I spent two weeks with the Neyer family developing the story in the post above. Although my final edit did not
focus on Jerry, I spent a lot of my time with him. One Tuesday afternoon, I received the phone call I had been hoping for.
"I have a birth coming," he said. "The water broke. It should be within the half hour."
My boyfriend had my truck, so I grabbed his keys and prayed he had enough gas to get me to the farm.
(He did. Barely. I ended up getting stranded afterwards, but that's beside the point.)
I ran to the back of the Neyer Dairy Farm Inc. and found the barn and the pregnant mother.
Jerry came around in his truck and prepared all the equipment. He made sure she was ready and induced labor.
Jerry comforted the mom as he pulled the chains attached to the calf.
She gave birth to a healthy baby girl.
I left the farm that day with a new appreciation for something. I'm not exactly sure I can describe it.
It was the first birth I have ever witnessed, after all. It was just as I expected in many ways- messy and painful looking.
But the love the new mother and Jerry had for the calf was beautiful.
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