Fantastic Fescue Survives Drought

 

Fescue is a common cool season grass found in pastures and hay fields  across the United States. It was planted in mass in Arkansas in the early 1940's to increase grass for livestock and soil conservation. Fescue is usually baled and fed as dry hay but in this year of extreme drought that has created a shortage of forage feed, we are harvesting fescue  after frost to add to our dairy cow's diet.   Even though many fields of fescue in Northwest Arkansas  have died due to the drought, we are fortunate to have a few fields of mixed grass and fescue that are being harvested and hauled to the silo.

 

 

A sample of the chopped feed will be analyzed by  a forage testing lab to provide  our dairy nutritionist with information in  designing  the nutritious diet for our cows. High-quality milk begins with taking good care of our dairy cows by making sure they eat a balanced, healthy diet.   Efficient use of every feed ingredient is even more important in a drought  year when  feed availability  is limited.

 

 

We added some of the "green chop" fescue with the other feed ingredients and the cows are enjoying every bite! 

Season of Thanksgiving

After last week's freezing temperatures, I'm sure this is probably the last rose of summer in my garden. It's a perfect reminder of God's faithfulness  in bringing each season for us to enjoy. As summer becomes a memory, we're enjoying the harvest of crops and the anticipation of winter rest to prepare for spring growth. I find thanksgiving in each season.

 

 

The second verse of the old hymn, Great Is Thy Faithfulness says it all:

 

Summer and winter,

and springtime and harvest,

Sun,moon,and stars in their

courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness,mercy and love.

 

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.

Great is Thy faithfulness,

Lord,unto me!

                                                                                 
                               Blessings to you and your family in this season of Thanksgiving!

Dairymom Goes Bananas!

What happens when two lonely over-ripe bananas are found in the fruit bowl at the end of a busy week?  You find a tasty recipe and provide a dairymom goes bananas  experience for the family. I found this recipe on the Dairy Makes Sense website. 

Yogurt and Banana Spice Muffins

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounces) box spice cake mix
1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 large eggs
2 ripe large bananas,mashed with fork
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 cup chopped walnuts
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon powdered sugar,optional

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together cake mix,yogurt,eggs,bananas and milk until just combined. Fold in walnuts. Using 1/4 cup measuring cup,pour into muffin tins coated with cooking spray. Bake for about 25 minutes or until center of muffin tests clean with toothpick.
Let cool for 5 minutes in pan on wire rack. Remove muffins from pan,cool completely. If desired, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of powdered sugar over each muffin before serving.

 

       For an even more special Dairymom Goes Bananas experience--serve with a big glass of milk!
                                                         




 

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

 

Last week we attended the opening of the Austin-Baggett Park in Bentonville. It is a fantastic honor for two long serving city council members--Ed Austin and my mother,Mary Baggett.

 

 

 

Austin-Baggett park is located in a neighborhood just down the street  from a house my grandparents lived in and the Ice Plant where my grandfather worked.  It has the feeling of home!

 

 

It was a beautiful,sunny Saturday with a park full of family,friends and children enjoying the event.

 

 

I'm thankful for my trail blazing Mother who sets a great example for service to community.

Boots and Blog Share the Love

Before I married a dairy farmer,I had never owned any kind of boots. Thanks to my boot loving husband, I now have all kinds of boots. I have the not fun but necessary boots for the everyday jobs on the farm but my favorite boots are the pretty ones I wear to town! When I decided to attend the Arkansas Women Bloggers Conference in August, I couldn't believe that I had a chance for new boots.

Country Outfitter, a retailer of Ariat boots, gave me these Brown Oiled Rowdy and Sapphire Blue boots to review.

 

 

Here's my review: Love everything about these beauties! They're my first pair of square toe boots and they are super comfortable.

Hugs and Kisses to my Country Outfitter Friends  and Arkansas Women Bloggers!

 

Now for the fun part,Country Outfitter is giving you (my blog supporting friend) a chance to win a $150 gift certificate to go shopping on them! You could pick Ariat boots like mine or something completely different. We are making it sooo simple for you  to enter in just two little steps.

 

1. Click here and submit your email address to Country Outfitter (you may receive occasional emails from them).

2. Leave a comment here on the blog letting me know you submitted your email to Country Outfitter.

 

A random winner will be selected in two weeks (November 28th.)

 

                            It's true---a girl can never have too many diamonds, friends or BOOTS!

 

 

Harvest Round-Up

This year's drought has created a severe shortage of hay and pasture grass for our dairy cows and calves. Harvesting every bit of hay available is vital to our farm.  With the weather man predicting a hard freeze and the chance of rain, we seemed to be going in every direction to complete the hay baling and crop planting last week. I knew oldest son  Cody was desperate when he asked if I could help him get the bales loaded on the trailer in the field.

 

 My job was to drive the tractor and trailer to each group of bales in the field so that he could load them on the trailer.

 

 

 In the olden days (that would be before I married the dairy farmer), small square bales were picked up by hand and thrown onto a truck and stacked. It was then the hay crew's job to unload them by hand and stack them in the big hay barn.  I have a great appreciation for modern machinery when I think about hauling hay by hand in 100 degree weather!

 

As you can see, these bales are loaded by a skid loader with a grapple and stacked on the trailer.

 

 

Once the trailer was full, the hay was taken to the feed barn for storage.

 

 

I love watching Cody unload  and stack the bales --every move is made with precision!

I was also feeling pretty proud--he smiled really big and thanked me for my help!

Black Friday Prep

Besides getting ready for the holiday season's cooking,baking and shopping, we women must begin to get our Black Friday shopping plans laid out. Depending on your Thanksgiving holiday schedule, you may need a quick meal for pre or post Black Friday shopping or perhaps just a quick alternative to the Thanksgiving leftovers in the frig!

My strategic Black Friday plan includes making sure that I stock up on the ingredients for BBQ Ranch Quesadilla Wedges. Even if I choose not to  shop on Black Friday, I can see this recipe fitting perfectly  with calf feeding and farm chores besides the decorating and baking that I plan to do!

BBQ-Ranch Quesadilla Wedges

Ingredients:
1 package (16 oz) frozen pepper stir-fry blend
1/4 cup diced onion
11/2 cups prepared shredded barbecue beef
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup light ranch dressing
8 (8 inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
Non-stick cooking spray

Preparation:
Prepare stir-fry pepper blend with diced onion added and heat barbecue beef according to package directions. While vegetables and beef are cooking, mix barbecue sauce and ranch dressing in small serving bowl; set aside for dipping sauce.

On a tortilla, evenly layer 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons each of shredded beef and cheese. Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetables. Cover with a second tortilla.

Repeat for total of 4 quesadilla. Spray large skillet or counter-top grill with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook each quesadilla for 3 minutes on each side or until golden and cheese is melted. Cut into 8 wedges; serve with barbecue-ranch dip.

Serves:8

                       You can find other great Black Friday  recipes at Dairy Makes Sense!