Time to take me away

“Calgon, take me away!” Remember that old jingle from the ’70s? It advertised the water softening qualities of using Calgon to get your clothes extra clean. Even today, some forty years later, the Calgon Company is still using this same jingle as a logo on its many products including the famous ultra- moisturizing bath oil beads.

I thought about the old jingle this past evening as I luxuriated in my bath oil beads bubble bath. Oh, the luxury of this soothing skin-silkening experience. It had been a hard day at the office -in my case, the calving barn. I needed something to take me away. And the story goes like this…

Favorite time of Year

Calving season is one of my favorite times of the year. Yes, it is hard work and requires long hours, but the rewards can be so worthwhile. And there is no doubt in my mind, that we farm women play a very important part in this whole process. Now, whether you are a farm lady who actually helps in the calving barn or you are a farm lady who helps in other ways to facilitate the calving season, you do play a vital role.

I so enjoy each new little calf especially if it is from one of my Angus cows. My fellows give me a bad time about making sure “Jane’s” cows get the best pen or the most straw or whatever. Even with their good natured ribbing, they realize that as a woman and a mother-I do have a special touch when it comes to helping with the bovine babies.

Ancient Mother’s Secret

This special touch is just part of the farm woman’s make-up. We understand the stresses of a female’s labor and the urgent life support needs of a new-born. Hm? Maybe that’s why there is getting to be so many successful female veteri(Continued from Previous Page)

-narians. Anyway, there are secrets to every trade. And we woman do like to keep our secrets. Right?

Kind of reminds me of the secret expressed in the 1970’s Calgon television ad. If you recall… the housewife asked the Chinese laundry shop owner how he got her husband’s shirts so clean. And the shop owner confidently replied, “Ancient Chinese Secret.”

About that time, his wife stuck her head around the corner and shouted, “We need more Calgon!” And the housewife remarked, “Ancient Chinese Secret, huh?”

Well, we woman have our own Ancient Mother’s Secrets to help with the new borns. I can’t say what it is; can’t even write it down; it just is. I guess you would have to say the Ancient Mother’s Secrets are in-born-passed from one generation to the next. Unless you are female, you just don’t have it. Sorry guys.

Are you dumber than a rock

About this time, some of you gals are thinking that Jane is dumber than a rock. Why brag about having all these abilities with calving cows? Why brag about knowing how to save a calf? If you brag about these things, that means you have to go outside every day, cold weather or not, and do all this work. Are you crazy, woman? Don’t you realize that your men will expect it? Dumb, dumb, dumb!

Yep, I’m dumb. No doubt about it. But, I’m not alone. There are a myriad number of gals in South Dakota and across the land, who are doing the exact same thing as I am. The only difference is they don’t brag about it. So, I’m doing the bragging for all of you gals. Salute!

It is what it is

Now, hold onto your hats, fellows. Don’t blow a cork! You know, that par usual, I have been doing some jesting in this article. It very definitely takes a whole lot of man power also to get the job of calving cows done right. And when we have spring blizzards like this year, it requires both men and women working together to complete the task.

Calving cows is hard work; no doubt about it. But as the old saying goes: “It is what it is… but it will become what you make it.” So by working diligently together, our farm families will again make it through this tough calving season for a successful pasture turnout.

One last refreshing thought

And in my case, to help me with the bone-weariness of this calving season, I have allowed myself some quality time each evening to luxuriate in a warm soothing bubble bath which promises to take me away. Ahhh.

Jane Green and her husband, Jim, live near Clark. Contact Jane for some public speaking, to order one of her books, or to register your comments. E-mail her at: jgreen@itctel.com