Whether it’s a five-man double-50, a small flat barn or a rotary, night shifts consistently show the highest deviation from standard operating procedures (SOPs). But the real question is, why? And more importantly, what can we do about it?

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When I was first approached about writing this page for Progressive Dairy, I asked for a little time to think about it. Time is one of our most valuable resources, and too often it is taken for granted. There are many things that contribute to success, but being aware of what success truly means to us – and then being intentional, focused and proactive about how we spend our time – ranks very high on that list.

We only need to take a stroll through YouTube or watch the news to realize the following scripture is part of our daily life. The world is not the walk in the park of yesterday; it is a daily battle.

Years ago, I dated a very special, beautiful young lady whose name was Joanne. I started dating her at Christmastime, and by the time Valentine’s Day came around, I was in love with her.

For nearly 18 months, Alberto Dairy has used worm beds to appropriately manage their manure, retain nutrients and reuse wastewater.

Something terrible happened in the American dairy industry. No matter how certain industry figures try to redress the last two-and-a-half decades, some people paid a high price to try to sustain the life they knew. The fact that it didn’t have to happen – specifically, that family dairy farming could have remained viable under different policies – only makes it more heinous. In the very least, these people deserve to have their story written down and talked about. I hope Barn Gothic starts to do that for them.