Judy, helping her father fix the silo

Judy graduated from college eight years ago and Ed says she came to him, and said, “look, I’ll do the milking and you do the rest.” Ed smiles, and says, “I wasn’t going to say no.” They are a team, working together, moving smoothly from one crisis to another. Judy is competent, strong and calm. I’m learning that on family farm’s, crises are the norm.

Sick animals, broken pipes, busted tractors. This morning when I called, Michelle said something in the silo had broken. It was a bracket. I got there just after Ed and Judy and Marie had fixed it, and Judy was uncharacteristically smiling. When she works, she is all business. The rain had been torrential, and we were all walking in a sea of mud. I keep forgetting to bring my boots.

Going to the farm at 5 a.m. Friday when it is supposed to be raining heavily and with high winds. Hope there’s some light.