Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

                                 
                                         Arkansas Farm Bureau celebrated June Dairy Month
                                     by sponsoring the Dairy Foods Contest today in Little Rock.
                                            This contest has been a youth activity sponsored
                                            by Arkansas Farm Bureau  for more than 60 years.
                                     
                                         As a dairy farmer, I was honored to be one of three judges
                                               with the task of selecting the best dairy  recipe prepared
                                            and served by 4-H contestants from across the state.
                                                           It was a hard but very delightful  job!

                                        Today's first place winner of the Main Dish category
                                                              was Kalin Key of Eldorado. 
                                        Her recipe was "Almost Cajun Creamy Shrimp and Grits."
                                          I loved her explanation of the title--" I live close to the
                                                         Louisiana line, so it's almost Cajun".

                                              I'm thankful for Arkansas Farm Bureau's work
                                               to provide learning experiences for our youth

and

promotion of dairy!

                                     
                                                             

Benton County Fair Alive

If you don't think the Benton County Fair is alive,

you should see the activity on the day before the fair opens.

It's buzzing with volunteers setting up for all of the entries

 into categories of  competitions and commercial exhibits.

As I walked through the commercial building today to 

volunteer for the set-up of a booth,

I realized the impact this community event has had on my life.

As a native of Northwest Arkansas, I have participated in the 

Benton County Fair in a variety of ways.

As a child, I rode Girl Scout floats in the fair parade, participated in the 

Miss Benton County Fair Pageant,served as a volunteer 4-H adult leader, 

worked with our sons showing dairy cattle during their 4-H experience

  and  served in  the  Benton County Farm Bureau Petting Zoo.

I've got great memories of not just the fair, but the people that 

work to make the fair a success for our community.

This year's fair theme says it all:

Making Memories and Celebrating Community

If you've never been to the Benton County Fair, I hope you will come to 

celebrate with our community and make your own memories.

Sponsors have made it possible to offer free admission to the fair.

The Benton County Farm Bureau  Free Petting Zoo is open each evening

 from 5-9 p.m Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

You can find the schedule of events at:

https://www.bentoncountyfairar.org

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Twenty nine years ago a few  Benton County dedicated to 

dairy volunteers began what  we know as Dairy Days 

in the month of June. 

The reason for beginning Dairy Days was to provide another event

 for 4-H and FFA kids to show their dairy cattle and provide more 

dairy learning experiences.  Twenty-nine years later, 

the purpose is the same with expansion to include kids from 4 states.

 4-State Dairy Days  is an all youth dairy show  and competitions for

 kids from Oklahoma,Kansas,Missouri, and Arkansas promoting youth 

participation in dairy cattle showing and dairy educational events. 

I'm thankful for the dedicated organizers and businesses that support 

4-State Dairy Days,

 for the multi-generation family members involved in dairy activities,

for the skills learned with dairy project animals,

and 

for the life lessons learned by caring for dairy 

animals in a fun family oriented environment.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Last Saturday I participated in the first  Benton County 4-H Food Safety Workshop 

It was a great example of teaching our youth an invaluable  life skill. 

I'm thankful for the dedication of our 4-H leaders 

and Benton County Extension agents who continuously strive to

 "make the best better"  

in the classroom,

at the Farmer's Market,

or 

connecting the past to the present.

I'm  thankful for these friends!

                                                                     

Arkansas Dairy Ambassador 2015

Just when you thought nothing else could fit into the schedule of activities at the 4-State Dairy Days--

we had the Arkansas Dairy Ambassador contest!

The Dairy Ambassador Program criteria consists of three levels: promotion activities, an interview with a panel of judges, and an oral presentation.

I'll be the first to admit, the conditions  for doing an oral presentation with cows mooing and fans blowing to keep everyone comfortable are not ideal,  but the setting is perfect for the topic of

 "What's so Great about Dairy!"

Prior to the interview and presentation, the contestants have also participated in a Farm Bureau  dairy recipe contest in their county and promoted dairy in a second activity.

It takes enthusiasm and interest in dairy cows and the dairy industry to be named the Arkansas Dairy Ambassador!

Congratulations to

Colte Mosher

 Arkansas Dairy Ambassador 2015

A special thanks to Arkansas Farm Bureau for supporting this youth program!

Dairy Red Delivers a Firecracker

It seemed fitting since we're still hearing the pops and bangs of the neighbors leftover firecrackers  to extend our celebration with the birth of this red Ayrshire beauty. With our dairy cow herd consisting of mostly black and white Holsteins, it's a thrill to see a beautiful red baby!

Ayrshire dairy cattle originated from Ayrshire in southwest Scotland and are known to be strong, rugged and easily adaptable to any type of dairy herd. An average Ayrshire cow will weigh 990-1320 pounds and produce milk that has moderate butterfat and high protein. 

The Ayrshire cattle became part of our herd when Cody, our oldest son,  purchased his first registered Ayrshire for his 4-H dairy project. His first Ayrshire was named Sunshine and she was full of personality. She always let us know who was boss when getting ready to show at the fair!

 This  baby had plenty of energy while I was feeding her the bottle of milk  this afternoon.

 Firecracker will be a perfect name for this new addition to the herd!

Arkansas Dairy Ambassador

Congratulations to Ethan Parker of Gravette  for being named the 2014-15 Arkansas Dairy Ambassador!

I love the fact that Arkansas Farm Bureau supports youth programs that aim to not only promote agriculture but help our youth to develop skills and interest in agriculture careers.

 

Ethan will be participating in functions related to the dairy industry during this next year and promoting all the great features about dairy. After listening to his talk on "What's So Great About Dairy?", I know he will be convincing a lot of consumers about the benefits of dairy nutrition.

 

 

 

Although it's not a requirement to show dairy cattle to be a dairy ambassador, Ethan has been showing Jersey cattle since he was about 4 years old. It was natural for this  picture of his Arkansas Dairy Ambassador plaque  to include  one of his favorite Jersey girls!

June Dairy Days

What do you get during June Dairy Month  when you have kids from the four state area, cows and lots of ice cream?  4-State Dairy Days!!  This is the 25th year for the event located in Bentonville, Arkansas, known as 4-State Dairy Days.


It all began when a few dairy loving Benton County  parents decided more experiences for showing dairy cattle needed to be created for kids interested in 4-H dairy projects. Twenty-five years later, the mission is the same--"to promote the dairy industry by providing opportunities for youth to learn and compete in a fun, safe, family-friendly environment.

If you're looking for a weekend full of dairy activities, come to the Benton County Fairgrounds in Bentonville,  this Friday (June 20). Check out the list of events at 4-State Dairy Days.

 

                                  You're never too old or too young to enjoy June Dairy Days!

Cheese and Bacon Celebrate June Dairy Month

Can you imagine a better start to June Dairy Month than getting to sample delicious dairy recipes prepared by a group of amazing young cooks?  It was my privilege to be one of three judges for the Arkansas Farm Bureau Dairy Foods Contest last week in Little Rock.

Each recipe is judged on the use of dairy products, originality, the availability of products used, and serving technique. Contestants for this contest are selected from the winning recipe submitted from  each county Farm Bureau.

Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Shells prepared by Kendall Yarbrough,14,  4-H member from Benton County  won second place in the Main Dish Category. I can tell you first hand--it is rich, creamy, and deliciously loaded with dairy products. Kendall told us that she loves this recipe "because of the cheese and bacon" and  "likes stuffing the shells." 



Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
2 cup chopped  fresh mushrooms
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup butter,divided
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened and divided
1 1/2 cups Asiago cheese,divided
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup crumbled, cooked bacon
2 tablespoons  minced fresh parsley,divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup 1 percent milk
2 cups shredded Romano cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella

Directions:
 Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large skillet, sauté  mushrooms and onions in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. In a large bowl, beat ricotta and 4 oz. cream cheese until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup Asiago cheese, Parmesan cheese,bacon, 1 tablespoon parsley, garlic salt,nutmeg, pepper and mushroom mixture. Spoon into shells and place in a greased 13"x 9" baking dish. In a large saucepan, melt remaining butter. Stir in flour until smooth and then gradually add the cream,
broth and milk. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in Romano cheese and the remaining cream cheese, Asiago and parsley. Pour over shells. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes longer.

Serving Size: 2 stuffed shells
Servings: 12

 

How much milk does an average dairy cow produce per day?

Answer: The average dairy cow produces anywhere from six to eight gallons of milk per day.

This means the average dairy cow produces more than 2,000 gallons of milk every year!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

October is National 4-H Month! 

 

 

It's been several years since we were in 4-H but you never forget the lessons learned and the lifetime  friendships formed while working together.   I'm thankful for the Benton County 4-H program and the dedicated adult leaders that teach the next generation to "make the best better"!

 

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Twenty three years ago a group of dedicated Benton County 4-H parents  who had a love for dairy began what we know today as 4-State Dairy Days in Bentonville,Arkansas. Before the dairy cattle show on Saturday, 4-H members from the four state area participated  in dairy quiz bowl,dairy skill-a-thon events ,dairy cattle judging, just for fun dairy olympics and grooming their cattle  for the show on Saturday.

I'm thankful for the dedicated volunteers

 that are still making Dairy Days

a successful fun event for families during

June Dairy Month!

            

Volunteer Benefits

    Even if I wasn't a dairy farmer, assisting with  the annual 4-H Dairy Recipe Contest sponsored by Benton County Farm Bureau is always  my favorite volunteer activity because:

                                         There are always  tasty recipes in the Main Dish Category,         

There are  fun recipes in the Party Idea category,

There are  informative  demonstrations like  how to make yogurt, and

There are  a lot of hard but fair  decisions made by the judges,

and  we go  home happy after meeting new friends and visiting with old ones,sharing information about dairy, and sampling  alot of great dairy foods!

Volunteers get all the benefits!

Chocolate Lover's Challenge

As Benton County Farm Bureau Women's Committee members, my friend Tara and I volunteered to serve as two of the eight judges for the county 4-H baking contest last week. Participants of the contest were given recipes for banana bread,biscuits,snicker doodle cookies, and chocolate cake.  Our assignment was to judge the chocolate cake. For two chocolate lovers this seemed like a real treat  but by the twenty-eighth piece of chocolate cake that we had to taste and judge, it became quite a challenge to judge each piece. At the end of the morning, we agreed  that chocolate cake was no longer   our favorite flavor. If we get invited to judge next year, we've already decided to ask to judge the biscuits!

Although I've avoided chocolate of any kind since our judging experience,I do plan to make my family's favorite chocolate cake later this week.

Chocolate Sheath Cake

1 stick butter

1/2 cup Crisco

4 Tablespoons cocoa

1 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp soda
2 eggs,slightly beaten

Bring butter,Crisco,cocoa,and water to a rapid boil. Pour over the sugar and flour and beat well. Add buttermilk and soda,vanilla,cinnamon and eggs. Beat, then bake at 400 degrees F. in metal loaf pan for 20 minutes. Cover with the following.

Icing:

1 stick butter

4 Tablespoons cocoa

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar,sifted

6 Tablespoons milk

1 cup pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring butter,cocoa, and milk to boil. Add powdered sugar,vanilla and pecans. Beat well and pour over cake while hot.

Options: No nuts needed

For the perfect addition to this recipe, pour a tall glass of cold milk or add a big dip of vanilla ice cream!

Tis the Season for Community Service

Several months ago I was asked to participate in a community service project with the Centerton 4-H Club.  Today was the day for the club's activity.  My job was to provide piano Christmas music at a local assisted living facility while 4-H members provided refreshments  and demonstrated how to make a variety of ornaments for each resident.  As I played a selection of Christmas music, the room was a beehive of activity, joyful singing and happy conversation.

When all the ornaments were made and the last cookies served, a few of the young 4-H members gathered around the piano and asked if they could sing a few songs.  Actually, one member told me they had a "group" that wanted to sing.  We started with "O Little Town of Bethlehem" then jumped to "Jingle Bells" and finished with "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."  There's nothing sweeter than young voices singing robustly without any inhibitions!

As I hurried home to feed calves,I realized that this activity that started eight years ago as a community service project when my sons were 4-H members has become one of my favorite holiday traditions. Community service is all about giving to others and teaching us how to give of our time and talents.  I can always listen to Christmas music on the radio or play music at home, but there's nothing like sharing it with others in this special season of giving!

4-H--Makes the Best Better

I pledge : My Head to clearer thinking, My Heart to greater loyalty, My Hands to larger service,My Health to better living for my club, my community,my country and my world.

4-H members recite this pledge at the beginning of every club meeting. It  describes the purpose of 4-H perfectly. October is 4-H promotion month and even though my boys are no longer in 4-H, I will always be a strong advocate for the 4-H program because I have witnessed first hand how involvement in 4-H helps to nurture and teach children how to develop into model citizens while learning life skills.

As I looked through several stacks of pictures of the many 4-H activities that Cody and Casey were involved in over a ten year period of membership, I realized how thankful I am for the privilege I have had to see their growth and development in a unique way while being involved as a family in every activity.

Even though  my sons'  main 4-H projects were related to dairy and agriculture, each enjoyed learning a variety of skills like cooking and sewing. We still laugh about the largest cookie baked by Cody and the cake batter that was spattered all over the walls of our county extension office during a cake baking demonstration activity by Casey and friend Beau. One of my favorite activities was helping our club members sew Christmas stockings each year  for a local children's shelter and then filling them with gifts.

I look forward to attending  the  annual Benton County 4-H Achievement Banquet in just a couple of weeks to celebrate the successes of  4-H members. It is a rewarding experience to see the difference 4-H is making for the future of our community and fulfilling the motto to "make the best better".You can find  information about 4-H in Arkansas at http://www.kidsarus.org/go4it/4HArkansas. 

Detour To A Healthy Dairy Snack

Our county fair is rich in tradition and one hundred seven years of history. What makes each fair special are the families and individuals that are involved in all of the fair activities. Friday at our county fair has always been "Kids Day" which allows all children to come into the fair for free. Today as I watched all the 4-H members in the livestock barn preparing their animals for these special guests, I couldn't help but feel a measure of pride in the dedication of these 4-H members that are devoted to making our county fair a great success. One of my favorite groups of course is the Benton County 4-H Udder Dairy Club. This morning club members used a theme of "Body Under Construction" to draw kids to the dairy area. As children walked through the barn to watch the cows being milked in the parlor, dairy club members were sharing information about their 4-H dairy projects and dairy nutrition,exhibiting their dairy animals and providing a squeezable yogurt for every child attending Kids Day.

Yogurt is a healthy snack choice for any time--at the fair,after school or at work. It provides a package of nine essential nutrients that improve overall diet quality,keep hunger in check, and help provide energy through the day. Besides squeezable yogurt, you might try these yogurt snack ideas:

-Tropical Smoothie: Blend fresh orange slices with strawberry yogurt and ice.

-Freeze squeezable yogurt for a quick and creamy popsicle.

-Parfait Pleaser: Layer granola and fresh fruit with your favorite lowfat yogurt.

You can find other healthy snack suggestions at http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/. Think I'll go see if I can find any yogurt on my way back to the fair to work in the Benton County Farm Bureau Petting Zoo!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Cody gave one of his first illustrated talks in 4-H about the "REAL" Seal. I'm thankful for all the experiences in 4-H and on the dairy farm that have shaped this young dairy farmer.

Dairy Farmer's Dream Contest

I really feel like my celebration of June Dairy Month actually started in April with our annual 4-H Dairy Recipe Contest sponsored by the Benton County Farm Bureau Women's Committee. One of the most important judging criteria is the creative use of dairy products in each recipe. Using all these delicious dairy products is a dairy farmer's dream come true! After all the recipes are judged and winners selected for both main dish and party category, we get to sample all these delicious dairy recipes. What a dairy delightful experience! To celebrate June Dairy Month, you might want to try this winning main dish recipe submitted by 4-H member Ty Connolly.


Barbeque Baked Potato Casserole


2 teaspoons butter

16 medium green onions,sliced (1 cup) use remainder for garnish

1 medium yellow or orange bell pepper,chopped (1cup)

2 cups hot water

1 cup of milk

1 cup of half and half

1/4 cup butter

1 box(7.20z)Betty Crocker roasted garlic mashed potatoes(2pouches)

1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers

4 ounces of 1/3 less fat cream cheese cut into cubes

3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese(12 oz),divided

1(8oz)container light sour cream

1(4oz)can chopped green chilies,drained

3 cups shredded barbecue beef or pork

3/4 cup barbecue sauce

Tomato pieces for garnish


Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.


In 10-inch nonstick skillet,melt 2 teaspoons butter over medium-high heat. Cook onions and bell pepper in butter 1 minute,stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside.


In 2 quart sacuepan,heat the water,half and half,milk and 1/4 cup butter to boiling; remove from heat. Stir in both pouches of potatoes and seasoning just until moistened. Let stand about 1 minute or until moisture is absorbed. Beat with a fork until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese with peppers and 4 ounces of 1/3 less fat cream cheese cut into cubes; stir till blended. Gently fold in 8 ounces of light sour cream and 4 ounces of chopped green chilies. Mix the potato mixture,the pepper and onion mixture and 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese together. Spoon into a 13x9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with another 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese. Arrange meat evenly over cheese. Drizzle barbecue sauce over the meat. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese over the meat.


Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, with tomato pieces and sliced green onions.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Serving ice cream cones to bank customers was one of our many June Dairy Month activities
and fun experiences while members of the Benton County 4-H Udder Club.
Watching these three dairy farm boys dip the ice cream was a memorable experience! I am thankful for all the fun we have promoting the dairy products we are proud to produce.