So You'd Like to. . .Learn More About Living on a Farm

Written by LeAnn R. Ralph


Forty years ago when I was a little girl growing up on our dairy farm in west central Wisconsin, I thought everyone lived on a farm. Then again, many of my kindergarten classmates lived on farms, too, so maybe I wasn’t completely off base.

Later on, however, after I had graduated from high school and started traveling aroundrepparttar United States, I was hard-pressed to meet anyone who had ever been on a dairy farm, much less lived on one. People would ask me where I was from and when I told them Wisconsin, they’d say, “I suppose you lived on a dairy farm.”

After a while, it became clear to me that for people in other states, ‘Wisconsin’ and ‘dairy farm’ were synonymous. I would explain that not everyone in Wisconsin lives on a dairy farm, and then I would find myself answering questions about what it was like growing up on a farm.

Today, most ofrepparttar 109881 small family dairy farms likerepparttar 109882 one where I grew up are gone. My parents milked 20 cows, but farmers can no longer make a living that way. Milk prices have essentially stayedrepparttar 109883 same sincerepparttar 109884 1970s, and many small farmers decided to sell their dairy herds when their business expenses ended up exceeding their gross farm income year after year.

Even though most ofrepparttar 109885 small family farms have disappeared,repparttar 109886 evidence that they once existed remains—inrepparttar 109887 empty dairy barns scattered aroundrepparttar 109888 countryside—inrepparttar 109889 pastures that have been turned into residential subdivisions—inrepparttar 109890 creameries that have been abandoned or converted into other uses.

And in my stories about growing up on a Wisconsin dairy farm.

My books "Christmas in Dairyland (True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm)" (July 2003) and "Give Me a Home Whererepparttar 109891 Dairy Cows Roam" (October 2004) each contain 20 true stories about growing up on a family farm 40 years ago. Christmas in Dairyland includes a number of family recipes (lefse; sugar cookies; bon-bons; Christmas bread; fattigman; and several others). Both books are appropriate for readers of all ages.

Christmas in Dairyland -- Celebrate Christmas during a simpler time 40 years ago when happiness was baking cookies, decoratingrepparttar 109892 Christmas tree, or even just getting out of wearing snow boots to school.

Give Me a Home Whererepparttar 109893 Dairy Cows Roam -- Stories set on a small family dairy farm in Wisconsin 40 years ago at a time when small family farms still dottedrepparttar 109894 countryside and summertime meant learning to driverepparttar 109895 tractor, making ice cream, and riding a pony torepparttar 109896 hayfield.

Here are what some of my readers are saying aboutrepparttar 109897 books:

I have to tell you I feel a little sad. Just readrepparttar 109898 LAST page of "Give me a home whererepparttar 109899 dairy cows roam." I enjoyed every word. . .I wish your book went on forever . . .now, bring on "Cream ofrepparttar 109900 Crop!" I'll be waiting! Anita(Wisconsin)

I really have enjoyed both of your books so much! As I mentioned before, this is my life betweenrepparttar 109901 covers of your book and it really takes me back torepparttar 109902 good life we had growing up. Your father sounds like he was a very compassionate and caring individual, as my father was and I think most small-time farmers were: always putting their family and cows first. I also loved all your haying stories, as I could also relate to all of your events. Well done and I look forward to your next book! Carol (Massachusetts)

Quick and Easy Violin Mute

Written by Joey Robichaux


One ofrepparttar reasons I picked uprepparttar 109880 violin was because it was easier to travel with than a guitar (not that I haven't found some nice travel guitars, but that's another story). It fits in an airplane overhead and is easy to carry!

However, I want to be considerate ofrepparttar 109881 folks inrepparttar 109882 rooms around me when I'm playing in my hotel room. I decided I needed a mute -- there are a lot of gizmos you can attach easily (and not so easily) to your violin to reducerepparttar 109883 sound. I wanted something simple and effective -- it had to be easy to slip on and off and it had to work!

Turns out it was really easy to find, too! Head to your laundry basket and grab a spring clothespin. Okay, go ahead and grab two -- just in case. Sliprepparttar 109884 first clothespin ontorepparttar 109885 treble side of your violin bridge. Anglerepparttar 109886 pin downwards so it won't interfere with your bow.

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