V Should Be For Victory

V is for "Victory."

V is also for "Vikings Victory."

But this week we will have to settle for V is just for "Vikings."

If you have been following my blog for very long you will already know that I am a HUGE Minnesota Vikings Football fan. So is Farmer John, and so is our son Michael. Daughter Sara...not so much.

Each year for Michael's birthday we cheer on our beloved Vikes at a game that Michael chooses. This year it was verses the Detroit Lions. 

Here's how our day went...

Get up earlier than usual to do chores and milk cows. 

Grab a muffin and some yogurt and head off to the light rail station.

Ride the light rail to the game. 

(This avoids traffic and parking headaches at the stadium).

Me and birthday boy Mike

Farmer John and Sara

Once at the stadium...

Find bathroom, food, and seats...in that order.

Since the Minnesota Vikings are currently building a new stadium, 

this (and next) seasons games are being held at 

the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium.

It is a beautiful stadium on a 60 degree, slightly breezy October day. A December football game...hmmm...maybe not so much.

Win or lose, we always stay until the end.

Other than my creepy "hat-hair" I love this picture.

So our Vikings couldn't pull out a victory (congrats to Detroit) but you can bet we'll be heading back to celebrate Michael's birthday with the Vikes again next year. Until then...

Heading home to do chores.

The players were leaving the stadium at the same time we were and I snapped this picture of 6 foot 8 inch, 343 pound, tackle, Phil Loadholt. After the game, I guess it's back to reality for all of us, dad's and farmers.

For more of our Minnesota Vikings encounters...

You can read about, and view a video of the day we met the Vikings, here-

F Is For Fuel Up To Play 60

and learn about the Vikings player that came to our farm, here-

 It's Toby Day!

Where, Oh Where Has My Little Blog Gone?

And I thought June was crazy busy! The month of June brought me to my computer everyday as each day I shared a dairy topic in honor of June Dairy Month. Whew! A blog post each day can be fun, exhilarating, and exhausting. There will never be a month as busy as June, I heard myself saying. 

Wrong!

Nearly 2 weeks (yes, I have failed you, and I apologize) 

have passed since writing, so it is time to catch up on 

what's been happening on, and off, Bremer Farms.

Farmer John and daughter Sara both celebrate their birthdays in July. Farmer John got his gift early as you may remember his automatic gate opener was installed as soon as it arrived. You can see it in action here. When I asked Sara what was on her birthday wish list, her response was plywood! If you know Sara you may already realize her thoughts can be a bit out-of-the-box, so this came as no surprise. She has plans for an even bigger, HUGE Christmas display on the farm this coming December and plywood will help to make it happen. John and I presented her with a Menard's gift card to get her a step closer to seeing her dream come true. You can bet her masterpiece will be featured on my blog later this year.

 

July is also our city's annual festival "Rivertown Days." Since Hastings sits on the banks of the Mississippi River, we celebrate the Mighty Mississippi  and its beauty for four days each summer. The celebration culminates on Sunday with the grand day parade. Our family creates the float for son Michael's workplace, Hastings Community Television. This year Michael's boss chose to highlight Michael's show Take A Hike, Mike. After sewing 28 yards of skirting for the float, and outfitting 20 wanna-be-hikers with plaid shirts and bindle sticks (Mike's signature attire), it was time to roll down the parade route.

 Even our farm truck got washed and decorated for a day off the farm to pull the float.

Sara also got her very own float as Hastings Teacher of the Year!

I know it looks like I'm just taking a milk break, but I'm also showing off a thank you gift from Midwest Dairy. This month I was asked to make a little video on why I share my dairy story. Why do I think it's important to be a Champion for Dairy? Take a look...

 Bremer Farms was also recently visited by our 

County Commissioner, Mike Slavik.

 Mike's goal is to visit farms in his district to talk to farmers about issues that affect all of us. Mike understands the importance of  farming and "goes to the source" to get farmer's perspective.

 Farmer John shows County Commissioner Mike Slavik our calf barn while discussing current issues that affect farming.

I can't think of a better way to end the hectic month of July than with freshly made cheese curds. These ridiculously good cheese curds come from Redhead Creamery. You may remember their name from reading Say Cheese, Please. Congratulations to Alise and Lucas for achieving their dream of starting an on-farm, ecologically friendly, cheese plant.

I'll be back in a few days to share a few more July tidbits. Did I mention I also taught Summer school this month? And what about the root beer floats...and  our two building projects on the farm...and the crops we have been harvesting...and...

The end of July also brought the end of National Ice Cream Month, but that doesn't mean the end of eating ice cream! Oh no it doesn't!

Farmer John's Best Birthday Gift

Today is a great day!

If you have been following my blog you know that our Minnesota Spring and Summer weather has not been what we were hoping for. Our cold, wet Spring weather brought us a late start to our planting season. Our Spring weather also required us to purchase hay for our cattle, since we could not bale hay as early as usual. Our Summer weather started out very rainy and now has transitioned into hot and dry, to the point that our irrigation had to be started to give our crops their much needed drink of water.

The weather is not the only frustration we have dealt with lately. Yesterday our pick-up truck decided it wanted new brakes, and, not to be out-done, our loader tractor wanted new brakes too. So, off to two repair shops they go! Our milk-pump that provides the vacuum for our milking machines decided it wanted a little attention too, so a repair man paid it a visit. Oh yes, and one of our hay wagons that is used to transport our large, round hay bales home from the field decided it was time to retire...permanently...beyond repair.

So why is today a great day? Today is Farmer John's birthday! To a hard working dairy farmer like John, the best gift he could receive is a productive day, to do the job he loves.

John birthday gift- A beautiful, sunny day to make hay, a little puddle under the wagon to remind him of the early morning rain, and 3 wagons that didn't break down. Yes, the kids and I bought him gifts also, but I know Farmer John well enough to know that even if we didn't purchase gifts, he would be happy with what God blessed him with today.

You may also enjoy-

Hey, Where's The Hay?

A Is For Acre

U Is For Unexpected

A Crazy Coincidence

Today is National Quiche Lorraine Day. Today is also my mom's birthday, and here is where the crazy coincidence comes in...my mom's name is Lorraine! I know, crazy, right? The origin of Quiche Lorraine is in the rural Lorraine Region of France, which is where my Great Grandmother was born. Oh my gosh, the coincidences just keep coming! In honor of my mom's birthday (and National Quiche Lorraine Day) I thought I would share my Quiche Lorraine recipe. This recipe is from My recipes.com. I love that this delicious egg dish is filled with the dairy goodness of whipping cream and Swiss cheese. 

 

Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients

• 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts
• 8 bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese, divided
• 6 large eggs 
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preparation

1. Fit pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp.
2. Bake at 400° for 7 minutes; remove from oven.
3. Cook bacon pieces in a large skillet until crisp; drain on paper towels, and crumble. Sprinkle bacon, green onions, and 1 cup cheese into prepared crust.
4. Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients; pour mixture into crust, and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese and nutmeg.
5. Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until set. Let stand 10 minutes.

 

Happy birthday, mom! Love you!

Shared Celebrations

I'm sure you have heard the saying, "the more the merrier." That seems to be the theme for this weekend. Let me explain. 

Saturday morning, Farmer John, daughter Sara and I headed south to Winona, Minnesota for Sara's graduation ceremony where she received her Master's degree in Literacy Education. John and I are so proud of her for striving to be the best English teacher she can be. Her 8th graders are lucky to have her!

Thanks God, for such an amazing daughter!

Saturday evening spaghetti, french bread, and fresh baked cookies, complete with cute chicken-patterned plates and napkins were delivered to my mom (and dad) for Mother's Day. What mom doesn't want a night off from cooking?

Thanks God, for such a great mom!

Oh yeah, did I mention it's my birthday too? Three celebrations in one day? Why not!

Thanks God, for my 29th...39th... Thanks God for another happy birthday!

Sunday brings another birthday as we celebrate the one year anniversary of the birth of My Barnyard View. My blog is growing from infant to toddler. I'm such a proud mama! Your comments, encouragement and questions is what keeps this adventure moving along. 

Thanks God, for my wonderful blog readers!

Since the theme of this weekend is "the more the merrier" I hope you will help me celebrate with a piece of Dairyman's Very Chocolate Cake. And a glass of milk, of course!

Now I've gotta run. We are celebrating Mother's Day with John's mom and grandma. Whew! All this partying can be exhausting. But I wouldn't change a thing.

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!

Melts in Your Mouth

M&M's, melt in your mouth, not in your hands. Do you remember that slogan, started in 1954, that describes the delicious chocolately goodness wrapped in a candy shell? Or did you know that M&M's were first introduced in1941 to American GI's serving in WWII? Ok Janet, why all this talk about M&M's? October 13th was National M&M Day and Michael's birthday! We may not have celebrated with a parade or a day off from work here at Bremer Farms, but it was a perfect time to enjoy this brownie ice cream sandwich, loaded with lots of yummy vanilla ice cream! Everyone loves ice cream and brownies. And with a little help from M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies, they’re inseparable best friends.

Michael, you are just as sweet as M&M's! Happy birthday, with love! 

brownie ice cream sandwich

• 1 box (19.9 oz. each) brownie mix
• 3 ½ cups vanilla ice cream
• ½ cup M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies
• 2 8-inch round cake pans
• Wax paper

1. Prepare the cake pans by greasing them and lining the bottoms (not the sides) with wax paper.
2. Prepare brownie mix according to the package directions. Divide batter between the two prepared cake pans.
3. Bake according to the package directions. Remove and cool completely.
4. Run a small paring knife around the edges of each brownie, loosening it from the pan.
5. Invert one layer onto a cookie sheet, and spread vanilla ice cream on top, coming right to the edge (you can slightly soften the ice cream first).
6. Place the other brownie layer on top, and press gently to secure. Place in the freezer until firm, about 2 hours.
7. Just before serving, press M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies into the ice cream.
8. Cut into thin wedges and serve right away.

Purple Pride

 I love the Minnesota Vikings. Win or lose, I love the Vikings. Yesterday, in celebration of Michael's birthday, we went to the Metrodome to cheer on our Purple People Eaters. Let me back track a bit. Michael's birthday is in October and last year we said we would celebrate with a trip to Michael's first ever in-person Vikings game. Not being able to decide on a game last season, he opted to wait for the San Francisco 49er's this Fall. The wait was well worth it!

The team arrives from the Vikings ship

Vikings play on to victory 24-13

Besides the Vikings victory we can also celebrate the involvement that the Minnesota Vikings have in the fuel up to play 60 program which is a collaboration with the National Dairy Council and the NFL to encourage exercise and healthy eating choices. Click on the link to learn more. Skol, Vikes!