1928

Tyler joined cub scouts this year. Todd was a boy scout all the way through high school (and actually is an Eagle Scout - 5 palms) as is Todd's brother and their father.





Last night we went on a field trip to the historical society.




It was interesting, to see the pictures of what our little town used to look like 100 years ago. They had advertisements, posters, newspaper articles, and all sorts of old kitchen ware and farm equipment.


Tyler had fun having me read the articles and posters to him, until we came to this one:

I don't know how to make it so you can click to enlarge the pictures, but it says: "Home baking in most homes is no longer an economy - it is an expense that should be done away with. Baked goods from our ovens, fresh daily, have taken the place of the home bake day, freeing the housewife from hours of drudgery. Make 1928 a bakeless year in your home."

And for Tyler, who loves nothing more than fresh baked bread straight out of my oven (with butter and cinamon sugar on it of course) - he was appalled that someone would even consider this!

Interesting how times have changed, isn't it?

Kris

Tank

Last weekend, while Jason and I were riding herd on 2 kids and 5 calves at a show, Todd was enjoying some fun at a club calf auction at his uncle's farm in PA.




I'm still not convinced that I shouldn't have been at the auction and he should have been at the show. But....if I had been at the auction we would have probably spent more money. And he did get her a very nice steer - not one of the ones we were hoping to buy, but when they go for over $3,000 - that was way over our limit to start with (which is about 1/2 of that....). Jessie has to have a chance to at least break even.......



We have a game plan on this whole buying steers for the kids to show: We gave Jessie her first steer, and when she sold him at the fair, she took the money to buy herself a steer and we buy her a steer, then in the spring, she brought 2 pigs (one for State Fair and one for County Fair) and we buy 2 pigs. This year, she sold Punx and her pig and brought the steer that Todd bid on at the auction. And she has enough money to buy herself 2 pigs for next year and a little left over. We buy all the feed for all the animals, and whoever doesn't go to the fair goes into our freezer.

And Sunday, him and a friend of ours and our friends' son left our house at the ungodly hour of 6:00 a.m. to make the 3 1/2 hour drive one way to bring Jessie's steer home.

So I spent the day (mostly) parked in my recliner knitting up a storm. Which was all good, as I have this sweater just about done:

Another inch on the collar and I am golden. And I will be wearing this as soon as it is done! It's Collins, by Baby Cocktails. And it is an absolute dream to knit.

Until I decided about 3:30 that I should really go clean out the basement so we can get into it this fall and winter. But I had the kids to help, so the 5 yard carts of trash to the burn pile didn't take too long.

In fact, I got done just in time to welcome home:

Tank!

Who is already turning into a pain-in-the-rear because he is so friendly. We are talking you walk in the barn - and he's waiting for a scratch and a rub. You walk in the pen and he is right next to you wanting some love.

Jessie has had him out every single night - brushing on him, walking him and practicing showmanship. We are going to another show in southern Ohio on the 30th. And they have a showmanship class. And her friends are going (who incidentally placed ahead of her in showmanship at the last show), and she wants to make sure she in her A-game.

We've been sort-of taking it easy the last week and a half, but tonight, all that is going to change, as there are 2 steers going to the show on the 30th and 2 heifers.

I'm looking at it this way - if I can manage to avoid driving a vehicle going to this show, I'll get in 200 miles of knitting time:)

Later,

Kris

Harvest Choice Steer Show

This past weekend, while Todd was in PA bidding on Jessie's steer for next year, Jason and I loaded up Jessie, Tyler and 5 calves and went to a steer show in Medina.

I'm not sure if we were insane or not at the time.

We called on my parents and my brother and his girlfriend Ashley to help us out, seeing as I had to take Tyler to his last Flag Football game of the year, where he played the first half of his game and then we booked it the 30 min. away to the show.

But the kids had fun, and we are looking at going to Smithfield, Ohio (100 miles away) the end of October for another 1 day show!

Jessie showing Huey in his market steer class, and our good friend Erin showing Jason's steer class. Jessie got 3rd and Erin got 4th. And the red calf is now Tyler's steer for him to call his own and show this fall and winter!


We have a joke among us and Erin's parents, who are good friends of ours, that these 2 girls are twins born 12 years apart. We have pictures of both Erin and Jessie when Erin was Jessie's age - and the resemblance is unreal! Todd and Robin keep joking about getting DNA proof....

Jason's steer doesn't walk the greatest (which is why Tyler or Jessie didn't show him) so Erin and her sister Brittney had to do a little pushing and pulling.

Jessie showed our heifer Smokie and got 3rd in her heifer class.

Tyler showed our other heifer Famous (who Jessie showed at our county fair) and got 4th in the heifer class.

Jessie also showed Huey in showmanship and got 4th out of 12. He is something of a butthead, and likes to push her around, but she handled it!

Erin showed Jason's heifer Fabulous and got 2nd in her heifer class.

And while we were all at the steer show having fun with family and friends, Todd was in PA and bid on this guy for Jessie. Who will come home this Saturday so we can get him ready for the show the end of the month.

It was a terrific day with family and friends, a lot of work getting 5 calves ready, but also a lot of fun that included a cookout and a water fight.

Now I'm off to rush home to cook dinner for the family and get back to work for an evening meeting. Hope everyone has a fantastic day!