Let Them Eat Grass

I have often wondered how everything we digest - physically, mentally and emotionally - really affects us.  After my 31 years of life I think most of it impacts us in some way, and now that I have a child of my own I am more certain of it. 

This spring, Mae and I were enjoying an evening outside listening to the tractor hum in the distance and watching the cows as the sun set behind the farm in the distance.  I sat little Miss Mae on the ground for a few photos where she smiled brightly and enjoyed the scenes and sounds around her.  Then I looked away to say a little prayer of thanksgiving and for the safety of our farmer while I stared at God’s portrait in the sky.  I turned back around (seriously 10 seconds later) and she was putting a handful of grass in her mouth!  Now granted, I should have known that she would have found something to grab and stick in her mouth as that is pretty standard operating procedure for our little girl.  My eyes widened as I said “no, no” but then realized it was just grass and I’m sure she has ingested much worse when she crawls around the kitchen floor where her dad’s boots sit after a day a long day’s work on the farm.  At the moment I was a little fearful of what may come out the other end, but honestly I forgot about it an hour later and guess what – she was fine.

I know parents that hover – you know like a helicopter – and have pacifier wipes and try to finish their kids’ puzzles, sentences and thoughts.  What happened to letting them figure it out on their own?  Their little brains are trying to figure out the world and digest all these new things including how we react and what we do or don’t do for them.  

Mary Poppins always said “a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down” and I think she’s right but there are lots of different flavors of sugar in this life.  I believe it’s okay to spoil our children to an extent and let them eat a little sweet sugar.  However, I also believe we shouldn’t spoon feed it to them – they need to feed themselves.  Honestly, giving and doing everything for them doesn’t help them at all.  

Eating rocks or grass - whatever your little heart desires.

I’ve told my daughter that she is beautiful to me and loved by me, is amazing to me, seems very smart to me and is important to me – not by everyone else and not the world.  If I told her the world thought she was beautiful, loved, amazing, smart and important then why would she try to develop herself and make the world a better place than how she found it?  

It’s a hard dose of tart sugar to take – one taken with a wooden spoon that has been frayed with years of use – but one that we all need to be reminded of.

After celebrating my first Mother’s Day I have recommitted to raising a thoughtful, independent, selfless child.  So let’s put down the sugar and stop telling the kids “no, no” or “you are so important”.  Let’s let them finish their own thoughts or fail their research paper because they didn’t invest the time or spell check (my mother reminded me to double check my papers but didn’t do it for me).  Let them eat the grass, dirt, rocks, ladybugs or small cow manure particles (don’t judge) – whatever may be on your kitchen floor – and experience what comes out the other end.  They will learn and become a better decision maker and citizen of their community and the world in the future.  

Perfect, Dirty Floors & Springtime Mottos

It's springtime on the farm and it's perfect.

Well, except for the floors in our kitchen and laundry room because the farmer can't take his boots off to walk across the somewhat clean floor.  

When I come home and find chunks of dirt that have fallen from is filthy boots, I take a deep breath and realize that taking your boots on and off takes time.  

And farmers don't have a lot of spare time in the spring to take off their boots.  They are too busy worrying about the weather, running to the fields to plant a new crop, checking the pastures for new calves and more.

In their mind, spring is a perfect time to start doing what they 

love again--caring for animals and planting a new crop.

So I guess I can have a little patience and accept that my floors will be dirty for spring.

And it seems like we have several mottos on the farm during this time of year.

One of them may just be for me as a reminder to slow down and enjoy being outside surrounded by cows and farmers in the fields.  This towel hangs in my kitchen to remind me to chill out.

And it's in the kitchen because I spend a lot of time in there making sandwiches for the guys on our farm.  I get so prepped and organized before putting their lunch and dinners together that the farmer says I "compose meals" instead of make them.  

It's just one less thing for them to worry about and a perfect way for me to give back to the farm and farmers.

When you live on a farm, each day counts during the various seasons.  

And as a farmer's wife you have to stay positive and upbeat about each day. 

I found this mug during the move, showed it to the farmer and did a little cheer for planting! 

He then shook his head at me, gave me a kiss and walked away.  

At least he didn't say anything and make fun of me, right?

This year we expanded the cattle herd on our family farm and there have been great days and not so great days.

One cow delivered still born twins early this spring.

Another had twins several hours apart and she abandoned the second one.

And another cow died several weeks after giving birth.

But the good days are when the mom that lost the twins survived, and when other mamma cows tended to the abandoned and orphaned calves.

And the great days are when the calves are running around enjoying the open fields and spring weather, and sometimes really enjoying their photo op!

So on the farm, we try to keep calm because calving's on.  

In our house, there are lots of springtime mottos but most importantly it's patience and love.  We must have patience with each other to get through the spring, just like the fall.  And we continue to have love and passion for what we do--taking care of the cattle, digging and planting the new crop and making sure to care for each other along the way.  

Do you have a springtime motto?  

If you don't, appreciate your perfect, dirty floors and it will come to you.