Character

Sanford (photo courtesy the Campbell family) 

From Juel:

I remember plowing one spring when a few snowdrifts remained in the fields, and also a few wet spots. As I was plowing, I unfortunately ended up in the middle of a wet spot and buried both the plow and the D-5.   Well, with a little effort and the D-6 we were able to retrieve them both.   Sanford could tell I was feeling a bit bad about what had happened, so he related to me the following story (Anyone who knows this story feel free to correct me.)

When the petroleum pipeline was being laid in 1950 or 60 something, Sanford was plowing snow for them down where the underpass is now,  by Jose and Christine’s house.   The workers had gotten a truck stuck, so Sanford backed up to them with the D-6 and they hooked a chain to the back axle of the truck.  Sanford got the chain taut and then pulling forward proceeded in their efforts to extract the truck.  Well, Sanford felt something give so he poured on the coal, when he turned around he noticed the men all wore long faces. . .looking down to the end of his chain he saw the rear-end axle and wheels. Have you got a mental picture? When Sanford turned around he could see the “BIG BOSS” of the project coming down the road.  He hurriedly backed up, got the chain unhooked, climbed back into his rig and commenced plowing snow.  He told me he kept his nose pointed forward and didn't look to the right or the left as he passed the “Big Boss.”  Upon returning to the scene of the crime later that day,  the workers told him he did well to leave quickly;  because when the boss saw  what had happened,  he was not just upset. . . he was furious and chewed his men up one side and down the other.  However, they said about a half hour later the “Big Boss” returned and apologized to his men.  Thanking them for their efforts, he told them the only ones who do not make mistakes are those who don’t try.  He complimented them on the great job they were doing and encouraged them to keep it up. 

Preachy I know,  but contrast that to another story he told me about when they were drilling the exploratory oil well up Glen Canyon.  It seems like the well depth was down to about 600 to 700 feet when a worker accidentally dropped a hammer down the hole.   It took them two days to fish out that hammer before they could continue to drill.  When they finally got it out, the “Boss” handed the hammer to the worker who had dropped it and promptly said, “You’re fired!”  The worker took the hammer and this time deliberately dropped it down the hole.

Stories like these are important; they can help shape our character.  What kind of boss or leader do you want to be remembered as?   How have you allowed Juniper to shape and define your character?

Oh Deer!

Like most of you, I have always been known for driving at “reasonable speeds”.  Dad and I had an agreement that a “reasonable speed” for Juniper Road was 45 mph.  One morning I was headed to school in the blue Pontiac Phoenix (not much of a looker, but man, that was a cozy ride).  Really, I was only doing about 45, I promise.  Just past Rushton’s, but not quite to Ben’s, a suicidal deer jumped out of the tall grass in the borrow pit… Thunk.

Nailed it.

So, I thought “well, I’m less than a mile from home, I should probably turn around and run home real quick and let Dad check out the car and make sure it will get me safely to school and back home again.  As I was driving back to the dairy, I was a little nervous about telling Dad about my misfortune, trying to figure out exactly how I would present my predicament and trying to figure out what Dad’s reaction might be (Why was I worried?  Have you met that guy?  Does not anger easily…) 

Thunk.

Are you serious?!? (Some other expletives may or may not have crossed my mind at this minute.)

For Real.  I totally hit another deer. 

Good grief.  Now I am really nervous about telling Dad.  My stomach was in knots as I walked into the barn parlor where Dad was completing the morning milking. 

Me in a shaky voice.  “Dad?”

Dad let the current batch of cows out, closed the gait, and turned to listen.

“I hit a deer.  But I was only going 45, I promise, you said 45 was a good speed for this road.”

Dad “Not when there are deer!”

I continued with my tale at what I’m sure was 100 miles a minute. “But then I turned around for you to look at the car and... I hit another deer.”

Dad shot me a look of disbelief and kind of laughed (what a relief).  “You hit two deer?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure you didn't hit the same deer twice.”

“Yeah, I’m sure, there is no way that first deer could have jumped out of the grass that fast again.  I hurt her for sure.”

Dad got the next batch of cows going and followed me to my car.

Observing the deer feces (and fur) on the front of my car, “You scared the crap out of them!”

Haha… I love that guy!  We checked out the car, all looked well, but decided just to be safe I should drive the Suburban to school (maybe he was worried I would hit another one and needed a better defense?). 

It’s Juniper/Malta, I don’t know why I was surprised when everyone somehow knew about the deer before I got to school.  Everyone except Diana… haha it was like 6 months or a year later when she asked me about my deer episode. :)

And yes, dad went out and indeed found TWO dead (or nearly dead) deer part way up the hill.

I Didn't Know

From Utahna:

I don’t know how many rows of bales I rolled for only 50 cents a row.  The whole time complaining to my siblings that we were just their slaves. I pretty much had this attitude, the worst attitude, most of growing up.  I hated the farm work and would much rather be home cooking or cleaning with mom.  One day I think I must have been whining (odd I know). And Dad, nice as could be, told me how much he appreciated my hard work. But, told me if I didn't want to, I didn't have to continue hauling hay with them.  If I would rather, I could just stay home and help Mom. It made me feel really bad for having such a bad attitude. But, just having Dad give me the option, silly as it is, made a big difference.  And no, I didn't quit.  I didn't have to be out their working after that, but I had chosen to.  It was a blessing to be able to work hard, to spend time with my family, and as a bonus get a little spending money.  I must admit, I didn't know how good I really had it.

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Utahna and I were quite different growing up.  While she enjoyed helping Mom in the house, I despised the cooking, the cleaning, and endless canning.  I would beg Dad to find me some chores... it would go something like this... "Dad, Mom wants me to help can peaches, isn't there something you need me to on the farm?"  Sometimes it was as boring as strawing the pile or moving hay, but, it was outside! :) And now... Utahna has the cutest little family.  She is an amazing mother, keeps an organized house, cans, and makes delicious meals for her family.  Yesterday I spent the day cleaning out the pond... my house is a disaster and Jeremy got scrambled eggs for dinner (what?!? they were homemade ;))  When Jeremy feels the food around here is under par, he asks "Do you need to go to Tuna's for a week and find some inspiration?"  She does inspire me.  I am so thankful Heavenly Father blessed us all with different personalities and strengths!  Also so thankful she chose to work with us, it wouldn't have been the same, right Doug?

Your Mother Doesn't Need to Know About This

So, I'm not really sure if this is my story to tell, but it is a story I'm quite sure Dad would not tell, so you are going to get my version...  If it is too controversial maybe it will be a two part post: Part I She Says, Part II He Says, type deal.  Anyway, on to my story.

Utahna and I were hanging out at the house one evening and Dad came in and grabbed us letting us know that he needed our help with something.  Like obedient daughters do, we followed Dad to the barn where he explained the predicament he was in and what we were to do to help reverse the situation.

See, Dad had pulled up to the barn in our classy white Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight, the one with the awesome red plush interior.  He was just going to run inside, so he put the car in park (or so he thought... who put neutral right next to park anyway?!?).  You are all familiar with the landscape of the dairy, from the barn you go down a slight incline and at the bottom you can go right toward Sanford's place, or left toward the Rushton's farm.
OR....

You can go straight.

Straight into the ravine.

Oops.

That's embarrassing!  

So when we got there, there was our beautiful car, nose first in the ravine.  We hooked our car to the tractor (can't remember which one) and I hiked down the ravine to steer the car as Dad pulled it out.  I remember wondering how safe the car was to be in, but I trusted Dad and we retrieved the car safely.  

Following the expedition, Dad says to us.  "Your mother doesn't need to know about this."

I guess he was serious too, cuz a few days later Tuna and I were laughing about it while we were working in the garden with mom and her response was one of shock "WHAT HAPPENED???"  I really thought he would have told her...

Sorry Dad... haha, but not that sorry, or I probably wouldn't have posted it here for all of Juniper to discover!

The True Crop

If this was a sponsored blog, today's post would be sponsored by Kleenex.  Doug has always been a very gifted writer, I think most of you will identify with his perfectly worded sentiments.  We each owe a great deal to Juniper Dairy and the men who's spirits embodied it.  Grab a tissue and enjoy!

From Douglas:

I have been slow and even hesitant to post on this blog, not because I have nothing to say but because the farm has meant so much to me. Juniper dairy has always been more than just another farm I believe it is so special because of the two great men that ran it. Some might say that the farm failed, but I wonder, has there ever been a more successful farm? I believe that milk was a byproduct and that you and I were the true crop.

So I would like to share with you a few things that I learned on the farm from two great men and how they still help me.

Broken things.

If you are like me then I am sure that you have at one point or another complained about the broken things on the farm or the equipment that no longer works quite right. I have since learned to be grateful for those broken things because they represent fathers and bosses who were willing to let me work and learn.

Above is a picture of a very familiar auger on the farm. (It is not the latest model but no auger has ever looked so good) What many of you do not realize and don’t see is that the fly wheel on the top has been snapped in half.

It was early one summer morning and I was out doing the morning chores. One of my assignments that morning was to move the auger from one grain bin to another. I gave the auger a real hard tug to get it out of the first bin, as the auger had been set in motion I soon learned how slippery the end could be. Needless to say I lost hold of it and watched helplessly as the heavy motor pile drove the end into the ground and the fly wheel snapped. What a start to a beautiful morning and I now had to go explain to Dad what I had done. I found him at the mill and told him simply that I had broken the auger. In classic Dad fashion he asked if it was the fly wheel that I had broken. I confirmed that it was and he off handedly mentioned ‘they can get away from you pretty easily can’t they.’ He then said “notice how I knew exactly where it had broken.” 

I then headed off to feed the cows I needed to move some hay and needed to pull the ford ten wheeler up the edge of the hill to get some hay, as most of you know the ford’s brakes consisted of turning the key off at the right moment, which I did. The truck then fell out of gear though and I began rolling down the hill past the grain mill. I tried mashing it back into gear but was unsuccessful as I rapidly gained speed. I tried pumping the brakes but to no avail. As I came to the barn I then had to decide if I should try to get on the dirt road at that speed or take out the fence between the manure pit and the evaporation pond. Not having faith in my ability to maneuver onto the dirt road with no brakes at that speed I decided that the fence must go. As I rounded the barn I saw a new, tall pile of sand that looked like a good runaway truck barrier to me so I drove straight into it. After wiping the sweat from my brow I then proceeded to explain to my dad what I had done to the truck. Memory fails me now but I do know that there was one more thing that I broke that morning and had to tell my father about. (I feel like it involved one of the tractors that I tried to move the hay with but can’t remember for sure.) And I remember thinking as I headed to explain the last one to my Dad, “I have broken all this and I haven’t even had breakfast yet.”

Dad and Ross knew full well that letting us inexperienced kids work would result in many mistakes and some of them costly. But I firmly believe that raising good men and women was way more important to them than a business was. After breakfast Dad then had me in the shop fixing the fly wheel as you will notice in the picture that follows it has been welded all the way across. Ross walked into the shop as Dad was showing me how to fix it and just laughed when he saw what I had done. They not only gave us a chance to work and make mistakes they taught us how to fix them. This I think relates to every aspect of our lives.