Spending a week at the biggest show on earth is a lifelong dream of most dairy farmers. World Dairy Expo is where it all happens for a week in the dairy industry. It’s where purebred breeders bring their cattle to compete and it’s headquarters to everything dairy the first week in October.

From tractors to t-shirts and everything in between, bovines are the bomb in Madison, Wis., during this decades-old show. Having the opportunity to work at World Dairy Expo is a treat for this farm wife, but with so many good cows and great people to see, it’s difficult to catch your breath.

One morning I ran into one of my favorite Jersey fanatics from Canada, Russell Gammon. We were able to talk for a whole 15 minutes or so, which is strange for Russell, as his public demands his attention. In our brief talk, he reminded me that it’s good to take time and reflect on what’s happening in our lives.

Taking Russell’s advice, on my last morning drive from the hotel to the show, I had that time of reflection. As the sun was just lighting up the eastern sky and ground fog was covering the fields and farmsteads, I thought about what a great time I had and the great folks I’ve had the chance to meet.

 The ladies from Holstein Quebec, the Holstein International staff, old friends from my husband’s past and new friends from different parts of the country are all folks I enjoyed getting to know. But what I think I enjoyed the most was dinner one night. Pizza in the barn – is there anything better?

Because of a mishap, I missed my planned dinner out, of steaks on the grill with some good friends. Instead, I got an invitation from my son to come have pizza in the barn with him.

Although I get to enjoy breakfast and dinner with my son at home on a daily basis and the thoughts of a tender beef filet on the grill made my mouth water every time I thought about it, the pizza I enjoyed with J.W. couldn’t have been a better end to my crazy-busy day at World Dairy Expo.

On my last day at Expo, I covered everything that paraded across those famous colored shavings and made one last attempt to see everything on the grounds I had not seen, before I made the long trek back home.

Although there were two more glorious days of the biggest dairy show on earth, I had a son at home who would don his football uniform and take the field the next night for their homecoming game. And instead of taking pictures of cows, I would be snapping pictures of Luke and his girlfriend as they paraded across the gridiron as Homecoming king and queen candidates.

Another senior moment to capture … and for me, that topped any cow show, even the World Dairy Expo.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Melissa Hart may write to her in care of this publication.