A farmer’s hands

KENSETT, IOWA — A farmer’s hands can tell a lot about their life and career. For Morris Medlang, the inability to fully use his hands ended a lifelong journey dairying with his wife, Jenelle.

For years, the Medlang family milked cows in a tiestall barn that was built in 1926. That practice ended Aug. 10 when the cows were sold. The decision to sell was prompted by a severe form of carpal tunnel syndrome for Morris.

“In May, a couple fingers went numb,” Morris said. “They didn’t know what was going on either because I’d already developed a lot of swelling.”

Between doctor visits, an MRI of his neck for nerve issues and an electromyography of his wrists, it was decided that the nerves in Morris’s wrists were extremely compacted. This caused pressure on the nerves in his arms, which led to the numbness and swelling.

Various forms of anti-inflammatory medications were administered, but none were effective. Surgery on each wrist is the next option to help curb the pain and aching.

“I’ve been blessed to be healthy throughout my life,” Morris said. “I don’t feel like I’m 72 years old. I didn’t even feel like I was going to be quitting now. I could have been done when I was 65, but I thought I had a few more years. I could have been done when I was 70, but that came and went too.”

Other family members and neighbors stepped up to help with chores over the past few months. Jenelle, who had always worked on the farm, began feeding the youngstock grain and hay more regularly. The Medlang children and grandchildren assisted where they could. A neighbor planted the farm’s corn and beans for this year’s growing season.

“It was June first and I didn’t have corn or beans planted; I was a wreck,” Morris said. “I went to my neighbor up the road and said I needed help. I can’t get my work done (because) my hands don’t work. That was hard to admit, but after he helped me, I finally got some sleep.”

After the sale, Morris and Jenelle, who both grew up in the dairy industry, continue to raise heifers and youngstock.

“Everyone is a little sad about the sale,” Morris said. “I wish every kid could grow up on a farm with animals. There are so many things that they learn. You develop that understanding and that connection.”

It was that connection with the animals that helped Morris find his purpose throughout his career.

“Those cows, they need me and I need them,” Morris said. “You can’t take anything from a cow; they have to give it to you. The cow has to give you the milk. When they’re in the tie stall, you have to give them the food and they give you their milk. It’s a real relationship that we have with each cow.”

Those relationships are exactly the reason why Morris and Jenelle continued to milk in their facility throughout their career. It helped them understand the individual characteristics and attitudes of each cow.

“I would tell people that you can come in that barn and I can tell you about each cow and how she is,” Jenelle said. “There’s some I don’t like as much and others that I love. They become very much a part of your family.”

Morris indicated that despite a difference in attitudes, it never affected the level of care and attention each cow received from Jenelle or himself.

“You can have a cow you have your issues with, but the day she gets a respiratory problem, you’ve got to take care of her,” Morris said. “You do everything you can to get her healthy again, and when she does, you can feel very happy about it.”

The Medlang family milked cows in their barn for 100 years, starting with Morris’ grandfather. Morris and Jenelle started their own herd in 1982 and moved to the family farm in 1988. After arriving, they remodeled the barn and added 26 stalls to modernize and prepare it for their milking herd.

“There’s a lot of pride that goes into farming in this barn,” Morris said. “My grandpa and I were very close; I was his buddy. We had chores on four different farms for a while, and I always went with Grandpa to do chores from the time I was 6, until I was 26.”

Some of the barn improvements over the years included an addition in 2009.

“I thought about doing something different when we did our addition,” Morris said. “But Jenelle really liked the tie stalls.”

Jenelle talked about the importance of maintaining the tie stalls and continuing to farm in a more traditional manner.

“You’re with the cows more,” she said. “It’s more personal. It feels like you can pick out a sick one quicker because you are so familiar with them.”

The connection the Medlangs had with their animals was undeniable. A lifetime of caring and trust helped the farm flourish over the years.

“I might be the richest person around because of what I’ve gotten to do with my life,” Morris said. “I didn’t get to go to all the places we should have gone, or attend all the things we should have, but it’s been rewarding. This is all I ever wanted to do and all I ever did. I wouldn’t have wanted to do anything else.”