Dairy Farmers Party

Dairy farmers have been partying in June since the first National Milk Month in 1937. That first celebration of milk was sponsored by chain stores to help stabilize dairy demand during periods of peak production. It's been called "June Dairy Month" since 1939. You can learn more about the history of June Dairy Month at http://www.midwestdairy.com/. Dairy farm families are now celebrating in a variety of ways to share how we work everyday to produce a wholesome, nutritious product. Offering samples of the many products produced from milk is the fun part of the party!



June Dairy Month really starts on the farm with every dairy farm family. Ninety eight percent of all U.S. dairy farms are family owned.


Each dairy farm family has their own unique story about their family farm. Farming with our family is not only a business, it is our way of life. The family makes the farm! Our farm began in the early 1920's when Ryan's Grandfather purchased the farm where we live. He produced apples,pigs, chickens, and milked a few cows. Ryan's parents raised broiler chickens, milked a few cows and had a beef herd. In 1972, Ryan started milking 17 cows and has grown the dairy to 300 milking cows. Our two sons are the fourth generation to live and work on our farm. In 1972 when Ryan began dairy farming, there were over 300 dairies in Benton County. In 1985 there were 119 and today we are one of 18 dairies remaining.


We take great pride in working to provide wholesome and nutritious milk for all consumers. June Dairy Month gives us a perfect opportunity to promote our product and celebrate what we do everyday. I hope you will party with us by enjoying your favorite dairy products this month!

Strawberries,Ice Cream and Cake

Vanilla ice cream is a great treat anytime but it goes very well with fresh strawberries and this pound cake recipe that I enjoy baking for my family. Hope you have a great Memorial Day holiday with your family and friends!







Crusty Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Ingredients
1 cup butter,softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
1 8oz pkg cream cheese,softened
3 cups sifted flour
6 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Cream butter and shortening; gradually add sugar,beating well at medium speed of electric mixer. Add cream cheese,beating well until light and fluffy. Alternately add flour and eggs, begining and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until pick comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

Serving suggestions: strawberries or blueberries with large scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Farmers,Angels and Tornados

As I have watched the news this week about Joplin, I keep thinking about the many people that are working to assist fellow citizens during this tragedy. Last Sunday afternoon before the tornado struck, Ryan and I made a visit to our 86 year old farmer friend,Bob, who was a patient at St.John's hospital in Joplin recovering from surgery for a broken leg. Bob's room was on the sixth floor of this eight story structure. We left Joplin at 4:30p.m. When we arrived home at 6 p.m., we learned that Joplin had been struck by the tornado and St. John's hospital took a direct hit. It was early Monday morning before we found out that our friend had made it through the storm and was transferred to a hospital in Pittsburg,Kansas. On Tuesday he was transferred to a rehab facility in Cassville, Missouri to be closer to his home and family.

Ryan went to visit Bob yesterday and listened to his account of how he survived the storm. Bob stated that just minutes before the tornado struck the hospital, the charge nurse ran into his room, threw a blanket and pillow to him and told him to hold onto the chair he was sitting in so she could roll him out into the hall. As she was pushing him toward the door, the pressure from the storm pushed the nurse into Bob as they entered the hallway. Reaching the hallway, Bob grabbed the hand rail on the wall, the nurse and Bob locked arms together and she held her other hand on the rail. The nurse laid over on Bob to shield him as they held on for dear life. As soon as the tornado was gone, emergency workers began to arrive to help assess the situation and begin moving patients to the ground floor. Bob stated that the actions of the nurse saved his life. Two firemen appeared on the sixth floor and carried Bob down six flights of stairs without stopping. Within 30 minutes from the time the storm hit, Bob was on the ground floor waiting to be transferred to the hospital in Pittsburg.

Countless stories are being reported about how people survived this storm. Although we are saddened by those people that lost their lives in this tragic disaster, we appreciate the quick thinking and actions of this young nurse taking care of our friend and the many others just like her that saved many lives. I am very thankful for every person that is assisting the victims and their families in Joplin. Our own community in Arkansas is reaching out and providing assistance through donations of needed items. Many companies such as Walmart and Tyson are donating time,food and personnel to feed emergency workers and victims of the storm and our own dairy cooperative is looking to donate dairy products.

One way you can assist with this disaster is to text "REDCROSS" to 90999 to make a $10 donation to the Red Cross, or visit the special Missouri Tornado and Flood Relief site to donate online. Most of all--pray for all of the communities who have experienced great loss of loved ones and homes and for all those who are assisting these families in a time of great need.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Farms and ranches provide habitat for many different kinds of wildlife. These Canadian Geese were enjoying time alone in the pasture while the dairy cows were being milked this morning. After all the stormy weather and tremendous amount of rain this week, I am thankful for the sunshine and the opportunity to enjoy the gifts of nature on our farm.

Hay Dates with the Dairy Farmer

Providing a balanced diet for our dairy cows assures that our cows will be healthy and provide good quality milk. Hay is one of the important ingredients in our cow's diet. We purchase alfalfa and orchard grass hay from a farmer in Missouri who is located about 45 miles from our farm.


On our return from visiting a friend at St. John's hospital in Joplin this afternoon, Ryan and I had a hay date to sample the hay that our hay farmer baled last week. Hay sampling will provide information about the quality and nutritional value of the hay. This hay is wrapped in plastic to help preserve the nutrients. Ryan used a hay probe to sample six different bales from each row of wrapped hay. My involvement on this hay date was to follow behind the farmer and cover the entry site of the probe with Gorilla tape. A farmer's wife will do anything to spend a little quality time with the farmer!


The six samples from each row will be mixed in a bag , labeled with information about the hay and mailed tomorrow to the lab for analysis. The hay analysis will contain a long list of information about hay nutrients such as the moisture content, the percentage of dry matter and protein. All of the results from this sample will provide important nutritional information for our dairy nutritionist to use in formulating a perfect diet for our dairy cows.


Hay dates with the dairy farmer provide good nutrition for our cows and quality milk for all consumers!

Flavored Milk:Nutrition in Disguise

Dairy farmers have been spending money on dairy nutrition research and product development for more than ninety years. I am proud of all the nutritious dairy products that we have developed for all consumers. Flavored milk is one of the products that has been developed to meet the need of children and adults who may not like unflavored milk but want the nutrition that it provides. I think this video produced by Midwest Dairy gives great information about flavored milk:http://youtu.be/XVf2R-q0ov0 .

You can also find alot of information about dairy farming and dairy nutrition at http://www.midwestdairy.com/. Sound science,research and dairy farmers stand behind our dairy products. We appreciate the support of all dairy consumers!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Since celebrating Cody's graduation last week from Missouri State, I have felt a mixture of pride,excitement and thankfulness. I am very thankful for these two sons who represent the fourth generation to live and work on our family dairy farm.