Food Check-Out Week 2011

Food Check-Out Week, February 20-26, brings attention to the fact that the American farmer is providing the safest,most abundant and affordable food supply in the world! Across America this week, Farm Bureau volunteers will be celebrating Food Check-Out Week in their communities by making donations to local food banks,setting up displays and sharing the message with shoppers at supermarkets and other locations. I appreciate the variety of dedicated farmers we have in America to produce our food.

As I am thinking about how to make my family food dollar go further and still choose nutritious food during these tough economic times, Food Check-Out Week is also a good time to revisit strategies to provide better nutrition with less money such as:

• knowing your food budget


• planning balanced meals,


• making a list and sticking to it


• read food labels


• take time to compare prices for different brands and sizes


• shopping at competitively priced grocery stores with high quality produce

If you are needing more information about nutrition and food choices, I suggest visiting http://www.mypyramid.gov/. You can also find helpful information about dairy nutrition,shopping tips and the added value of dairy to your diet at http://dairymakessense.com/ and http://midwestdairy.com/.

It's a great week to Thank a Farmer!

Family Farm Tradition

I keep thinking of the phrase "it's a family tradition" in the Hank Williams song as we begin a new part to our family farming operation. Ryan's parents and grandparents produced and sold beef and pork to local consumers from 1921 when the farm was established until the early 1960's. We made the decision to market Anglin Beef as a way to diversify our family farming operation and continue the tradition. I invite you to check out our website at http://www.anglinbeef.com/. Our day to day activites on the farm are the same because we have been dairy and beef farming at the same time since before we were married. Ryan and I are still learning about how to add this new marketing and selling activity to our daily to do list! Ninety eight percent of all farms are family farms just like ours. Family farm traditions bring strength to our nation and provide food security that many countries envy. It's a family tradition and a great honor to be an American farmer!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for warmer weather,melting snow and my insulated mud boots that kept my feet warm in minus twenty degree temps last week and help give me traction walking in the mud and snow that is still hanging around!

Hope you have a great Thursday!

Environmental Stewardship

As I walked to the calf hutches across the soggy yard this morning in shirt sleeve weather, it was hard to believe that just a week ago we were twenty four inches deep in snow and minus twenty degrees on the dairy farm. This week as the weather has improved and conditions have allowed, we have been working to move the liquid and dry cow manure that was stored during our snow event last week. Cow manure is a nutrient with added value for our farming operation but must be handled responsibly everyday to protect the environment. Our dairy farm has been permitted since 1985 by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. This permit allowed us to build a facility with areas that store liquid and dry manure nutrient and to follow a farm plan designed for land application of the cow manure for fertilization of our pastures and croplands. These farm plans are also called nutrient management plans. Cow manure adds needed nutrients to the soil,decreases the need to use as much commercial fertilizer and increases the ability of the soil to hold water. Utilizing cow manure is a picture of sustainability in my view! As we were preparing for the winter storm last week, we removed as much manure as possible from the dry and liquid storage areas knowing that manure removal would not be possible during a snow storm. During the worst of the weather, manure was stored in the designated areas until it could be applied to the land. Protecting the environment is an everyday job on our dairy farm whether it's before,during or after winter storm events.

Valentine Dairy Delight

Valentine's Day is a great day to surprise my family with a new sweet treat. Preparing this should fit into my schedule for an already busy Monday on the dairy farm.

Frozen German Sweet Chocolate Pie

1 pkg (4oz.) Baker's German Sweet Chocolate

1/3 cup milk,divided

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz pkg) Philadelphia Cream Cheese,softened

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

1 Honey Maid Graham Pie Crust (6oz)

Microwave chocolate and 2 Tbsp. milk in large microwaveable bowl on High 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted,stirring after each minute. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add cream cheese,sugar and remaining milk; beat with whisk until well blended. Refrigerate 10 minutes.

Stir in COOL WHIP until well blended,spoon into crust.

Freeze 4 hours or until firm. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving to soften slightly before cutting to serve.

Happy Valentine's Day from Anglin Dairy!

Snow Cows

Twenty degrees below zero and twenty four inches of snow are not the winter time norm for Northwest Arkansas. After we fed baby calves this morning, I decided to check on the pregnant cows located next to our house. We normally go into the field on a 4-wheeler or truck, but because the snow was so deep, I decided to walk in the tracks made by the tractor from yesterday's hay feeding. These soon to be mamas were giving me the eye as I approached them. I was greatly relieved to find no new babies on this frigid morning. The cows were enjoying the sunshine and some of them were resting on the hay that we had unrolled for them to lay on. They had plenty of silage hay in the feeders in the field and their water supply was not frozen. We will check on these cows several times a day because they are scheduled to calve within the next two weeks. At the end of each day if we find a cow that we suspect might calve in the night, we will walk her to our maternity barn so that if she gives birth, her calf will be in a more protected environment from the extreme weather conditions. As I was standing in the middle of the field looking at each cow with all that snow around me, the beauty of the moment was incredible. I find that even when conditions are tough, life on the family farm has its own set of blessings!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Today's winter storm brought a record twenty four inches of snow for Northwest Arkansas. I'm thankful for my family and our employees that are working so hard to make sure that all of our animals are fed,watered and milked during this huge winter storm. Like the candy Valentine Conversation Heart says: You Rock!