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Bianchi -- There were never enough days in June Dairy Month Tuesday, June 23, 2009
There are times when I question the value of promotions and advertising.
As I browsed through our local newspaper, I was reminded that June is Dairy Month. It wasn't too many years ago that it was almost impossible to forget it. In fact, June was probably the most important month as well as the busiest month for any family involved in the dairy industry.
Ours was no exception. We were just finishing up with numerous graduation parties and had the task of starting to make hay staring us in the face. Our household consisted of just-released-from-school 4-H and FFA members who wanted to be involved in any and all summer activities of their clubs, especially those concerned with bovines.
June just never had enough days in it.
A local newspaper article recently caught my eye. It began with "4-H and Dairy Planned.'' Once again our local 4-H club would be exhibiting projects and helping the 1870s Harkin Store, which is a historical site in our county, and promoting the dairy industry.
My first thought was that I just bet that not only will they be serving dairy products, but some lucky family will get to bring a baby calf for display. I wondered how many years it has been for the West Union 4-H'ers to be involved in this activity. Many, I'm sure, and that includes the 70s and 1980s, prime years in 4-H for our own family.
My favorite memory (or not so great) of June Dairy Day at the Harkin Store was the year I volunteered one of our calves and a kid (a child, not a goat) to go with it. Sunday afternoon is the time for such events and Sunday afternoons for farmers are often their nap times. But it wasn't a problem. Since the Harkin Store was but a short distance from our farm, I was sure that we ladies could handle it. And since the calf was only a few days old, loading it in back of the pickup wouldn't be difficult.
Daughter Beverly and her friend would ride the short distance with it, holding it on the way. It would be fun and I was told there wasn't any need to take the crate. A short distance from our destination the little critter started to get restless and had enough of the ride.
After a bit of excitement, the girls caught it, and decided to lead it the rest of way with me following. That's when the next surprise came. "Sputter, sputter, clunk, and silence.''
The pickup was out of gas. A phone call soon brought relief in the form of a gas can. But you know, dads really hate to be disturbed from naps!
Through the years, our children were involved with other dairy-related activities too numerous to mention. All were done in the name of promoting the product their family believed in. They helped run a malt stand at the county fair and put up displays and held contests to stress the food value of dairy. They constructed floats for parades and attended twilight meetings and judging contests. We worked and played, walked, talked and breathed the dairy industry.
Today, I look at the sad state of it all and my heart goes out to the farmers who work so hard, yet see such meager returns for their long days. In many cases, prices received for many commodities aren't much higher than in our own days of farming. Yet costs of production far exceed yesterday's. I wonder why and have no answers.
Is it politics? Overproduction? Poor eating habits? I think about all that children of farmers do, with mom and dad at their side to promote whatever products in agriculture that their family is involved in.
Is it done in vain? I'd like to think not. Although it might no affect prices, I know it affects their future.
It is a way to learn responsibility, a way to work and play together as a family. It was a way to take pride in whatever their parents have chosen to do for their lifestyle. And when I look at the high rate of unemployment today, my inner-most thought is, "Well, at least we had a job. Not saying it always paid the best!'' |
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