Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

                                 
                                         Arkansas Farm Bureau celebrated June Dairy Month
                                     by sponsoring the Dairy Foods Contest today in Little Rock.
                                            This contest has been a youth activity sponsored
                                            by Arkansas Farm Bureau  for more than 60 years.
                                     
                                         As a dairy farmer, I was honored to be one of three judges
                                               with the task of selecting the best dairy  recipe prepared
                                            and served by 4-H contestants from across the state.
                                                           It was a hard but very delightful  job!

                                        Today's first place winner of the Main Dish category
                                                              was Kalin Key of Eldorado. 
                                        Her recipe was "Almost Cajun Creamy Shrimp and Grits."
                                          I loved her explanation of the title--" I live close to the
                                                         Louisiana line, so it's almost Cajun".

                                              I'm thankful for Arkansas Farm Bureau's work
                                               to provide learning experiences for our youth

and

promotion of dairy!

                                     
                                                             

World Milk Day

                           
                                             What better way to kick off June Dairy Month
                                                      than by celebrating World Milk Day! 

                                                      Through out the month of June, we are
                                          celebrating the amazing things real dairy has done.
                                   One of our ways to celebrate is to ask you to join us in
                                       providing milk to   kids facing hunger this summer.

                                More than 18 million kids may miss out on milk's nutrition
                          when  they lose access to free and reduced-price meal programs
                           at school. Milk is one of the most requested items at food banks.
                                but despite the demand, it's one of the least donated items.

You can celebrate and provide nourishment to kids by donating at

milklife.com.

Happy World Milk Day!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

If you didn't watch the weather reporters on TV, 

you could watch the farmers in Northwest Arkansas to make 

the prediction we were going to have a few days of

 sunshine and dry weather by the amount of hay being cut,

 baled or wrapped in this past week.

I'm thankful...

 for these few days of dry weather that 

enabled us to begin the season of hay cutting,baling and wrapping,

that will feed our dairy cattle through this next year,

for the rain and sunshine that make the flowers bloom in May,

and for the blessings I have received

in 64 years!

Memorial Day Everyday

We might not be farming today if it were not for the

 brave men and women who sacrificed for our freedom.

As I walk by the old hay barn everyday where Ryan's Mother

 milked cows during World War II, I can only imagine

the pain and suffering of our friends and neighbors who 

endured the loss of their friends  and  family members during 

times of war.

I can never repay them but I will never forget them.

Memorial Day is not just a day...

it is everyday.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

                                          An ordinary day down on the dairy farm is full
                                                            of extraordinary activities.
                                        It is the Mother's behavior of licking her calf that gives
                                        the new baby strength and encouragement to stand up
                                      for the first time usually within the first hour after birth.
                                       

I'm thankful for the reminder of how important a little 

encouragement can be to all of us!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

What's up Buttercup ?

I don't know the origin of that phrase but if you have noticed there is a lot 

of Buttercup weed in pastures all across Northwest Arkansas.

It's not unusual to see some Buttercup weed in the spring, but

this year's crop is outstanding! 

It is pretty but unfortunately, it is a weed and will require a plan

to get rid of it. Pasture management is  an ongoing

job of every farmer and changes each year with our always 

changing weather conditions.

I'm thankful for the science and research that provide

the ways to manage pastures safely and effectively

and the help farmers receive from our Benton County Extension

 agents in making management decisions that impact our farms.

Happy Mother's Day

I'm looking forward to sitting around the table with my family

in celebration of Mother's Day.

It's our family tradition down on the dairy farm.

As I have been making preparation for our gathering,

it has been a sweet time of reflection of how 

blessed I am to have a sweet Mother who  loves me,

a mother-in-love who  raised the farmer I married,

  and the opportunity to be a mother and a grandmother. 

                                                       Happy Mother's Day!