Batter Up For America

I don't claim to be the biggest sports fan in America, but I do enjoy following our Minnesota teams. I'm also one of those people who gets a bit "star-struck" when I get the opportunity to meet one of these athletes. 

 
When I recently got asked to represent dairy farmers at an autograph signing with Minnesota Twins own baseball rookie, Eddie Rosario, I thought wow! A Minnesota sports celebrity and promoting dairy? That's a win-win situation!

The focus of this event was to share the importance of the
 Great American Milk Drive
which, with your help, makes milk available to children and families in need,
 especially in the summer months. 

According to Feeding America, more than half a million people in Minnesota are food insecure. Nearly 1-in-6 children throughout Minnesota struggle with hunger and may be at risk of missing out on milk's nutrition during the summer months.

Bob Chatmas, of Second Harvest, shared that milk is the single most requested nutritious item by food bank clients, but it's rarely donated. On average, food banks are only able to provide one gallon of milk per person per year. This means food bank clients can't even come close to the recommended three servings of dairy each day!

Most of us don't have to think twice about picking up a gallon of milk when we run out, and yes, even though I'm a dairy farmer surrounded by milk, I buy my milk at the store, just like you. But some families in our communities are missing this nutrient rich beverage. It's a problem that impacts all sorts of families - in urban, suburban and rural communities. Hunger is everywhere.

The Great American Milk Drive is a Feeding America program that's made possible by the nation's milk companies and dairy farmers, like me. It is designed to make it easy for all of us to donate much-needed milk to local food banks. I've donated several times by clicking on the link above. 
Won't you?

When Life Throws You Curveballs

This is Target Field, home of our 

Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball team.

 

This is the inside of the stadium. 

 Now imagine everything covered in white, fluffy snow, with baseball fans donning winter coats, boots, hats and mittens anxiously waiting to watch the Minnesota Twins challenge the New York Mets tonight at 7:10 PM.

I'm guessing cold and snow was not what fans were envisioning two years ago when our Twins went from the indoor Metrodome to the outdoor stadium. 

Yep, sometimes life throws you curve balls.

Weather is one of the biggest curve balls in a farmers life. Our latest snow the last two days made everything beautiful, yet frustrating. Last year we were spoiled with an early Spring, and many farmers were in the fields preparing the soil by early March. Typically, we begin Spring field work in mid-April. This year it will be several weeks before we can even think about heading to the fields to begin planting. The snow needs to melt, the ground needs to thaw and dry, and the temperatures need to rise. It's all in God's hands. So as we continue to wait, we dream of God's perfect pitch so we can begin the excitement of Spring planting.

So while we wait...Go Twins!