The barn is silent and empty.......

So sorry. I don't think that many understand what livestock mean to those that raise and care for it. It's definitely about more than money.

Sorry to here about your ending of the dairy business. My wife's family were farmers in Lancaster, PA for 300 years and shut the farm when their son died in an accident. A cousin still owns the place, but they just lease the land to other farmers for hay ect. Are you still going to farm, but do something else or are you getting out of the business entirely? We have a farm, but it's just a hobby, mainly for my wife who has that heritage. I wish the best as you transition to another stage in life.

So sorry, that is a sad day. I remember how sad my Grandfather was when he had to finally sell the family farm. He cried like a baby when they loaded up his cows. Good luck.

So sorry quads. It is sad to lose livestock.

Well Quads, it is a sad day indeed. But I can't help but be reminded that my BIL and his family are restarting their dairy, this time on a much larger scale. They are almost done laying block for the parlor, clearing/seeding/fencing some additional lots, and should start milking in a couple months. I hope they enjoy it as much as you did.

If you aren't milking you can spend more time on taking some of those fantastic pictures.

Quads, good luck moving foward with thing's in life.

though now you wont have to cut your wood cutting day's short to get back and start the evening chores

sublime out.

Didn't catch why you had to get rid of the animals, but sad anyhow. Seems the dairys are all going to factory farms
around here. I do some construction work for a 2,000 head dairy just down the road. I guess If you can't beat them, join them ?
Lots of neighbors here raise new stock for them and feed etc....

Quads, your story is heart breaking. So sorry.... perhaps you can start a career as a photographer - your pic's are always awesome - thanks for sharing.

Another family farm closing and locking the gate for the final time. Truly a sad day for all of you. I worked in a farm store for 4.5 years and farmers have a special place in my heart. Great people no matter what they grow/raise.

fv

Sad stories suck. Pics: Riveting. Keep your head up Quads.

Sunrise this morning was perfect. Then the storm front came through the Ozarks. While it was dark, I read your post. I cried. For you and yours. For times when the ancestors and other family turned and looked into the empty barn.

The sun came out brilliant in a break in the thunderclouds. We missed the worst. Heard they had 2" hail in Hermann. Now the clouds returned.

The sun will be back. Hang in there. We are pulling for you.

Very sorry to hear of this . . . another chapter in Quad's life has closed . . . perhaps another chapter will start.

well for today you can just watch it snow and think about how you can stay inside and not have to deal with having to go out and slop through it to feed all the cows/young stock

I worked for about 3 different dairy farmer's in my youth and now all of those barn's now sit empty.

sublime out.

quads said:

Now, time to move on to the next chapter in our lives..........

Click to expand...

I always say that quads when there is a major change in my life. I try to make a negative into a positive no matter how hard it may be.
Love the pics you took...you are really a talented photographer. Thanks for sharing your story. Wishing you and your family happiness in your next "chapter."

I always enjoy your pics

it makes me sad, when sad things happen to sweet people like yourself. be well sir. on the positive, now you'll have time to take up automobile racing....vroom.

quads, we know and understand the feelings. But you have the right idea of the new chapter. I can picture your wife with tears as my wife is the same way. Well, it does hurt when you have to get rid of the stock. So sorry.

Sure is pretty hard to read this thread quads..You and your family take care eh..

Terry

Too sad!

[quote author="quads" date="1330706545"]It's all over, the barn is silent and empty.

My teenage years were spent on a small farm in the Bella Coola Valley. We had three milk cows of which we only milked one; the other 40 head were Heinz 57 types. What I remember most was the individual personalities of several of the cows. Because of our Heinz 57 stock, two of the neighboring farms asked us not to keep a bull and were more that happy to make a bull available for reasons you can understand. One of the milk cows, when she came into heat, would go "a courting" and would bring both of the neighboring Hereford bulls home with her! Another one had learned how to turn the lever to start the water pouring into the trough in the barn yard. This was not a problem in the summer as it was a gravity system from a stream on the hillside behind the farm but in the winter, the water came from a well with the pump being located in the basement of my stepbrother's house directly below his bedroom. This cow always seemed to turn the water on in the middle of the night.
It is sad that this chapter in your life has closed but no one can take the memories away from you.

Sad story.
One of those "Life is" moments.

From how hard you work & how positive you are here, I have confidence that you are gonna be fine.
I'm betting the "new chapter" is as happy as the previous one
Don't to anything for the "sad now" though.

Wishing you well.
Hey, you have some great memories & pictures.

after all you went through with that crappy situation, Quads, I am sure things will turn around for you. I, too, love looking at your pictures. You have a keen eye for the little details, and you take the pics without focusing on those subtle things. That is a gift, and you may want to look into the photography because you have a gift. Landscapes and candids, you could make some good money my friend. Keep your chin up, love the ones that mean the most to you, and move forward. Life will work it out, you just have to keep rolling with the flow.......