Category Archives: Farm life

Hunk of Meat Monday – Chicken, Pork, Deer

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It’s been awhile since I’ve had a recipe for Hunk of Meat Monday, but this weekend I tried something that was so out-of-this-world, that I HAD to share it.

It combined chicken, pork and deer (although, the recipe called for dried beef, I only had dried venison on hand). And it was de-lish!

Chicken Breast with Dried Beef

Ingredients

  • 8 chicken breasts, boned, skinned and cut in half (or just get boneless, skinless ones! 🙂 )
  • 1 pkg. dried beef, pulled apart (I used dried venison)
  • 8 slices of bacon (or more, can’t go wrong with bacon…ever)
  • 1 pint sour cream
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup (I confess, I used cream of chicken)

Venison, chicken breasts and bacon...how can you go wrong?

Line the bottom of a 9X13 pan with dried beef. Roll 1/2 slice bacon around each half of chicken breast and place it on top of the beef. Mix together the sour cream and cream of mushroom soup and spoon over the chicken. Bake at 275* for 3 1/2 hours, uncovered. Can be assembled a day ahead of time and refrigerated. Serves 8.

Oh, and I served it with baked potatoes, so we weren’t in a complete meat coma.

And it was so very, very yummy!

So very, very yummy!

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Wordless Wednesday – Cows

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The cows, enjoying their straw bed on the fresh snow while waiting to calve.

 

 

When is it my turn?

 

 

Cows are curious (and photogenic) by nature.

 

 

Oh, that angle makes me look fat.

 

 

You can't see me, I'm hiding behind this weed.

 

 

We’re not quite half-way through calving season, but the last few days have been very, very busy. But the weather has been wonderful, and everything is going pretty smoothly so far.

If you look back at the ear tags, you’ll notice that not one of the close-ups have the same color. Wonder why? Find out here!

Farm Friday – Calving Underway

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We now have a whopping two calves on the ground. I know, I know, not much to get excited about, but we’ve been so blessed this year that I can’t help but smile.

Our lack of drastically cold temps has really helped out with feed supplies and the like. Why is that? Well, when the cattle don’t need to use up as much energy as they normally do in winter to stay warm, they eat less. And with the open winter we’ve had (meaning very little snow on the ground), the longer the cattle have been able to graze on our leftover corn stalks. It’s been a win-win all the way around.

Yesterday I grabbed a few shots of our heifers (cows that are having their first calf this spring) out behind the house. I haven’t been going out on any night checks yet, because I’ve been under the weather and hubby has been able to go out on checks and still get some rest. (We usually check the cows every 2-3 hours, around the clock. More often when it gets cold, like tonight.)

Some of the heifers, just hanging out behind the wind break, waiting.

 

 

Such pretty red things, eh?

 

 

I’m hoping to take the boys ice fishing this weekend. We went last Sunday and had a great time, even though I’ve been a bit down and out. They loved every minute of it! As soon as I get the pics uploaded from my mom’s camera, I’ll be sure to share them with you!

And so it begins

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Calving season 2012 is underway, as a healthy bull calf was delivered this morning by Heifer No. 109.

New calf, just a few hours old.

 

 

With the weather the way it’s been, we have some pretty great conditions for calving. But I won’t lie to you, it’s better for the temps to stay below freezing. I must have hit my head, right? Actually, mud can be a real risk during calving, so it’s better for our little ones if we have hard, frozen ground to work with, rather than soft and soupy mud.

Plus, we’re used to dealing with cold temps for calving…it’s one of the reasons my husband breeds the cows when he does, so that they calve when the time is right for our operation. The mild winter just has us off our game a bit, but nothing like the first calf to bring you back to your senses!

Now we sort off the heifers (cows that will have their first calf this year) and keep them closer to home. And then the checks start, where we go out and check the cows for signs of calving every few hours…more often when it’s cold. Our goal is to get the calves in the barn before they are born, or shortly after.

Want to come along on a calf check? Check out this post from last year…and stay tuned for more!

Frosty Friday

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Just some beautiful shots, while the frost holds out. Sometimes Mother Nature amazes me!

 

This frosty farmer is taking care of business, and he happened to celebrate his birthday this week!

 

Web of frosty branches...looking up.

 
 
 

The frost on the fence is amazing!

 
 
 

Our barn is dated from when it was built. We'll be celebrating in 15 years...you're all invited!

 
 

Organic Romance

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To buy or not to buy organic? That is the question.

But why does it have to be?

I thought about this question alot, while preparing this post. In fact, most of my posts are written in a very short amount of time, usually 10 minutes or less. Sometimes it’s as if the words were already there, I just needed to type them out. But not today.

As a farmer, I am proud of almost every aspect of agriculture. I truly value the organic movement, because anything we can do to continue to provide food is important. We NEED every farmer, every type, every size, to continue providing food for our world.

Over the weekend, a slideshow by WebMD was brought to my attention. At first, I was kind of excited about it…hoping it was going to put to rest some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding conventional and organic foods. But it didn’t. In fact, it went a step or two further than most articles. And I feel the need to set some “facts” straight.

1) It was stated in the slide show, that fruit and vegetables such as apples and peaches should be bought organic whenever possible, to reduce the exposure risks of pesticides.  The site said, “If you can’t afford to buy organic apples, scrubbing their skins under running water can help reduce pesticide residues, too.”

Well, to tell you the truth people, no matter where you get your apples, you should ALWAYS wash them. Period. The same is true for organic, just as it is conventionally grown fruit and veggies.

2) Directly quoted from WebMD, “According to the Organic Trade Association, livestock on an organic farm cannot be given antibiotics or growth hormones unnecessarily — a common practice in conventional agriculture. Some experts think using antibiotics this way may contribute to the rise of superbugs. And although the risk to humans isn’t clear, added hormones do show up in supermarket beef.”

Let me shed some light on what happens on our farm (since I can’t speak for everyone, but know that most follow the same type of protocol). We give antibiotics only when necessary, such as when an animal is showing sign of being sick. We would never consider giving all of our animals antibiotics on a set schedule for many reasons, including: a) cost, b) time and feasibility and c) we need those antibiotics to work when we truly need them. To say that most conventional ranchers use antibiotics unneccessarily is simply not true.

And on the hormone subject…let me break down the actual facts for you:

4 oz. beef from steer given hormones: 1.6 nanograms of estrogen

4 oz. beef from untreated steer: 1.2 nanograms of estrogen

4 oz. beef from non-pregnant heifer: 1.5 nanograms of estrogen

4 oz. raw cabbage: 2700 ng estrogen

4 oz. raw peas: 454 ng estrogen.

3 oz. soy oil: 168,000 nanograms of estrogen

3.5 oz. of soy protein concentrate: 102,000 nanograms of estrogen.

3 oz. of milk from cow given rBST: 11 nanograms of estrogen

3 oz. of milk from untreated (non-BST) cow: 11 nanograms of estrogen

Data from Foodstuffs Foodlink

Hmmm…so those extra hormones are a problem, but raw peas have 400% more estrogen in them. Perhaps we need to lay off the peas? I’m kidding, of course. That would be obsurd. Right?

3) This one I found funny. Broccoli. Yep, you should grow your own organic broccoli. Have any of you grown broccoli? I have no problem with growing your own food, even broccoli. I just appreciate the ability to choose not to. I don’t like the extra protein.

Mmmm...worms.

 
Well, those are just a few of the examples in the slide show…there are 29 slides to go through, all with varying degrees of ridiculousness. What’s funny to me is that it wraps it all up with this advice, “One thing the experts agree on: Regardless of whether you choose locally grown, organic, or conventional foods, the important thing is to eat plenty of produce. The health benefits of such a diet far outweigh any potential risks from pesticide exposure.” Oh, so the first 28 slides are supposed to make you terrified of all food not organic, and the last one says, “Eh, the risks aren’t that great, just eat.” Whew. I was worried for a minute.
 
Let’s cut to the chase. When it comes down to it: eat. Eat what you want, eat sensibly and get it from whatever source you have available. Supermarket, farmer’s market, online…just eat. If you have the desire and time to grow your own, do it. If you have the desire and time to shop farmer’s markets, do it. If you are a busy person with limited time and whatever is at the one-stop-shop is what you can grab, do it.
 
It’s time we stop making parents feel guilty for what we eat and just relish in the fact that we can feed our children. And by that, I mean HEALTHY foods, not just fast food.
 
That all being said, I respect organic farmers and see a true need for their products. There isn’t a single method of agriculture that isn’t needed for our future. I have not one problem with their product. Not one.
 
Organic farmers: thank you for all you do and the food you provide. Conventional farmers: thank you for all you do and the food you provide. WebMD: quit making me scared of the people that feed me, they’re nice.
 
I know, because I am one.

A Matter of Fact

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Last week, a question was asked by a local news station for people to comment on. I was going to let the question slide, but then some of the comments got out of hand, and I felt the strong desire to say something. Actually, I felt the strong desire to hit someone, but common sense took over and I used my brain, not my brawn.

This was the question:

If you’re receiving federal crop insurance payments or government money as a farmer, are you a hypocrite if you’re against government subsidies?

Nice one, eh?

The funny thing is, I have no problem with the conversation taking place. And I have no problem with trying to brainstorm for better solutions. But I DO have a problem with people accusing farmers of wrong-doing, when they haven’t a clue as to how the system works to begin with.

To begin with, if you aren’t familiar with crop insurance, perhaps you should check out this link and read up on it. But to give you a quick, few-word synopsis, it boils down to this: you cannot be eligible for disaster payments if you don’t have crop insurance. That’s right, they’re intermingled. One comes with another.

So, that being said, I don’t necessarily favor government payments…but I’m not stupid. We have to protect our farm and our family from disasters, because contrary to what some say, you can’t just walk away from a natural disaster and wait for the weather to get nice and start farming again. You can lose everything in an instant.

I’m sure you’re thinking, “But Val, no one would ever think that.” Wrong.

This is a direct quote from the conversation on facebook, “As a wife of a carpenter, when the weather gets bad and he can’t work he doesn’t get paid..period…sorry if the crop was ruined due to weather, but why should you get help and us nothing? We grew up in farming families also, so we know alittle of what we are talking about.” (Name withheld to protect the…well, uneducated? I guess?)

My response was a little sharp-tongued, but served the purpose:

“Dear carpenter’s wife, I believe a more appropriate analogy would be your husband building a two-story, $300,000 house. Paying all of the inputs, including electrical work, lumber and labor, and then watching as the house burns down in a fire caused by lightning and then being told that he could try again next year. We’re not talking about being out of work for a day or two, we’re talking about losing a whole year’s worth of costs…and those bills get paid, whether the crop makes it or not. There are fewer farmers feeding more people every year. Yes, there are problems with the system and we need to make changes, and yes, there are cases of abuse, just like any industry. But we need to work together, not criticize and point fingers.”

So why am I writing this? Read the last line. We need to work together, and work towards a future that makes sure that farmers can do what they do best, and lawmakers and constituents and interest groups can all work together and make sure that there is a future to be had.

Do you understand the power that you have? Do you understand the strength of your voice? Your vote?

Please, don’t misjudge how important you are…and please, don’t shrug off such serious issues as disasters and insurance without putting some thought and time into it. Our future…all of our future…is needing some change.

And don’t be mistaken. The only one who can provide that is us.

It only takes a spark…

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Today has been a banner day, but not always in a good way. I’ve been happy, I’ve been sad, I’ve been frustrated and I’ve been downright ticked…and that was all before noon! Actually, today’s emotions had a lot to do with social media and perceptions.

To begin with, McD’s has launched a campaign called #MeetTheFarmers. It’s all about improving their image, after some pretty damaging stuff has been spread like wildfire throughout the internet world. Now, I don’t blame them one bit…I do have to agree that it’s about time we take responsibility for our own actions, including what we put in our mouths.

But what I don’t like is the impression that McD’s is doing something cutting edge by introducing farmers to their consumers. It’s something that’s been going on for years, and it doesn’t take a marketing genius or billion dollar budget to accomplish.

I’m all for the interaction, and welcome the conversations that are starting because of it…and I’m hoping and praying that the trend continues. But remember, these conversations have been going for quite some time now, and many have started without the big-name push.

For example:

  • A dairy farmer in Alabama…a true salt-of-the-earth type of guy, with a great family and an uncanny ability to make a song about cow poop sound catchy.
  • A Prairie Mama in North Dakota, who I had the pleasure of meeting through social media, and shudder to think of what my life would now be without her. Who tells the story of ag from a first-hand view, yet has spent enough time in the corporate world that she makes it seem so polished and effortless. She has connected Rockin’ Rural Women from across the country. Not only is she an inspiration, but her mother is as well, blogging from the farm and bringing the outside world a little closer to the field…truly connecting the farm to the plate.
  • A busy mom, with 3 Kids and Lots of Pigs, who took an idea and ran with it, and turned it into a GREAT way to connect women and introduce others to life on the farm.
  • A dairy mom, who recently had baby #3, writes a great blog and is willing to step out of the box and do unheard of things…like sell a pig on Twitter.

I could go on…the list would probably be in the hundreds. People, farmers, that I’ve met and make it a priority to share their story, and the story of agriculture, with others through social media.

And they do it without an endorsement deal, they do it without promised reimbursement and they do it out of passion and love for an industry that provides them a great way of life and a lifestyle that many could only dream about.

No, it may not be the golden arches, but I’m confident that although #MeetTheFarmer may be a trending topic on Twitter, the connections that are made will continue to grow and be built through the hard work of dedicated producers.

I’d bet a Big Mac on it.

Preparing for calving

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I had been tossing around the idea of doing a post like this for a while now, but never actually wrote it out. But after a dear friend sent someone my direction today for this type of information, I decided that I better get to typing while the juices were flowing.

(Sorry if there are many typos…my desktop is in the shop, and my new keyboard for my new iPad is a tad tough to get used to!)

Anyway, I was asked what kind of things are needed to get ready for calving season, from a new farmwife, getting ready to embark on her first calving season. And since we are just about a month away from calving on our own farm, I thought this was a timely topic. So here’s my calving top 10 list (and please remember, this is a great list for my farm…each operation has their own way of doing things, but this is what works for us):

1) Figure out your schedule ahead of time. Write down appointments, meetings, etc. Make sure that you are both on the same page. That way, if you’re taking night checks (like I do), you can start getting ready for it by going to bed a little earlier. No need to go into calving season already tired and worn out. That’ll come soon enough!

2) Have a working (and effective) alarm clock! The first few nights of getting up every two hours isn’t a problem for me…but the last few weeks seem to be pretty rough. If my alarm clock isn’t obnoxious, I’ll sleep right through it, which can be bad news for a new calf born in subzero temps!

3) Get a good set of walkie-talkies. Charge them. Use them. In our area, cell phones don’t always have the best of signals, especially in the barn. Walkie-talkies can be a God-send. But only if they’re working! 😉 (It also helps if the other party has theirs on them…and on. Right dear?)

4) Have the vet’s number in your phone. And posted near the door. And have the phone readily available…and charged. Hmm…I seem to be speaking from experience, eh? Anyway, there’s nothing worse than searching for the vet’s number at a ridiculous hour…and then realizing you don’t have a phone nearby anyway!

5) Be prepared. Have your supplies on-hand ahead of time, and readily accessible. That includes: calving sleeves, lube, pulling chain, rope, warming box, milk replacer, colostrum, ear tags, ear tag marker, calving record book, baseball bat and whatever else your vet may suggest or request.

 

We have one of these for every calving season, since 1988.

 

 

6) Be prepared for the weather. In our area, we generally have very cold temps and snow. Although this year, we’re going into 2012 with no snow on the ground and above average temperatures! Yay! My calving wardrobe includes a set of Carhartt coveralls (purple, in fact), a pair of Muck boots and a good set of gloves, various hats and a scarf. A good pair of coveralls makes bundling up at 2 a.m. a little less painful, and a good pair of boots make sure my feet stay dry and toasty. Both are very important to me!

7) Have some meals ready ahead of time. Freeze lasagna, have some pizzas on stand-by, whatever is appealing to you. Soups, chili, snacks…and hide some, so when you think you’re out, you have an emergency stash. Unless your husband takes that as some kind of personal challenge to find your hidden treasures, then you’ll go into your stash and come up with empty wrappers. Kids are good for that, too.

8) Don’t forget to pay bills. Set them up on auto-pay, set your cell phone to send you a reminder, whatever may be. Sometimes calving season can seem a little crazy and hectic, and sometimes the days kind of meld into one another. You’ll look at the calendar and realize that a week has gone by…and perhaps you should shower. (Just kidding!)

9) Don’t forget to take time for yourself. Yes, it’s a crazy time, but it’s amazing to watch the new calves playing, watch a heifer loving up on her first-born calf, and experience all the craziness that comes with calving. But you can’t forget to spend a moment or two snuggled on the couch, watching the news before you both fall asleep; enjoy a warm meal together, even if it’s something as simple as warmed-up pizza; and take a moment whenever you can, to thank God for all you’ve been given. I’m going to double up on that last one this year…I couldn’t thank Him enough for the gifts of 2011.

Our cows are normally red...not snow covered!

 

10) Don’t forget to pack your patience. It’ll be tested. When everyone is tired, no one is getting a good nights sleep and tempers are running hot, even the silliest of missteps can set off some fireworks. But just remember, this too shall pass. And before you know it, life will be back to “normal.” Whatever “normal” is.

That time of year

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You know what I mean, right? Christmas program time!

Today was EJ’s preschool program. They were all so stinkin’ cute! (And I mean that as a compliment.)

EJ, starring as a mouse.

 

 

EJ, the blond in the blue sweater vest.

 

Unfortunately, this afternoon EJ and George both seem to be a bit under the weather. So we will get snuggled in and spend the next few days staying healthy!

Thursday afternoon is the boys’ Christmas program at school, and then school break officially starts! Yikes!