Dairy Delight for 2018

What better way to end 2017 or begin the  new year  than with an Undeniably Dairy dessert!

Raspberry Delight, also known in our family as Purple Puddin', originated from my mother-in-law Bonnah Lyn's limited  recipe files.  Bonnah Lyn was a wonderful cook and did most of her cooking without any recipes to follow so I  cherish each hand written recipe card that I inherited from her limited collection. Thank goodness she wrote instructions for Raspberry Delight so that we could continue to enjoy a family favorite!


 Raspberry Delight

1 can sweetened condensed milk
Juice of 2 lemons
1/2 pint heavy cream, whipped
4 Tablespoons Seedless Black Raspberry Jam
1 cup of  chopped walnuts (optional)
1 box Vanilla wafer cookies

Mix the sweetened condensed milk with the juice of 2 lemons and set aside.
In a separate bowl, whip the cream; fold in the jam and mix thoroughly. Add this mixture to the sweetened condensed milk mixture.

In an 8 x 8 in. pan, line the bottom with vanilla wafers; add a layer of purple mixture, top with nuts (if desired) and a layer of vanilla wafers; repeat the layers. Chill and serve.


                           From down on the dairy farm, we hope your new year is Dairy Good!

                                                   
                                                                    Happy 2018!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

                                                          I'm thankful for the blessings of

                                                                         
                                                              the first winter snow,

sparkling holiday lights of my hometown,

the wonder and sweetness  of  children,

                                                                               and

                                                         
                                                             new life down on the dairy farm.

Merry Christmas!

From down on the dairy farm,

we wish you and your family

                                             
                                                          Merry Christmas!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

It was obvious that Christmas came early for our hard working 

hoof trimmer Ben when he arrived at the farm this week  with a new 

hoof trimming chute for our herd hoof check-up.

Although Ben is a master at caring for our cows' feet, it 

would  be  impossible to keep the cows comfortable and do a good job hoof 

trimming without the proper equipment.

I'm thankful for the investment  that Ben has made in this

 new equipment that improves his ability to care for our cows

  with increased comfort for each cow.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

It wouldn't seem like Christmas without a cow on our Christmas tree!

I love all of our ornaments but I must say this cow is my favorite

 because she was a gift from my mother-in-law many years ago.

A great reminder  that 

 dairy traditions run deep!

During this Christmas season down on the dairy farm, 

I'm thankful for the cows on the tree and in the field,

 the cookies and milk,

and 

for making more dairy traditions and memories 

with my cookie eating Hattie Claire!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

                                                           Everything changes with time.

                        In 1962 when my Aunt Alice graduated from Sparks School of Nursing

                                in Ft. Smith, a nurse dressed in a starched white uniform dress, 

                             white shoes and stockings, a crisp white hat and a warm wool cape.

                                    How long since you've seen a nurse dressed like that?

                              Although the dress code changed in the more than fifty year 

                                                     nursing career of my Aunt Alice,

                                   her passion to care for and about others never changed.

Aunt Alice celebrated her birthday at the feet of Jesus on December 2.

In a moment, everything changed and yet, faith and family remain steadfast. 

       

                                            I'm thankful for the sweet relationship I had with
                                           Aunt Alice and for the impact she had on my life.
                                                         
                                     
                                           
                                         
                                               
             
                                                             
                                         
                                             

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

While I'm always thankful for rain, 

feeding calves is much better when the sun is shining!

After all the calves received their morning milk, 

Casey and I proceeded to feed the grain.

My job was tractor driving while Casey scooped a measured 

amount of grain into each calf's bucket from the tractor bucket.

I'm thankful for each of these healthy calves

 that are growing down on the dairy farm

and

 that my son trusts me not to run over him!

Dairy FarmHer Anniversary

Although I knew I was marrying the farm and the dairy farmer 

thirty three years ago, 

I did not realize that I would become a Dairy FarmHer.

                                             
                                            It's been a thirty three year transformation from
                                        city girl to Dairy FarmHer but it's been a grand journey.
                                                 Thank-you to the dairy farmer for sharing
                                                          his passion for all things dairy!
                                       

                                 I never thought I would be teaching children about dairy farming,
                                     

providing dairy farm tours for all ages of consumers,

or working everyday  with my husband 

and our 4th generation dairy farmer sons 

down on the dairy farm producing

 high quality milk for your family and mine.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

It's pretty special when your Dallas cousins include feeding 

calves on the dairy farm as part of their trip to tour the University of Arkansas.

The calves enjoyed all the extra attention

and 

we are always thankful for extra help at calf feeding time!

Faith, Family, Farming, Friends...

                                         
                                                      so much to be thankful for everyday!

                                             Happy Thanksgiving!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

One of my jobs on the dairy farm is to serve as a taxi driver.

I wouldn't really mind it so much if they just wouldn't call and start

with "Are you doing anything right now?"

We're working to get the last of the wheat crop planted before Thanksgiving. 

As I turned into the field on my taxi run, I could smell the dirt as the disc passed over the field.

It was the reminder I needed of how thankful I am to live

 and work with my family of  farmers down on the dairy farm.

                                          "God looked down on the earth he created and said,
                                               "I need a caretaker for this world I have made".
                                                              So God Made A Farmer
                                                                                                    --Paul Harvey

If Barns Could Talk

Ryan's mother milked in this barn during World War II when his dad was serving in Japan.

In a day of no instant communication like we have today, I can only imagine the thoughts and concerns of a young bride as she milked the cows every morning and evening.

If barns could talk...

can you imagine the stories we would hear?

It's a simple reminder to me of the sacrifices made by the

 men, women and families of the past to ensure the freedoms we enjoy today.

Thank-you to all Veterans!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

In a field of black and white spotted Holstein cattle, 

the red and white Ayrshire definitely stand out!

New babies are always welcome on the dairy farm but these red and white ones

 are reminders of the great learning experiences we have had through

 our past  involvement with our  sons'  4-H dairy projects and club activities.

                         
                                      I'm thankful for the expansion of Cody's Ayrshire herd 
                                      and for the outstanding 4-H program in Benton County.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

When I saw Casey riding on the back of the square baler, I couldn't resist

 calling him to ask if he was just joy riding around the field.  I was lucky 

he didn't hang up on me but he nicely explained that he was making 

sure the bales kicked out so Cody wouldn't have to stop baling and 

correct the problem that had been discovered earlier.

It was the first time the small square baler has been used this year and 

we were fortunate that the mechanical problem was an easy fix.

We appreciate problems easily repaired!

I'm thankful for the way our sons can work together,  

for the cow that calved easily and waited for us at the gate,

and 

                                                  for the sweetest Halloween visitor that
                                          brings new meaning to "there's no place like home"!
                                       

Fall Harvest

Even though we had our first freeze of the season, we're still working

 to finish cutting hay in a few fields. 

It will take a few days of drying before it's ready to bale but it 

will still be good quality hay  that we can feed this winter.

                                Brown fields with a hint of green underneath are signs of the fall
                                season and also a reminder of how close we are to celebrating
                                the end of harvest for this year's crops down on the dairy farm.
                                                          Bring on the hot chocolate!
                             

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Farm tours are a great way to meet consumers of all ages  to share how

 we work everyday on the farm to produce safe,affordable food.

This week I was privileged to be one of the host farms for the  12th tour

 of Moms on the Farm.   Janeal Yancey, my favorite University of Arkansas 

meat scientist ,organized the first tour in 2012.  Each tour day  includes

  a visit to dairy, poultry and beef farms located in Benton or Washington County.

The finishing touch to the tour is a delicious lunch hosted by 

Arkansas Cattle Women preparing delicious beef recipes.

I'm thankful for the Moms and the few men that braved a 

chilly and windy day to learn about Arkansas farming and food production.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

It's milo chopping time down on the dairy farm.

I made it to the field just in time to see  today's last load of chopped milo head to the silo.

As you can see, it has grown well above my head this year.

It is a drought resistant grain  crop so with adequate rain it grows like crazy!

I'm thankful for this year's milo crop that will be used 

to feed our dairy cattle this winter 

and

                                                             
                                        for the perfect fall weather for harvesting our crops.

Dairy Q & A

Question:

What is homogenization?

Answer:

Homogenization is a mechanical process that breaks up fat globules 

to a smaller size.When this process is used with milk, it distributes

 the smaller sized fat globules through out the milk producing a 

uniform consistency.  It's basically mixing the cream into the milk.

Homogenization makes the milk whiter  and more appetizing color,

 provides a more full-bodied flavor and better mouth feel and gives milk 

and other cultured milk products increased shelf stability.

Milk began being homogenized in the early 1930's when Dr.Malcolm Trout, 

a nutrition professor at Michigan State, linked the process of pasteurization

 and homogenization together. He found that homogenized milk needed

 to be pasteurized first to have an appealing taste.

While it's possible to have pasteurized milk that hasn't been homogenized and

 homogenized milk that hasn't been pasteurized, most milk found in 

 United States markets has undergone both processes.

Milk is pasteurized first to kill bacteria,

 then homogenized to give us that consistent taste.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

What would we do without farmers?

Who would raise the crops?

Who would provide the milk for my cereal?

Who would be caring for the animals?

                                                        I'm thankful that we have farmers
                                                               --all kinds of farmers--
                                         that work everyday to provide food, care for animals
                                        and protect our natural resources for all of our families.
                                                     
                                                       
                                              Happy National Farmers Day!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

It's standard treatment for pregnant cows to have a two month rest period

 before giving birth.Two weeks before the expected calving date, 

we move the cows or heifers to the field close to our 

house so we can monitor them closely.

                         
                                                       I'm thankful for all safe arrivals
                                                                                and
                                        for this week's new addition to the dairy farm family!

Raw Milk Truth

During last month's dairy farm tours that I provided to the Northwest Arkansas home school students and their families, I was asked several times if we sold raw milk (unpasteurized milk) from the farm.
The simple answer was NO but it provided me the opportunity to share the facts about the benefits of pasteurization. 

As a dairy farmer, mother and a nurse, I'm passionate about the importance pasteurization plays in providing safe milk and dairy products. Since the introduction of pasteurization more than a century ago, it has been recognized around the world as an essential tool for ensuring that milk and dairy foods are safe.

Although many states (including Arkansas)  are now allowing the sale of raw milk (unpasteurized milk) it is a violation of federal law to sell raw milk for consumer use across state lines.

Pasteurization has helped provide safe, nutrient rich milk, and cheese for over 100 years and because of pasteurization, less than 1.5 percent of annual food borne illness outbreaks in the United States involve dairy foods.

Here are some proven facts about milk and pasteurization:
--Pasteurization DOES kill harmful bacteria.
--Pasteurization DOES save lives.
--Raw milk DOES NOT kill dangerous pathogens by itself.
--Pasteurizing milk DOES NOT cause lactose intolerance and allergic reaction.
--Pasteurization DOES NOT reduce milk's nutritional value.

Harmful bacteria can seriously affect the health of anyone who drinks raw milk, or eats foods made from raw milk. However, the bacteria in raw milk can be especially dangerous to people with weakened immune systems, older adults, pregnant women, and children.

Thanks to proven science and technology tools like pasteurization, dairy farmers will continue providing safe, high-quality milk for my family and yours!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for...

Beagle, our crazy four wheel riding farm dog,

                                             '
                                                                    a new fall calf,
                                                                              and

                                           
                                                to hear the  word "cow" from the youngest
                                                        member of our dairy farm family.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Like the varied spots on our spotted Holstein cows, 

every group of dairy farm visitors are unique.

I love to see the expression on the face of the child or adult that 

suddenly understands how we work on the farm to produce

 a great product that their family enjoys.

                                       
                                       I'm thankful to  connect with consumers to share how
                                we work everyday to care for our animals, produce  nutritious
                                          milk and give them a feel for life on a family farm.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

There's nothing sweeter than watching a mother with her new baby.

It's a reminder of all the many blessings that we often 

take for granted when life gets too busy.

                                             
                                 This baby was delivered without any complications this week
                               just in time to greet a group of children making a visit to the farm.

                              I'm thankful for the blessings of life that we can share with others!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

What's not to love about sharing our dairy story?

It's not always easy to fit in a dairy farm tour but it is 

worth every minute I spend sharing with consumers

 of all ages how we work every day to produce nutritious

 milk by caring for our animals and the land we call home.

                       
                              I'm thankful for the parents and children that brought their desire
                            to learn how we produce milk and  for sharing their beautiful smiles!
                                                   Baby calves always bring out the smiles!
                                                             

Labor Day Celebration

Our Labor Day celebration started early this morning with 

the arrival of three new calves.Welcoming new life on the dairy farm

 is always  a great way to start the day!

New babies are taken to their individual calf hutch where we can monitor 

them closely, make sure they receive good nutrition and are protected from 

other members of the herd and bad weather.

                                                   
                                              Caring for these babies is my daily labor of love.
                           It's a priority to make sure these calves get off to a healthy start because
                                  they will grow to become the cows that produce nutritious milk.

                                                              From down on the dairy farm,

                                                              Happy Labor Day!