Background

THE STORY BEHIND THE PROJECT I grew up on a farm in southeast Idaho where my father had a small dairy of 30 milk cows and worked as a carpenter. We grew the necessary hay and grain on the farm for our small herd of milk cows, calves and replacement heifers. We baled the hay and put it up by hand, using tractors and wagons, and for many years we used a derik to stack the hay. At a young age, I started holding the cow's tails for Dad so they would not swat him in the face and began milking the cows at age 11. What a great way for kids to get use to being around the cows and learn responsibility at a young age! Each of my five brothers learned the same way. As soon as we where big enough to help, we learned to take our part feeding calves and helping feed the cows, cleaning the barn, driving the tractor, etc. One of my favorite things was watching the cows eat at the manger - I could sit and watch for an hour... When my father got a job at the post office about the time I entered high school, my brother and I - the youngest two of the 5 boys - ended up with the milking chores. The older brothers claimed to have already already taken their turns, and soon, I was left to milk alone, as my brother got involved in school affairs. We had to get up at 5 a.m. to milk before going to school. I was responsible to get myself up in the mornings and home in time in the evenings; this experience taught me how to be self motivated. Work (in most cases) was not a bad word to me. There was a radio in the barn and I often sang along (my mother said she liked to hear me), at the top of my lungs as I did my chores. We worked hard but we also played hard. In 1979, with my newlywed wife, I purchased my own 40 cows and started a dairy. (I never did have her milk; but, she did feed calves many times.) We raised our own hay and grain to feed our herd of cows and other stock. A few years back, we sold the dairy, but we still live on the farm and now own a construction business and are cruise agents. We love raising our family in this farm setting and have tried to pass on the values and experiences unique to this type of life; life as it is on the farm.

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