Jesus loved little children. When He was pressed by the crowds and probably weary from His labors, His disciples thought He shouldn’t want to be bothered with little children climbing all over Him. They were probably surprised when He said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

When it comes to inspecting your equipment’s vital parts, batteries “are” included. In fact, the battery is the single-most important part of all electrical components. These components include the starter, alternator and even precision farming systems and software.

Chances are good that if you have a question about anything, you instantly go to Google, type in your question and check out the top five results. The question we should all be asking is: “What are consumers finding when they ‘Google it’ about dairy?”

• Winners of the 2013 National Dairy Quality Awards Platinum Award, sponsored by Merial, are Randy and Kathy Bauer of Faribault, Minnesota; Donald Beattie of Holton, Michigan; Gordon Dick of McBain, Michigan; Duane and Janet Molhoek of Falmouth, Michigan; Sean Quinn and Melissa Murray of Greenwich, New York; and Dennis and Doris Tubergen of Ionia, Michigan.

As I write this, I am staying with my sixth farm family in Iceland while working on a book project about the island’s dairy farming. The people here have been overwhelmingly gracious. One of my biggest concerns before arriving was figuring out how to charm my way into the houses of people I didn’t know, particularly as a foreigner.

There has been a lot of talk about the “Dairy Farm Security Act.” I for one think it is about time we focus on security – because I’m missing a lot of tools.Your first question might be, “Tim, do you own a dog?” Yes, I own a dog, but right now he is not a suspect.

This column was originally planned as my second one from Walton, New York. I have been assigned here by NRCS and so there is a lot to write about. But I am taking a different path in this column. My ex-father-in-law, Mr. Donald E. Carter, died on October 27, 2013, at the age of 81. I write of him here.

Brent Woodward Associate Vice President of Research Shawano, Wisconsin Cooperative Resources International

In an effort to comply with new regulations and meet the increased consumer expectations regarding food safety and quality, the feed industry is embarking on a new era focused on prevention rather than reaction.

The Wisconsin Brown Swiss Association is currently accepting applications for the Wisconsin Brown Swiss queen position. The queen is responsible for promoting the advantages of the Brown Swiss breed and dairy producer’s dedication to producing a wholesome product to the industry and non-agricultural audiences.