Freedom to Farm

My Country,'Tis of Thee

My country, 'tis of thee,

Sweet land of liberty,

Of thee I sing: 

Land where my fathers died,

Land of the Pilgrims pride.

From every mountainside

Let freedom ring.

                                          --Samuel F. Smith

                                                                   
                                     Words are inadequate to express my thanks and gratitude
                                       for the men and women who have given their lives to
                                                          insure our  American freedoms.
                                         

May we never forget.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Five years ago, America's Dairy Farmers and the National Dairy Council teamed up with the National Football League and others to empower kids to make their schools a healthier place. So far, Fuel Up to Play 60 has reached over 38 million kids in 73,000 schools, encouraging them to choose good-for-you foods, including dairy, and get 60 minutes of play a day!

I had a front row seat in the auditorium of Pulaski Elementary in Chicago last week when the public announcement was made that funding for the Fuel Up to Play 60 would be funded for #5MoreYears!
We heard from every representative  in this public-private  program--the National Dairy Council, National Football League, GENYOUth Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education.


Activity with Chef Carla, from the Chew, leading the NFL players kicked off the celebration,

 

followed by comments from the partners,

activities with the NFL players,

 

and, of course,

enjoying a healthy dairy snack!

 

 I'm thankful for the impact Fuel Up to Play 60 is making to  improve the health of this  

                next   generation and  that as a dairy farmer, I'm contributing to this program  
                                                 everyday from down on the dairy farm.

Safeguards for Dairy Food Safety

As a dairy farmer and producer of food for the consuming public, I take food safety very seriously. Dairy products are among the most tested and regulated foods in our nation. Before dairy foods reach the grocery store, dairy farms and processing plants must meet stringent federal and state regulations that are in place by the U.S. Department of Agriculture,FDA and state regulatory agencies. From the birth of a baby calf in our pasture to the dairy cow being milked in our milk parlor, we are doing everything in our power on the farm to make sure our dairy cattle are healthy and well cared for to assure production of safe,high quality milk.

Producing safe milk is the priority of every dairy farmer. These are ways we work to provide wholesome,safe milk on the farm:

-follow strict sanitary procedures each time the cow is milked and work to keep all

equipment clean

-milk is never touched by human hands because the milk flows directly from the cow through a

stainless steel pipe into a refrigerated tank

-cool the milk in the tank to 45 degrees F or less within two hours after completion of milking

-keep milk refrigerated at or below 40 degrees until transported to the processing plant

Safe milk handling continues at the processing plant by checking the temperature of the milk to ensure it has been kept at or below 40 degrees F during distribution and delivered within 48 hours after the cow has been milked. The milk is then pasteurized,homogenized, packaged, and distributed. These are facts about pasteurization:

- Pasteurization is the scientific process used to kill any harmful microorganisms that might be present in the milk by heating the milk to 161 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds and then cooling it rapidly.

- Pasteurization is a critical step in the production of safe milk.

-Pasteurization assures milk safety and also extends the shelf life of the milk.

-There is no scientific evidence to suggest that there is any meaningful difference the nutritional value of pasteurized and unpasteurized milk.

- Because of pasteurization, less than 1.5 percent of annual food borne illness outbreaks in the United States involve dairy foods.

Are you concerned about the safety of milk or the dairy foods you purchase? I'd love to answer any questions or respond to concerns. You can find more detailed information about milk production and how we produce safe dairy products at http://www.midwestdairy.com/.

Summer Time Activity Snack Pack

Just a few days ago, I was sitting close to this statue of King Neptune on Virginia Beach just enjoying the Atlantic sea breeze and watching families as they were playing in the sand,swimming or riding bicycles and skating on the boardwalk. I found it fascinating to observe the items that families were carrying to the beach for their day in the sun. Most of them had small ice chests, beach towels, and lounge chairs. Many of the children had beach balls,Frisbees and volleyballs. Everywhere you looked, people were enjoying activities with their families. It wouldn't be too long before the ice chest was opened for a snack and drink. All this activity made me thirsty and hungry just watching.

Whatever outdoor activity you choose to enjoy this summer, it is imporant to make sure that you stay hydrated and have plenty of healthy snacks. Milk is 90 percent water and is a great choice for replacing fluids and preventing dehydration after exercise. Here are some other dairy good suggestions for on-the-go nutritious snacks that will restore nutrients and refuel tired muscles:

-Snack cheese cubes,sticks and slices

-String cheese

-Flavored yogurts

-Portable yogurt in a tube

-Yogurt smoothies

-Drinkable yogurt

-Fat free flavored milk

I'm back to my outdoor activities on the dairy farm--think I'll have a big tall cold glass of milk when I get through with farm chores! Have a dairy good day!

Peach Ice Cream

Enjoying a bowl of homemade peach ice cream that my Mother made to celebrate my Uncle Carl's seventy seventh birthday was a perfect end to one of the hottest days on the dairy farm. The secret to the great flavor of this ice cream is to make sure you have juicy ripe peaches.

Peach Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 quart fresh crushed peaches (juicy ripe!)

juice of 3 lemons

dash salt

1- 12 oz. can evaporated milk

3 cups of sugar

whole milk

1 gallon ice cream freezer

Crush peaches and mix with lemon juice and salt. Add evaporated milk and sugar to peaches and mix well. Add whole milk to fill line on freezer. Freeze.

Yield: 1 gallon

What ever you might be celebrating--homemade ice cream is the perfect summer treat!

Trait of a Farmer

Weather patterns everywhere have been unusual this year. In May our crop planting was delayed because we had thirty inches of rain with flooding. In the last thirty days, we have had less than an inch. Every year we grow one hundred acres of corn that will be made into corn silage for our dairy cows. This corn silage will be added to all the other feed ingredients that we purchase to make a completely balanced diet for our cows to enjoy throughout the year. High quality milk from our dairy cows occurs because of the nutritious ingredients in their diet.

One of my jobs yesterday was to help move spray equipment to the corn field. It was at least one hundred degrees,humid and steamy in the corn field.
Spraying a corn field for weed eradication usually happens earlier and in cooler weather but one of the lessons I have learned with farming is that the conditions or circumstances that we work with are not always perfect. Weather is definitely a condition beyond our control.

As I watched Ryan moving through the field on the old John Deere spray rig, I thought how amazing the American farmer is in the best or worst conditions. Farmers are dedicated to protecting the land,air ,and water while producing the most abundant,affordable and available food for Americans and the world by using sound science and modern technology and if you need a dose of optimism, find a farmer to talk to--he's got it!

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.

Real Dairy Deal

When I do my grocery shopping every week, I am always amazed by the choices in the dairy case that have no relationship to real dairy products. One way to verify that you are choosing a real dairy product is to look for the stylized milk drop surrounding the simple word "REAL".

This seal is the symbol of pure dairy goodness and has been used nationally since 1977. The "REAL" Seal was actually developed by the California Milk Advisory Board in 1976 as a public service to help consumers easily identify real dairy foods. The symbol nationally has become a federally registered "REAL" Seal trademark administered by Dairy Management Inc.

The "REAL" Seal is one of the best recognized and most widely used symbols in the food and beverage industry. Products that carry the "REAL" Seal must contain real dairy food produced from U.S.-produced cow's milk and the contents must meet minimum government standards for the product category. Research has shown that consumers:

• View the "REAL" Seal as a sign of dairy product identity and authenticity
  


• Associate the "REAL" Seal with products that have no or fewer additives and are not processed
  


• Expect products displaying the "REAL" Seal to taste better and be of higher quality



• Know what to expect in terms of cooking and melting patterns when they cook with "REAL"Seal products
  
  

The "REAL" Seal represents a promise to consumers that the product is made with real dairy. Real American farmers producing real milk--a real deal for all consumers!