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!

Bull's Eye View of Egyptian Geese

Last week as we were feeding baby calves, one of our employees asked me if I had seen the baby ducks on our pond that is located just down the road from the dairy. This is also the pasture that is home to several Holstein bulls. It's not unusual to see ducks on the ponds, but the description given for these sounded very unique. After we finished calf feeding, I picked up my camera and headed for the pond. To my sheer delight, I found what I now know are a pair of Egyptian geese with their eight goslings enjoying what appeared to be swimming instruction time.

After observing the family for a short time, I returned home to send a picture to my birding friend to find out more about these interesting birds. I'm not sure why they have chosen Northwest Arkansas as their home, but I did find out that a pair of them have been around our farm for the last ten years. This is the first time we have seen any Egyptian goslings.

Here are a few interesting facts about Egyptian Geese:

-originally from Africa

-considered sacred by ancient Egyptians, appearing in much of their artwork

-they pair for life

-the male and female are identical in plumage,the male is usually slightly larger

-they eat seeds,leaves,grass,plant stems; occasionally may eat locusts,worms or small animals

-they are very territorial in protecting their babies

I suppose it was a blessing that the pasture around the pond is full of bulls right now. There was no worry of me being attacked by the geese because I stayed on the outside of the fence with a bull's eye view!

Dairy Farm Dad

June Dairy Month is one of the busiest working times on the farm as we add crop planting and hay harvesting to the daily milking schedule and activities required to feed and care for our animals. Although it takes all of us working together on the family farm to get the work done, in my opinion, the most important person on the farm is my husband Ryan, also known as Dairy Farmer Dad.

On any day of the week on the dairy farm, our Dairy Farm Dad exhibits an assortment of titles and positions as we work together on the farm. My description of our Dairy Farm Dad would be that he is a manager, a boss, a problem solver, a traffic director, a mechanic, a banker, an accountant,a nutritionist, an animal caretaker, a conservationist,a plumber, an electrician, a gardener,a cook, a friend, and a father. Basically, he's the center of our universe and the go-to-guy!

Having been a city girl before marrying Dairy Farm Dad, I had no concept of the many roles and abilities of a farmer. Father's Day is a perfect time to express gratitude to all the Dairy Farm Dads that not only work to provide a nutritious product for consumers but set a great example for the next generation of dairy farmers. I think a freezer of homemade ice cream would be a great way to celebrate June Dairy Month and Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Using a no-till method to plant this crop of haygrazer for our dairy cows to eat later this summer is just one of the ways we protect the environment and reduce energy use. With so many jobs on the farm to get accomplished in June, I'm thankful for a tractor ride with my dairy farmer husband!

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.

Arkansas Milk Stabilization

As an Arkansas dairy farmer, I can truly say that June Dairy Month is a great time to celebrate not only dairy foods and the dairy industry, but also give recognition to the support that Arkansas dairy farm families have received from our state. Due to the rapid decline in the number of dairies in our state, the Arkansas legislature established the Arkansas Milk Stabilization Board in 2007 to work to ensure a minimum supply of milk for the population of our state. We truly received help to save our dairy farms in 2009 when the Arkansas legislature funded a two-year program to provide incentives to state dairy farmers with a goal to stabilize or increase milk production within the state. I can never express enough thanks for the support all Arkansas dairy farm families have received from Governor Beebe,the state legislators,and the members of the Arkansas Milk Stabilization Board.

Here are some current facts about dairy farming in Arkansas:

-there are approximately 130 dairy farms

-the average Arkansas dairy cow will produce 5 gallons of milk per day

-Arkansas dairy farms produce 17.9 million gallons of milk annually

-dairy is the 9th largest agricultural business in Arkansas,generating $20 million/year

-98% of all Arkansas farms are owned by families

I hope that we will always have dairy farms in Arkansas producing our state beverage--Milk!

You can learn more about Arkansas dairy history or dairy nutrition at http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/ or http://www.midwestdairy.com/.

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