Drought's Oasis

Even though our vegetable garden is weedy,has been attacked by Japanese beetles and grasshoppers and far from perfect, it has been our oasis in the desert of drought.   Being  able to provide the water and watch the garden  grow has truly been a blessing while we   have been experiencing extreme and devastating drought on our dairy farm crops and pastures.

 So far we've enjoyed a few ears of corn, a small mess of green beans,tasty tomatoes, a skillet full of okra and plenty of yellow crookneck squash. Since I didn't raise any zucchini squash but have plenty of yellow squash, I decided to modify the tasty Zucchini Parmesan Rounds recipe (http://www.midwestdairy.com).

Crookneck Italian Rounds

Ingredients:
2 medium yellow crookneck squash
1/3 cup Italian Style Bread Crumbs
1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Slice squash into 1/4-inch thick rounds,leaving skin on. Place rounds in a resealable plastic bag with olive oil; shake to coat all sides. Combine parmesan cheese, bread crumbs,salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Press each squash round into the Parmesan mixture,coating on both sides. Place in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove with spatula. Serve warm. Serves: 4.

                                          This one goes into the recipe file with a thumbs up!
  
                                                      

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Although I enjoy seeing beautiful places and experiencing life in a big city like Chicago, my favorite part of any trip is returning home to my family and the dairy farm.

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      I'm thankful for a safe trip home and for  these two sons who
                       managed the farm  while we were away.

Dairymom's Meltdown Recipe

Late Saturday evening, I had a meltdown when I found the deep freeze had decided to have its own meltdown. Fortunately, we didn't lose very much food and did have another freezer to transfer food into. 

Part of my meltdown remedy was spent  in the kitchen this afternoon  cooking an assortment of meat that had thawed but was still safe to cook.    Since it's going to be a busy week, I decided to try a  ground beef recipe   that could be prepared ahead  and frozen.

Cheeseburger Macaroni Casserole

Ingredients:
Non-stick cooking spray
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup whole-wheat elbow macaroni (or penne or rotini pasta)
1 medium tomato,chopped
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt,optional
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef and onion until beef is brown and onion is soft; drain. Cook macaroni according to package directions;drain. Spoon macaroni into prepared pan. Spread beef mixture and chopped tomato over macaroni. Pour tomato sauce over beef. Sprinkle with seasoned salt,pepper and shredded cheese. Cover loosley with foil and bake for 35 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges of casserole are bubbling.

               You can find a variety of nutritious recipes at http://www.dairymakessense.com or http://www.midwestdairy.com

                                            
                           Hope you have a dairy good week!

Drought Coping Skills

Just hearing thunder, seeing a flash of lightning and then watching the rain fall was a great stress reliever. Although any rain is a welcome site and considered a blessing, dealing with the stress and damage of this drought on our crops and pastures will continue for the rest of this year as we adapt and make necessary changes for our farm's survivability. Undetected stress can create a drought in personal well being and I will confess, I have felt pretty discouraged and distressed in this dry,hot spell.

During stressful times when it feels like we might be "going crazy", it's important to recognize these common signs of distress as normal responses to unusual situations:

• irritability and anger
• feelings of anxiety and worry
• headaches or gastrointestinal complaints
• increasing risk-taking behavior
• changes in eating and sleep habits
• increased alcohol or drug use
• forgetfulness
• fatigue
• sense of helplessness
• lack of concentration
• avoidance or denial
• sadness

For mental and physical health, it's important to recognize stress and take steps to cope with the challenge we face by focusing on our own strengths and our community of support. According to information from the University of Missouri Cooperative Extension  and Missouri Department of Health, we can take these steps to help ourselves and our families by:

• Acknowledging feelings and talking them out.
• Paying attention to health, nutritious diet and adequate sleep is important.
• Nurturing personal relationships should be a priority.

As my family and I worked together this week to help our neighbors who are also struggling , it was definitely a stress relief for personal drought!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

We monitor our pregnant cows closely during the birth of a calf to ensure the health of both animals.  I'm thankful for  the fact that this mama delivered her calf with no problems during this week's triple digit temperatures. 

Dairy Farmers Committed to Community

Our neighbor's corn didn't check the calendar for the July 4th holiday schedule so Ryan and the boys spent most of the day chopping the corn and hauling it to our neighbor's farm. It's definitely not a good corn crop but any crop is better than none when you are experiencing a season of drought.

It was a typical hot,dusty July 4th!

 The drought we're experiencing in Northwest Arkansas makes harvesting any crop crucial and it's definitely the time for farmers to work together  to harvest available feed for our animals.

 Working with our neighbor to provide feed for his cattle is a great example of how our contributions to the local economy are measured not only in dollars and cents, but also in the well-being of the community where we live and work. 

My Country,'Tis of Thee

I've been humming or singing My Country 'Tis of Thee since we sang it in church last  Sunday.   Written in 1831 by Samuel F. Smith, My Country 'Tis of Thee, was unofficially used as our national anthem before the Star Spangled Banner became the offical national anthem. As we celebrate the birth of our nation, it seems fitting to reflect on the words of this precious hymn and give thanks for the men and women that have served our country both past and present to preserve the freedoms that we enjoy today.


My Country, 'Tis of Thee

My country, 'tis of thee,                       
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing:
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride.
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring.

My native country,thee,
Land of the noble,free,
Thy name I love.
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture thrills
Like that above.

Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees.
Sweet freedom's song.
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.

Our fathers' God, to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright
With freedom's holy light;
Protect us by thy might,
Great God, our King!

                                        God Bless America!