Twig

There's my kid, #83, lining up on the football field, tonight, in the rain. Just another of the things that he gets done in a day. In five short days, he will turn 18. Absolutely and totally mind blowing how quickly time has flown by. It really seems like only yesterday that we brought him home. That he was my little 'Linus' with his blanket (which he called his 'Bobby'---yes he will be thrilled that  I told that little secret!) Didn't he just start school, join 4H, become a big brother, become one again, and again. Wow! This has been a busy week, everyone running 40 different directions, trying get things done. Somewhere in amongst this, I think at the end of last week, I worked on a blog post for the 'Faces of Ag' blog that is a collaboration of some central Missouri gals, who showcase people involved in agriculture from a million different perspectives. Today they choose to showcase Cody's perspective, at least my view of it.
Here's the post:
http://facesofagriculture.blogspot.com/2012/08/cody-of-h-farms.html


Enjoyed digging out some pics of him 'farming' through the years, especially now that most that I am currently taking are in a football jersey. It was a great reminder in savoring the moments, which I am trying to do each and every day. Mother's Day/Graduation will be here so fast!
Just wanted to share the blog for those who hadn't already seen it, oh and BTW the way, we won tonight in double overtime, 18-12. Of course the most important statistic from the game I have to wonder is how much rain did we get DURING the game?
Still trying to warm up and dry out, but loving that rain,
From Tulip~
KH
:)

Summers Grand Finale

 Montgomery Gentry Concert---AWESOMENESS!

 Seeing our buds, Hollow Pointe rock the house at Goodtime Charlies, more AWESOMENESS!

 My kids showing their steers, not only AWESOMENESS, but PRICELESS as well!!!! Go Sam!

 Cody is at such ease, with a stick and a steer in hand, so proud of his top 15 finish! Way to go!!!

Even though she struggled some with Red, Jenna had a pretty good State Fair as well, we are blessed!



Okay in case the title didn't offer any clues, we have just wrapped up our 'end of summer' family time/vacation, whatever you wanna call it. We have returned from the Missouri State Fair. So much fun, good stories, good times, good friends, will I get them all in this blog post, quite likely not, but here I go:
This year, 3 of our 4 kids showed their steers, I think Seth felt a little left out, but next year, he's in too! Cody's steer got 5th in his class, but more exciting, Cody made top 15 in the Senior Showmanship. We don't have much control over where the steer ends up in class, but what we've taught and exposed Cody to over the years has paid off, he does such a great job showing and seems so at ease doing it, makes us proud. Sam's steer was in the lower end of the same class that the steer that won it all was in, so to say he had stiff competition is an understatement! Jenna got her confidence shook by Red being such a smart animal and predicting what was next and heading that direction one day when we were leading them before the fair, so she struggled some this getting through that. We were thankful that the steer show team jumped in and helped her out, always great to have others teaching our kids when we can't.
Again this year we camped with the Sharp family. It is so amazing to me that while Christy is literally one of my oldest friends, we grew up on the same block, our families get along so well together, we are state fair family, its way deeper than friendship, and like those relationships, it doesn't matter that we don't get to see each other much the rest of the year, for our time at the fair, we have each others backs, we catch up on each others lives, tell old stories, make new memories, how blessed we are to have such good friends.
At the fair, we have so many friends, walking to the barn sometimes takes an hour, because there's always someone to say hello to, generally there is more than one someone to do that with. Gonna list a few of the friends we saw, I will probably miss some, but here goes, Bagnells, James', Reinerds, Morgans, Edwards, Heaths, Bastians, Curtis', Nelsons, Martins, Hudsons and MANY MANY MORE!
Seeing people from home is always more fun at the fair. Saw Kelly Dickerson at the concert, wasn't Montgomery Gentry great?!?!?! Saw the OBannons, Dycus' Francis' Rhoades' and Schmidts throughout the fair. Random people from my hometown. Saw old friends, like Pam and Scott Breid. Saw family, cousins and many more.
Notice how little of this is actually talking about exhibits? I have to say the fellowship enjoyed with like minded people is probably my highlight of the fair EVERY YEAR.
This year the fair included a concert for the parents, we saw 38 Special and Montgomery Gentry. It also included celebrating the birthday of our friend Andy Hudson. We celebrated it while enjoying the music of some other friends, Travis Petersen and the Hollow Pointe band. Danced and Partied it up with my friend Wendy Cooley. Shows were great, food and fun was great as well!
This year I got the oppportunity to 'Agvocate for Agriculture' probably in the way I know best how to do it! By COOKING! I got to demonstrate a recipe in the Beef Showcase. I made 'Kickin' Cajun Dirty Rice' it was fun, wonderful chance to meet NEW friends! I look forward to doing it again and thinking that I would like to get more involved in the Missouri Cattlewomen.
Saw cousins at the fair and got to tell our kids and theirs how not only David and I have special stories to our past that are linked to the State Fair, so do they. We shared the story of me having car trouble going to college on what would have been the last weekend of the Missouri State Fair 1989. Since my parents had taken my brother and friends to a concert at the Fair and David had the chores to do, since his parents had taken his sisters to the same concert, when I called him not knowing what to do, he made the comment that Dale, his cousin was a lot closer than he was (I was about a hour from Maryville) so not knowing how to get ahold of Dale, I called Kem, my roommate from college. She had to go to Dale's apartment and talk him into coming and rescuing me! Well they drove to get me and after a few hours in the car, well we can say the rest is history, they will celebrate 19 years of marriage this Dec. Okay I know, I know, kind of a stretch to call their story a 'state fair' story, but I am on a theme here and we retold the story AT the fair this year, doesn't that count?!?!?! I love how when we saw them one of the times it was at a Farm Credit customer luncheon, between friends and family we filled a table, there was us, Beth, Jason, kids, Dawn, Darren and Robin Reynolds, Dale and Kem, their kids, Judy, Kem's mom and Sam's friend Dustin, we weren't sitting in groups we were one big group, didn't matter who was sitting by who and we were sort of mixed up, I remember looking up and down the table, watching my oldest talk to Darren and Judy and have something to talk about, Dustin and Sam BRIEFLY playing with Lynzie, Kristin teasing David........ have I mentioned in this post how blessed I feel surrounded by the love of friends and family particularly at the fair? I think I have, but I like saying that over and over.
We all have special days in our family lives, birthday, holidays, etc........ but for our family State Fair just almost tops the list. With Cody getting older, I have had alot of momma guilt lately about things that I wished I had done differently, things we haven't done, but this last week renewed my confidence, I think we are giving our kids great growing up years and I love that the Missouri State Fair is woven into their lives as one of the grand things.
Enjoying the quiet of the house on the night before school starts,
From Tulip~
KH
:)

Twig

18 years ago this summer, I couldn't wait to see you......... 18 years later, I am always glad for another day, as I know they are numbered. Your Senior year of high school is upon us. As emotional as I am about it, can't even imagine what next summer will be like, you going away to college. But like everything from the beginning, you will do it all in your own time. I remember wanting you for many months before actually even getting pregnant with you. Then that long hot summer, or at least it felt long and hot. What did you do, showed up on the last 'unofficial' day of summer, 'Labor Day' When you were born I thought he's all arms and legs............hmmmm, I still think that. You used to be scared of the vacuum, maybe you still are, is that why your room is messy? We used to have to hold you down to cut your hair, today while cutting it, I almost cried, nope don't have to hold you down, but you asked me to trim your 'scruff' of a beard, when the heck did you become a man? Momma loves you, but those glimpses into the future make me sad. Tonight begins football season, which for my football player will certainly be among the highlights of the next 9 months. While I will love every minute of it, I will certainly savor every one as well. As much as I will miss being a part of your daily life I absolutely can't wait to see where your mind, energy and soul take you. Your journey will be amazing, there will be ups and downs, easy days and challenges. I know that you are ready for it, even if I'm not. Enjoy these last days of childhood and get ready to conquer the world, because I know you can.
First of many lumps in my throat thinking about Cody being a Senior,
From Tulip~
KH
:)

(p.s. that's another one of his senior pictures)

Honor Flight Update

 Cody presents a 'big check' to Shelley Becker for the Honor Flight

They hug---those two! :)

Our 4H club was able to send $600, enough to sponosr TWO veterans on the Honor Flight. We presented the check last night at our meeting to my good friend Shelley Becker, who volunteers with that program. Always feels good to help worthy causes!

Promise this might be my last entry today,

From Tulip~

KH

End of Summer

As much as I hate to admit it, yes  the end of summer is sort of upon us. Two weeks till school starts, a week till State Fair begins, days away from 2-a-day football. The garden has all of the sudden exploded, well what is left of it. I have watered all summer. I inspected things this AM and decided between weeds and grasshoppers four rows of greenbeans and a row of misc could be mowed down. Will continue to water I suppose since the tomatoes and 2 rows of beans ARE producing. Hopefully next year I will make a better effort to plant earlier, would have been nice to have been trying to can this stuff earlier when we weren't quite so busy. Yes I actually consider some days around this farm 'not so busy' ;)
By this point in summer most years, I have said the words 'WHEN does school start?' I haven't this summer, I am trying to savor the moments a little more. The realization that this is my last summer of having 4 school kids in my house has been a bit hard to swallow, wasn't just yesterday the only summer I didn't go to State fair because I was swollen up like a tick preggers with Twig? I should find one of those pictures, oh my could we smile at that?!?!?!
Well since I am lamenting the end the of summer, I should sing its praises as well, I think. What a wonderful summer this has been. Yes there's a terrible drought, records are comparable to the Dust Bowl years of the 30's. We are thankful that the cows can eat the silage as there's next to no corn to shell at all, questionable if there will be beans. But there have been so many things to be thankful for.
This summer our boys have blown my mind. They have worked hard right with their dad and Uncle Jason basically every day that they could all summmer long. They've hauled hay, they've baled hay, they are helping with silage. Besides their usual summer things like football weight lifting, showing cattle, camps. Kinda have to wonder if they are thinking the school year could offer some 'rest' :)
We've worked hard and played hard. We have our summer grand finale yet to experience and then march into fall and all of its joys. I just wanted to drop in say hey this is whats going on today and wanted to 'write' it down so hopefully I will never forget how blessed our life is.
Typing with the shoulders of my shirt damp from standing in the rain,
From Tulip~
KH
:)

God Bless the Workin' Man

I sat and thought and thought about some cute title, many song lyrics came to mind, from Alabama's 40 Hour Week, to Brooks and Dunn's Hard Workin' Man and many of the popular 'farm themed' country songs............then I thought of ballads, because I do love that man A LOT!
I would like to take you through a day with my husband. His alarm goes off at 5:25am, I know this not because I pop right out of bed with him, I think anyone who knows me, knows that I can get to 5 am way easier than I can start there! He starts his morning off with weather.com and the markets, checking out the auction websites and craigslist while eating a bowl of cereal, I promise you this is his preferred breakfast. His stomach doesn't like bacon and eggs that early and eating cereal promises that no one else has to be involved, awake and talking to him. Out the door moments after 6 to start his day. Animals are fed. Sick ones doctored, currently there's a calf who injured its leg and redresses the leg each morning. Then on to maintenance, whether its a tire that needs fixed, equipment that needs to be adjusted or greased, he gets everything ready for the day. This is of course summer time when he doesn't have to make sure everyone else is up (slightly altered schedule during the school year, he probably doesn't go out till 6:15...... )
Once things are ready to go, and by this time Jason (brother in law) has done his morning chores, they begin their day. This last week it has been chopping silage. By mid morning (this week) Cody is back home from football camp, Sam has drug himself out (he's kinda like his momma about mornings) and they pack some drinks and head out. Several loads are chopped, hauled and packed before lunch. Most of the time work stops for lunch. After the meal a quick siesta is had, AKA 20-30 minute power nap.

(OMG----it's raining outside! YAY! Sorry to get off subject, but wow!)


After lunch its back at it, David does the chopping, Jason does the packing and helps with unloading the wagons and truck. The hauling is done this year by a combination of Cody, Sam, Beth, today me, and Luke helped over the weekend. We are about to fill our bunker silo, so there will be some adjustments to switch over to the upright, the blower will need to be gotten out, etc.......

Today as I helped, I couldn't help but mentally add up all the different jobs David does. He makes marketing decisions, considers upgrades on equipment, veterinary work, shop work, repairs, the 'skill jobs' (makes me think of Cody talking about skill positions in football) keeps in his mind what he planted when and where, the variety it was, everything you ever or never needed to know about all of our tractors, combines and pieces of equipment, what grain is in the bins, whether its been checked recently, when he mowed the alfalfa last and will it be ready to be mowed again, when to move the bulls to the summer pasture, which group of cows have calved, should be calving soon, etc etc........ he blows my mind.

He can fix anything, of this I am pretty sure. We broke a brace on the silage chopper that braces the blower. He stopped, got the pickup, pulled underneath it and monkey-ed up the thing, had it off of there and we were headed to the house before I much more than got asked the silly question of can you fix it? You would think 22 years and 12 days into this thing, I would know better....... measuring tape, piece of scrap iron, cutting torch, the grinder, a chalk mark for the bolt hole needed, another drill, little more grinding, then it was hold this, close your eyes, I am gonna weld............waaa laaa....... he fabricated a new 'end' to the brace and back to the field we went.

I know that when he proposed to me, I knew I loved him, when we got married, I knew I loved him, when we had babies---loved him........... I am pretty sure that I had no idea how that love would grow exponentially, year by year, day by day.........hour by hour. Heck I even drove for him chopping silage and while I could tell from the body language I was frustrating the crap out of him, stupid dirty windows, sun glare.........yeah I have excuses. He called me on his way to a meeting, that he was probably late to, trying to get 'one more 5 minute job' done, to make sure I had everything under control while he was going to be gone and to say he loves me.

(BTW, rain already stopped........sigh)

Waiting up for my sweetie,
From Tulip~
KH
:)

Some amazing people.........

This summer as our family has worked hard getting crops planted, hay baled and now silage chopped. We have had the privilege to see some amazing things among the groups of people we spend time with. Our rural country church had vacation bible school in June. For their daily offering, the kids generally pick a charitable organization to contribute to. This year the Central Missouri Food Bank's 'Buddy Pack' program was chosen. This story starts back long before VBS, as many of you know our kids go to church with, are in 4H with, ride the school bus with, etc etc etc the same set of kids mostly. Last fall our 4H club was presented with a program on the Buddy Pack program by a good friend of mine, Shelley Becker. She works at the food bank as their grant writer. While the parents were concerned that maybe the facts and figures were over their heads.........those kids turned around and the next meeting planned to go and volunteer at the Food Bank. One day after school the moms gathered everyone up and we went to the food bank and made some huge amount of Buddy Packs up, I wanna say about 400, in less than an hours time. The kids were thrilled, amazed and ready to go back and help again. The Buddy Pack program is near and dear to the kids' heart. They see some of their classmates helped by this program weekly throughout the school year. It makes their hearts feel good to know that they could help with their own skills in a program that they see working. The Buddy Pack program is a bag of food sent home in backpacks every Friday throughout the school year with nonperishable easy to prepare foods that are healthy for the kids to eat. This helps families who would otherwise struggle to feed their kids. I don't know the actual percentage, but I know as a substitute teacher, in a class of 20-ish students, I have seen as many as 5 or 6 qualify in a classroom. We are so thankful to live in an area that works so hard to help families with kids, get them fed! Now fast forward to summer, with that memory of helping in their minds, when asked what group could we help with our VBS offering, they shouted in unison---Buddy Packs!!! And helped they did!! I takes around $180 per kid to sponsor this program through the school year, and I think at last count its getting close to 9,000 kids that are helped in the central Missouri region. Well 30 Tulip VBS students and their families, raised $740 dollars in a weeks worth of offerings to pay a yrs worth for 4 kids to get Buddy Packs, plus a little extra!

If that was amazing enough to witness, remember how I talked about my kids hanging with the same kids in about everything that they do? Well another project my good friend Shelley is involved in is the Central Missouri Honor Flight, which takes WW2, Korean and Vietnam War veterans to Washington DC to see their monuments and to just honor them and thank them for their service to this country. This spring we had Shelley back to a 4H meeting and another program was shared, this time on the Honor Flight. After watching this program the kids thought it would be great to try and help this group as well. It was decided that we would raffle off a quilt to try and raise money to sponsor a veteran to go on this Flight. Having been given a lot of scraps by my quilting friend Dee and after going through my own stash, I came up with the idea to do a 'Patriotic' quilt, we were selling the tickets around the 4th of July, it was to raise $$$ for veterans, it seemed like the thing to do. After getting the quilt pieced, I sent to another friend of mine Jan who has a long arm quilting business. She quilted it for us. When I went to pick it up, instead of a bill there was a note that said, 'If it wasn't for 4H I probably wouldn't be sewing as a business, 4H was a big part of my life growing up and I am so proud of what you all are doing, so I am donating the quilting at no charge!' What a wonderful woman, she's that anyway, but wow, what a great way to help. During the local fairs, our 4h members sold tickets and the quilt was drawn for at the end of our county fair. The winner is already enjoying it at her house. We added up the ticket sales and found that not only do we have enough to sponsor a veteran (takes about $300) we are just a few dollars short of sponsoring TWO VETERANS..........I mentioned that on facebook the other day and I think that through more friends, we will be ready to send the Central Missouri Honor Flight a check for $600 from our 4H club.
Now as anyone who pays attention to anything at all, you know things aren't good with the economy, haven't been for a while now, certainly this summer's drought has been rough on farmers in many areas. I would guess 90% of people involved in these two projects are rural people and several were involved in both projects, with a little hustle we were able to help two very worthy causes. And what we have gotten out of these experiences have been amazing. So proud of our friends, neighbors and family. Thank you for reaching into your hearts and finding ways to help others even when much wasn't to be found in your own pockets. You are amazing!

Links to the Charities I mentioned are:
http://centralmissourihonorflight.com/       http://sharefoodbringhope.org/buddy-packs/

Wishing the silage chopping would get rained out,
From Tulip~
KH
:)

We're famous! Well sorta! :)

http://facesofagriculture.blogspot.com/2012/07/hasekamps-of-h-farms.html


We are featured today on 'Faces of Agriculture' which is a great new blog that is put together by two Midwestern ladies who are trying to 'fight the good fight' and get our stories out to the world. Keep up the good work girls!

Busy day at our house, sorry for the short post.

Gathering up 'everything' and headed out to tackle the day,
From Tulip~
KH
:)

What's going on in your world?

The Prom, Cody and Sarah, April 2012



Mother's Day 2012, Sam and Cody standing, Seth, Jenna, Riddick and Trinity sitting



Working with calves, summer 2012

First attempt at Senior pictures


What a busy late spring and first half of summer it has been at our house. School no more than got out for summer and the big boys, went right to work hauling hay, for customers and for us. Cody ran a hay crew again this summer and stayed pretty busy till this dry drought of a summer burnt up all the hay in the area. Cody and Sam have both helped David and Jason so much this summer, plus found time to do most of the pre-fair time prep with the cattle. I think David has only had to clip one calf this summer and that was a demonstration for his 4H beef project kids. What young men  I have living in my house. They get up and are in town most mornings before 6am to lift weights in prep for the fall football season, then come home and ask what needs to be done. They blow my mind. Hard to wrap my brain around the fact that in a few more weeks, I will have an 18 year old MAN at my house, wow! And a little over a year from now, Sam will get his learners permit, what the heck, what happened to my little boys, of course as I look UP at them both, I know, they've grown up, but I can still complain a little can't I?

Wanted to share some newer pictures and give everyone a quick glimpse into what's going on with us. It's busy, like normal, and I really have to say, would I like it any other way? Probably not. Big news we will be featured on 'Faces of Agriculture' tomorrow. I will jump back on here tomorrow and share the link, but in case I forget, their website is http://www.facesofagriculture.blogspot.com/
County Fair begins tomorrow and yesterday was one month till State Fair, someone please slow this ride down please!
Praying for rain but otherwise loving life,
From Tulip,
KH
:)

Didn't realize JUST how long it has been since I blogged!

Hello folks~

I really didn't fall off the face of the earth, looks like since I last blogged its been 10 months!!! OMG!!! Wow............. well to catch up, lets see, we finally finished our house. We had a great big party last summer to celebrate (the house and me turning 40!) We got busy and back at life, 4 kids in 4 different school buildings, me subbing, here and there and everywhere. The boys combined for three football games a week last fall. I have gotten back to sewing (see the pictures!) I have been sewing for gifts, sewing custom orders, and just sewing some for us. I feel kinda rusty at blogging, duh, I haven't done it in a while.

Let's see what's currently going on with us? Kids have a dozen calves in the barn in preparation for another summer of showing. (I wasn't kidding, actually there might be a bakers dozen!) We just were out there combing, brushing, walking some of them. So far unfortunately they know David better than the kids, but we are working on it. I am about to begin a sewing series. Teaching 6 different beginner/quick quilts over the next several months. Plus I have about 3 or 4 sewing jobs (quilts) for others in the works. PLanning to use several of the samples from the series as Christmas gifts, so I guess I have already begun my Christmas sewing in MARCH! WOW!

Well, gonna cut this one short, busy day, mostly just wanted to share some pictures and see if I remembered 'how' to blog.........hopefully the next post will be sooner!

Enjoying the beautiful Spring day,

From Tulip~

KH