Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

A new baby was born at noon today just as the rain stopped and the temperatures dropped. 

It seemed like the other cows in the pasture were celebrating,too!

I'm thankful for these miracles that we witness on the dairy farm,

the weather change that reminds us a change of season is on the way,

and the beauty that surrounds us for our everyday enjoyment!

                                                                      Happy Thursday!

Dairy Going Green in August

It's hard to believe we still have green grass in August!

You won't find any Northwest Arkansas  farmers complaining about the great hay harvest of 2015 but the amount of rain that occurred in late spring and early summer and the intermittent showers through the summer have pushed our normal hay cutting schedule closer to fall harvest time of other crops.

Hay fields are part of our dairy farm recycling plan...

fields are fertilized with the cow manure from our dairy cows.

Once all the bales are removed from the field, we can apply cow manure based on our farm's nutrient management plan that guides the amount,source, placement and timing of manure on fields.

We're not only recycling  a nutrient, we're protecting the groundwater by applying the manure to a crop that will absorb it!

One great thing about August hay cutting--the hay dries very fast!

                                                 August heat doesn't help the farmers' attitude
                                                                            but
                                             you can see a smile when he's counting  the bales!

Back to School Smoothie

Although the calendar still says it's summer, the relaxed summer schedule is coming to an end  as the first day of school is approaching rapidly for families everywhere.  Even though my boys are no longer in school, I don't think I will ever forget those first of the school year moments of excitement mixed with a little anxiety.

 We often struggled with returning to routine bedtime hours and making sure breakfast was not traded for an extra minute in bed! It's been shown that breakfast is a brain booster and an  important part of the school success equation.   To help ease into the schedule, you may want to offer a Fruity Splash Smoothie as part of the breakfast routine.

You can find more Back to School nutrition tips and nutritious recipes  at DairyMakesSense. 

Fruity Splash Smoothie

Ingredients:
1 cup fat-free milk
5 to 7 large unsweetened frozen strawberries
1 medium banana,cut into chunks
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in blender; blend until smooth and creamy. Pour in glasses.

Servings: 2

Substitution Idea:
For frozen fruit pops, pour leftover smoothie into small plastic cups. Cover cups with plastic wrap; insert stick and freeze.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

One of  the most popular spots at the Benton County  Fair  for the last twenty-five years is the Benton County Farm Bureau Petting Zoo. It's hard to believe that I have volunteered with this project for twenty of those years!

I'm thankful for the opportunity to provide a fun  connection to agriculture  for kids of all ages,

to see the smile on a first time cow milker,

to experience the love for baby chicks,

to hear the squeal of a baby pig,

and 

                                                       
                                                          to be a farmer in Benton County!
                                                                           

Hide and Seek

Just as we started feeding baby calves this morning, this cute little Holstein bull  was born.

We put a red neck tag on him and left him in the field with his Ayrshire  mother.

Late in the afternoon, I saw his mother standing in the shade with the other cows without her baby. 

It's way too hot to be playing hide and seek!

After riding the 4-wheeler  around the pasture in search of the baby, I found him resting in the grass.

I guess he decided  it was just too hot to tag along with mom!

His  mom appeared within a minute of my arrival in front of the calf

 and quickly let me know   who was in charge...and that 

the game of hide and seek was over.

Mama and baby are doing well in spite of our 100 degree weather!

                                                                               
 
                                                                             

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful that...

At 5 days old, August is doing great

we've enjoyed a little cooler weather,

had  rain in August,

and  

                                                                the garden corn is picked!

Happy Birthday August!

While families are thinking about the last days of summer vacation and taking advantage of tax-free weekend school shopping, we're celebrating birthdays on the dairy farm!

In the middle of the afternoon on this first day of August, this heifer gave birth to her first calf.  

I'm naming this baby...August,of course. 

We try not to have too many calves born in the month of  August due to the heat and humidity we experience in Northwest Arkansas   but as you see, we often adjust our plans on the dairy farm.

August and her mother are doing great! 

Happy Birthday August!

Don't you just love August?