Hug A Farmer Campaign (by Kevin)

As I think more and more about my work and my current role and position that I am filling at this very moment in time it is just not dairy nutritionist/sales person for Poulin Grain. Sure that is what my business card says but I do more then that. If you read the previous post Farm Report you would have grasped some sense of what these guys are currently facing for dairy economics.

Well I am adding a title to my business card: Farmer Support Person or Farm Therapist. There are days that when I am on farm we do not talk cows or crops. We talk family, stress and how they are going to pull themselves out of this hole. How are we going to grade the ruts out of the road and get back up on an even playing surface? By the time you leave you want to give them a hug, pat them on their back, high five, knuckles or a general thank you. But something to show them you appreciate what they are doing and you respect their determination.

I came across this piece that was produced by Right Side Production. They generated a campaign for Cabot entilted Hug A Farmer. In this short video you will see David Conant, the farmer, who farms the land next to the Kitchen Table in Richmond. If you head down 89 South towards Waterbury his farm is the big red barns off to the left hand side as you come down the hill and approach the Richmond exit.

Watch the video and realize and understand the message it is trying to convene to the general public.

Hug A Farmer Video Farm Cabot Creamery

We need to protect this vital industry in the State of Vermont and the rest of New England

Grace Potter and Sapphire Kouri (by Kevin)

Now that the three aunt retrospect has been completed I feel I can jump back into the proverbial waters of the blog world. I did not want to disrupt Emma's chronicle.

I saw a couple of pictures from Grace Potter's performance on Church St this week and I immediately thought of Sapphire. She has this thing about her. She loves to move her body, loves all types of music, has a fashion sense about her. We believe, as all parents do, that Sapphire is blessed and will do great things in life.

I had a vision of Sapphire being up on the stage one day performing in front of millions. Backed by Hannah Wall as her vocal coach, Kristen Kouri helping with her outfits and Soe Wall Alger with dance moves along with being assistant art director. Emma would be her touring manager coordinating the next move for the next up and coming Super Star Sapphire Elizabeth Kouri.

The other day I caught her practicing in her room by herself. She was sitting in her closest strumming the guitar that Hannah gave her.

Aspirations and dreams are good things to have for your children but the important thing is to not push them into something they have no passion for but to support them in what they truly want to do.

Like Auntie Like Niece, part Three

My sister Penelope has always loved to dress up. It always used to bug me so much when we were little! I am very much like my grandfather - no nonsense. Who has time to dress up and play 'tend?? Well that was Penelope's favorite activity and I had no time for it at all.
Now that we're older, I like dressing up too! It feels good. Still, both Hannah and Penelope are more creative at dressing than I am. I usually feel like a total square when they're around. Kevin has helped me to branch out though, and he always encourages me to buy fun pieces to spice up my wardrobe.
Sapphie seems to have inherited her auntie's passion for fun clothes! She loves to dress up. Seriously, she already does it with abosultely no prompting from me. She'll pull out her basket of shoes, and choose the Frye boots that Zoe let her borrow. Or, she'll through on her wellies with a tutu! I just can't wait until she starts school and tries to leave the house in one of her get-ups. Daddy will be wild....

Here is auntie Penelope. I think she's about 4 years old here. She was so proud of the outfit she put together!

And here is Sapphie, playing dress-up with Cooper.

She loves putting those boots on!

As you can see, Cooper was not thrilled. He's very no-nonsense, just like his mummy! xoxo

Like Auntie Like Niece, part Two

I've always been jealous of Kristen's hands. They are long, delicate, and so feminine. Everything that my hands are not. Of course I've grown to love my hands; they are perfect for working in the garden and they are quite small for my height. But growing up I was always so aware of how short and stubby my fingers were.
As you know, I'm posting a series to show how Sapphie is like each of her aunties. Luckily for her, Sapphie inherited her auntie Kristen's hands! I knew it as soon as she was born, and I was so excited. Maybe she'll play the piano with those long and beautiful hands!!!

Here is a picture of auntie Kiki's hand. Yes, she thought it was a little weird when I asked her to send it:

And here is Sapphie at 6 weeks old. Look at those fingers!!!I think she also has Kristen's toes but I won't bug her for a picture of those...

Like Auntie Like Niece, part One

Sapphie is small for her age. Her little feet are so tiny and she's still in size 6-9 months shoes! She's also very lean and petite. People call her a peanut, but Nonna Liz always says "she's not a peanut, she's just petite like her auntie Hannah." That got me to thinking how similar they are. See for yourself!

Here is a picture of Hannah as a newborn. I'm not sure of her age, but I'm guessing about 2 months.

And here is Sapphie at 2 months old. Don't they look like they could be sisters???

I think I'll do a 3-part installment, comparing Sapphie to each of her aunties. Sort of like Penelope's retrospect series. It's going to be so neat to see these family likenesses as she grows up. I can't wait to see whose eyes, nose, mouth she inherits. We are already quite certain that she has inherited my temper!!!

Easter Weekend

I am SOOOOO behind on posting photos. Over the weekend, our camera stopped taking pictures because the memory was full! So this week, I am going to make a post every day and update everybody with what we've been up to the last 2 months. Starting with Easter!! We had a very special Easter weekend in Newport, with everybody there! Soe, Hannah, Colin, Mummy, Papa, and the dogs. The only thing missing was the cats, but I'm sure they were happier at home.

The Easter bunny went crazy this year and really showered us with presents!

I love these eggs and Soe and I will fight over them when Mummy kicks the bucket.

Here's Sapphie opening her Easter basket
On our way to Church

What else did we do? We had a hike, spent lots of time outside because it was SO nice out, and we ate lots of yummy food! Papa made the most amazing coffee. It was so good, even Kevin had some!!

It was so warm out, we ate our meals outside.

Sapphie had a blast and got into a few naughty things. It really put Daddy on edge, but then he realized she was having so much fun, so he let her be.

She had a ton of fun with her aunties, as usual
And of course, she found mischief with auntie Hannah and Cabot...

She had so much fun in the bucket of water!!

When we got home, Sapphie continued the mischievous behavior and decided she likes to play in the cupboard now. In the slideshow of pictures, you'll see that this became her favorite activity for several weeks!! It was so funny.

Busted in the cupboard, organizing jars.

I'm working in here! Go away!
And her are some more pictures, and video from that special weekend:

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???????