At the time this picture was taken... I was living in the inner city of Flint, Michigan. I had no idea of what went on on the farm... Although until I was in 3rd grade we had lived on a building site in a suburb on Flint... the land had been sold off for a subdivion of new houses that seemed to "grow" out of the fields that had once been farmed... we had an old log cabin in the back yard that my dad used for a garage. My mom did have a garden and I loved to sing of my love for Jesus under the clothesline and remember a big weeping willow that we would sit and play under. My parents eventually decided that we were too protected and needed a dose of the real world so they moved us into the inner city of Flint! I then became a true city girl, but always had a fondness for the country! When I met Pat... I was charmed by the special stories he shared with me about a true family farm where they all helped out and work was a necessary part of each day as the animals were cared for all the way from milking some cows moning and night to chickens to turkeys at some points along the way. One thing that they never have had is pigs... My husband, Pat, knew at a young age that he loved the farm and when his older brothter, Ed returned from serving in the armed services they and his younger brother, Don, decided to farm together. Some things have changed over the years, but they continue to do well and enjoy their work and show it with success in all they do! Pat has shared with our kids livestock through some family jobs like putting cows and calves out to the pasture which they are busy doing tonight... but the real hands on has been through 4H... The kids have great memories of the weeks/months in the summer that they have spent working with their beef animals getting them ready for the fair! I am eternally grateful that this city girl met a wonderful Catholic farmer that has a passion for his animals and his land!Following in their dad's footsteps the kids are demonstrating their "show technique". I know that this is a bad copy of this picture and I am on the lookout for a better one, but for now it will do. John was too young to show but he got to help walk them around the yard or chase them from behind so that they would walk forward instead of planting their feet and putting on the brakes. There was also those that got headstrong and some of the kids got dragged down the driveway a few times. Pat's rule of thumb - always wear long pants and work boots, but when the hot summer heat is out there... it's mighty inviting to wear shorts and tennis shoes. This year we have no one showing... that will be a change for us until our grandson, Simon is a few years older... Then it will begin all over again and Pat will once again pass on his love of livestock and the farm! Some cute stories of the kids and the love of the farm in their blood... When Ruth was doing her student nursing job in Houston, Texas told her dad that she would drive out into the country to see cattle. Nancy has little patience with those that do not know what they are talking about when it comes to anything farm.... and dear Susan loved to tell us that she could see "cows" in the hills around Saint Pierre, France in the letters she sent us while she was in formation to join the Community of the Lamb. One day she amazed all the Little Sisters and Little Brothers by going to try to get a calf back through the fence that she thought had gotten seperated from it's mother. It has become a living legend among the community! She was dressed in the long skirt that they wear until they take the blue habit... When she gets her week to come hiome it will be interesting to see if she will be out to check or help with the cows in her habit?!? The room that John now has upstairs for the last year was Susan's before she left and she had put up a border of cows grazing in a pasture along with calves because she loved cows! Even Maria, who we all knew to be the least in love with working with fair animals.. when we had the big "family jobs" of putting cows and calves out to pasture...her job would be to stand outside the gate and keep track of numbers. When she came home after 5 months in the monastery... We were all working out with the cows and calves and she was thrilled to be out there and exclaimed that we had a wonderful life and wasn't it a wonderful time to share together as a family. "I have been so lucky to have my life growing up on the farm!" she said realizing that the life she thought she had given up to enter a cloistered monastery for the rest of her life was now returned to her! And it was a gift that was appreciated and kept on giving! John has had some special animals that he has shown at the county fair and on to the state fair - Baby and Bertha and her calves year after year have been very good memories and experiences. His last year at the State Fair... the year before last... he also won the interview contest that all the kids in livestock are in... just showing how much he does know about the farm and livestock in particular. Now he wants to use his agricultural knowledge and his desire to persent himself in front of people to find a place for himself in this world! It is wonderful to look at this picture and think of each of the kids and how their being brought up on the farm has been such a positive thing for each one of them. Pat and I have always said that it is a wonderful way to raise a family, and being out here in the country it cerrtainly caused them to be close to each other... they were each other's best friends, and continue to be! Thank you Lord for our wonderful life on the farm! Following in their dad's footsteps the kids are demonstrating their "show technique". I know that this is a bad copy of this picture and I am on the lookout for a better one, but for now it will do. John was too young to show but he got to help walk them around the yard or chase them from behind so that they would walk forward instead of planting their feet and putting on the brakes. There was also those that got headstrong and some of the kids got dragged down the driveway a few times. Pat's rule of thumb - always wear long pants and work boots, but when the hot summer heat is out there... it's mighty inviting to wear shorts and tennis shoes. This year we have no one showing... that will be a change for us until our grandson, Simon is a few years older... Then it will begin all over again and Pat will once again pass on his love of livestock and the farm! Some cute stories of the kids and the love of the farm in their blood... When Ruth was doing her student nursing job in Houston, Texas told her dad that she would drive out into the country to see cattle. Nancy has little patience with those that do not know what they are talking about when it comes to anything farm.... and dear Susan loved to tell us that she could see "cows" in the hills around Saint Pierre, France in the letters she sent us while she was in formation to join the Community of the Lamb. One day she amazed all the Little Sisters and Little Brothers by going to try to get a calf back through the fence that she thought had gotten seperated from it's mother. It has become a living legend among the community! She was dressed in the long skirt that they wear until they take the blue habit... When she gets her week to come hiome it will be interesting to see if she will be out to check or help with the cows in her habit?!? The room that John now has upstairs for the last year was Susan's before she left and she had put up a border of cows grazing in a pasture along with calves because she loved cows! Even Maria, who we all knew to be the least in love with working with fair animals.. when we had the big "family jobs" of putting cows and calves out to pasture...her job would be to stand outside the gate and keep track of numbers. When she came home after 5 months in the monastery... We were all working out with the cows and calves and she was thrilled to be out there and exclaimed that we had a wonderful life and wasn't it a wonderful time to share together as a family. "I have been so lucky to have my life growing up on the farm!" she said realizing that the life she thought she had given up to enter a cloistered monastery for the rest of her life was now returned to her! And it was a gift that was appreciated and kept on giving! John has had some special animals that he has shown at the county fair and on to the state fair - Baby and Bertha and her calves year after year have been very good memories and experiences. His last year at the State Fair... the year before last... he also won the interview contest that all the kids in livestock are in... just showing how much he does know about the farm and livestock in particular. Now he wants to use his agricultural knowledge and his desire to persent himself in front of people to find a place for himself in this world! It is wonderful to look at this picture and think of each of the kids and how their being brought up on the farm has been such a positive thing for each one of them. Pat and I have always said that it is a wonderful way to raise a family, and being out here in the country it cerrtainly caused them to be close to each other... they were each other's best friends, and continue to be! Thank you Lord for our wonderful life on the farm!
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