Monday, January 28, 2013

120 Hungry Mouths to Feed

 Do you feel like you're always in the kitchen, either preparing the next meal or cleaning up from the last one? Feeding our 120 cow dairy herd is somewhat the same; until recently. If you read my October 1, 2012 post The Life Cycle of a Silo, you know that we recently removed our silos and replaced them with a bunker. Since then, we have made other changes to feed our "girls" an improved balanced diet, more safely and more conveniently. Come along to see our new recipe to satisfy our herd so they can produce the tasty, healthy milk you enjoy.

The first stop is the feed mill. Corn, minerals, salt and vitamins are mixed together to make 2,100 pounds of ground feed each morning. (The little guy in blue is Flat Aggie. Read about him in my12/1/12 blog post.)



Next stop is the bunker where the silage (chopped corn stalks) is stored. We need 3,200 pounds of silage for our "recipe." This bunker is 45' wide and 75' long.

It's time to do the "stirring." The ground feed and silage are put in the TMR (total mixed ration) wagon to be mixed together. There is a large "beater" inside to do the stirring which takes about 2-3 minutes.

When this scale on the TMR wagon reaches 5,300 pounds of feed and silage we know we have enough to feed our cows their breakfast, lunch and dinner for one day.

Our new wagon is driven in one end of our new building to unload. When finished we can drive out the opposite end. The tractor and wagon are also stored here between feedings.

This chute attached to the side of the TMR wagon is lined up with the feed bunk to unload the silage/ground feed mixture.

It takes only 3 minutes to unload 1/3 of the 5,300 pounds of feed for each meal.

How nice to now be able to feed the herd inside, and it's more comfortable for Farmer John too. All of our cows get a better balanced diet with this new wagon that combines the silage with the ground feed. Just like picky eaters in your family, some cows were not eating everything they should. This new mixing system assures they get the nutrients from both the silage and ground feed. As before, our cows always have access to unlimited hay and water. 

We are proud of our dairy cows, and judging by their swishing tails, I think they are proud to be new members of the Clean Plate Club!

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Baby, It's Cold Outside

When our Minnesota winter weather dips below zero degrees like it has the past few days, and the wind makes it feel even colder, it is time to take serious action. I pull on my warmest hat, coat, and mittens, and I also try to stay indoors as much as possible.

Our animals do much the same as we do in this weather. No, we don't have hats and mittens for our cattle, but we do have cold weather procedures to keep our animals comfortable.

Just like us throwing another blanket on the bed, our animals get additional bedding too. Straw and cornstalks are added daily to the pens as insulation from the cold. Our cows are housed in a freestall barn which allows them to move about freely to eat and drink whenever they like. This barn provides protection from the wind and cold. 

If you read my Farming 101-1 Cow Milking post, you know that after milking each cow, its utter is treated with a sanitizer dip. In winter months we use a powdered dip that is specially formulated for inclement weather, to provide better protection from the cold.



The cows aren't the only ones to get special treatment during this cold snap. This three day old calf is modeling an insulated coat to keep her warm and comfortable. And look at all the fresh bedding she gets!

The final job of the day, no matter what the temperature, is to walk through the barns to make sure everyone is tucked in for the evening. We take the comfort and safety of our animals very seriously.



Monday, January 21, 2013

The Way To a Farmers Heart

Perhaps you have heard the saying, "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach". That is especially true when the man is a farmer and it is 15 degrees below zero with a minus 42 degrees windchill. As Farmer John and Son Michael were finishing the morning milking, I was preparing a hot breakfast of All-In-One Pancakes to keep their inner furnace warm and toasty on such a bitter cold morning.


All-In-One Pancakes
1 cup flour 
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces sour cream
1 cup cottage cheese
4 eggs, well beaten
Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Add sour cream, cottage cheese and eggs. Stir into flour mixture. Bake on hot griddle. Serve with syrup or sauce.

For more tasty recipes to warm your family's hearts go to Dairy Makes Sense

Friday, January 18, 2013

Creative Gift Giving

My daughter Sara is so creative when it comes to gift giving. Her Christmas gift to dad John was a mozzarella cheese making kit, with the promise that she would help make the cheese using the milk from our cows. This past weekend it was mission accomplished. Welcome to our cheese "factory."
After pasteurizing the milk, the enzyme and coagulant were added.

The curds were separated from the whey. 
Curds are drained and pressure was added to remove the remaining whey.

Microwaved in short increments to 135 degrees in preparation for stretching.

Shaped and ready for cooling.
Placed in ice water to set the shape.
After 10 minutes, the cheese is ready for grating.
A perfect topping for home-made pizza!
One gallon of milk made about nine ounces of mozzarella
It took about one hour to make and it tasted great!  
Ahhhh...the power of cheese!
Have you ever made cheese? How did it go for you?

FYI- Sara ordered the cheese making kit through Amazon.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Move Over Oscar, Leibster's Here!

Ready for the Red Carpet
While others were waiting to see who would be nominated for an Oscar from the Academy of Motion Pictures, I was already celebrating my own victory. Thanks to Ryan Bright I have been nominated to receive the Leibster Award. The Leibster Award is a way to help bloggers interact and increase their networks, readership and just have fun. The point of the Leibster Award is to encourage fellow bloggers and to build a larger social community. It is awarded to bloggers, by bloggers, with a following of fewer than 200 people. With that said, I have to tell you 11 random facts you may not know about me, answer Ryan's 11 questions and create 11 questions for the 11 bloggers I intend to nominate. 

So here are the 11 Random Facts about me that hopefully will not come back to haunt me some day...
1. Most of my blog posts are created after  11:00PM when my family is fast asleep.
2. I finally tasted my first PB&J sandwich last year. They aren't too bad.
3. My biggest pet peeves are poor grammar and bad speelling spelling.
4. I have a fierce fear of heights. Skydiving? No thank you!
5. My guilty pleasure is the TV show "Glee."
6. I don't know how to swim, even though we have a pool in our backyard.
7. I love dill pickles, the more sour, the better!
8. I'm happiest when I am with family (most of the time).
9. I graduated from Iowa State University, with a degree in Interior Design.
10. I frequently get told that my sister and I look alike, but I then correct them by saying I am the younger, prettier one.

Now on to the 11 Questions from Ryan Bright... 
1. If you were stranded on a desert island with only a solar powered refrigerator and you could choose an endless supply of only one dairy product, which one would it be? Milk, without a doubt!
2. If you were a farm animal you would want the farmer to...? Rub me behind my ears, since animals can't reach that spot.
3. What's your favorite app on your smartphone/tablet? Twitter
4. After blowing your first two wishes on a bowl of hot wings and something cold to wash it down with, what would you ask the genie for your third and final wish? A napkin. I never eat without one, seriously, never.
5. Because you're such an informed and influential blogger your Senator just called and asked if there were any laws you thought should be either repealed or amended. What do you tell them? In Minnesota it is illegal to tease skunks. Do we really need a law for that?
6. After being hired as a consultant on a new online reality blogger show your first task is to come up with a name for it and you tell them what? "The Big Blog Theory"
7. Where do you come up with your best blog ideas? Around the kitchen table during family meals.
8. Your favorite fictional or historical character is going to guest post on your blog. Who are they and what are they going to write about? Noah, from the Bible and I'd like him to write about keeping animals happy and healthy in confined quarters.
9. What's your favorite hobby? Reading, suspense and mystery.
10. If you didn't have (fill in the blank) you'd be lost. God in my life
11. What is your most useless talent? I like to think all me talents are useful.

Here are my 11 Questions for my nominees... 
1. What three words describe your personality?
2. Besides your family and your blog, what are you most proud of?
3. What is your favorite outdoor activity?
4. Someday I want to visit_____________
5. What is the one thing you bought that you wish you hadn't?
6. What drives you to write your blog?
7. If you had to change your occupation, what would you choose?
8. Swiss or cheddar?
9. What television show would you like to be on, and why?
10. What was the best gift you ever received?
11. Do you have a favorite quote? What is it? 

And now, the moment you have been waiting for. Check them out.
I nominate...
Spotted Cow Review 
The House Ag Built 
Tales of a Kansas Farmer
Heim Dairy 
Life on a Real California Dairy Farm 
Darin's Ramblings 
Days of the Weeks 
My Cows and Pigs 
Dairy Moos 
Gardens, Combines and Memories 
City Chic on a Farm 

Congratulations!  
Also thanks to Ryan Bright for nominating me and my barnyard!


Friday, January 11, 2013

Celebrate Milk!



Hooray for milk...from the cow! All "milks" are not the same.
"Milks" like soy, rice and almond beverages are really juices extracted from plants. They are fortified with some nutrients like calcium, but they don't compare to the complete nutrient package of cow's milk. Vitamin D, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium are all at much lower levels in these processed beverages, and even though these drinks are fortified with extra calcium, our bodies absorb 25% less of it from them than from natural cow's milk, according to a Creighton University study. 

As Dairy Farmers we are committed to providing a safe and healthy MILK for you. So raise a glass and celebrate!

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Our First Arrival of 2013

Meet our newest member of the herd!
Born on January 4, 2013
Weight- 89 pounds
Height- 30 inches
Proud Parents and Grandparents welcome their little girl!

We are pleased to welcome our newest arrival to our herd. She will be treated like royalty so she can grow up big and strong. After all, she is the future of our herd, and will someday deliver high-quality milk for you. We are strongly committed to providing a nutritious diet, good medical care and healthy living conditions to all our animals, from the first day they arrive!

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Gone, But Not Forgotten

2012 may be gone, but it's not forgotten. Here are the
Top Ten Most Viewed Posts 
on My Barnyard View.

10. Santa Lives in Our Neighborhood (8/9/12)- The story of a wonderful neighbor that makes regular deliveries in the summer, and a recipe for the gift he delivers.
9. Moma Mia, It's Pizza (10/2/12)- "94% of Americans eat pizza at least once each month." Who knew?
8. I Want My Mummy! (10/31/12)- Mummy and the kids in the kitchen.
7. Food For Thought (11/17/12)- Will you be the big cheese at this Dairy Trivia?
6. Real Deal (11/4/12)- "I demand good tastings, good quality dairy foods. Don't you?"
5. Frostbite Fever (10/23/12)- I made this discovery in St. Louis while at a blogging conference.
4. Farming 101-1 Cow Milking (5/28/12)- Every morning and every evening, that's how we do it!
3. What's In A Name? (5/12/12)- I am proud to announce the birth of my blog!
2. Our Pat on the Back (6/7/12)- "Farming can be a rewarding, as well as challenging occupation."
1. Competition For Norman Rockwell (11/15/12)- We shared a meal, stories, and laughs. See what I shared in this post that got the MOST views.

Thanks for your support and comments on my inaugural year of My Barnyard View. What else would you like to learn about? Share your farm or dairy questions in the comments. I would be happy to address them.

I am blessed to work with my family, doing what we love. I'm loving life, on and off the farm! Happy New Year. Cheers!



To learn more about dairy farming go to Midwest Dairy. Check out the delicious dairy recipes too!