Don't Have a Cow, Man!

The last day of June also means the last day of June Dairy Month. But the "last day" doesn't mean "the end." Every day of every month we, on Bremer Farms, are proud to produce wholesome, tasty dairy products for you. So don't have a cow, man! June Dairy Month may be drawing to a close but our commitment to the dairy foods we all enjoy, goes on year round.

I thought this was the perfect time to share some dairy facts about Minnesota. 98% of all farms in Minnesota are owned by families. In Minnesota, the average dairy cow will produce 7.5 gallons of milk per day. That's more than 2,257 gallons over the course of a typical year. Minnesota dairy farms produce 1.06 billion gallons of milk annually. Dairy is the 2nd largest agricultural business in Minnesota, and generates $1.66 billion a year. That's a total economic impact to Minnesota of $11.5 billion.

To learn more about dairy, I invite you to visit midwestdairy. While you're there, look for my dairy makes sense blog post, "Dairy, Here, There, and Everywhere."

So don't have a cow, man! Dairy is here to stay!

What Happens In Wisconsin...

I like the size of the cheese, but not the mouse!

What can be more perfect than visiting "Wisconsin-America's Dairyland" during June Dairy Month? John and Michael promised they would do just fine on the farm without us, so Sara and I hopped in the van and dashed for the border. We were off to see Matt and Heidie tie-the-knot. I invite you to join us on our journey.

In typical farmer fashion, our inner alarm clocks didn't let us sleep late, so we were one of the first guests to enjoy the continental breakfasts each morning at our motels. It was also hard to remember that we didn't have to "rush home to milk cows" each day. Old habits die hard.

Heidie and Matt's wedding was held in a traditional country church, surrounded by cornfields. The service was beautiful. The dinner was delicious, complete with cheese sauce on the chicken. Go dairy! And, we danced like crazy. "YMCA!"

The National Mustard Museum. Did you know there is one?

Jelly Belly Factory Tour. Yes, there are jelly beans in the bags.

 Three outlet malls in one day! Lots of bags in the car. We stayed until closing.

 I won 20 cents at the Casino. I didn't bother cashing in the voucher.

Sara with an orange moose? We're not sure why it was there.

Three Antique Malls and no purchases. Sad face!

Purple Cows?

Happy First Day of Summer! Have you ever seen a purple cow? Every day our family gets the pleasure of seeing black and white Holstein cows, but when we  take a snack break, especially on a hot Summer day, we often see purple! Sara and Michael brought this recipe home from kindergarten 20+ years ago. Our children had Ms. Wintermeyer as their teacher and she introduced them to purple cows. 

Purple Cow
1 cup milk

1 scoop vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt
1/2 cup grape juice
Mix together until smooth.

A Purple Cow is a yummy and healthy treat. It provides some of your daily dairy which gives you 13 essential nutrients. Hey, what does "essential nutrients" mean, anyway? Essential nutrients mean dietary substances required for healthy body functioning. They must come from our diet because the human body can't manufacture them in sufficient quantities to meet our daily needs. Dairy provides calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins D and A and B12, Riboflavin, and Niacin. Whew! And I bet you just thought dairy was all about calcium. To learn of the importance of these "9 essential nutrients" go to Midwest Dairy.
Happy purple Summer!

Dad Plus Dairy = A Happy June

I love that Fathers Day falls during June Dairy Month. My Dad is a fourth generation dairy farmer. All of his brothers were dairy farmers too.  This photo is of my Grandma and Grandpa Brown and their five good looking farmer sons. My Dad, Glen,  is on the far right. A few short years after this picture was taken, my Mom and Dad were married and started a farm of their own.

With much pride and pleasure my Dad got up early every morning to milk and care for the cows. Being the youngest in my family, I got Dad all to myself when my brother and sister went off to school and Mom went to her job off the farm. Riding on Grandpa's John Deere "A" tractor, bottle feeding the calves, eating fried egg sandwiches for lunch, it all seemed fun with Dad.  After a day of work on the farm, it was always family dinner at 5:00.  This was family time to reflect on and appreciate our day. Besides a strong work ethic, I appreciate that Dad  instilled the value of family time in me.

Dad suffered a stroke  nine years ago. He can no longer farm. My family is now his connection to farming. Each day when we talk he wants to know what we did on the farm. "How is planting going? How much rain did you get? How does the hay crop look this year?" He still receives every farming magazine available too, reading them cover-to-cover. The saying goes, "You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy." Thank goodness! Love you Dad!

Beyond Hot Dish and Jello

 Perhaps it is because I live in Minnesota, but the long standing joke is that us Lutherans love our hot dishes and Jello salads. I am not here to debate this fact, since I have been to many amazing "potluck" dinners at my church, but today St. John's Lutheran Church proved that they love milk and cookies too. Bremer Farms served milk and cookies after each service today in celebration of June Dairy Month. After twenty-five dozen cookies and many gallons of milk, no one had to be convinced how tasty and refreshing a cold glass of milk is! 

My sugar cookies were a hit today, so I included the recipe for all of you to enjoy.

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup butter

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Roll in 1" balls and press down with the bottom of a drinking glass that has been dipped in sugar.  Bake 6 minutes at 400 degrees. Makes 8 dozen.

 

 There are more great recipes at Midwest Dairy

Our Pat on the Back

 L-R, Roy and Karen Bremer, Commissioner Schouweiler, John, Michael, Sara and Janet Bremer Back row- Dakota County Commissioners

Everyone enjoys an acknowledgement of a job well done. Farmers are no different. Our "pat on the back" came on Tuesday of this week when we received the 2012 Farm Family of the Year award given by the University Of Minnesota. The Farm Family recognition program has existed for three decades and honors several farm families throughout Minnesota for their contributions to the agriculture industry and their communities. The presentation was made at the Dakota County Board of Commissioners meeting. After thanking the University and the Commissioners for this honor and their continued support of the agriculture industry, we concluded by saying- Farming can be a rewarding as well as challenging occupation. As a Farm Family we have done a lot of hard work to make our farm successful. We are a proud Farm Family that cares for, and respects our animals and our land. Lastly, in the spirit of June Dairy Month, we presented each attendee with a "3 Every Day" pen and an "I Met a Dairy Farmer!" sticker, which the County Attorney assured us he would proudly show everyone at the meeting he was going to. A perfect compliment to June Dairy Month!

When Cows Fly

I love to read; anything and everything, but my favorite books to share are about cows and farming.

"Help Wanted. Full-Time Cow. Experience Desirable. Apply In Person."

These lines are from one of my favorite childrens book, The Cow Who Wouldn't Come Down by Paul Brett Johnson. It tells the story of Gertrude, the flying cow, who reins in her ability to fly in order to keep her job as a milk cow.

When I'm not farming, my other job is teaching reading and math at our local elementary school to students that need a little extra help. I love this opportunity, but I also love Summer vacation as much as the students do. My hope is that the kids don't vacation from reading. Parents please read to them, read with them, and let them see you reading. It is time well spent.

Now back to Gertrude. I have never seen our cows fly. I'd like to believe that if they could fly, they would still choose to live on our farm and provide us with the refreshing, delicious, beverage they are known for.

Milk, cookies, and a good book. Ah, summer.