Tragedy Strikes, Farmers Come Together

Bold headline, I know, but when tragedy strikes farmers, neighbors, and other rural community members really do come together--at least they did this weekend.

I had a different post lined up for this weekend. I wanted to introduce my Show-Me Ag Matters project but that can wait. Instead, I wanted to tell a little story. A story about a man, a barn, some neighbors, and a whole lot of pigs.

As many of you are aware, we had a snow storm. Actually, most of the Midwest had a snow storm. This storm dropped a good bit of snow and in our area we got anywhere from 9 inches to more than a foot of snow with drifts 3 to 5 feet deep. This is where the tragedy began.

Snow is heavy, wet snow is heavier and I think you know where I'm going with this. Yes, that's the place this is heading--a roof collapsed.

One of our neighbor's roof collapsed on his pig barn. Unfortunately, it was full of pigs.

No, these are not the actual images of our neighbor's barn but this is very similar to what the damage looks like.

Fret not, there is good news in this story and a happy ending.

Fortunately, because this farmer was quick to act, friends, family, neighbors, and fellow farmers were able to rapidly come together. They were also able to save nearly every pig in the barn. As soon as the tragedy happened phones were ringing, trucks were moving, and people were coming together to save those pigs. Grown men were on hands and knees crawling under the collapsed roof trying desperately to get to the trapped pigs and run out as many as they possibly could.

It was a lucky thing that we recently emptied one of our sites and had room to fit all of our neighbor's pigs. However, there was a downside. This particular site has three barns sitting on it, two 1200-head barns and one 2400-head barn, our 2400-head barn was down for repairs. We needed to replace all the gate posts before pigs could come in. But a group of guys came over and got every single one of those gate posts (there were several!) replaced while another group took care of unloading the pigs in the smaller barns. It was a great show of organization and hustle.

Luck aside, it could not have been done without the help of extraordinary people willing to drop everything and come to aide a farmer and a friend in need. Because these wonderful people came together so quickly they were able to save nearly every pig in the entire barn. The pigs were hungry and thirsty when they came to our barns (due to the feed and water lines busting from the collapse) but otherwise happy and healthy--running, jumping, and inspecting the new facility.

I want to thank those farmers, friends, and neighbors for caring and dropping everything to help.

I want to thank our neighbor for acting so quickly and proving that farmers--no matter the size of their operation--care about their animals.

I want to thank all parties involved for doing the right thing even when they think no one is looking, even when they think no one will ever know of the good deed done. Because guess what guys, I just told on you. But I think in this instance, it's okay to tattle.

Great job getting those pigs out, guys. Now, everyone reading his, go thank a farmer!

Winter Farming

Even in the winter months with the ground frozen and nothing growing farmers are still farming. There is a surprising consensuses that farmers get the winter months off but oh the contrary is true. No, we aren't in the fields but there is much, much more to farming than just cruising in the tractors. There is plenty to do on the farm to keep farmers and ranchers busy year round and then some.

Today in Missouri (and the entire mid-west) we are under a winter weather advisory. In fact, the radio just announced a state of emergency because the sky is layering the ground with an inch of snow every hour and the wind she is a blowing causing whiteout conditions.

 

Luckily, Aaron crammed the trucks in the shed and got the tractor and blade ready last night in preparation for today. There is a very good reason why farmers are obsessed with the weather and I am grateful for it, especially today.

But what about the livestock? Sure, we have tractors for pushing snow complete with cabs, heat, and air-ride seats but how are our pigs faring in this frosty weather?

Good news! Not only do we have heated cab tractors but we also have heated barns specially made for the pigs. You won't find frosty snouts and frozen hooves on our farm; instead, you'll find warm pigs with plenty of food and water. We didn't even have to break the ice for them to drink!

These huge furnaces are throughout the barn and work just like a furnace in a house. When the temperature drops the furnace kicks on until the barn reaches the toasty temperature we designate in the computer. We also have brooder heaters for the little pigs but once they are big enough to generate their own heat we take these brooders down. We also have a generator, which Aaron checked on this morning, in case the power goes out.

Despite whiteout conditions, 40-mile-per-hour winds, and freezing temperatures farmers and ranchers are out checking on their herds--both indoor and outdoor. No matter where the herd is raised--climate controlled barns, pastures, or hoop houses--farmers still have to brave the weather to get to their animals every single day. 

 

 What are you doing on this snowy day?

Off the subject: Is it normal to have thunder and lightening during a snow storm or am I the only one that finds that odd?

Never can tell in Missouri

If there is one thing you can count on in Missouri, it's the weather. (insert sarcasm here)

The saying around here goes: If you don't like the weather in Missouri, wait 5 minutes, it'll change.




Even Miss Mina likes catching snowflakes with her tongue. When I got home yesterday afternoon I caught her chasing the flakes and trying to bite them mid-air. She's such a silly puppy.

Yesterday evening when I looked out the window and thought we were having another blizzard. It was cold, windy, and the biggest snowflakes I've ever seen were pouring from the sky. In the picture it doesn't look like much but boy was it a snowin'.

Today, the sun is shining and it's 64 degrees. Go figure!

Mina is jumping for joy. You can't see it but I too am jumping for joy--only behind that camera.

But that's Missouri weather. You just never can tell.

Come Sleet or Snow or Monstrous Blizzards...The Farmer Never Quits!

In Missouri, like much of the mid-west, we are in the midst of a blizzard. We are down to less than a quarter mile visibility, the wind is blowing like crazy, and my husband is out in this weather caring for our pigs.

I hated to see him get out in the weather but he has to make sure the pigs are warm enough, the barn is running properly, and the feeders aren't clogged. The barns are climate controlled and fully automated but we still have to be in those barns every day caring for the pigs. My husband met his brother over there this morning to hang brooders so the pigs would have extra heat. Anyone who claims we don't care for our animals is full of it! You don't brave white-out conditions because you don't care about the pigs, you get out there because you do care!

Nothing burns me up more than a person claiming that farmers are soulless businessmen that only care about making money. If this were just a paycheck, if this were just a job would we be out in this severe weather? Would we be risking life and limb in order to get to the hog barns because this is just a job? I don't think so! For all those people who stayed at home today but still have the audacity to claim that hog farmers don't care think again! The farm doesn't close because of inclement weather, the farm doesn't close because you have the flu and don't want to get out of bed, the farm doesn't close--period.

Hog farming is a business, there is no disputing that, but it is much much more than a paycheck. I don't know a single person who would dedicate this kind of time and effort for just a paycheck. This is our life and I am damn proud of it.