Dairy Champions Celebrate June Dairy Month

June Dairy Month has arrived! Whether you are a dairy loving consumer or a dairy loving farmer, June Dairy Month is the perfect opportunity to celebrate what's great about dairy.  Just consider these facts:

• With nine essential nutrients, including calcium, vitamin D and protein, dairy makes sense when it comes to healthful eating.
• Milk,cheese and yogurt provide nutrition and great taste while being a smart economical choice for today's families.
• Dollar for dollar, dairy is one of the most economical sources of nutrition available today.
• Dairy farmers' commitment to animal well being and fostering a healthy planet is just as strong as their commitment to producing safe,wholesome dairy products.

On the dairy farm, we celebrate dairy every day by caring for our beautiful dairy cows and the land we call home but you will find that dairy farmers love to promote dairy products during June Dairy Month with involvement in a variety of activities. You can find a calendar list  of June Dairy Month activities online at Midwest Dairy. 

Dairy farmers are also celebrating the 100th anniversary of the dairy farmer-founded National Dairy Council and  June dairy Month 2015 in a very special way with the introduction of The Dairy Good Cookbook!   The Dairy Good Cookbook is more than a cookbook--it's a 'storybook' representing all U.S. dairy farmers that includes more than 100 recipes that celebrate the people and foods that make life dairy good.

 Beginning June 2, The Dairy Good Cookbook will appear in book stores like Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com and other retail stores across  the country. 

 The book retails for $25 with a portion of the proceeds supporting the GENYOUth Foundation, a dairy farmer-endorsed charity that aims to nurture children's health and wellness in the school environment and surrounding community by raising funds, uniting partners with shared goals and empowering youth to create their own change.

                    It's a perfect addition to any cook book collection or a gift for your favorite cook!

                            Just think--you can celebrate June Dairy Month and  dairy all through the

                                                      year with all these great dairy farmer  recipes!

                                                   Happy June Dairy Month!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Most of our cows and heifers deliver without assistance but during the birth process we're keeping a close eye on the situation. This baby had a foot bent backwards that was making delivery difficult and  did require dairy farmer intervention.  

Celebrating birthdays on the dairy  farm is always exciting and  never gets old!

                                                                   
                                                         I'm thankful for every healthy delivery!
                                                             
                                                             

Freedom to Farm

We are blessed to live in America, the land of the free and the brave. 

Both of our fathers served  our country during World War II and although neither talked very much about the war, we know that our freedom is precious. Our freedom to live, work and farm  on our 3rd generation Arkansas  dairy farm is possible because of those who were willing to protect our freedom.

                             Memorial Day is a day of remembrance and thankfulness for those who
                                        have given the ultimate sacrifice to provide for our freedom.
                        A heart felt thanks to the men, women and families that have sacrificed for all of us!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

What's not fun about milking a cow or planting a seed?

The students at Grace Hill Elementary learned about Arkansas agriculture from members of the Benton County Farm Bureau Women's Committee and our friends from Arkansas Farm Bureau this week. 

I'm thankful for all of my friends who generously give of their time each year to tell the the great  story of agriculture!

Hay Cutting Gambler

Although I love the May flowers brought to us by the April showers, dairy  farmers in Northwest Arkansas are more  excited to see the lush grass in fields and pastures!

We've been holding off getting started with our hay cutting due to the rainy days and cool temperatures.

Making the decision to cut hay isn't always "cut and dried" when you are uncertain of the rain prediction but it's a simple fact, if you're a farmer,you are also a gambler!

This hay field is a combination of rye and wheat which will be baled and wrapped  and will be enjoyed by our dairy cows.

                                  In fact, I think they've been hoping we would leave the gate open

                                    for them to graze in  this field  before we started cutting today!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Although I was truly spoiled on Mother's Day with  roses,candy, an assortment of gifts

and  gathering around the table for lunch together,

I'm most thankful for the daily blessings I experience as a Mother,

working with my family every day on our dairy farm,

and

                                for the fact that this third generation dairy  farmer chose a city girl !

Dairy Q&A

Question:

 How long do a dairy  cow and calf stay together?

Answer:

On our farm, the calf is usually with the mother for the first 12 hours after birth. The time varies depending on the time of birth.

The mothers will join the milking herd  and the calves are placed in an individual calf hutch to be fed and closely monitored.

Calves are separated from their mothers to ensure the best individual care and monitoring of both animals, especially in the first 24 hours.

Our calves grow up to become the cows that produce milk on our farm, so we make it a priority to get them off to a healthy start.

Happy Mother's Day!

Hope Mother's Day is full of blessings for you and your family!

We're celebrating the birth of 5 calves this morning--a perfect Mother's Day!

                                                        Mother's are outstanding in any field!

                                                         Happy Mother's Day!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

May is definitely a merry month down on the dairy farm!

Just as the flowering trees are leafing out and the pastures are greening up, 

the iris, also known as 'flags',   make their grand  entrance.

I'm thankful for the colorful landscape provided by old fashioned flowers like the iris blooming next to the pasture and the sweet memories of childhood days spent in the garden with my grandparents.

Dairy Q&A

Question:

How many times a day do you milk your cows?

Answer:

We milk our dairy cows in the milking herd   twice a day, every day of the year.

 Some dairy farms milk three times a day. 

Milking equipment delivers milk directly from the cows to a refrigerated holding tank to preserve freshness and safety.