![](https://cms-static.wehaacdn.com/hoards-com/images/HDNotebook_MollySchmitt_112520_04.19746.jpg)
My view today is filled with rain, snow, sleet, and lots of fog (because that’s Midwest weather for you). These types of days are when I like to take a little time to myself for catching up on things in the house, completing put off chores and trying to stay a little extra cozy (which is rarely acceptable with the farming lifestyle).
After months of non-stop fieldwork, wet weather forces us farmers to slow down a bit. I’ve spent the last few weeks in the tractor hauling loads of manure religiously and collecting well over 1,000 cornstalk bales to use throughout the coming year. But today, I spent a lot of my morning putting fresh, clean bedding down for our calves, feeder steers, and replacement heifers so they can stay dry and healthy during this cold, wet weather.
![](https://cms-static.wehaacdn.com/hoards-com/images/HDNotebook_MollySchmitt_112520_01.19747.jpg)
You know that feeling when you crawl under the covers after a long, frigid day to clean sheets and a perfectly made bed? Well, that’s the feeling I get to give our animals on days like today. One of my all-time favorite chores on our dairy farm is bedding our calves. No, it’s not a fun job to get stuck in the skid loader spreading bales of cornstalks or hand-pitching bales of straw until my arms are ready to fall off; however, within minutes of putting fresh bedding down for our cattle, I’m rewarded in such a heartwarming way.
Calves are just like us — they know how to appreciate a freshly made bed and hunker down for a cozy slumber. Whether they snuggle with others or sprawl out happily, you can tell how much they love fresh bedding — even more than I love a newly laundered quilt.
Every time I bed a group of calves, I stop for just a moment to watch them prance around with excitement and then quickly choose a spot to curl up for a nice, long nap. There really isn’t anything sweeter than watching a one-week-old calf contently snoozing in fluffy, golden-colored straw.
In a time where there are so many unknowns and people are bustling around getting ready for the holidays, it’s so important that we stop for just a moment to appreciate what’s around us. A lot of my time is spent bedding calves, but taking a moment to watch their joy in such a simple thing as a new bale of cornstalks seriously brings a huge smile to my face.
So, whether you’re worried about checking off your Christmas shopping list, entertaining your kids this season, or powering through never-ending to-dos at work, take time to notice the little things that are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. Can you find joy in the ordinary?
![](https://cms-static.wehaacdn.com/hoards-com/images/MollySchmittHeadshot__1.18752.png)
The author dairy farms with her parents and brother near Hawkeye, Iowa. The family milks approximately 300 head of grade Holstein cows at Windsor Valley Dairy LLC — split half and half between a double-eight parallel milking parlor and two robotic milking units. In the spring of 2020, Molly decided to take a leap and fully embrace her love for the industry by returning full time to her family’s dairy.