What with new digs, warm and cool waterbeds and flat-screen television, they've got it made. Especially when you consider the fact that his family consists of 21 milk cows.
Yep, life's pretty easy for the inhabitants of Christie's dairy farm just east of Slater on Highway 210.
Christie, 47, who originally hails from Schleswig, has always dreamed of owning a dairy farm. A couple of years after buying an acreage, he designed and built a dairy barn to house his future herd.
As Christie prepared for his second milking shift of the day, he motioned toward the two rows of cows patiently waiting. "I think of this as my golf course, only I can play this golf 365 days a year.
"I started my milking operation on New Year's Eve 2005." Christie added. "You might say I made a deal with the Lord. I told Him all I wanted to do was to see that first puff of milk go through the pipelines and then if He wanted me, He could take me."
The news of his milking operation wasn't altogether well received by some of the locals in Slater. "Someone in Casey's asked me if I realized I had just issued myself a prison sentence," Christie grinned. "My friend 'Slick' said that my picture should be next to stupid in the dictionary,"
Stupid Christie isn't. With bachelor's and master's degrees in agriculture from Iowa State University, he considers this just one step towards his goal of having the best dairy herd possible. To realize that goal, he is looking for the best and most profitable way to produce quality milk. That's where the waterbeds come into play.
"I Googled it up," Christie said referring to how he came up with waterbed idea. Everything he learned researching the beds pointed toward better milk production, making the $175 per bed investment worthwhile. He estimates the milk production is about 10 percent better with the beds.
"I figure they spend about 18 hours a day on the waterbeds," Christie said as he carefully examined each cow before milking. "The beds and the television keep them content. They're comfortable and happy. And that makes me happy."
The waterbeds are water-filled rubber mats that lay flat in each cow's stanchion. In the winter, he runs warm water through the mats and cool water in the summer.
Although his cows may be getting plenty of rest, Christie seems to be burning the candle at both ends. Besides his milking operation, he also works a full-time job with the United States Department of Agriculture doing beef reports for Market News.
His normal day consists of rising by 4 a.m., milking until 6, showering before going to Casey's and then on to Des Moines to work. As soon as he returns from his daytime job, he's back in his coveralls and out in the barn for his second milking session. After that comes all the necessary clean up and other chores before heading to bed in preparation for the next long day.
"To keep my Grade A status, I have to pass strict state standards and an inspection every five months," Christie noted. "The main thing they check is the sanitary conditions."
He sells all of his milk to Dairy Farmers of America, which in turns delivers the milk to Anderson-Erickson Dairy in Des Moines.
Although an admitted "home body" Christie does manage to squeeze in enough time for a little romance in his life.
"My girl friend, Kathy Carlson, who lives in Pleasant Hill, is pretty understanding," he said, and then quickly added, " I guess she has to be. She is a city girl and has a little trouble getting used to the smell of a dairy."
Christie moved on to the next cow in line and continued, "She's A.C. (after cows), so she knew what she was getting into!"
Presently milking 16 cows, Christie plans to soon be milking 24. Eventually, he hopes to be milking three times a day, which will probably make it necessary for him to quit his full-time job.
As Christie worked his way toward the last cow to be milked, the weekend weather forecast blared from the television - possible rain.
So what does farmer Christie do on rainy weekend days?"
