Parker Farmstead, a Family Farm since 1870

At Grandma Gertrude’s funeral the Pastor recalled how much she enjoyed a fresh snowfall and how it brushed the landscape with such beauty and covered any imperfections. Nearly every time it snows I think of this, especially in the Spring when the scene is brown, the trees are bare, and mud is everywhere. Grandma lived…

With temperatures dipping into the 20’s and 30’s we’re still stoking fires in our three wood stoves. One outdoor stove heats our milkhouse & parlor. The other outdoor one warms most of our farmhouse, and we have a small one in our family room. For us, wood is a renewable resource with plentiful forests surrounding…

Recent days have been running together. At times, we feel like squirrels running around and deciding which “nut to crack”. We are grateful for more Spring warmth and sunshine, even though with it comes mud, rain, soft, tender ground, wet cold dreary days, and thunder! Today there is brilliant sun and projected temps in the…

After a taste of Spring, Winter came roaring back with ice and snow and cold winds! Typical Midwest seasons, right?! Any perception that Winter is a sleepy, restful time on the farm is not true. Frozen water, moving snow, starting tractors, keeping animals fed, clean and bedded, hauling hay, silage, grain, water, and the surprises…

It’s that time of the season when most of us are ready to leave winter far behind. Tuesday morning was the first time all winter I heard a definite cheerful Spring Song from the birds. It helped that it was a still morning so they weren’t drowned out by the squeaky windmill or the winter…

Today was supposed to be reserved for essential chores like feeding, watering, and milking and, of course, petting baby goats and lambs. But, it’s unseasonably warming up to 50 degrees, so the boys cleaned pens all morning – afternoon. Tomorrow the snow & cold returns. Until evening chores and milking time, the next few hours…

Welcome to our Farmstead blog. We hope you’ll visit often and find a bit of joy or inspiration-or simply a moment to relax. I’m enjoying a bowl of hot oatmeal and a cup of coffee (maybe a few) after a chilly morning outside. Now, back to that pile of paperwork until my boots dry and…