Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Last week I was honored to represent Arkansas dairy farmers when Governor Mike Beebe and First Lady Ginger Beebe signed the pledge of support for Fuel Up to Play 60.  Arkansas already  has 900 schools participating in this dairy farmer funded program that is designed to empower students to make healthy nutritional choices and get the needed 60 minutes of activity every day.  I'm thankful for the impact that Fuel Up to Play 60 will have in empowering students across our state to "be healthy,get active and make a difference."

Dairymom's Best Crop

Mornings that require long sleeves and light jackets followed by short sleeved t-shirts in the afternoon would describe the temperature perfectly in northwest Arkansas for the past week.  Although we would welcome rain, the weather has been perfect for planting for winter and spring grass crops.

Dairy farming is labor intensive every day but when you add planting and harvesting to the schedule it does get a little crazy! We are fortunate to have both our sons working on the farm with us.   Each day last week, time was spent getting ready to plant one field. A trip was made to Missouri to buy the seed, the equipment was serviced, the field was disked,and finally the planter was taken to the field. When Ryan and I returned from our trip to Little Rock on Friday, Cody needed one more hour to finish the planting of this field.  We arrived just in time to help fill the planter with seed for the final round to finish the planting. 

As I watched Cody driving across the field, I remembered what my mother-in-law often said when asked about her life on the farm.  She would say,"I've been here all my life and these boys (referring to her son and grandsons) are the best crop I ever raised." I'm thinking more like her everyday!

"Be Healthy,Get Active,and Make a Difference"

Can you take the pledge "be healthy,get active, and make a difference"?  Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe and First Lady Ginger Beebe made that pledge today to show support for Fuel Up to Play 60 in Arkansas schools. The pledge ceremony was also attended by students and faculty from the Weiner school district, four Arkansas dairy farmers,and Midwest Dairy staff.

Fuel Up to Play 60 brings tools and resources to schools to involve students in learning how to make nutritious choices and engage in sixty minutes of activity everyday for long lasting good health. Fuel Up to Play 60 is a direct response to the childhood obesity epidemic we face in Arkansas and across the nation. It is funded by dairy farmers in partnership with the National Dairy Council, the National Football League, and the United States Department of Agriculture. Detailed information about Fuel Up to Play 60 can be found at http://www.midwestdairy.com/.

As a dairy farmer, I loved listening to the 9th grade student, Joshua Lucero describe with enthusiasm how he got involved with the Fuel Up to Play 60 program as a 7th grader in the Weiner school district.  Although Weiner is a small rural school district, he utilized technology and his computer skills to develop a power point presentation that he and other students shared to spread the word about making healthy choices and getting the needed sixty minutes of exercise everyday.  His teacher told us that he met her in  the parking lot every morning to make sure she accomplished every necessary detail to achieve success in the program. Today was proof that his persistence paid off!

Representing Arkansas dairy farmers at this celebration of support was an awesome experience. Today more than  400,000 students represented in 900 schools across Arkansas are participating in Fuel Up to Play 60.   Dairy farmers are making a difference everyday as we work to produce a healthy product and support programs like Fuel Up to Play 60 to encourage children and adults to "be healthy,get active and make a difference".  Will you take the pledge?

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Through the year I volunteer  for the Benton County Farm Bureau Women's Committee. Our committee works to educate others about agriculture, promote agriculture, and  support youth involved in  agricultural activities.  As I prepared a report about the committee's activities in this last year, I thought about one of my favorite activities.   I'm thankful for all the opportunities I have had this past year to talk to children about dairy and enjoy the delight of children when they milk Freida, the Arkansas Farm Bureau cow.

Cinna-Yummy Rice Cereal in Six Easy Steps

Are you looking for a new idea for breakfast?  Rice and dairy are a winning nutritional combination to get your day started in the right direction.  I found this recipe several years ago  in the Kids in the Kitchen booklet produced by the USA Rice Federation.  You can find more information about rice and rice recipes at http://www.usarice.com/.


Cinna-Yummy Rice Cereal

1 cup cooked rice
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon
       Fresh blueberries,raspberries or strawberries*

1. Combine rice,milk,brown sugar and cinnamon in small saucepan.
2. Turn burner to medium heat.
3. Place saucepan on burner,cook and stir until thick and creamy, about 10 minutes.
4. Turn burner off.
5. Spoon rice cereal into small bowl; cool 3 minutes.
6. Top with fresh berries.

Makes 1 serving.

*Or use sliced peaches or bananas,if desired.

Microwave Instructions:
1. Combine rice,milk,brown sugar and cinnamon in small microwave-safe bowl.
2. Cook on high power for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
3. Stir well.
4. Cook on high power for 45 seconds.
5. Remove bowl from microwave.
6. Stir well,let cool 3 minutes.
7. Top with fresh berries.

Hope you have a very dairy good day!

Dairy Technology Yields Efficiency

It's easy to work every day on the dairy farm and take for granted how utilizing dairy science and technology allows us to produce a nutritious product with great efficiency.  Last week when I was gathering cow information from one of our young employees, I noticed he was looking at the antique wall telephone hanging in our kitchen and comparing it to the cell phone he was holding in his hand.  "Did they really use that phone?" he asked. I explained to him that this was the original phone used on our third generation farm in the early 1930's and was also the community phone used for emergencies by many neighbors. Telephone technology provides efficiency on the farm.  We use our cell phones every day to record information with pictures and data and communicate with each other about farm activities. Our conversation then turned to how technology has improved dairy farming and our everyday life on the farm. When our farm was established in the late 1920's, there was no electricity,no telephone,a few cows were milked by hand, and apple crops went to market by a wagon pulled by a team of mules.  That phrase,"you've come a long way,baby"--keeps coming to mind!

Efficiency is one of the core elements of sustainability on any farm.  Today's dairy farmers are producing almost three times more milk with about half the number of cows compared to 1960.  Improved genetics, feed and management have enabled dairy farms to become more efficient and productive. Efficiency-enhancing technologies also reduce resource usage on the farm. Compared to 1944, producing a gallon of milk today uses 65% less water,uses 90% less land, produces 76% less manure, and has decreased the carbon footprint by 63%.(Capper,J.,Cady,R. and Bauman,D. 2009."The environmental impact of dairy production:1944 compared with 2007".J.Anim.Sci.87:2160-2167.)  You can find more information  about sustainability and dairy farming  at http://www.midwestdairy.com/.

Thank goodness today we have cell phones, electricity, milk in a milk parlor with electric milking machines,cool the milk in a refrigerated tank and have tractors and equipment to feed our three hundred dairy cows every day.  It's hard for me to imagine not having all these necessities that my mother-in-law considered a convenience!
Our commitment to producing high quality milk on our family dairy farm  includes caring for our dairy animals and protecting our natural resources by using sound science and technology for the greatest efficiencies.

Dairymom's Fall Yard Harvest

Happy Fall Ya'll!  It's finally here after our long,hot dry summer.  I love every season and the changes that we enjoy and adapt to as we work on the dairy farm everyday.  Yesterday's perfect first day of fall in Northwest Arkansas inspired me to work in the yard after feeding calves in the afternoon.  I'm not wishing my life away, but one of my fall chores is going to get me ready for spring!  I planted several caladium plants in pots in the shady areas of my yard.  My plan is to try saving the caladium bulbs for planting next spring.  The caladiums are still pretty but beginning to look a little tired after summer.  Experts say it is time to dig the bulbs when the leaves begin to turn brown and the plant stops growing.  You must dig the bulbs before frost.  When I decide the day has arrived to dig the bulbs, these are the steps to follow according to online expert gardeners:

• Remove the bulbs with a hand tool such as a trowel by loosening the soil around the bulbs and then gently tugging to pull up.
• Don't cut into the bulbs because this could cause them to rot.
• If small bulbs are attached, you can leave them and divide into new plants in the spring if desired.
• Let the bulbs dry for 1 week, then remove the soil and pack in single layer in dry peat moss or vermiculite;you may also store bulbs  in a cardboard box or hang in mesh bags.
• Store in single layer at 50 degree temperature.
• Check bulbs frequently for rotting.

Hopefully, I still have a few weeks to enjoy this colorful plant before frost!  I'd love to hear any tips or tricks  about your experience with saving caladium bulbs.