These are tough times in the dairy industry, and tough times force us to do things that sometimes won’t happen when times are good. We all have comfort zones, and even if we don’t realize it, we do things to stay within those comfort zones. Sometimes the fruit is at the end of the branch or outside the border of our comfort zone. I would like to propose two questions to get us to wander outside of that comfort zone, and maybe find some fruit that we didn’t even know was there.

It's no secret that the past year has been devastating for our entire industry. As farms continue to sell out, those of us left standing can't help but wonder when we will be next. Folks are worried, scared and flat out pissed off at the current state of our industry. Many are in survival mode, while others are just hanging on a little bit longer in hopes that cull cow prices will go up so they can sell the herd.

You may not need to force your kids to eat their vegetables – the backlash against veganism is here. With the rise in popularity of vegan, plant-based diets, people are discovering that plant-based diets are not healthier.

This year, I set a goal to read something new each day for 15 minutes. My favorite genre is business and self-improvement, so I’ve been reading book titles like The Culture Code and When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing.

I was called “Martha” once back in my college days when I shared an apartment with four other girls. I was scorched at having to pick up after everyone and wash up the dishes that were left on the counter and in the sink.

I stood in the bright August sunshine, looking into a pole barn filled with crop farmers as they listened to a no-till guru tout the benefits of cover crops and soil health.

Recently, I went back to Berlin to visit an old friend. The German capital is a vibrant, international city known for its eclectic clubs and a willingness to accommodate all types of eccentricities and counterculture.

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”—Socrates Confucius was a Chinese teacher and philosopher. One of his famous quotes says, “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”

Ten years ago, I made the three-hour trek to State College, Pennsylvania, to begin my college career. I was pretty sure I was armed with everything I’d need: photos of my family and friends, appropriately sized sheets, a little dry-erase board and a shower caddy. I was completely prepared, or so I thought.

I am writing today with a slighter different tone and feel than posts of the past. We are finishing off one of our more challenging summers here on our farm – a “lost summer” in the words of my brother and farm partner. Let me provide some background to bring us to Sept. 1, 2018, and the feeling of a lost summer.