The optimism associated with entering a new year is always tempered by the reality of leaving the previous one. Such is the case for those aboard dairy’s train as it moves down the track from 2017 into 2018.

It’s not uncommon to be right up against the edge with your forage inventory as new harvest is coming on. No one wants to run out, and ideally, no one wants to feed green forage either. It’s easy to do though. With rising cow numbers or a poor forage year, you can find yourself short on feed. Combine the two and you will certainly have a forage inventory problem that needs attention.

OK. It’s 2018, and I’m not perfect yet. That’s all right. No one would like me if I was. I found that out when I was perfect. Well, at least I thought I was. It was one of those delusional phases of my life when I thought I knew most everything that needed to be known.

My housemate brought home a virtual reality headset. Being somewhat behind the times, I still thought they were the imagination of science fiction. Slipping it on, I was amazed at how fast the physical world disappeared. Suddenly, I was in a shark tank and, every way I turned, I was surrounded by hammerheads.

This New Year’s, I want to encourage you all to take time for yourself. It doesn’t have to be running, although I will say a daily walk or run is excellent at clearing your mind. Go out with a friend once a month. Go to a movie by yourself and eat all of the popcorn.

Studies show less than half of people who start a New Year’s resolution follow through and actually commit to the task. So I’m just guessing ..... New Year’s Day – probably not the best day for a wedding.

No need for a full page of New Year’s resolutions. Sum it all up in one little word, and see the big influence it can have on your life in 2018.

Baler Brown, age 3, seems destined to become a fourth-generation dairy farmer. Every evening after her bath, when she’s in her pajamas, Baler runs to the front door and flaps her arms in excitement. She’s ready to help prep the milking parlor.

We know dairy farmers have limited time to participate in events, so we design the Dairy Strong conference to give you the best return on your time and money.

In the time since I wrote my last post, in which I referenced a dairy being built in Indonesia and the signals it is sending to the market, I have had the opportunity to host on our farm two gentlemen who are tasked with trying to put together that dairy.