First thing tomorrow morning I have to milk the cows, but I also cannot forget about the fresh heifer, I have to make sure the calves are fed, and then I need to hurry back to get the kids on the bus. As soon as the bus doors close I need to remember to fix the water leak in the barn and clean the floor, because it’s that time again.
Does this sound familiar? We all have a lot to do every day, and most of the time we are thinking about tomorrow before we finish today. It’s in our blood and it’s what we do, but do you ever really stop to “smell the roses”? We are a fortunate group of people that get to see the miracle of life all around us but seldom do we consider how blessed we are.
Lately I have taken a step back to really consider where I am. I get to see a little seed germinate into a corn stock that is taller than me in one season. I have the opportunity to take part in the birthing of new life and be there for the first feeding in its life. I get the opportunity to be there for animals in need and give a pat to the others that just want to say hello. Every day I am blessed to witness how our purposeful actions to keep our soil healthy and our cows happy have given back to our environment and our community.
The dairy industry as a whole has seen a lot of change lately, some good, and some less favorable. Still, we need to appreciate the little things that made us fall in love with what we do. We truly get to witness life from a different vantage point than the majority of the population, and sometimes I take that for granted.
My challenge for you this week is to really look at what you are seeing and the blessings that come from it.
Tyler Ribeiro is a fourth-generation dairy farmer born and raised in California. He is currently partners with his father at Rib-Arrow Dairy in Tulare where they proudly ship their milk to Land O’Lakes. Tyler is actively involved in the dairy industry, holding leadership roles in various organizations locally and across the United States.