Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Perfect Dairy Project for Drought

Instead of making hay while the sun shines, we've been digging in the lagoon during the dry weather.  Our lagoon is basically a large pond that sits at the end of the dairy cow feed barn.  Its purpose is to provide protection for our land and water quality by capturing any water or manure from the feed barn.  Since being built in 1988, the lagoon has never been completely emptied or cleaned out.  Drought conditions this summer made this the perfect time for cleaning out the lagoon and refurbishing the banks under the technical guidance of the Conservation District. 

Because milking the cows and caring for our dairy animals takes priority, it has taken several weeks to complete this project. The project began in July with pumping the water and progressed to scooping out the solids in the bottom. Labor Day weekend was the grand finale of the lagoon cleaning with a bulldozer operator sculpting the sides of the lagoon bank to allow us an easier angle for mowing and maintainence.

Caring for our natural resources is a responsibility that we take seriously because we live and work on our land.  The lagoon is an important part of our manure management system that meets the requirements of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and allows us to recycle the water and manure that is produced on our farm to fertilize the soil for  our crops and pastures while protecting the  land and water for us and our neighbors.


We celebrated the completion of this project with a steak dinner, a tall glass of milk,   and a big sigh of relief.
Now--let it rain,let it rain,let it rain!

Monday, September 5, 2011

Labor Day Resolution for Encouragement

After the extreme heat and drought of this summer, the cooler fifty degree temperature this morning brought smiles to my family as we finished breakfast,dressed in jeans and sweatshirts instead of shorts and sleeveless shirts and went outside to feed baby calves and bring cows to the barn to be milked. As I returned to the house after feeding baby calves, even the flowers in the yard seemed to be breathing a sigh of relief! Although resolutions are usually made at the beginning  of the New Year, today I feel like Labor Day is a time of renewal and refreshment as we begin our harvest season for our corn and hay crops.

Making a plan and setting priorities is important to the success of any accomplishment. My list of resolutions includes a mixture of personal goals and home and garden chores that often end at the bottom of every list. At the top of the list is to be more attentive to the time I spend in prayer and Bible study.  It is so easy for me to become discouraged and think negatively when faced with challenges that are beyond our control like the weather and the input costs of farming.  Labor Day and all my other days will be successful and I will be encouraged if I remember Proverbs 3:5-6:
               " Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
                 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Do you have a resolution for Labor Day?
                                                                                                    

Friday, September 2, 2011

Celebrating Seasons on the Dairy Farm











Although we will be milking our cows and caring for our dairy cattle everyday of the Labor Day weekend,it is still a time to celebrate the seasons of change. While you may be planning the weekend trip to visit family, the football game or make the last summer outing to the lake, I'm celebrating the fact that today I finally found okra in my garden. Even though okra thrives on hot weather, I really wasn't sure I would have any okra to harvest due to the excessive heat,drought and the insects that come with it. For weeks I have watched for blooms and hoped the plants could overcome the summer stress. Finally, blooms appeared this week and just like magic--okra!


Sometime during this weekend, I hope to have a mess (that's Arkansas talk) to fry for the family. I haven't planned my menu for the weekend but I'm sure it will include grilling hamburgers or steaks to go with my okra. Seasonal celebrations also include recipes that are quick and easy to prepare like BBQ-Ranch Quesadilla Wedges.


BBQ-Ranch Quesadilla Wedges

Ingredients

1 package (16 ounces) frozen pepper stir-fry blend(green,yellow,red)peppers

1/4 cup diced onion

1 1/2 cups prepared shredded barbecue beef

1/4 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup light ranch dressing

8 (8in.) whole wheat tortilla


1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Non-stick cooking spray



Preparation

Prepare stir-fry pepper blend with diced onion added and heat barbecue beef according to package directions.While vegetables and beef are cooking,mix barbecue sauce and ranch dressing in small serving bowl; set aside for dipping sauce.


On a tortilla, evenly layer 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons each of shredded beef and cheese. Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetables. Cover with a second tortilla.



Repeat for total of 4 quesadillas. Spray large skillet or counter-top grill with non-stick cooking spray. Cook each quesadilla for 3 minutes on each side or until golden and cheese is melted.



Cut into 8 wedges; serve with barbecue-ranch.

Substitution Idea:

For fajita-ranch quesadillas, substitute chicken strips for the shredded beef. Mix light ranch dressing with salsa instead of barbecue sauce for dipping.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes





You can find other great recipes for your family at http://www.midwestdairy.com/. While I'm enjoying my fried okra and working on the farm this weekend I hope you and your family enjoy a dairy good Labor Day!















Celebrating Seasons on the Dairy Farm

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday



































August always seems to melt slowly into September as the seasons begin to change,school starts and we are beginning to harvest our crops. It's also the time for a birthday celebration in our family. Our birthday traditions include dinner with the family, birthday cake and ice cream. I'm thankful for the twenty one birthdays that we have celebrated with Casey!

















Monday, August 29, 2011

Reasons to Serve Chocolate Milk for Breakfast




Tonight's local news announced that Fayetteville School District in Northwest Arkansas will no longer offer chocolate milk for school breakfast to decrease the sugar that kids are getting in the morning but it will remain a choice for lunch. Why would you decide to decrease milk consumption? Studies in other school systems have shown that if you remove chocolate milk as a choice, consumption will decrease. School age children are needing the nutrients in milk to support bone development during these peak bone building years. I'm not sure what rationale supports the school district's decision but I do know that flavored milk accounts for less than 3.5% of added sugar intake among children ages 6-12 and less than 2% of added sugar intake among teens. Studies have shown that children who drink flavored milk meet more of their nutrient needs, do not consume more added sugar,fat, or calories and are not heavier than non-milk drinkers.








Reasons to support flavored milk as a school breakfast choice include:








  • Flavored milk provides essential nutrients for good health and kids drink more when flavored.




  • Flavored milk contains the same nine essential nutrients as white milk.




  • Flavored milk helps kids get three daily servings recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.




  • Lowfat chocolate milk is the most popular choice and kids drink less if taken away.




You can find more information about the nutritional benefits and the scientific research supporting flavored milk in child nutrition at http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/ or http://www.midwestdairy.com/. I'm raising my glass for chocolate milk! Will you join me?


Sunday, August 28, 2011

Cheese Lover's Enthusiasm Flows Like Lava






Earlier in the month, Ryan and I drove to Cooper's Cafe in Anderson,Missouri, to meet with other family members for supper. To our pleasant surprise, the owner of Cooper's Cafe was none other than Roger King, the winner of Midwest Dairy's "Put Some Cheese On It" contest in 2010. As the contest winner, Roger received a new HHR Chevrolet car decked out in a cheese theme, complete with a slice of cheese on the top. Roger is still driving the cheese car and enjoying the curious looks when driving in the area. You will find the cheese car parked in front of the cafe everyday to entice those cheese loving customers to come in for a tasty entree' with cheese or other dairy delight. Dairy farmers are definitely benefiting from Roger's love of cheese and dairy products and the promotion he does through his restaurant business and in his community.



Just a couple of days ago, we stopped at Cooper's Cafe for lunch before traveling on to Springfield for farm business. As I looked at the menu, I was intrigued with the many types of burgers, the unusual names and the fact that most of them contained cheese. Lava Burger caught my attention as I read the description--"flowing with cheese on top". Curiosity got the best of me and I ordered the Lava Burger. I was so intrigued by the cheese on top that I did not notice it was a double meat burger. When the waitress presented me with the Lava Burger, the cheese was mounded on top of the bun and flowing over the top and sides just like lava from a volcano. I knew then why the waitress looked at me funny when she took my order. From my experience, I would say you need to be very,very hungry or plan to share with others if you intend to order this burger!




If you need a little enthusiasm and a smile to start the week, think about Roger and the cheese car and put some cheese on it! How could you not smile when a cheese slice passes by?