Rivini Wedding Dresses and Hereford Heifers

In April 2012 the Boy and I got hitched. It is hard to believe that a year and a half has gone by since our wedding. Of course a big part of your day is your wedding dress. I first saw my dress on the famous Say Yes to the Dress television show, and then found it in Chicago. The dress was from the Rivini line of wedding dresses.

Fast forward to February 2013 the Boy and are were in the middle of calving season and looking for heifer calf names. A lot of thought goes into our calf’s names. The Boy tends to like song lyrics especially from Kayne West. My name ideas come from a variety of areas of inspiration. While we were looking at this little red and white heifer calf we were stumped on a name. And that’s when Rivini popped into my name.

The Boy had no idea what “Rivini” was, so I explained it was the brand of my wedding dress and Rivini it was.

Fast forward to late summer. Rivini the Hereford Heifer was growing, and Rivini the wedding dress maker found my blog post about my wedding dress and asked to post it to their Facebook page. I was flattered they wanted to feature my dress. When they posted the blog to their Facebook page I also let them know that we named a heifer name Rivini.

And so Rivini the Hereford Heifer’s fame has begun. Yesterday, they shared one of my Instagram pictures with their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter followers. I think she looked pretty good next to their beautiful wedding dresses.

You have read this article fashion / wedding with the title September 2013. You can bookmark this page URL https://miavamp22.blogspot.com/2013/09/rivini-wedding-dresses-and-hereford.html. Thanks!

I'm OK with my decision about Chipotle

Seven years ago I gave up Chipotle, and each time I see another one of their half-truth advertising campaigns I couldn't be happier. Chipotle has release another video (I'm not linking to it, as a refuse to give it more attention).

If you would like a description of the Chipotle video you can check out this great blog by potato farmers Black Gold Farms.

Now not everyone has jumped off the No More Chipotle Bandwagon as fast as I have. However, today this is another young woman named Diana, who is a pork producers in Michigan, that will also no longer eat at Chipolte. Why? Well because of a conversation with Chipotle corporate spokesperson, Chris Arnold. If you are still on the fence about Chipotle I hope you will take a minute and read her blog.

Diana sums up her thoughts with this.

“…wouldn’t it be a better company policy to just not lose any customers to shady marketing techniques?” I asked. And Arnold came back with a non-answer, but a telling one: “Our portrayals are doing exactly what they are intended to do,” he responded. And remember, at this point, what they are “intended to do” has become pretty obvious: “teach” people (who don’t know any better and have no frame of reference to realize they’re being misled) Chipotle’s skewed version of American agriculture in such an entertaining way they’ll be inclined to tell their friends and then take the whole clan out for “ethical” food marketed by (apparently) unethical people.

I like this girl a lot.

Chipotle thinks I am and many of my friends are Big Ag/Factory Farming because we use modern techniques like using antibiotics when our animals are sick. Yet, this company who is providing me with "amazing natural, antibiotic ethically raised meat" still admits to using 15-20% of the other stuff (the kind of meat that my family raises) because they can't source enough meat that hasn't been raised to meet their guidelines. The stuff that is portrayed in their new movie as the really bad stuff, the stuff that they are trying to save you from, is the stuff they still can end up selling you! Yup, real ethical.

You have read this article agriculture advocacy / food with the title September 2013. You can bookmark this page URL https://miavamp22.blogspot.com/2013/09/i-ok-with-my-decision-about-chipotle.html. Thanks!

What Does the Fox Say?

There are a lot of things I could talk about today like my sister's wedding that we attended last week in Canada, my new found interest in Red Bull Marketing Case Studies (which is kind of odd considering I hate Red Bull, can't even stand the smell) or how once again I am glad with my decision more than seven years ago to give up Chipotle. However, I feel like first I must share with you this amazing discovery.

It is a video called What Does the Fox Say. If you need a dose of fun and happiness then watch this video. And proceed to sing the song in your head all day.



The video was released on Sept. 3 and it already has nearly 64 million views as of Sept. 19. Fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow!

You have read this article video with the title September 2013. You can bookmark this page URL https://miavamp22.blogspot.com/2013/09/what-does-fox-say.html. Thanks!

Momma don't let your calves grow up to be bulls

For the past couple of weeks I have been seeing all kinds of posts about kiddos headed back to school. I think there has been a mix reaction of relieved parents and bittersweet moments as moms and dads watch their babies grow up.

On the farm our baby calves are also growing up, and that means it is time to wean them from their mommas milk. This can be a stressful time for the calves and their moms, so the Boy and I try to do whatever we can to make the transition easier.

Introducing the Quiet Wean. That piece of plastic in that bull calf's nose is called a Quiet Wean. When the calves are ready to be weaned we place those clips in their noses. The Quiet Wean prevents them for nursing, but still allows them to eat grass and grain. This means that the calves get to stay with their moms (which reduces stress) while they become used to not nursing.

It also prevents the bawling (crying) that lots of people associated with weaning. It is much quieter around our house since the use of the Quiet Weans.

Someone on my Instagram feed asked what is the cows reaction? Using the Quiet Weans means less stress for the moms too. Even though the calves can't nurse, and their udders do become swollen for the first couple of days, the cows seem to eventually forgot about that and start grazing again. Food solves most problems for cows ;)

After the Quiet Weans have been in for 4-14 days we take out the clips and separate the cows and calves. And that is it. Those little babies are on their own and the moms are focusing on the new calf that is growing inside of them.

We spent Labor Day removing the Quiet Weans and now we have a nice group of calves behind of barn. I guess these guys can call me mom now.

You have read this article calf / farm life with the title September 2013. You can bookmark this page URL https://miavamp22.blogspot.com/2013/09/momma-don-let-your-calves-grow-up-to-be.html. Thanks!