Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

                                                           After a few rainy gloomy days.
                                            rays of sunshine were a welcome addition in the
                                                     late afternoon down on the dairy farm.

                                   I'm thankful for the  rainy days that watered our spring crops,
                     refreshed the pastures and encouraged the iris in the flowerbeds to bloom!

Dairy Q&A

                                                                     Question:

                                                              What is a heifer?

                                                             
                                                                       Answer:
                      A heifer is a young cow over one year old
                                 that has not produced a calf.
                   Heifers  become the milking cows on our farm.

                        It's always exciting to witness the birth 
                      of the first calf of these magnificent  dairy
                animals that we have watched grow and develop
                               over a  two year period of time 
                                  and   cared for  since  birth.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

You never know when you may witness a miracle down on the dairy farm.

I missed the delivery but was just in time to watch this

 new mother clean up her baby with a good licking

 and encourage those first wobbly steps. 

                                     Even though it was just an ordinary walk to the mailbox,
                               I'm thankful for the miracles in my life down on the dairy farm.

Arkansas Dairy Question

What would it take to get you to become an Arkansas dairy farmer?

With fewer than 60 dairies left in the state of Arkansas, this is a thought provoking

 question for these University of Arkansas animal science students that visited

us down on  our dairy farm Saturday morning.

Ryan  gave information and answered questions about dairy

 production,animal welfare and environmental issues.

I got the easy questions about calf raising.

Of course, no dairy farm tour would be complete without a little dairy promotion.

We served string cheese,ice cream and a sample of Fairlife chocolate milk 

with a touch of education about dairy promotion  funded

 by dairy farmers across the nation.

My question from down on the dairy farm:

                                             What's not to love about being a dairy farmer?

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

"Babies take us on a special journey 

into the land of love."

We began our journey with 

Hattie Clair Anglin, 8lb.,3 oz.,20 inches long,

April 6.2016.

                                           
                                         I'm thankful for the blessing of this first grandchild
                                                                                  and
                         the  opportunity to welcome the 5th generation to our family dairy farm.

Have you taken the Dairy 3 For Me Pledge?

I took the pledge not just because I'm a dairy 

farmer but to re-enforce my commitment to improving my health and following

 the 2015 Dietary Guideline's nutritional recommendation. I'll admit, it's probably

 the easiest pledge I can make since there is such a large variety of  dairy to choose from!

Including dairy in the recipes I prepare for my family is one of the best

 ways to keep my pledge and make sure we're all getting the needed servings of dairy.

  Fiesta Rice Skillet Dinner  will be on the menu this week. 

Fiesta Rice Skillet Dinner

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 cup diced onion

2 1/2 cups cooked turkey,chopped

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 (15 ounce) can black beans,drained,rinsed         

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes  with green chilies,drained

1 cup frozen sweet corn kernels

1 cup mild picante sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and cook onion until soft (about 10 minutes). Add turkey,rice,beans,tomatoes, corn,picante sauce and chili powder. Stir to mix well. Heat thoroughly. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese. Serve hot.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

We missed you!

I'm sure that's what the calves were thinking this morning  even though they

 were well cared for in my one day away from the farm.

It's always good to learn more about issues affecting

agriculture and  the dairy industry but there's no place like home.

                              After driving home from  Little Rock  yesterday in stormy weather,
                                I'm thankful to be safely back to work down on the dairy farm.