Thursday, August 23, 2012

Saying Goodbye to the Dairy Farm

Have I mentioned before that I once lived on a Dairy Farm ?
I did.
For the first 10 years of my marriage we had a dairy farm.
All of my children were born there.
But we have actually lived there on and off for 29 years.
A few years ago my son and his family ( Addie was just a new baby ) bought it and moved there.
And a few weeks ago they sold it.
 
Farming has changed SO much in 29 years...
We had a small dairy .
32 cows ( later expanded to 40 )
Tiny compared to what is even  considered small these days.
The Hubs hated milking.
But it was a good living and provided us with enough money to expand our property to what we have today.
 
But times have changed.
Inputs are high , milk prices are low.
Even with Sarah working full time and Dan working in town part time,
it just wasn't working.
 
The good thing ,
land prices are at an all time high.
They were able to sell the farm , get out from under and buy a house in town.
Addie will move to her new house this weekend.
And I am so excited.
 
You would think I would be sad , but I'm not.
I am however a little nostalgic ( but I'm nostalgic a lot ).
 I have great memories of my children growing up there.
Jumping from hay bale to hay bale...
Swimming in mud puddles...
Running laps in the barn while the cows were eating...
Proms and graduations...
 
Last night at supper , we were talking about all that still needed to be done before the move.
The lawn really needed to be mowed.
So I said I would do it.
( I really do enjoy mowing , weird huh ? )
Dan said I had to use my little Snapper.
( I've always had a small Snapper rider and for some reason the family thinks that is hilarious )
And I said , of course , as long as you ride in the coaster wagon behind !
(I always put the coaster wagon on behind my mower with the kids in it . I know , I know , I have NO idea how they survived to adulthood. But I always knew where they were.  )
 
Anyway....
After 29 years , I mowed the lawn at the Dairy Farm for the last time.
 
 
One of my favorite things about the Dairy Farm has always been this rock wall.
I spans the whole front yard .
It was built before the road was even paved.
You can't really tell from the picture , but it had to be taken a part and moved in sections when the road was paved.
 
 
When we moved here there was a remnant of a rock wall on the right side of the barn.
Hollyhocks grew a long the front.
But sadly we had a hired hand that was opposed to hollyhocks and they disappeared.
 
 
This one made me a little weepy.
When we moved to the farm , this pine tree was the size of the small one in front of it.
That was long ago
or feels like it anyway.
 
 
Goodbye Dairy Farm.....
 
Change is always hard...
 
 
 
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6 comments:

  1. Yes change is hard but it's all part of your journey. Glad to hear land prices are good.

    Carolyn

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  2. This dairy farm sounds like a very special place and you will always have treasured memories which is so nice. The only thing constant in life is change - as I remind myself all the time, as my little ones are growing up so fast.

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  3. Geeze Dawn...I think we are secret twins...I LOVE to mow on my little Snapper! When my husband bought a bigger mower...I fought to keep my Snapper! I don't get too attached to houses...places yes..homes no. I admire your Dairy Farming history. We lived across the road from a dairy farm and those people worked like crazy and never took a vacation. Glad you have the memories of such happy times! Oh...and my Datura is about to bloom!!

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  4. Ah this makes me feel sad ...It is too bad that you could not keep it in the family ( as in it is a shame that things are so difficult for farmers! )

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  5. You made me cry. Great post.

    Now keep in mind, I have had tears all day and this just kept the trend going. I loved the farm too. Was always great to visit you there. Of course I LOVE the trailerhood (both of them) just as much.

    New Chapters, New Changes.......theme this year.

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  6. It was an inspiring story. Thanks for sharing.

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