It is January 29, 2015 and we have been calving heifers since January 16. We started with 28 Heifers and have 13 left to calf. We artificially inseminated our heifers to a low weight heifer bull then cleaned up with one of our own bulls since AI does not have a 100% guarantee of taking. With our son back he thought it would be a good idea to AI. He said it is a good way to get better genetics without the cost of buying a new bull which makes since.

This is a stressful time of year just for the fact that Rod does not get a lot of sleep. He checks the heifers every 2 to 4 hours. Sometimes more, like last night, I don’t think he was able to sleep but maybe 2 hours. He usually sleeps on the couch so he won’t wake me, which is not my idea I would rather he wake me up and be in our bed, but he worries since I have to go to work the next morning. If things get rough and he needs help he will wake me but if not I get to sleep. Right now Chandler lives about 20 minutes from the farm which makes it hard for him to help out with the heifers.

We went to bed about 10pm last night and he got back up at 11 to check on a heifer that he knew was trying to calf. I waited a little bit and noticed he had not come back in so, since I was not fully asleep I went out to the calving barn. Unfortunately the heifer was unable to have the baby on her own so we had to get her in the calving pen to try and help her out.  Usually Rod can pull the baby with just chains but not tonight! The baby was big and stuck! Thankfully he was able to use the puller and get the baby out safely. The little guy was stressed and had trouble breathing but Rod was able to get him going.

 My main focus is to pray, give moral support and hand things to Rod as he needs them. It is always such a blessing to get to watch a new baby come into this world but exhausting. I went back up to the house about midnight but Rod stayed to make sure the little guy did well. Then a couple hours later he had to do the same process all over again with a different heifer! What a night for Rod, but as always he was still cheerful this morning with only having about 2 hours of sleep.

Hi! My name is Jill Berning, I am a working farm/ranch wife. I just want to share my story to hopefully help inspire all farmers’ wives. I work at a local feed yard doing books from 7 am to 4 pm Monday thru Friday and every third Saturday from 8 to noon. Since my husband is a farmer I need to work so that we can have insurance, I am sure that is familiar to lots of farm families. I work in a field that relates to the farm which makes it helpful at work and on the farm.

My husband (Rod) and I have been married for 26 years and have two children, now four since our daughter (Shaelee) married in January of 2015 and our son (Chandler) married in September 2015. Busy year!! Chandler who is now 23 is back on the farm and his sweet wife (Stephanie) works at the local library and helps on the farm when she can.  Shaelee lives 15 miles away and works at a bank. Her and her husband (Derek) have a manure spreading business and Derek helps out on the farm during harvest. We are a tight net family that prays together and works together not always an easy feat! Rod and I are trying to make “the family farm” a peaceful place. When we were first married he farmed with his Dad and Uncle and it was extremely stressful causing a lot of conflict for us and his family. It was a struggle at first for Rod and Chandler but they have seemed to work out their major differences.

 Every morning on the way to work I spend that half hour in prayer. Always starting with the three men in our lives, praying for safety, kindness, and a good working environment. That seems to help. Rod and I also start our day out with a daily devotion. That starts our day on a good note, it’s funny how our readings on most days relates to what is going on in our personal lives. If we miss a day or so it effects our relationship and our attitudes so that is a ritual we try not to miss. God works in mysterious ways.