Memorial Day Tradition

When I arrived at the cemetery today to decorate the graves of family members, I was surprised to see two men walking through the cemetery.  The men were checking a list on a clipboard and pulling a small wagon that was full of flags. Row by row, they were placing a flag by each veteran's grave. I found out that these men were continuing  a tradition that their grandmother had started  to show her appreciation for the sacrifice others had made for the freedoms we enjoy today. 

All the freedoms we enjoy today have come with a cost.  Looking across the cemetery with a strong wind blowing, each flag appeared to be standing at  attention and givng a salute. It was a perfect picture to remind me of all the freedoms that we enjoy as a nation because of the sacrifice of others.

                                                                                 
                                                                    God Bless America!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

I learned alot about the dairy industry in Benton County when preparing for our Arkansas Heritage program. This farmer was delivering his milk to the Kraft Plant in Bentonville in 1948.  I'm thankful for the improvements in the dairy industry like refrigerated milk tanks on the dairy  farm  that keep the milk cool  before being transported to the processing plant and for our faithful  milk truck driver!

VOTE DAIRY

Arkansas primary voting is Tuesday,May22. Campaigning has been hot and heavy in our area and tough decisions will be made on Tuesday. Although voting for dairy isn't on the Arkansas ballot, including dairy in our diet every day is an important choice.

The 2010 Dietary guidelines for Americans recommends three daily servings of low-fat and fat-free milk and milk products for those ages nine and older. It's a fact that on average, Americans are consuming only two dairy servings a day. Making wise nutritional choices is important to lifelong health. Here are a few reasons to consider  casting your vote for Dairy:

• Milk contains essential nutrients, including calcium, potassium,protein and phosphorus and it's fortified in vitamins A and D.
• Milk's powerful nutrient package of calcium, plus eight other essential nutrients, helps nourish your body, not just your bones.
• The protein naturally found in milk helps to build strong muscles for your active lifestyle.
• The dairy case has something for everyone--low-fat,fat-free and lactose free products to meet taste and nutritional goals.
• At about 25 cents a glass, milk is a nutritional bargain providing incomparable nutrition, value, and taste.

You can find more nutritional information and great recipes for you and your family at http://www.midwestdairy.com or http://www.dairymakessense.com.

                                                                     

                Dairy farm families are working everyday to provide safe,high-quality milk  by
                                                  taking good care of our cows and the land.

                                           VOTE DAIRY---It's a  Healthy Choice!

                                                                              

Sunday Sweets

Sunday's deserve something a little sweet after a week too busy for baking. I was searching for something easy to make that required no trip to the grocery store and found the ingredients for the Duncan Hines Sunshine Lemon Bars. (https://www.duncanhines.com)


Sunshine Lemon Bars

Ingredients:
1 pkg Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Lemon Supreme Cake Mix
1/2 cup butter
1 large egg
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice

Baking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir together cake mix,butter and egg. Spread mixture evenlhy into bottom of a 13x9 inch baking pan.

Blend together sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. Pour mixture over top of cake mix mixture.

Bake for 23-27 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into 1 1/2 x 3 1/4-inch bars.




I don't think I let them cool completely before cutting and sampling--just couldn't wait!  

    

                                          Happy Sweet Sunday! 

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

From the young

to the old,

 all love to hold a baby chick.

 These chicks provided fun for 4th graders last Friday and celebrated National Nursing Home Week with residents at a local nursing facility today.

I'm thankful for being involved in  volunteer activities that provide educational fun and joy for all ages.

Dreams and Determination Day

I didn't count on a volunteer activity making such a personal impact when our Benton County Farm Bureau Women's Committee decided to plan an event to educate 300 students about Benton County's agricultural history to celebrate the theme of Arkansas Heritage Month "Dreams and Determination:Arkansans at Work." The beautiful downtown Bentonville Square was the perfect historical place to present information how farmers in Benton County made life in our agricultural community progressive and enduring with their dreams and determination.

Students rotated through ten stations to learn about agriculture in our county and state. At four of the stations, dedicated volunteers transformed  into characters of our past to relate information about the beginning of the poultry industry in our county, how rural electricity changed farm life, the development of the dairy industry, and the once thriving apple industry that transitioned into other farming activities--all guided by the dreams and determination of Arkansans at work to make a better place for their families.

As I watched the children attentively listening to each character's presentation, I realized how I have personally benefited from the dreams and determination of the generations before us. Although there are fewer farms in Benton County due to the transition from rural to sprawling urbanization, agriculture is still thriving and will continue its place in our county's history because of the dreams and determination of  Arkansas farm families just like mine.

Dairymom's Mother's Day Tradition

Celebrating Mother's Day with a family dinner is our long standing tradition. After an action packed week of dairy farm chores and off the farm volunteer activities, I've got a zillion things to get done in preparation for our after church Mother's Day cookout. Tomorrow's dessert will be Crusty Cream Cheese Cream Pound Cake topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries. You can't go wrong with this sweet treat and it's one of my Mother's favorite!

Crusty Cream Cheese Pound Cake
1 cup butter,softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
1 8 oz. package cream cheese,softened
3 cups sifted flour
6 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Cream butter and shortening; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed of electric mixer. Add cream cheese, beating well until light and fluffy. Alternately add flour and eggs, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla.
Pour batter into greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until pick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

                                                                                 
                                                                Happy Mother's Day!