What is GODBLESS DAIRY ENTERPRISES?

GODBLESS DAIRY ENTERPRISES is what I call my 4-H dairy project.

I have requested GODBLESS as my prefix for each of the breeds I raise.  I chose GODBLESS because God has blessed me with so much and continues to bless me.

I call it "Dairy Enterprises" because I don't have a farm.  I don't even own a trailer.  It's not a company.  It's a dairy project.  So I used a thesaurus to find a word that fit what I am or what I have.  I found out that "Enterprise" is a synonym of "project".  It was perfect!

Our little family (2011)

I guess you would call me the proprietor or the dairy boss.  I am the sole owner of my animals.  The first one was a gift.  The rest I have paid for myself.  I take care of them every day.  I do my own fitting (except for the topline.)  I do almost all of my own paperwork and check writing.  I am the only person who shows my animals in Jr. and Open Shows.

My mom is like my hired hand, except she doesn't get paid.  If I need an extra pair of hands to do something, she helps.  I can hook up a trailer, but I can't drive, so she pulls the trailer.  If I'm doing halter training on more than one animal, we each take one and play stock show and then switch in the middle. My dad is like my corporate sponsor.  He makes sure there's money in the bank for supplies, and he takes care of stuff in the city.   He has loaded/hauled things like cattle panels and a hay ring (one time, he even picked up a hoop skirt for my princess formal) and brought them to me from long distances.  He also makes sure I have a different convertible to ride in for every parade I'm in.  Mom works with me daily and goes with me to the shows.  Dad owns and operates a body shop in Norman, which is a long way from home, so he's usually at work when I'm out and about with my animals.  He helps me with things like broken trailer lights and replacing ruined tires.  He comes to every show that he can.   MawMaw and GrandDad come to most of the local and the county shows.  GrandDad helped me build a calf hutch and let me use his tools to make a mineral feeder.   He painted and put a new floor in the squeeze chute.  MawMaw takes pictures for me and is one of my biggest cheerleaders.  They are also like my sponsors.  They match all cash prizes that I win with my animals.  


That's pretty well all of the "personnel" at GODBLESS DAIRY ENTERPRISES.  Of course I have some fantastic outside experts and service providers that I can count on for information and advice, like my breeder and my 4-H leader and other dairy families that do this for a living every day.  I am truly blessed to have all these people that I can count on.