one off the shelf.  He asks me, do you need help with anything else? I say yes, I need rope for a calf sled.  So he leads me over to the rope area.  I pick out the one that looks right, and he figures it looks right too.  He says so how much do you want? Uhhhh I don't know.  So he just starts pulling rope out of the spool.  He says would like 12 feet work? I say well how much do you have pulled out right now? He measures and it is 12 feet.  I say yeah that will work.  I tell him thank you so much for your assistance and head STRAIGHT back to the pipe heater aisle.  I call Logan and ask him how long he wants it.  He says 9 ft, so I put the one I had down and grab the 9 ft one.

My shopping is complete at Runnings, but my adventures are not over.  I go up to the checkout counter and I go back to the same lady.  I say ok, I think I am all good to go now! So I check out and everything is golden. (I really think Logan should have a house account or something at Runnings since I am there ALL the time!!) After I check out, she says over the walkie: I need some assistance to load out a calf sled.  Im think Oh good grief--I could do this by myself!!  But the SAME GUY that helped me before comes up to help load me up.  He says ok--I will meet you right over there. Ok! So I go out to my car and move ALL of my JUNK to the trunk of my car for this dang calf sled to fit in the backseat!! So I pull up to where the guy is standing and I get out and open the door to the backseat.  He grabs a sled and I say hopefully it will fit in the backseat!! He goes oh yeah, it will (as he is shoving and maneuvering the sled around so it will fit).  I again say thank you, and off I go.  My adventure at Runnings is now over.  THANK GOD!!

Farm Girl Tip # 27: If you are ever sent to Runnings to get stuff for the farm, just ask for assistance right away, and just act like a dumb blonde the whole time--they will get EVERYTHING for you and you won't have to wander around.

Getting Stuck Round 2

Yesterday was definitely a Monday for this girl!! I was getting ready to leave the farm for the morning to go to class.  I was running a little bit late the way it was, but I was sure that I was going to make it to class on time.  I hauled my stuff out to my car in the garage and started my car up.  Logan's pickup was behind my car, so I started his pickup up and backed it out of the garage going through a drift that was probably up to my shins.  His pickup went through the drift no problem.  Logan came out from the lots to tell me to keep his pickup running.  I asked him if he thought I could make it through that drift with my car.  Ohhh yeah just follow my tracks through the drift and you will be fine.  And then Logan goes back out to the cows.  I go get in my car and start to back up--going pretty fast to make it through!! The back of my car gets through and then my car just stops.  The drift was TOO HIGH for my car!! So here I am--late for class and stuck right in the front lawn of the farm.

So I go power walking out to the lots to find logan.  Remind you--I am going to school--so I have nice clogs and nice jeans on walking through frozen cow poop!!  I am standing out by the barn yelling Logan's name.  I have no clue where he is at.  So I keep yelling and finally I hear the chain on a gate clink.  I said LOGAN Im stuck--I need your help NOW! So Logan comes to my car and finds himself his rope to pull me out.  He gets under the car to hook the rope on while I back his pickup up to my car.  We get everything hooked up and he pulls me out of this drift.  I look at him and say--ok, to get out on the road theres another big drift that my car WILL NOT make it through.  Logan says to go around the other way.  Well theres a HUGE puddle there filled with MUD! I will definitely get stuck there.  He says no...just go around it. 

Ok, so I drive out there and so does Logan, and I drive AROUND the mud hole and get stuck AGAIN!! This time I pretty much sunk in the ground.  I get out and Logan yells at me that I was supposed to go through in a certain area because there is SNOW where I drove through.  I told him you told me to go AROUND the mud hole, so that is what I did.  I didn't know there was SNOW where I was driving!! So we are both steaming--Logan hooks my car up again and pulls me out for the second time! After I am pulled out, he tells me EXACTLY where to drive so I don't get stuck again.  So I back way up like I'm a race car, get some speed and fly through the mud hole so I don't get stuck for a third time!

So I continue driving and I get to the highway.  Remind you I am about 30 min late right now for class.  I get to the highway and the roads are pure ice and snow.  I am driving at about 45 mph THE WHOLE way up to Aberdeen! At this point, I wasn't even going to go to class because there was no way it would be worth it to go by the time I got to Aberdeen. So I get up to Aberdeen and I get to campus-- ALL to find out that class was CANCELLED!!! What a MONDAY morning!!!

Farm Girl Tip # 26: All farm girls need a farm truck to get through drifts and not get stuck in mud holes. (This is according to my brother, and he is right!!) I need a pink camo farm girl truck PRONTO so I won't get stuck anymore!!

We're Backwards

Just when I think my weekend is coming to an end and I will not have a blog post from this weekend, I am wrong.  

Earlier this afternoon, Logan and I were up at Roger and Michelle's.  We got home around 5:00 and Logan was out feeding.  He noticed a cow that was going to calve, so he put her in the barn.  At 7:00, we had gotten done eating and Logan went into the other room to check the camera to see how the cow was doing.  She hadn't calved yet and it had been 2 hours.  Logan gets his stuff on to go outside and I say to him--If you need some farm girl help, you know who to call!! He says yea--make sure you keep the phone by you.  Well I should have known I was going out to help because about 7 minutes later I get a call that I need to go outside.  So I get my calving wardrobe on--sweatpants tucked into my cowgirl boots, winter coat, white gloves, and my white fashion headband. 

I get outside and Logan had the cow in the head gate and he was preparing for birth.  I stand there and take pictures while Logan is getting ready.  Logan goes in to figure out what is going on and he finds out that we have a backwards calf.

So Logan pulls the legs back so we can pull the calf out.  He gets the OB straps (the orange thing hanging on the gate) and puts it on the legs of the calf while I get the calf puller ready.  We hook everything up, and out comes the calf! Logan moves the calf to the other side of the barn and tells me to poke its nose with straw.  I say what? You have straws in the room out here? Nooo he says--WHEAT STRAW that is on the ground. (Blonde moment here I guess..) So I poke its nose with WHEAT straw to keep the calf breathing.  Logan says that calf came out wayy to easy, so he goes in to check for another calf, and sure enough, ANOTHER backwards calf! 

Logan pulls the calf's legs back to get ready to pull this one out again.  In the meantime, I have quit poking calf with straw and have my phone out to take pictures.  Logan looks at me and says--PUT THAT THING AWAY, I NEED HELP.  Ok...so I go over to where he is, grab the hooks for the OB straps.  Logan hooks them on and pulls calf #2 out! Lookie there folks, we just had 2 backwards calves!! 

My farm girl duties are over, so I was heading inside as the mom was claiming both calves and they are all doing fine.  Logan stops me and says here, put on this glove and carry in the OB straps (covered in afterbirth) and wash them off inside. EWWWWW, but I do it anyways.  I am SUCH a GOOD girlfriend!!

Farm Girl Tip # 24: If you have to take care of a newborn calf, be aware of your surroundings when you are taking pictures--you MOST LIKELY WILL get in trouble for not doing what you are supposed to be doing! :)

Farm Girl Tip # 25: Invest in gloves that ARE NOT white! You will have to take them off so they won't get dirty and contaminated with afterbirth! (I WILL be going to Runnings or somewhere to get my OWN "work/calving" gloves--I'm hoping to find PINK ones!! 

Go That Way

A few weeks ago, I found myself helping Logan put a few pairs in the barn for the night.  We went out to the lots, and there was two pairs in one area, and one pair in another area.  Logan told me he would go get the two pairs while I got the one.  Ok.  So I walk over to the heifer to try and turn her around and get her out.  She turns around and starts going but her calf will not follow her, so she turns around and runs back to where her calf is.  I get scared because I really don't want this mama to take me down--especially when I am wearing my only winter coat, white gloves, and my white fashion headband!! So I kind of back away.  Logan has his pairs out of their area, and I am still working on my one! Logan comes in to help me and sure enough, he gets them out.  

Wouldn't ya know this would be a harder process than it should have been.  This was right after we had a big snowstorm, so there was a big pile of snow/bedding in the middle of the little lot area where we had the three pairs.  Gates were all around us with the barn door open on one side.  Logan is trying to get the mommas to go into the barn with their babies, but they just keep going round and round the snow pile.  (They wanted to pretend they were on a merry-go-round!!  Trust me, I can read a cow's mind!)  I am standing off to the side of the barn so the cows can't go back into the bigger lot.  I am watching as the cows are playing, when one stops and stares me down.  (I get freaked out, but I stay calm.) I put my arm out and point towards the barn door and I say--GO THAT WAY--and there she goes, along with THE OTHER TWO!! Dang...Am I a good cowgirl or what?!!

Farm Girl Tip # 23: If you need to get cows into the barn at night and they don't want to go, just look at one of them and say GO THAT WAY.  Problem solved.

City Visit

I love coming home to the city life to visit my family and just to be home.  Being on the farm for so long, I forget what to expect when I come home. (It really is the little things!)

I walked in the house yesterday, and the dogs were SOO excited to see me.  I had to play with them and pet them for about 15 min because they missed me so much.

These two are just nuts! I finally got them close together so I could take a picture of them--they were sooo hyper and excited!!  Brodie must have thought he was getting a treat or something because I told him to sit and this is what he does instead--sits up.

I woke up this morning to banana chocolate chip muffins (MY FAVORITE!) and again, the dogs excited to see me.  I then go take a shower and ahhhh I forgot how good SOFT WATER feels!! Us farm people don't have soft water, so I enjoy this while I can! (Oh, and my hair looks like a million bucks today!)

Farm Girl Tip # 22: When you go home to the city life, you gotta love seeing your family, the dogs, and especially the SOFT water!

Country Mail

News to me, but I guess when you live out in the country you can get stamps for your mail right from your mailman.  I found this out yesterday when I came home from work, and this orange envelope was sitting on the table from the mailman.  As we were eating supper, I asked Logan what this orange envelope was from the mailman.  He said my stamps came in there. I just tell the mailman what I need, I pay him, and I get my stamps.  I looked at him like really?! I didn't know you could get stamps right from the mailman!! Logan then looks at me and says, well where do you get your stamps.  Or where do your parents get stamps--in the city life.  I say--uhh we go to Hy-Vee or the Post Office and pay for our stamps there.  And he looked at me and was like seriously?! You don't get your stamps in the mail.  No, WE city people actually have to be productive and go to the store to get our stamps.  We don't just get to sit at home and let the mailman bring them to us!!

Farm Girl Tip # 21: If you ever need stamps, just let your mailman know and they will be hand delivered to your door.

This is what you get when you live in the country and you want stamps. (News to this city girl!!) 

Thirsty Cattle

Every weekend I bring my clothes to the farm so I can wash them in the nice washer and dryer that are here.  Everything had been going well with the washing machine until one day when it kept pausing and I had to push the start button EVERY time it paused.  This kept going on for a few weeks and I kept complaining to Logan about it because it was so annoying to keep getting up to push the start button.  Sometimes I would forget about it and to wash ONE load, it would take almost 2 hours!!

One day, I got smart and figured out what the problem was--because I am SO smart!!  Logan goes out between 7:30 and 8:00 to feed the cows.  If I start a load of laundry at 7:30, it will be fine.  If I put in another load right after that one, it pauses non-stop! Since Logan feeds the cows in the morning, they are thirsty right after they eat, so they go drink some water and take ALL of MY water pressure!!  So I had to re-figure my washing clothes schedule all because of THE COWS!! I guess thats what you get when you live on a farm and have thirsty cows!

Farm Girl Tip # 20: If your washing machine keeps pausing on you and you can't figure out why, don't panic and call a repair guy...IT'S JUST THE COWS!! 

Salad, Salad, Salad

One of the first things I noticed when I started dating Logan is how there is ALWAYS some sort of salad for lunch and supper.  It doesn't matter whether it is a lettuce salad, jello salad, or a cool whip salad, there HAS to be a salad at every meal.  Michelle (Logan's mom) makes some sort of salad for Roger for every single meal.  Logan learned REAL quick that this girl gets her cooking skills from her mom and DOES NOT like to cook.  (My cooking skills from my mom are pretty much basic, SURVIVAL cooking skills. I can cook, but it better be an easy recipe that takes about 10 min of cooking labor.  If it takes longer--it's definitely OUT of the picture!!)

I was leaving one morning to go to school, and I had planned on coming back down that night.  Before I left, Logan said--you should get the ingredients to make a salad.  I'm like seriously?! So I get the ingredients for a pistachio salad to make that night.  A few days later, the same salad is gone, and Logan asks for me to make a different salad.  Nope, NOT gunna happen! Logan learned pretty darn fast that he was NOT getting a salad, let alone a different salad for each meal, and that was pretty much the end to that.  I do make a pistachio salad every once in a while, but thats about the ONLY salad I ever make

--because it is EASY!!  And needless to say, Roger would never be able to survive with me cooking for him because he would NEVER get a salad!!

Farm Girl Tip # 19: If your significant other requests a salad for every meal (because that is what they are used to) just stop (or don't start) buying salad ingredients, and they will get over their salad fix REAL FAST!!

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My FAVORITE salad that is cooking friendly to my cooking skills (and salad making skills!)

Peek-a-Boo

One morning, Logan went out to do chores and I was going to be ambitious and make breakfast for us.  I had all of the things out on the counter that I needed for breakfast and was ready to cook.  So I went to open the cupboard door where the pans were.  I opened the door and in the front corner of the cupboard was one of my little friends...a MOUSE! He just sat there and stared at me for a few seconds before running away.  --YUCK! STILL gives me the heebie jeebies.--  This mouse had made a little house for himself in this cupboard.  He had found insulation from the house somewhere, and had placed it in a circle as his bed.  He then sat in the middle of the insulation to stay warm...IN MY PAN CUPBOARD! This little "friend" of mine freaked me out and I was scared to open that cupboard door for a long time.  Needless to say, Logan had to remove the insulation bed, and I took out ALL of the pans that I use regularly, scrubbed them so they were sparkly clean, and moved them to a different cupboard where there are NO mice (that I know of).

Farm Girl Tip # 18: If you are going to make breakfast, be ready to play peek-a-boo with a mouse, in an insulation bed, in your cupboard.

Welcome To The World

Last night, I was sitting on the couch writing my latest blog post when Logan comes in from outside.  Can you come help me pull a calf...sure...I'd love to.  I had to go change into calf pulling attire which took me a good 5 minutes because I couldn't find a pair of jeans that I would be ok with getting dirty.  I finally come out with my calf pulling attire on, put on my coat and boots and outside we go.  I'm thinking to myself..this will be cool to see since I've never truly seen it done before since the last time we ended up in Groton.  So we walk out there, get to the pen where the Heifers are, and what do you know, there is a little calf laying on the ground.  Welcome to the world little guy!!

Farm Girl Tip # 17: If you are asked to go help pull a calf, just take longer getting your calf pulling wardrobe on and when you go outside, you won't have to pull the calf! 

(I'd like to think that this tip would work every time, but I am positive that I am wrong on that assumption.)

This is a Logan quality picture since I didn't bring my phone along..so sorry for the blurriness.