Sarah McHenry thought a while ago that it would be fun to change things up from the hum-drum fare one might find in a cooperative newsletter.
The Synergy Cooperative feed-sales manager and nutritionist decided to write special seasonal greetings in the co-op’s newsletter.
She did her work this season with “The Night Before Christmas – 2019 Farming Style” – with no apologies to Clement Clarke Moore:
“’Twas the night before Christmas,
and all through the feed mill
not a creature was stirring
except for the local feed mill cat
with another batch of kitties.
The feed-sacks were hung
by the bagging leg with care,
in patient anticipation that
Monday soon would be there.
The dairy cows were all nestled
in their deep straw beds,
with visions of 101-degree warm milk
or milk replacer
danced in their heads.
And cows by the feed-bunk
eating their high corn silage batch
had all settled in
for a midnight snack.
When out of the commodity market
arose such a clatter;
who knew a trade war
with China would actually matter?
But away to the fields
the combines went
with a flash
with moistures and test-weights
that makes most hope insurance
go “I hope insurance pays in cash.”
The beef market, however,
did not grow
from an untimely Tyson
meat plant that started to glow.”
What then,
could be next in this challenging year,
but virtually no alfalfa appearing anywhere;
and a rising hay market soon appeared.
Then with a little lower milk yield
milking time sure is quick,
but with high milk components now
fat-corrected milk sure is a trick.
To encourage chocolate milk
and cheese
for the big game,
because soda and tofu
are pretty lame.
Now cold now snow
now ice and rain
on sheds on roads
on virtually everything.
Rebuilding the fallen down structures,
now stronger and tougher than ever,
so dash away dash away 2019.
Now with joking aside
and thank you for
tolerating my rhyme,
merry Christmas to all,
and to all a prosperous 2020.”
Synergy Cooperative is based in the northwest-Wisconsin community of Ridgeland.
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