Sorting Cows

During the winter, when the pasture grass is covered in snow, the cows are fed in a feed lot. Joel helped his dad sort cows a couple weeks ago. Cows are fed a specialized diet based on their weight so John and Joel had to sort the cows into separate pens.

 



John is pushing a cow out of the herd.



The cow runs down the path and Joel directs it into one of the two pens, based on looking at the cow's weight.

These cows have been sorted and are waiting to be weighed.

Joel pushes the cows onto a big scale. 

Here they are weighed.  Based on their age and time in the feedlot, John will create a diet for them.

And then it starts all over again with another group of cows.

 

 

These cows are waiting to be sorted.  It's a long day but important work.  We want our cows to have the best food possible.

 

The boys watched and took copious notes.  Soon enough they'll be responsible for helping sort cows too.

 

 

If you've eaten today, thank a farmer.

Seasons

 Summer

 

Winter

 

If you've eaten today, thank a farmer.



Late to popular culture

The Peterson Brothers have already made the Internet rounds.  Enjoy. 

One more:

If you've eaten today, thank a farmer. 

Soil Samples

Joel and his uncle Ben recently attended a 2 day class on Soil Nutrients.  The farm produces corn, hay and alfalfa.  They are pleased with how much they can grow.  But just like how people can feel better, have more energy and less sickness with the right vitamins and minerals, plants can produce better and more crops wit the right nutrient make up.  He now plans to improve the quality of soil on the fields by testing the soil.  Joel collects soil from many parts of a field, mixes them together to get an average of the type of soil and sends them to a lab for testing.  The results will tell him what nutrients he can add to produce better crops. 

 

Mixing the soil from different parts of the field.

Cooking the soil because it was too muddy.
 (Soil sampling is best done when the ground isn't saturated with water.)

Soil samples ready to be sent to a lab.

 

And now you know why my kitchen is covered in dirt and dust.

 

 

If you've eaten today, thank a farmer.

On the Tractor

Joel is on his way to grab some soil samples from his fields.  B hitched a ride.

 

 

If you've eaten today, thank a farmer.