As June Dairy Month drew to a close a few short days ago, I felt the need to share my little story of what our little northeastern Michigan family dairy farm is doing on a personal level to promote the dairy industry. Our local 4-H chapter of anything dairy has basically vanished. Why? Well because most of the smaller dairy farms have sold their dairy animals and there are only a handful of us left. So I feel the strong urge to reach out to the youth and share my love of these bovines and what they provide for us.
Exposing young people to a farm usually is the only prodding that they need to fall in love with the dairy industry. Yes, being a dairy farmer is crazy hard work, with long hours and many times headaches, backaches and even heartache. The positives outweigh the negatives, especially when it becomes a way of life for you, it becomes an obsession. When dairy gets in your blood you are filled with pride when your blood, sweat and tears pay off in watching that perfect calf you have been breeding for stand for the first time. You become filled with joy when you watch your herd of cows come in from the pasture and laugh at the sight of calves being freshly bedded run and buck showing their appreciation with pure actions of joy.
It is only natural when you truly love something, which you long to share with others. Being a family operation it is a natural progression of wanting your children to following in your footsteps. On a side note, when passing on the farm, be sure you provide your children incentive to earn their way into the business instead of gifting them a part of it. If they LOVE something enough they will find a way to get their hands on it. When your children eat, sleep, breathe farming, then they usually become the amazing next generation of dairy. 
