Bermuda Grass Competition

Did you know that Northwest Arkansas farmers grow premium Bermuda grass hay? Farmers in our county have actually won national hay awards for several years. Bermuda is a great forage that we grow to feed young calves,heifers and beef cattle. Hay production is a very important part of our farming operation. As much as we love it for our animals, it is not a welcome sight to me in the flower beds or vegetable garden. Even though we're still anticipating the first day of spring, yesterday's balmy weather took me to the flower bed where I was looking for the green tips of some new iris bulbs that I had planted late last spring. To my dismay, the entire bed was covered with a thick covering of dead Bermuda grass that had been allowed to grow crazy last summer. Bermuda grass in the flower bed or vegetable garden is a curse. It grows fast, loves full sun,can grow in a drought,and has a root system that invades any where it is not welcome. As I was pulling the grass out of the flower bed, I thought how ironic that tonight is the awards banquet for the premium Bermuda hay producers in the county. It's a love-hate relationship for me!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for the opportunity to raise and care for animals on our family dairy farm. Watching these calves enjoy their grain is what I call living in the moment--focus on what's important!

Milk--Made in America

It caught my attention when the ABC news reporter announced an upcoming report on what products are made in America. With our country in such an economic turmoil, it will be interesting to see what is reported. I think a lot about the economic condition of our country and how it affects all Americans, my family and our dairy farm. No matter what is reported this week, you can feel confident in the food that is produced in our country. American farmers are still providing the safest,most available and affordable food for our nation and the world.

Here are Made in America Dairy Facts:

• Dairy farmers are present in all fifty states


• The top five producing states are: California,Wisconsin,New York,Pennsylvania,Idaho


• The number of milk cow operations has declined


• Milk production and cow numbers have risen on larger operations


• Ninety nine percent of dairy farms are family owned


• Dairy farmers are committed to animal care,land care and producing high quality milk

Proudly reporting from the dairy farm: Made in America--Milk!

Snackpacks for Kids

During Food Check-Out Week when we are recognizing farmers for producing safe,abundant and affordable food, we also see the needs of many families in our community during these tough economic times.

On behalf of the Benton County Farm Bureau Women's Comittee, I presented a check this week to Shannon Green, Food Marketing Coordinator of the Samaritan House for a donation to the Snackpacks for Kids program. The Snackpack program is just one of the many programs of the Samaritan House that helps to feed and clothe families in our community.

Snackpacks for Kids provides weekend snacks to children who are most at risk for hunger on the weekends. This program reaches children in Benton,Carroll,Madison and Washington Counties. During the current school year 3300 children in sixty four elementary schools,Head Starts, and Early Childhood Centers receive a snackpack each Friday. Each pack contains eight to ten healthy weekend snacks. Food products that are routinely packed are: animal crackers,beef jerky,cereal, cheese crackers,fruit bars,fruit juice boxes,fruit snacks/roll-ups,pretzels,pudding cups and Vienna sausage. Volunteers meet weekly to prepare boxes for each school and deliver them for distribution. When they reach the school, the counselor will put designated snacks into the children's backpacks to take home for the weekend to make sure they will have food until they come back to school on Monday.

If you are interested in donating to this program you can call the Samaritan House at 479-636-4198 or reach Shannon by email sgreen@samcc.org. I can't think of a better way to celebrate Food Check-Out Week than by helping others in our community!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful today for all the women working in and for agriculture from production on the farm to promoting and marketing of the safe,affordable and abundant food supply that American farmers produce. Can you imagine a world without dedicated women?

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!