Licking Fear Down on the Dairy Farm

We don't usually think of a dairy farm visit as a life changing experience but that

 was what we witnessed on a recent farm tour with middle school students.

 This young man in the wheelchair had a fear of animals.

When he cried at the sight of our friendly farm dogs, 

I was concerned that this trip to the dairy farm  might not be a good experience.

His teachers were kind but firm and continued to comfort him as they explained to him 

that the animals would not hurt him. The other students would hold his hands

 and talk to him as we traveled around the farm.

The miracle really unfolded by the time we reached the baby calves. 

He continued to cry at the sight of the calves, but as his teacher talked to him and pushed

 him closer to one of the baby Holsteins and 

other students were showing him how the baby calf would lick their hands, this frightened boy,

 reached out for his own experience.

One lick from a baby calf brought the biggest smile.

 The expression of sheer joy on his face was priceless.

Licking  fear of an animal  was a milestone for this special student.

Miracles do happen when we least expect it.

Fall Chowder

We're into real leaf falling, leaf piling,frost on the pumpkin  fall that includes crisp mornings and chilly evenings. It's not quite cold enough for a fire in the fireplace but perfect for a warm soup at supper. 

Thanks to Iowa Dairymom Jonna Schutte for sharing this recipe with Midwest Dairy and The Dairy Good CookBook!

Chunky Baked Potato Chowder
     
4 slices bacon
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
6 cups milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground
  black pepper
11/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
3 medium unpeeled russet potatoes,
    baked,cooled and cut into bite-size 
    pieces
Hot pepper sauce
2 green onions,sliced


Directions:
Cook the bacon until crisp in a large skillet. Remove the bacon from the skillet,reserving the dripping. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

Add the onion,carrot,and celery to the bacon drippings in the skillet and cook over medium heat until tender;set aside.

Whisk together the milk,flour,paprika,salt,and pepper in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir for 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Reduce the heat and slowly add the cheese, stirring constantly until melted.

Add the cooked onion mixture and potatoes to the soup in the saucepan. Stir well. Heat until all the vegetables are warm. Season to taste with hot pepper sauce. Serve topped with a sprinkling of bacon crumbles and green onion.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Bentonville's second high school, located in Centerton, is scheduled to open August 2016. 

I was privileged to take a tour of this magnificent work in progress

 last week with other community members. 

Here's a few facts about the Home of the Wolverines:

 430,000 square feet

121 classrooms

Collaborative learning environment

900 seat performing arts center

State of the art culinary arts laboratory

2000+seat competition gymnasium

Media center with Commons area

14 computer labs

Greenhouse

Indoor athletic practice facility

Baseball field,softball field,football field,soccer field,eight lane track

                                                     
                                          I'm thankful to live in a community that values education
                                                                               and
                                               invests in facilities to meet the needs of our students.
                                                                       

                                                                           
                                          Go Wolverines!

Dairy Farmers Fuel Up

Last week we provided a dairy farm tour for students from Helen Tyson Middle School.

These weren't just any students--these were Fuel Up to Play 60 students!

Sharing our farm with Fuel Up to Play 60 students made the day  even more

 special because as dairy farmers we are very proud  to be founding partners

 of this in-school health and wellness program that encourages

 physical activity and good nutrition among youth.

Through the Fuel Up to Play 60 program,  we're helping students

 create and implement activities that reward them for making healthy 

choices and create positive  change in their school.

There's nothing more inspiring to a dairy farmer than to 

share his passion with a young person that wants to know

 how milk gets into his glass,

what cows love to eat,

how calves are raised,

and

                                                   how Domino's  pizza shows up at the farm!
                                                             
                                                                         


                                                                           

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Just a few days ago, I was invited to participate in the Midwest Dairy Health and Wellness

 Advisory Roundtable on Sustainable Nutrition at the Arkansas Food Bank in Little Rock.

 The topic of sustainable nutrition involved presentations about what the dairy industry is 

doing in regards to sustainability and the role that food waste plays in our everyday activities.

I keep thinking about these facts...

Nearly 1 in 5  children in the U.S. face hunger.

In Arkansas, 1 in 4 children face hunger.

   About 40% of the U.S. food supply is never eaten and is thrown

 away at home,in grocery stores and restaurants.

I'm thankful for the health professionals that are working in  a variety of settings 

in our local communities to fight hunger and food waste

and 

                             the dairy farm families across America that work 365 days a year to
                                           provide nutritious dairy products that consumers want,
                              in a way that makes the industry,people and the earth economically,
                              environmentally and socially better--now and for future generations.
                                               

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Everything was perfect at the Benton County Cleanup...

perfect October weather and happy volunteers.

We filled one 250 gallon container of used motor oil

 and started on the second.

I'm thankful for the Benton County employees who organized 

the clean-up event, the many volunteers that spent Saturday 

morning helping to keep our county clean and

 for the Benton County residents who utilize this service.

Everyday Dairy Farm Sustainability

The feed barn is one of my favorite places to be when

 the cows come to eat after being milked.

They really seemed to be enjoying every bite  this morning

 and weren't a bit interested in what I was doing!

At the request of our dairy nutritionist,I was actually on a mission 

to collect a sample of the feed they were enjoying. 

Sampling  the feed mix is done when we have added a

 new or different ingredient to make sure the total mixed ration is balanced.

Making sure the cows have a nutritious and balanced diet 

keeps them healthy and leads to high-quality milk.

Feed efficiency is extremely important to the sustainability of our farm.

Sustainability is not just a word, it's how our dairy farm family 

has lived for generations, working to improve and

 make life better for the next generation.  

Since 1944 when my mother-in-law was milking cows on our farm, 

dairy farmers across America are producing more milk

 using 90% less cropland, 

producing 76% less manure,

 using 65% less water, 

and producing 63% less carbon emissions.

All that has happened through innovation and efficiency improvements that

 have been provided through research,sound science and technology.