High Grove Farm Journal – December 2024
Dec 12, 2024 (Westby, WI)
Season’s greetings from the High Grove Farm family! I’m Jessica, and I invite you to experience the magic of Christmas on a dairy farm. There’s something extra special about December here – the farm is filled with warmth, love, and all the joys of Christmas.
As we counted down to our annual family gathering, the farm was filled with the sounds of laughter, cleaning, and holiday prep. The inviting aroma of freshly baked Christmas cookies wafted from the warm kitchen, where a platter of treats sat on the counter wrapped up and ready for tomorrow. We ate some as we worked and listened to Christmas music. We had our son Carter run a plate of them down to the milkman as he finished up collecting our cows’ milk from the bulk tank for the Creamery.
We finished the Christmas tree, which now has twinkling lights, ornaments, and a woodland theme, complete with snowflakes, forest creatures and of course cows! I prepared the macaroni salad, then stepped outside to decorate the front porch with pine boughs that we gathered from the woods. The barn cats and dogs were basking in the warm afternoon sunlight and eyeing us suspiciously as we worked quickly here and there around the farm, cleaning up things we didn’t normally do. They definitely sensed something was up. That night we watched “White Christmas” and ate our supper by the fireplace as we discussed the last things to be done before the party tomorrow.
That day, we quickly finished morning chores. The boys lent a hand to Dad with the morning tasks, which included milking the cows and feeding the animals. Then Drew took the kids to church for pageant practice. Meanwhile, I focused on getting the house ready for our guests.
As lunchtime approached, we anticipated the arrival of our family members from the neighboring towns and some who traveled from Minnesota for the day. Drew had thoughtfully purchased a new basketball for the cousins to enjoy a game outside after lunch, taking advantage of the unseasonably warm December weather. As the farm came alive with the sounds of laughter and excitement – and even the cows mooing as family walked up to the house – the feeling of Christmas cheer filled our farm and our hearts as we enjoyed time with our family!
The day was a true Christmas delight! We feasted on pear butter glazed ham that Drew’s dad smoked for 10 hours the day before, homemade Christmas cookies, and dishes everyone brought to share. We also had some quality time with loved ones over a very loud game of Bingo! The cousins ran wild, laughing and playing, some running down to the barn to visit the calves but mostly to catch a barn cat to snuggle. Each family was sent home with a heartfelt gift of homemade Maple Syrup from Uncle Curt. As the evening drew to a close, we returned to our cozy routine, feeling grateful for the simple joys and cherished traditions that make Christmas so special.
Merry Christmas from the farm! Wishing you a blessed holiday season, filled with love, peace, and warmth!
– Jessica Rogers is a Westby Creamery farmer-owner who is sharing glimpses of farm life with us.
