Today we are learning about “Debt Working for You” Erin Yost and now “The History of Coops”  by Chris Aarhus. Coops may need to be recycled with the closing of elevators and feed stores closing in the rural areas. 

This week, Hank and I are in San Antonio, TX to learn more about what is going on in the agriculture community across the US.  Today we are learning about LRP, Livestock Risk Protection, Insurance, Beginning Farmer/Rancher programs, and government relations. 

We were able to take the last 24 hours to walk the Riverwalk and see what San Antonio has to see. 

It is time to start our family private treaty bull sales!  This involves some picture taking, a flyer being made, and some decisions being made as a three household operation this becomes a difficult decision most years.  This year we decided to start sales on January 20th which means flyers mailed, regular Facebook posts, cookie making, house cleanings, yard cleanings, barn cleanings, and sorting. 

These point guards love supporting their basketball teams.  They went to support the boys basketball team at the Corn Palace and watched 10 hours of basketball to help improve their own playing.  The headliner of the day was the DWU Girls Basketball Game at the end of the day. 

When Christmas was finished we loaded these ladies up and headed to Gorde, NE to meet Miss USA.  The girls, aunt works for The Twister in Nebraska covering the news in northwest Nebraska.  She had a story and the girls went to help.  We had 6 hours of road time, a time change, and an hour of helping move residents to the meeting room, helping Casey with her story, and visiting with Miss USA.  Just like at Christmas, a road trip that won't quicking be forgotten. 

The girls wanted to have a Christmas party with their church friends, os why not?  We had about 15 middle school kids come to the church.  We did a scavenger hunt, escape room, minute to win it games, gingerbread houses, and lots of laughing and fun.  

You will get to see a lot of Macy the next few months. She is Elizabeth' show heifer for this year. If you remember last years show heifer, Janice, never quite got over the random kicking and we always had to be so careful while walking around others and little running around her.  Macy is a seeetheart and come in for her feed each morning.  She is easy to halter and hasn't given anyone a bruise yet.  She lets us brush her from head to toe and though sometimes she doesn't agree with it is always very patient to let us finish.  This will be a hard one to pasture in the fall.  

This year I wanted to work on producing some fresh vegetables in the middle of winter for our family.  I purchased a stacker planter off Amazon, which I thought was going to be bigger, filled it with soil and watched it grow.  I will admit I haven't been great about watering it regularly and I am going to start feeding it a little bit.  However, fresh herbs and vegetables in the middle of winter in South Dakota has been awesome!

Our 4-H club was tasked with making 55 homemade items to gift to the residents in the local nursing home and assistant living in our small community.  Each family brought some items to put in and then we started creating. We had so many items made and a wide variety of items such as snowflakes to American flags.  

Well, pigeons of course. We arrived home from the movie and the chicken coop door was open, this couple was so cold that, I guess, the needed to be brought in.  (I am sure this was not the case.) So we decided on if they brought them in they would have to follow them around and clean up after them as they went  So, 1 container of Clorox wipes later and a child with pigeon poop on her clothes, back out to the barn they went   This may have been a record of following them for 30 minutes before folding  

Dad took care of the daily chores so we could take these ladies to the city, Sioux Falls, to the big theatre to watch the long awaited, Wicked: For Good movie.  The girls had a blast while I also greatly enjoyed their suspense on the way there and replays on the way home was driving through some "wicked" winter weather. So after 8 hours on the road which should have been six it was a unforgettable experience I hope the girls take with them throughout their lives.  The joy of family and time spent together.  

The girls participated in the Bon Homme Poultry and Rabbit Fun Show with great success!

Rabbits - which are shown first, by class, then by breed and last there is an overall.  

    Elizabeth was able to win her class and breed with her Mini Lop, Hellen.  She also earned Resserve in Show with her lady Rhinelander (Inga Dudley). 

    Lydia also had a fairly successful day with her Sebrights getting a 3rd in show, her D'Uccles placing in top five and her homeraised RIR Single Comb placing in the top five.  

Our singer in the family was able to stretch her skills by participating in Region V Festival Choir in Platte today.  Mom felt a little stretched with a 10:30AM dental appointment, 2:30PM concert, 5:00PM pickup from basketball, and a 7:00PM Recogniton Night.  

Elizabeth has been accepted as a South Dakota Beef Industry Council Ambassador for this year.  She is so excited to help promoted the beef we produce.  Her first event was at a meat processor and informative meeting.  She now has seen this process a couple of times and is starting to understand it more every time.  So if you live close by keep an eye out for the local SDBIC information.