Paula Peterson poses with her new tractor, a 1951 Minneapolis Z – a Christmas present that she’ll put to use around the farm.
Midwest Messenger Columnist
Paula Peterson is a columnist for the Midwest Messenger.
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Right this very minute down on the farm, I am packing. For most of the month of January, I am not going to be much help on the farm. Tom is on his own.
Thanks to all the efforts of Farm Bureau, the Nebraska LEAD program and Nebraska CommonGround, I’m going to be sharing our story. I will be heading to San Juan, Puerto Rico for the (AFBF) American Farm Bureau annual convention as part of the promotion and education committee. I will have an opportunity to share how a grant that Lancaster County Farm Bureau received from AFBF was able to impact the many people that visit the Lancaster County Fair. We were able to add to our corn planting display to show how photosynthesis is responsible for helping us raise corn. In another segment, I will be getting to share how working with the media and our legislators is helping create connections so that as questions arise, they will feel comfortable reaching out to people like me and Tom.
I will then be home just long enough to remember why I am OK leaving Nebraska in January. I will head to Savannah, Georgia, for a few days for the CommonGround annual meeting. This will be a unique chance for me to meet with other farm women from all over the country that really want to find ways to connect to consumers. With only 1% of the population being in production agriculture we really need to find connections with the other 99%.
On the home front, we will be hauling steers to the Columbus Sales Barn the first week of January and then begin the challenge of determining which heifers will become our replacement heifers before the rest of them go to the sale barn the following week. We look at the mom’s history to see if there are any underlying issues we should be looking for, like overly large udders or if she has a bad attitude. This is Tom’s approach. Mine is based on whether she licks me and lets me rub her back. If she does either she gets to stay, bonus if she happens to have weird markings or at least is not all black.
The Peterson cows graze on stalks. The cows came closer to home where there was a windbreak during a recent storm, but they were eager to get back to the field with more space to roam.
The rest of the cows are still just hanging out in the stalks. We did bring the cows home during that stretch of below zero temperatures, mainly due to the wind that came with it. The cows could not get a lot of wind break on the field they were on, and since they were right across the road we decided to bring them home to the wind break in the yard and the barns. After a few days being cooped up in the yard, they were ready to head back out to the field.
Tom got me a 1951 Minneapolis Z tractor for Christmas. This is a tractor like one his dad and uncle had when he was growing up. I wanted a tractor that I can use for Fun at the Farm for kids, but I need to confirm the policy for liabilities. Even if I can’t use it there, I will find a use for it.
I’m blessed to have a husband that is willing to spend hours and hours on Auctiontime and BigIron just to find the right tractor. The choice came down to an Allis Chalmers WD (my grandpa’s tractor) or the Minneapolis Z. The Z was in Syracuse, which is less than an hour’s drive, so it won.
Thanks to everyone that stopped by and said “Hi” at the Nebraska Ag Expo in Lincoln the first part of December. I really appreciate all the comments and support. I really love getting to share what we are doing on our farm, even if I do travel now and then.
Stay warm and stay safe this new year! The only resolution I would recommend for you is to make time for yourself. You are the best person to take care of.
Living the life I love.
Paula Peterson and her husband raise crops and cows near Waverly, Nebraska. She loves to share her love of agriculture with people from all walks of life, and she is active with several agriculture organizations. She can be reached at pgpeterson86@gmail.com.
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Midwest Messenger Columnist
Paula Peterson is a columnist for the Midwest Messenger.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Paula Peterson poses with her new tractor, a 1951 Minneapolis Z – a Christmas present that she’ll put to use around the farm.
The Peterson cows graze on stalks. The cows came closer to home where there was a windbreak during a recent storm, but they were eager to get back to the field with more space to roam.
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