Farm Report (by Kevin)

This great weather that we have been enjoying and unseasonable high temps has been a blessing to my clients. Corn seed has been in the ground for about two weeks now, this is ahead of schedule due to a dry Spring and warm weather. If you drive by a corn field slow down and you will see tiny rows of corn running down the field about every couple inches apart. Do you know that on most fields there will be 30,000-32,000 plants per acre. 1st cutting began about 2 weeks ago with high quality feed being put away everywhere. This is a welcome relief to Vermont dairy producers. They may not be able to control the price they are paid for their product but they certainitly can control their cost of production. A good corn crop and high quality haylage can reduce feed cost drastically. Corn provides energy to cows and grass haylage provides a good source of protein.

It has been a struggle over the last year and half for dairy producers across the US and here in Vermont. They have been running operations at loses based on a cost of production that is not currently covered by their pay price.

We are forging ahead looking for solutions for the excess milk in this country and there is talk of a supply management system similar to Canada that typically experiences the highest milk price paid back to the producer in the World.

Here are a few pictures on the recent on goings across the County as the haylage comes in off the fields into the bunkers for fermentation and storage.

Big Equipment is a must when you want to cover a lot of acres in short time

These tractors are used to push the grass haylage into the bunks as it comes off the field

This picture gives you a perspective of big equipment. The tractor on the left is considered a big tractor but the one on the right is at least double it's size in horse power.

Next time you reach for a glass of milk, at $3 a gallon, realize that the farmer is not getting paid right now. A cheap food policy in the United States will move local production out of the State let alone the Country.

What price are you willing to pay???????

Dancing girl

Sapphie dancing this weekend...in her Ella Moss dress I might add!!

And, here's a picture from the same day of her playing outside.

Sunday Fun (by Kevin)

Since January Sapphire and I shared most of the day on Sunday's together doing all sorts of things. Emma had restarted Cabaret practice so that meant I had Sapphire all to myself. Some Sunday's were great and others were so so. I tried to fill the days with activities around the house and run errands. We generally had a lot of fun. I recently snapped a couple of pictures from a couple of the Sunday outings. Now that Emma is in her performance during the whole month of May it will not be long and the whole family will be back together on Sunday's doing fun family activities.

Out back with the dogs (dogs not pictured)

Sapphire loves her back pack carrier We recently made a trip to Lowe's one Sunday to pick up some items

We had a lunch date in my truck before we hit Lowe's to do some shopping Sapphire drove that day

Out and About

Check out these great pictures that Uncle Ollie took of Sapphie hanging out downtown. She loves to walk everywhere and loves Church Street.

May 1st (by Kevin)

Well I thought the last day of the year was going to be with Soe and Colin over Easter Weekend but it was not the true last day of the season. We ended up getting a surprise May Storm this year. It has been awhile since I have skied in the month of May. All of the mountains in Vermont had closed the week after Easter due to very unseasonal warm temps during April. So it looked dismal that the season was officially over with no chance of another storm.

BUT Mother Nature prevailed and dumped almost 24 inches of white stuff on the higher elevation areas of Vermont. This meant that the mountain ski resorts were recharged with a dose of white stuff. There was the possibility that the golf clubs would have to stay in the garage for one more weekend.

Word on the street was as the snow started to accumulate that Jay Peak Resort was going to open for one more last time after being closed to cash in on the snow, sun and fun for 4 days. So Colin, Issac and I decided to head up and take in the chance to ski or ride on May 1st. They were offering a special rate for $40 you got a lift ticket to paradise and a BBQ lunch over on the patio at their new lodge.

So we loaded up Saturday morning and headed up 89 North to 105 to 242 which brought us to a packed parking lot at the base of the mountain. The atmosphere was electric with swarms of people trying to get that last dose of snow to carry them over until next year.

It was a great day to be with Issac and Colin and enjoy the snow and the scenery. The ski season has officially signed off for the year so I can now honestly say "See you next year"

K Dogg enjoying all the snow Some random guy I captured on film catching some air A snow field awaits on May 1st Issac telling me to check out Colin on his iPhone Colin checking in with some other guys on the mountain from BTV

Here comes Superwoman!

Sapphie's been walking for a few weeks now, but hasn't really committed to it until Sunday. Here are some great videos I took yesterday when I got home from work. Look at how she sticks her right arm straight out - isn't it funny? She's very serious about her walking and uses her arm to point to where she wants to go. She looks just like superwoman!

And here's another, even better one: