The Nelson Dairy

The Nelson Dairy

• 5.15.2009

"Welcome to the Nelson Dairy!" I greet every new calf on the farm that way, and if you took the effort to drive all the way out here and down the dirt lane, I think you might deserve that kind of greeting too.

The Nelson Clan posing atop the new tractor

It's okay, you can laugh. We all did.

I've been living on the dairy for two years now. Me? A big city southern California girl living on a muddy farm next to 300 cows? Yes. Ohh, yes! My transition from city life to country life was gradual. I was first introduced in the fall of 2002 when my parents moved me from San Diego to Meridian, Idaho. Culture shock! But I had a blast my entire senior year of high school, and thus, small city life left a sweet taste. Next, I acquired an appreciation for the cold and an even smaller town when I moved off to college in Rexburg. But I wasn't hit with Cupid's arrow until I came out to the Nelson farm to milk cows one evening long ago. It's beautiful out here! The sunsets are spectacular and the stars take my breath away. The farm sits beneath a tranquil set of mountains and nestles right up to one of the biggest cotton wood forests in the United States. On top of that, I live in an incredible log cabin. (Am I bragging yet?)

Bron and I dated for over a year. I spent the majority of my weekends out here "helping" Bron in the milking barn or in the tractor. He worked a lot on the farm, but it was time well spent together; cows often don't bring out the best in people. We had a lot of fun and made a bunch of memories!

Uni-Boob

Remember this, honey? I used to fill the pocket of his apron up with water and then SMOOSH it!

We did a lot of THIS down in the barn too.

The little calfs remind of big dogs. They're friendly and unafraid and will lick or suck your hand blue. They're so cute! I once tried to halter-break one. I named her Annabelle. She took me for a run! Needless to say, our training sessions were short-lived. Now she is one of the worst heiffers in the milking barn. I hope it wasn't because of me!

Sandy

By far, my favorite thing on the farm is our dog, Sandy. She loves, loves, loves attention. And I give it to her; we're pretty good buds. But our favorite thing to do is go running out in the cotton woods together. That is what I will miss most about Summer on the farm: running outside through the trees. It's beautiful and quiet! Sandy and I see all sorts of animals on our excursions such as white-tail deer, stupid varmin, cotton-tail rabbits, raccoons, turkey, and even a big fat beaver!

It's been a beautiful courtship, but change is constant and some good things must come to an end. I'm really going to miss the farm!

Milking in the Barn Together

THEN (May 2006)

and NOW. (April 2009)

Not too much has changed, has it?