Dairymom's Fueling Station

While your schedule may be increasing with outdoor activities and spring sports practices, our spring schedule on the dairy farm is totally out of control as we harvest spring crops,prepare to plant crops and have a lot of new baby calves to care for. During this hectic time, my kitchen seems to become a fueling station with a revolving door. Keeping plenty of milk,cheese and yogurt available is my number one fuel station priority because it provides essential nutrients that we all need and it is my family's favorite grab and go fuel-up food.

Essential nutrients are defined as "dietary substances required for healthy body functioning that must be received from food because the human body doesn't manufacture them in sufficient quantities to meet daily needs." Milk and other dairy foods provide nine of these essential nutrients. Dairy's powerful nutrition package contains:

1. Calcium: Helps build and maintain healthy bones and teeth.
2. Potassium: Helps to regulate the body's fluid balance and maintain normal blood pressure. It's also needed for muscle activity.
3. Phosphorus: Helps strengthen bones and generate energy in the body's cells.
4. Protein: The protein in milk,yogurt and cheese builds and repairs muscle tissue, and serves as a source of energy and satiety.
5. Vitamin D: Promotes the absorption of calcium and enhances bone strength. it is one of the nutrients Americans lack most.
6. Vitamin A: Helps maintain normal vision and skin. It is also important for bone growth.
7. Vitamin B-12: Helps maintain healthy red blood cells and nerve cells.
8. Riboflavin: Helps convert food into energy the body can use. Also known as vitamin B2, it's important for normal eyesight and healthy skin.
9. Niacin: Helps bodies digest carbohydrates and fatty acids.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend increasing intakes of low-fat or fat-free milk  and milk products in the following amounts:

• 2 cups for children 2 to 3 years
• 2.5 cups for children 4 to 8 years
• 3 cups for those 9 years and older

You can find more information about dairy nutrition for fueling up at http://www.midwestdairy.com or http://www.dairymakessense.com.

Farmers Celebrate Earth Day Everyday

Protecting the environment as we work to produce high-quality milk is a priority for my fourth generation dairy farm family. Recycling the manure that our cows produce is one of the ways we celebrate Earth Day everyday on the dairy farm.

Recycling the manure from 300 dairy cows requires a permit from the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. The permit allows storage of liquid and dry nutrient and utilization of the manure nutrients to fertilize our land. A special farm plan designed by soil scientists provides the guidance as to how much manure can be applied to each designated field.

Recycled cow manure builds organic matter in the soil, increases the water holding capacity of the soil, and decreases the amount of commercial fertilizer needed for crops. Our everyday celebration protects the environment and increases the sustainability of our farm.

Farmers and rancers across America celebrate Earth Day everyday as we work to care for our animals and land to provide the safest,most affordable and available food supply in the world. As dairy farmers, we rely on sound science and technology to help us produce a healthy product and protect and preserve our land for the next generation.

From my family to yours--Happy Earth Day!

Celebrate Earth Day with Dairy Recipe

Although Everyday is Earth day for dairy farmers , it's always fun to recognize a special day or occasion with a celebration that includes food.  Cream Puff Cake was one of the many delicious recipes entered in the Farm Bureau dairy recipe contest this week by Maysville 4-H member Jessica Crawley.

Cream Puff Cake

Crust:
1 cup milk
1/2 unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs,lightly beaten

Filling:
1 (8ounce) package cream cheese,softened
3 cups milk
2 (3.4 ounces) packages instant vanilla pudding

Topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Chocolate syrup (fudge topping)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup milk and butter until melted. Remove from heat and add flour. Stir until a small ball forms. Add eggs,one at a time,stirring until completely mixed in (batter will be slightly sticky). Spread dough in bottom and up sides of a 9" greased round cake pan* (spread as smooth as possible to avoid high bumps after baking). Bake for 25 minutes until slightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add milk and pudding mix; beat on low speed until mixture thickens. Spread over cooled crust.

Whip cream until soft peaks form. Spread over pudding layer. Drizzle chocolate syrup or fudge sauce on top. Refrigerate until serving.

Yield: 16 servings
*May use 9x13x2 inch pan. Bake crust for 30-35 minutes.

  

It does seem fitting for a dairy farmer to celebrate Earth Day with a recipe that includes delicious dairy products!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Rows of mowed wheat are just waiting to be spring cleaned from the field.

I'm thankful for the spring harvest  cleaning of our fields that will feed our dairy cattle,care for our land and sustain our family farm.

Volunteer Benefits

    Even if I wasn't a dairy farmer, assisting with  the annual 4-H Dairy Recipe Contest sponsored by Benton County Farm Bureau is always  my favorite volunteer activity because:

                                         There are always  tasty recipes in the Main Dish Category,         

There are  fun recipes in the Party Idea category,

There are  informative  demonstrations like  how to make yogurt, and

There are  a lot of hard but fair  decisions made by the judges,

and  we go  home happy after meeting new friends and visiting with old ones,sharing information about dairy, and sampling  alot of great dairy foods!

Volunteers get all the benefits!

Buttermilk's Charm

Last week while searching for a new dessert recipe, I found Buttermilk Crumb Cake in an old Southern Living recipe book. What I liked about the recipe was the fact that I had all the ingredients on hand. Buttermilk is a staple in my kitchen because of its old fashioned Southern usefulness,charming qualities and one of my family members likes to drink it on occasion as a remedy for upset stomach.


Here are just a few charming buttermilk facts:

• When combined with baking soda, buttermilk produces light baked goods and adds extra tenderness,moisture and flavor.
• Buttermilk acts as a tenderizer when combined with seasonings in marinades for meat and poultry.
• Buttermilk adds low-fat creaminess and flavor to soups,salad dressings and sauces.
• Buttermilk can be substituted for yogurt or mayonnaise in some recipes.
• Buttermilk's tangy flavor goes well with sweet fruits such as peaches,cherries, and pears.
• Buttermilk can be made with sweet milk by adding 1 Tablespoon vinegar or 1 Tablespoon lemon juice to 1 cup of milk.

I also love the fact that I can enjoy looking at my grandmother's churn and not have to make the butter and buttermilk before I can  bake the cake! 


Buttermilk Crumb Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter,softened
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Combine flour,sugar,butter, and spices; mix thoroughly until mixture resembles crumbs. Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture for topping.

Add eggs,buttermilk,baking powder, and soda to remaining crumb mixture; beat well.
Pour into a well-greased and floured 13x9x2 in. baking pan. Top with reserved crumbs.
Sprinkle with nuts, if desired.

Bake at 350 degrees fro 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Cut into square and serve warm or cold.
Yield: 15 servings

  

Do you have a favorite buttermilk recipe?    

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

A mild winter and an early spring has made a perfect growing season for this field of rye that was planted late last fall. Our dairy cows are going to love eating this crop!   I'm thankful for the fact that we have a beautiful,bountiful  crop to harvest!