October Treat

Even though we can buy apples year round, there's just something special when given apples from a friend's own tree.  We don't know the name of the apple but I would describe them as a mild Granny Smith--slightly tart but perfect for baking in cake or pie.  Kicking off October with a new cake recipe that filled the kitchen with smells of cinnamon and apples seemed the perfect way to celebrate the gift of fall apples. I read through a lot of recipes posted on line and even though many were very similar to the one I chose, I trusted my old cookbook,Sassafras!

The recipe was easy to make and the brown sugar icing was finger lickin' good!
I'm pretty sure this cake will be a family favorite especially when you add a dip or two
of vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon.


Alley Spring Apple Cake

                                                              Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4  teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups peeled, chopped apples
1 cup chopped pecans

Brown Sugar Icing:
 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
 1/2 cup butter
 1/4 cup evaporated milk
 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a bundt pan. In a large bowl, mix oil, sugar and eggs.
Add vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, soda and salt.
Blend into oil mixture. Fold in apples and pecans. Pour into prepared pan and bake 55 to 60 minutes.
Remove cake from pan and cool. To prepare icing, bring brown sugar, butter and milk to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Beat with a spoon until icing is cool. Drizzle over cake. Serves 12 to 15.


                                                        Happy October!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Last week when we ran out of room in the calf nursery area,

the new babies were brought to temporary pens in the 

feed barn.  It wasn't ideal but it provided a protected, 

individualized space for each calf. 

                                  I'm thankful that we were able to wean older calves to pasture

this week and for the hard work of all the family and employees

that moved all the calves to their individual hutches in the nursery.

My world is back to normal with all the babies

in one place!

On the flip side, I enjoyed being in the feed barn when the cows 

were  eating and enjoying their feed.  

Wouldn't you love to have someone plan and prepare every meal for you?

                           

                               

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

We've had new babies in the pasture every day this week, in fact,

some days it has been 3 or 4.  Calving heifers, those first time mamas,

are often a little more challenging but I'm happy to report all have 

calved without any problems that required  assistance.

This heifer calved yesterday. She happens to be one of the "horned heifers"

in the group that are calving this month.  Somehow these heifers did not

get dehorned  when they were small calves. 

 Dehorning is done to decrease the risk of injury to other cows, 

 farmers or other humans. "Disbudding " of non-developed horn 

buds is a fairly simpleprocedure that is typically conducted

 the first few weeks after a calf is born.

Any dehorning at this point will be done by the veterinarian using

best industry practices to ensure the comfort and safety

 of the animal through sedation or anesthesia.

                               
                                 I'm thankful that we have had no injuries to calves or farmers
                                  and for  the interesting conversations about horned heifers!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

Early this summer we had a little extra help from

our cousin Ethan.  Ethan is the great grandson of our Uncle Deric who

 worked on our farm after his retirement from the Bentonville 

Casting Company and had taught Cody and Casey

 a lot of useful mechanical skills as they grew up. 

Ethan had a lot of  new experiences 

down on the dairy farm including feeding a new calf.

Unfortunately for us, school started just about the time

we began having new calves every day!

I'm thankful for the fact that Ethan wanted to come to 

the farm and experience the day to day life  down on 

the dairy farm and for the kindness and patience of my son,Cody,

who mentored Ethan and provided a great summer experience. 

I'm pretty sure Uncle Deric and Aunt Fritz would be

extremely proud of Ethan and Cody!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

You know the farmers of the family are desperate for help

when the oldest son asks me to come to the field to drive

the truck and trailer while  haygrazer bales are loaded.

It's not that I can't drive, it's my following directions that

can create problems.I knew it would be interesting

 when my instruction  from oldest son Cody was

"Stop when I honk".

The honking stopped after a few stops and I figured 

that I was doing my job so well, that honking

was no longer needed.

When we arrived at the bale wrapper with our load of bales,

my next job was to watch the wrapper and push the button

to stop the machine if I had the hand signal from Cody.

Wow, hand signals and no honking!

I was feeling so proud that I was performing my jobs so well.

When all the bales were wrapped, this was how it

looked as I looked behind me.

                                                         
                                                      I'm thankful for each bale that will be
                                              enjoyed by our dairy and beef cows this winter
                                                 and for the opportunity to work beside my family.

                                             Unfortunately I did find out that my job performance
                                              may not have been as good as I thought because
                                         every time Cody honked, the red wasp would come out
                                                         of the horn in the old loader tractor.
                                                  That's how it goes down on the dairy farm!
                                             
                                         

Contest Keepsake

Just a few weeks ago I became aware of a photography contest

 advertised on the website nwaMotherlode  sponsored 

by The Smile Shoppe, a pediatric dental practice in Northwest Arkansas.

The subject was kids enjoying summer in Northwest Arkansas.

What I liked about this contest was  that  it didn't want professional pictures or 

recommend any certain kind of  photographic ability, just cute pictures of kids.

That's all it took for me to enter the picture I call, "First Kiss".

Today I picked up the prize for the winning picture!

Scott Frame and Art  presented me with a gallery wrapped

canvas of the photo I submitted.

It is so sweet to look at those puckered up lips!

I so appreciate this keepsake of granddaughter Hattie's

experience on our family dairy farm.

                                        Thank-you to nwaMotherlode for loving all the
                                                      mamas in Northwest Arkansas and
                                                  to the community support shown by
                                              the Smile Shoppe and Scott Frame and Art.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

                                                   Not all birthdays are celebrated with cake,

but

August is a celebration of  life down on the dairy farm.

This new baby was born after midnight and was taken to 

its own clean hutch, fed colostrum from its mother

and monitored   for  any health issues. Calves grow up to 

become the cows that produce milk, so we are committed 

to getting them off to a healthy start.

I'm thankful for the healthy calves born this month, 

the unexpected help bottle feeding the new August calves

and

                                      for the opportunity to celebrate  life down on the dairy
                                                        farm with the next generation.