Life in Wisconsin: 2008

Monday, December 22, 2008

When will it Stop

Let it snow! let it snow! It's beginning to look alot like Christmas. All White and Cold.

We have received 30 inch of snow so far for December. There is another 3-6 tomorrow and 4-6 day after Christmas.

Becky and I would like to wish all a Happy Holiday Season. We are very thankful for all the many blessing we have and the blessing we continue to receive each day.We both would like to thank those that have remembered us in their prayers and extended their hand of service through the year.As with each year there are highs and lows. With these opportunity come growth.

Becky is busy with work and serving as the Primary Pres. in our ward. I'm serving as the 1st. counselor in the Bishopric in our Ward.

We also serve as Temple workers in the Chicago Temple.

Becky is still working in the Green Bay area,she goes on Monday and comes back on Thursday. I'm doing alot of traveling also. Life is fun and good.

Take care and please stop by a read the blog from time to time.

We enjoy all the blogs we read from each of you.

We where planning to post a picture of the two of us on the blog. But because of a miss communication between the subjects and the camera you will have to wait just a little longer.

Merry Christmas to all and A Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lewis & Becky

Ribbon Cutting

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to represent our company at the University of Wisconsin at Plateville for a ribbon cutting. At there research dairy we donated some calf pens. They had a open house for the local people and also the UW University leaders were there. I gave a speech and some of the leaders spoke of the dairy and the donation.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Lost

Need a little HELP!!!!
Where am I?

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Some Fun

We did have some fun while in Germany.

Dairy Today

Some of you may not of seen CalfSource in Green Bay.
Here is a snap shot.

The article below is from a interview with Dairy Today.

You and Your Calf Grower Clear expectations, firsthand knowledge breed success
By Catherine Merlo
11/10/2008
Dairy producer and calf raiser should first agree what a quality heifer looks like.Would you send your child to a day-care center without first visiting the location and talking with the staff?Of course not, and neither should you trust your herd replacements with a stranger, says Lewis B. Anderson, Jr., national sales manager and calf management consultant for Calf-Tel, based in Germ antown, Wis. “As dairies expand, more producers are looking to custom growers to raise their herd replacements,” Anderson says. “By asking the right questions as a producer or as a custom grower, strong and lasting relationships develop, with a favorable outcome for all involved.”Whether you’re a dairy producer sending your calves off-site to be raised or a custom grower accepting calves for rearing, the expectations of both parties must be clear. “The gray areas lead to misunderstanding,” Anderson says.Don’t enter into a calf-raising relationship without first learning some important facts:
Be clear about your objectives for herd replacements. Why do you want your calves custom-raised? Why does the calf grower want to work with you?
Start with visiting the site. Check to see whether it’s clean and has an organized traffic flow. As a producer, is it the kind of place you want your herd replacements to stay? As a custom grower, is the dairy the kind of operation that can deliver healthy calves? Don’t rely on others to make your determination.
Understand the operation’s organizational hierarchy. Know who has authority to make health-care decisions about your calves and who the contact person is.
Learn about the facility’s protocols. Take a close look at a dairy’s maternity area. A crowded pen isn’t optimal and may indicate below-par conditions. Is feeding, cleaning, manpower, even bedding up to your standards? Is the death rate high or low? Are good records kept? Is it easy to find out about vaccinations and treatments? “If I’m a custom raiser, I’m going to look at when, where and how colostrum feeding is done on your dairy,” says Anderson. “I hope I’m going to see a calf is being fed 1 gal. of good quality colostrum at 101°F within one to two hours of birth.”Something as basic as knowing cows are cleaned before milking can be instrumental in calf health, he adds. Walking through a dairy can tell a calf raiser what kind of calves he or she is likely to get.
Check calf housing. Is it clean, accessible, comfortable and suited to the weather?
Be aware of transportation routines. Know how often calves are to be picked up. Is it at a consistent time? Establish the best time in advance. Likewise, establish a date for the animals’ return.
Specify how you would expect a disease outbreak at the dairy to be minimized and controlled.
Put everything in writing. Have a written contract with everyone you do business with—whether it’s your brother, friend or professional.

Monday, November 24, 2008

White every where

Let it snow ,let it snow,let it snow

Night Out at Home

Table for Four please.

A few weeks ago the Scout's in our ward had a fund raiser. They invited Ward members to provide a service,products,tickets to a play or a game,hand made items,cookie's for a year,Pie of the month. The Scout raised over $4,000.00. It was a auction and it went to the highest bidder. Becky and I put up a Steak Dinner for four. Will it went for $200.00. This last Friday evening was the night the 2 couple choose to come. I took a picture of the table as you can see. The evening got so busy and talking to much, after everyone left I discover I had not taken any more pictures. So I will tell you what we had.

Warm up to dinner snacks ( you may call it another name ,But I could not figure out how to spell it)

Cheeses and sausages

Crackers

Time to come to the table.

Breads

Three different types of bread to dip in oils and spreads.

Green Salad (every green and not so green leaf you could think of)

Five different dressing to choose from (Blue Cheese,Raspberry,Ranch,1,000,French)

Soup

Veggie

Sherbet

to clean the pallet of you mouth

Main Dish

Grilled Rib Eye Steak

Roasted in oil potato's

string squash

asparagus

Desert

Fudge Cake

Vanilla Bean Ice cream

drizzled chocolate syrup

Then a fun Game of Apples to Apples

Becky had designed a vase of flower for each of the couples. Also the glass vase had the first letter of the families last name etched on it.

It was a very fun evening. I wish I had not forgotten to take pictures.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

One Word
The rule are that you can only answer each question with one word - not a simple as it sound. here it goes
1. Where is your cell phone? hip
2. Your significant other? Home
3. your hair? Full
4. Your Mother? Heaven
5. Your Father? Utah
6. Your favorite things? Life
7. Your dream last night? forgetfull
8. Your favorite drink? Milk
9. Your dream/goal? Mission
10. The room you're in? Airport
11. Your fear? HITEC
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Austraila(?)
13. where were you last night? Temple
14. Muffins? Cranberry
15. what you're not? Tall
16. one of your wish list item? Mission
17. Where did you grow up? Utah
18. The last thing you did? Plane
19. What are you wearing? Jeans
20. Your TV? Small
21. Your pet? none
22. Your Computer? Dell
23. Your Life? Fun
24. your mood? Excited
25. Missing someone? Becky
26. Your Car? Gray
27. Something you're not wearing? Hat
28. Favorite Store? Alda's
29. Your summer? Busy
30. Your favorite color? Blue
31. When is the last time you laughed? minutes
32. Last time you cried? Birth
33. Who will/would re-post this? you
34. Four Places I go Over And Over? work, Church,Temple,Airport
35. Four people who e-mail me? Family,friends,work,crazies
36. Four of my favoritr food? Steak,BBQ,Bread,oatmeal
37. Four places I would rather be right now? Home,Temple,Mission,grandkids

So now I Tag Diantha

Germany

Thought I would share with ya'll . Started out in Milwaukee and on to Chicago. In Chicago I got on Swiss Airline to Switzerland. It was 9 hour fight. Then I took a 1.5 hour fight to Handover,Germany.I started out 4:30pm on Sunday and arrived in Handover 3:30 pm Monday. This was my first time out of the country ,except Canada or Mexico. I got to use my pass port!!!!

Some Pictures from the air. I was there for a trade show and it was dark when we went and dark when we came out.So not so many pictures. From the plane Over Germany.

I saw this chicken at the place we stay and told one of the guys in our group that was where the eggs came from for breakfast. I also I told him that I saw the cook running after them with a hatched in his hand. Maybe dinner!!! The motel where we stayed offered Breakfast and dinner for the guest. It was great and I must say great food, The breads and cheese great. The meals where a buffet and alot to choose from. Remember the chicken? Will that night we had chicken soup and a chicken dish. You should of see the guy's face I was messing with that morning. Lets say he eat roast beef.

Saw this at the show. I will watch for it in the states.

Alot of nice looking cows.

This what our booth looked like at the trade show.

One of the reasons for going was that I was one of the speaker. I spoke about calf care and shared help full ideas on Management. It was the largest attended class for the show. People where stand all over to hear and se

Eurotier is the largest Ag show in Europe. There are Dairy,Pig.Chicken,Fish and Bio fuel displays. Each group had their own building. The pig and chicken people had a building and half each. Some of the bigger company would have 2 story area and on the 2nd level they would have a restaurant to feed their customers. One of the Dairy companies had a area of over 10,000 sq. feet.

This is where we stayed.

My bed!!!!!!!!!!!! I think the last time I sleep in a bed this small I was at sixth grade camp. I have slept in sleeping bags that where bigger.

I had a great time. I was ask to come back in May 2009 for a week to visit with dairy producers around the country.

Also a large Vet group has ask that I come in December 2009 and speak to their group.

Snow

Old Man winter is on it's way. We had our first snow on the 8th. It was warm enough it melted away with in a few hours. They say we are in for a heavy snow year. I hate to see it come,but I also know we need it.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Michigan

To and from Michigan you have to go through Chicago. And as always you have to deal with the traffic. Going on Sunday night it was wall to wall traffic. It was so slow it added about 40 minutes to my trip. Coming home today it was not as bad,there was alot of traffic but it moved along about 45-50 mph. When I got through the center part of the city the traffic really got going and I made up time plus some.

Just outside of Holland,Michigan this silo base had a light house on top of it. Holland in on the shore of the Lake Michigan. Most of the trees have lost their leaves and it was cold and windy.