Reflection on 2021

End of the year, time to reflect.

A lot has happened this year. By chance we sold most of our highland cattle (down to 17 currently) as we switch to polled Hereford. (no horns, finish a year faster, respect fences, etc.) Then we had a hay fire (outside) and lost half of the hay we had put up this summer. Because the herd was reduced by 50 animals, we don’t need as much hay and were able to find some to replace what we lost. We sold several pieces of old equipment we no longer needed and were able to grind our corn from last year for some of our pig feed. We moved and expanded our cattle facility to more safely handle cattle and our son got a pad built for a future 40x80 building. We will also be putting up an on-farm retail space in the next year or two.

The most exciting change was our daughter’s wedding. In July, a couple weeks before our 30 anniversary, Kaitlin married Tim Opdahl and we couldn’t be happier. We love Tim and his family and look forward to many years of our families getting together. They were married on the farmstead in Grandma Edda’s garden. The reception was at Como Zoo Conservatory and all-in-all it went off as well as you could ever expect.

The farm is starting to quiet down. The pigs are gone, the meat chickens are gone, the cattle fold is small and all of the water tanks have heat going to keep them open. We are about as ready as we can be for winter. We are in the process of finishing the inside of the new sugar shack for maple syruping (see photo with this post) and should have it ready to go by the time syruping starts in early March. About the same time we will get new pigs and at the end of March we will get the first meat chicks. We should be getting some more cattle around then as well and by the end of April we will be heavily into field work. For now however, we have a once a month farmers market in Stillwater through April and planning for next year. Today I am watching the snow fall as we get our first good winter storm here and I must say, it’s been a good year. If we focus on our strengths rather than our weaknesses, how we compliment one another’s passions rather than our differences, the wonderful things rather than the painful ones we will find ourselves in a better place. Not just personally but also with those we touch even if in just a small way.

We wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all the happiness you can handle. May God bless you one and all.

Until next time, live well.

The Guy with the Hat.