Dairy Star - Third Section • Saturday, January 16, 2016 • Page 15
The right-hand man
Kokett a big help on family’s farm
chores, his evenings are jam packed with work. As soon as he gets off the bus at 3:40 p.m., Raymond is in the house only to change and grab a snack before heading to the barn by 4 p.m. “I jump right into it,” Raymond said. His main responsibilities each afternoon are feedBY MISSY MUSSMAN ing the heifers, helping his dad feed cows, feeding Staff writer calves their milk, chopping bedding and helping bed the cows. “Bedding and feeding the cows are my least faLITTLE FALLS, Minn. – As an eighth grader at Upsala High School, Raymond Kokett certainly has vorite jobs on the farm,” Raymond said. “I always tend to get straw or hay in my boots when I do them.” his fair share of responsibilities on the farm. Once he nishes bedding cows, Raymond goes to “I denitely keep busy when I am home,” Raythe house for supper before going right back out to the mond said. Raymond helps his parents, John and Lori Ko- barn at 7 p.m. to help his dad milk. “I recently started helping with that,” Raymond kett, with chores each day on their 65-cow dairy in said. “I’m nally tall enough.” Morrison County near Little Falls, Minn. However, learning to milk was not easy. Although Raymond does not help with morning “Some of the cows take longer than others to milk out and it can be challenging keeping up with the units,” he said. On top of that, the family bought new milking units, which he has had to adjust to. “I’m used to holding the milking units a certain way, but I can’t hold them that way with the new units,” Raymond said. “It’s been hard, but I’m getting used to them.” He has also started to drive tractor to haul wagons and pull the baler. “It’s fun, and I hope to start cutting and raking hay soon,” he said. Even though show season is several months away, Raymond said his favorite job on the farm is tending to his show heifers “It’s a lot of fun to work with them,” he said. “My siblings and I will put the halter on them, brush them and walk them around when it’s nice outside and feed them before putting them back.” For John, having Raymond around to help has been very valuable. “He’s reliable and a fast learner and he’s only 13,” MISSY MUSSMAN/DAIRY STAR Raymond feeds a group of heifers hay during eve- John said. “He’s denitely interested in the cows.” With so many chores to do, Raymond tries to get ning chores on Jan. 7 near LiƩle Falls, Minn. his homework done in school as best he can.
MISSY MUSSMAN/DAIRY STAR
Raymond KokeƩ, 13, acƟvely helps with chores everyday aŌer school. KokeƩ and his parents, John and Lori, milk 65 cows near LiƩle Falls, Minn. “We’ve told him to get it done before he comes home because there isn’t a lot of time to do it at night,” Lori said. “School comes rst though.” Although Raymond is working towards his education at school, he is also getting an education at home. “I’ve learned so much on the farm, like how to x the silo unloader,” Raymond said. “But the most important thing I’ve learned is responsibility.” Raymond has four and a half years before he graduates high school, but he has an idea of what he wants to do when he grows up. “I want to start a beef farm and even raise some dairy steers,” he said. But in the meantime, he is enjoying helping John and Lori on the farm. “I like to be outside and moving,” Raymond said. “It’s fun for me.”
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