The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
This spring a very wise mother held her daughter’s hand and with a knowingly pat, told her that it was going to be “a special summer”. She is 91 and seemed to sense it would be a season of firsts and lasts for her family.
Tears rolled down my face as my friend told me of her mother’s predication and the events that followed. A final gathering of the sisters and their daughters at the old homestead in South Dakota. Coronations. Graduations. Celebrations.
It is strange how we take a more focused view of our own lives after we “discover” that others are going through similar struggles and joys. It is nice to know that “we’re not in this alone”.
As Joan treasures her joys and says her goodbyes, I look at my own “special summer”. It has been filled with joys and goodbyes as well.
For the past month we have had a house full of fun in any language. Joshua and Kevin stayed behind as their parents flew back to France in July.
We have kept 6 kids between the ages of 13 to 17 fed and clean. No easy task when they are bottomless pits. Katie has also done a great job of holding her own with 5 “brothers”.
We have celebrated birthdays, showed cattle at three shows in 8 days, swam in the Mississippi River, tubed on Leech Lake and slept out under the stars.
Even with all of the running, the kids were still able to help with daily chores, build fences, pound nails, fix barns and work with show calves.
Kevin and Joshua were disappointed they weren’t able to stack hay and straw as planned, but mother nature was on a different time table.
My kids were sad that they weren’t going to have any extra help this week in the hayloft.
The highlight for both boys was showing cattle at the District 8 Holstein and Stearns County Open Shows. Joshua even won a Reserve Champion ribbon to take home to France!
Both boys also won ribbons at the Benton County Fair for the tallest corn, alfalfa, silage and photography entries. Their ribbons were the first thing packed into their suitcases followed by show halters, curry combs and tail combs they picked up at the fleet store. Joshua kept telling me that there is nothing like this in France.
Joshua came home early from our county fair one night this past week to help with chores and try his hand at cutting hay. Third crop is finally ready and we needed to put some hay down between rain clouds. Mark showed him about how to “read” the plants for harvesting.
Al gave him a lesson on running the haybine. He did a great job and you could see the spring in his step by his accomplishment.
His dad is going to try and grow alfalfa for the first time on their farm in France next year. It will be a thrill for the boys to be the “experts” and teach their dad about harvesting hay.
Kevin also learned how to cut hay on his last night at our farm. They both drove chopper boxes hauling loads in from the fields too.
I think the boys were most surprised by how many kids their age have the same interests in farming and cattle as they do. Kevin and Joshua have very few neighborhood kids to hang out with. There are even fewer farm kids at their school. There are no 4-H programs or county fairs to get together with in France either.
This makes it difficult to find friends who truly understand what it means “to make hay while the sunshines”. Or realize that “nightline” is more than just a late night news program.
There is no one to argue with about good bulls and bad bulls. Living in central Minnesota has been like an oasis for the boys.
Luckily with technology, they will be able to visit their oasis whenever they want.
Between Facebook, e-mail and skype, we will be able to keep in close touch with Kevin and Joshua back home in France. They will also be able to “talk” with their new dairy friends here in central Minnesota.
It was hard putting the boys on their flight back home to France this week. They have become such a natural part of our family and its rhythm.
It is hard to say goodbye to family knowing that you won’t be able to see them for awhile. So now we say goodbye, but when our spirits reunite, they will say hello, for Joan’s mom is right…it has been a special summer.
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As their four children pursue dairy careers off the family farm, Natalie and Mark are starting a new adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their farm north of Rice, Minnesota.
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