Herzog Family Farms: 2009.09

Water Oak Farms Dairy 9-17-09

We went to visit Keith at the Burow's dairy. He works there on Thursday's and Friday's. It was such a fun field trip! We got to watch Mrs. Burow make some of the products also. She was making ice cream when we were there. She also makes cheeses and other dairy products.

Martin, Millie and Bella kept the goats feed bowls full while Keith milked. They have 2 milk machines and about 39 goats to be milked. The whole process from start to finish takes about 3 hours.

They weigh the amount of the milk, and document how much each goat produces at each milking. Stephen was helping jot the info down.

Keith just took the machine off, and was taking the milk into the kitchen area to pour it into the gallon jar.

The milk gets poured into a bowl on top of the gallon jar, and goes through a strainer as it goes into the jar.

Mr. & Mrs. Burow were going over the orders for the day. Mr. Burow was heading to Houston to make his deliveries for the day, while Mrs. Burow stayed at the farm and made the products for Friday's deliveries to the Austin area.

Martin and Papa watching in the kitchen area.

Some of the cheeses getting packed up for delivery that day.

The girls helping Uncle Keith. He was marking on the jar what the date was.

James sitting down in the chair inspecting the progress of the goings on.

Mrs. Burow unloading the ice cream into a giant bowl. She made several flavors out of that one batch... cappuccino, brownie bite, root beer float...

Watching and learning.

The milk makers out grazing.

After the milking, Keith fed the baby goats. There was a turkey that kept trying to get in and he was bothering the baby goaties. Martin was the little turkey hurder, and did his best to keep her away from all the goats.

The kids just loved all the kids....haha.

Papa and his little ones. That is Keith's new truck in the background with the camper shell on the back. The driveway to the Burows house is narrow with lots of overgrowth of branches and the ground was very sandy, so we parked it out on the side of the dirt road going to their driveway, and used Keith's truck as a shuttle.

Me and my little ones.

Grandpa Herzog's Headstone 9-16-09

It has almost been 1 year since Grandpa Herzog passed away. The headstone was delivered the other day. We went over there and watched them and snapped a few pictures. It was nice and cool that morning. Aunt Pam was there along with Mrs. Herzog and us.

Since it was at the cemetery right across the road, we just walked and rode bikes over there. It was really neat, because Grandpa got to be buried on his own land. Many years ago he donated some land right behind the existing cemetery from Jacob Shannon who originally settled on the land where the Herzog family farm is. Grandpa and Grandma's plot is at the very beginning of his land that he donated.

We tried to teach the kids about being respectful while in the cemetery and to not walk on peoples graves. Millie was trying to keep Elaina out of someone's plot.

They had nifty equipment that they moved the headstone with.

They did a really nice job. They were very thorough and meticulous.

It turned out very nice. Grandma will be buried right next to Grandpa. They included a photo of them on their wedding day and their anniversary. It is made out of Texas granite.

There is their wedding picture. Their anniversary is September 25, 1948.

Date Night @ the Shogun Grill 9-11-09

Stephen and I have been wanting to spend some time together lately. He surprised me and told me one afternoon that his mom and dad were going to keep all 5 of the kids while we went to take a walk across the road in the pasture. He and I got dressed and ready to venture out. We dropped off all the kids at his mom and dads, and went walking. It had been drizzling off and on the whole day, but never really rained. Wouldn't you know that about 20 minutes into our walk, it started to really rain. We ran to take cover under a big post oak tree and managed to stay fairly dry. Then we thought of all the walking we weren't getting done and all the time that was going by, so we decided to keep walking- rain or no rain. It was so much fun. It was something I had always dreamed of...taking a walk in the rain with my lover...holding hands...doing a little smoochin'...anyways, it was something you couldn't really plan on doing, it would just have to happen, and it sure did. We were gone for a little over an hour, went back home, showered up and got dressed and ready to go out to eat. We went down and picked Jame up, and headed to Conroe. Stephen had made reservations earlier that afternoon for the place he thought he wanted to take me. We ended up running a little late, so he called them to let them we wouldn't be there on time. It is a good thing he did, because the place he really wanted to take me that we went to, was not the same place he made reservations at. Oh well, he tried.

Here we are after our lovely walk in the rain. We were both dripping wet, but neither one of us minded. We can't wait to do it again.

Here is our cheff at the Shogun Grill. He comes out with a cart that has all the ingredients on it for the menu items we ordered. Then he prepares everything, does a few tricks while he is cooking, and cooks your meal right there in front of you. It is so fun to watch.

Stephen ordered fried rice, beef and vegetables. It looks so delicious! Everything was cooked just right...nice and tender, full of flavor, steaming hot. Man it was sure good!

I ordered my favorite noodles with chicken. They were just wonderful! We each also got 2 shrimp as an appetizer that came with the meal. We both cleaned our plates and wanted more.

Here is James, Stephen and I after supper. We had such a wonderful time. On our way home, he took me and got us each a frappuccino at Starbucks. What a way to top off a wonderful evening. Thank you Stephen!!

Around the Farm 9-09

This is actually a few different days of pictures of us around the farm. It seems like there is always something going on around here. Mrs. Herzog bought some flowers and seeds and plants for the garden, so we worked in the garden all day one day. Another day, we were checking cows and moving them into a different paddock, so it was a few different events that I combined into 1 post.

Here is Bella Jane holding on as we drove around checking cows and moving fence.

Martin and Millie, arm in arm as they sit on the tailgate of Uncle CJ's truck.

Here they are again.

We planted yellow squash, zucchini, peas, cucumbers, and radishes in the section of the garden I am standing in. There are 4 other sections. We have corn, pintos, tomatoes, and peppers (summer plants). We also just planted a whole slew of winter veggies: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, greens, lettuce, spinach...I am probably forgetting some.

Katherine was planting pumpkins in the little pumpkin patch. Hopefully they will be ready for Thanksgiving.

Here is James waking up from a nap on Uncle Kevin's bed at the farm.

Mo is reading the kids some stories before they go down for naps. The reason they are all in either diapers or undies is because all their clothes were filthy, and wet. We hung them out on the fence, wiped the kiddo's down and laid them on beach towels on the couches.

Elaina wasn't quite ready for her nap, so she helped Mo spread coffee grounds around the flowers. The coffee grounds from Starbucks (our garden gets only the best!- ha!) is great fertilizer for the plants.

These are all the kids clothes out drying on the fence.

We all had an ice cream cone for a snack after naps.

Stephen and I planting some seeds for spinach, and greens right out the kitchen door.

Martin and Papa watering them in.

Another day, Mr. Herzog got that cattle trailer ready to haul off for scrap metal. Stephen tried about 8 years ago to haul it off. He had it hooked up to his truck, tires aired up, and was ready to go. He decided to go grab some iced tea before he went. He went inside really quick, grabbed some tea, and wouldn't you know, Grandpa Herzog (Sr.) went outside and found the trailer hooked up. Grandpa Herzog told him to put it back, that somebody could fix it up and use it. Well, it sat there for the past 8 years and never budged. Trees were growing up through it, and it took some effort for Mr. Herzog (Jr.) to get it moved. He loaded it up with some other scrap metal, and hauled it off.

Passion and Fire 9-1-09

Stephen is such a sweetheart! He is more than I ever dreamed of having in a husband. I am so grateful the Lord saved him for me and brought us together. He is the best papa for our children, taking time with each of them from the moment he gets home, and continues to do so until the moment he walks out the door to go to the fire station. We are always with him when he is at home working around the farm. He makes things so fun, and is continually thanking me for the things I do for the family (even though I don't deserve it, and always want to do more). He doesn't get flustered (like I do) when things don't go like we originally planned. He just adjusts, makes the best of it, and goes on having a great time. His cheerful heart is definitely like good medicine. When he disciplines the children, he does so in such a loving manner and takes the time to make sure he still has their heart. He always asks for forgiveness when he has responded sharply. And when he gets frustrated about something, he gets over it so fast and within 5 minutes wants to play again.

He loves me so dearly, and treasures me. I can feel it. He makes time for us to be together and is always looking for an opportunity for a "date". Most of the time it is after the kids have gone to bed, and we will sit and talk and dream for a while and drink coffee or eat ice cream or read together. That is one of my favorite parts of the day! He always knows when something is wrong, and as hard as I try to hide it, he lovingly pulls it out of me. Then, he is ready to play again. I, on the other hand, need a little more time to process things.

One day, after he got home from work, he gave me a surprise. He looked at me, pulled one hand out from around his back with a dozen deep red roses wrapped in green tissue paper, and said, "This represents the passion with which I love you". Of course, I am 'aw-ing' and about to cry. Then he pulls his the other hand out from around his back, hands me a beautiful red pepper plant, and says, "This represents the fire for which I desire you". I was totally shocked. It was such a sweet, deep, sincere expression of his love for me. I am so grateful for him and the precious deeds he does for me, the time he takes for me, the words which he encourages me... Like I said, I am so blessed to have him!

Let me just say also that not to long ago (about 1 month or so) he bought me a 2 pound bag of Hershey's chocolate candies and a dozen roses. He gave sweets to his sweetie. He is so precious to me and shows his love in so many ways. What a precious, wonderful husband!

The Fire (red pepper plant) and the Passion (red roses).

Kevin's Hay Day 8-31-09

Later on that afternoon after we got home from Grandview, we all helped Kevin in our own unique, special, and different ways...physical labor (all the guys), making supper for everyone (Mrs. Herzog), drinks (the girls) odd jobs (Keith, Stephen, Mr. Herzog) taking pictures (me)(I guess that could count as 'helping'). Kevin was bailing the hay and was having it hauled in from Montgomery. Dewey Clark picked them up on the bale wagon and drove them to the farm. He dumped the load (160 of them at a time I think) and left to get another load. In the mean time, Stephen, Keith, Chance and Cole Seiter, and Jonathan Lyon all stacked them in the hay barn.