Vet Tech Students Try Something New

and that's just what the Veterinary Technician program students from Dakota County Technical College did at Bremer Farms last week!

This is our fifth year of partnering with DCTC and their Vet Tech practical experience. Their goal is to practice some basic procedures on our calves.

We begin each visit with a tour of our milking barn. Some of the students have little or no experience with dairy animals.

After the instructors give directions, it's time to begin. The students practiced restraining the calf. (If you don't try, you will never suceed. ;) As well as physical exams, and heart and lung listening with a stethoscope.

The students then practiced blood draws in the jugular vein, under the skin- subcutaneous injections,

oral dosing using water as pretend medicine, 

and lastly radiograph x-rays.

We are happy to be a part of such important training for the Vet Tech students. Veterinarians and Vet Tech's are all part of the team that keep our animals healthy so that Bremer Farms can continue to produce healthy dairy foods for your family and mine. 

Here's one of the two classes that visited us last week. Shout out to the instructors too! They do a wonderful job of overseeing their students as well as the care and concern for the safety and comfort of our calves.

I've Been Doing Some Updating

I began "My Barnyard View" on May 12, 2012. Thanks to you my readers, I have continued, thanks to your support and encouragement, and your continued desire to know what happens on Bremer Farms. Take a look around and you'll see some new additions to the HOME page. I added information tabs about our family-

our cows-

our land-

and our products.

Happy reading!

A Is For Agriculture

Chances are you don't think a lot about agriculture. Do you think about cotton fields each time you slide into a pair of jeans? Do you think about soybeans every time you admire the Crayola masterpiece hanging on your refrigerator? Do you picture a cow each time you dive into a dish of frozen yogurt? Probably not. I know I don't.

Every day of our lives we are surrounded by agriculture. It's our food, fuel, clothing, and shelter! Agriculture provides us with these essentials, as well as many other products that are part of our daily lives.

Farm families make up less than 2% of the U.S. population. Farms are diverse in that some farm conventionally, while others are organic. Whether farms are big or small, we all have the same goal- producing the best product possible while still providing the best care for our animals and our land.
 

As you go through your day, I encourage you to think about agriculture. What did you do today that didn't involve an agriculture by-product?

100 Reasons To Love Dairy

I'm taking you on a journey from A to Z throughout June Dairy Month.

So come on in...the barn doors are open!

  T Is For Together

2015 marks National Dairy Council's 100th year! 

In honor of this anniversary, I am joining together with fellow dairy farmers, dietitians, and Midwest Dairy Association to bring you 100+ reasons why we love dairy. 

Here are my top 10 reasons I am in love with any, and all things dairy.

I LOVE DAIRY BECAUSE...

• it allows me to continue my family tradition as a proud sixth generation dairy farmer.
• my husband, Farmer John never complains about going to work.
• we can raise our children on our dairy farm, and never hear, "I'm bored!"
• we spend many hours working side-by-side with family, and there's nothing better than spending time with family.
• it reinforces that hard work truly does pay off.
• living and working on our dairy farm teaches us to care for and appreciate God's creation.
• it gives me the opportunity to answer questions and meet new people as I share our dairy farming story.
• I help feed the world safe, nutritious dairy foods.
• my family and I are "leaving this world a little better than when we found it" through our sustainability efforts on our dairy farm.
• I'm the first step to making milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream! Yumm...dairy deliciousness!

The reasons to love dairy don’t end here. Check out more from Midwest Dairy Association, sharing 100 reasons to love dairy 

What are your reasons to love dairy? 

You may also want to read my previous years posts for June Dairy Month...

T Is For Trivia 

and

T Is For Tour 

 

For 100 years, National Dairy Council (NDC), the non-profit organization funded by the national dairy checkoff program, is committed to nutrition education and research-based communications. NDC provides science-based nutrition information to, and in collaboration with, a variety of stakeholders committed to fostering a healthier nation, including health professionals, educators, school nutrition directors, academia, industry, consumers and media. Established in 1915, NDC comprises a staff of registered dietitians and nutrition research and communications experts across the country. - See more at: http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/AboutNDC/Pages/AboutNDCLanding.aspx#sthash.AA7AXij9.dpuf

For 100 years, National Dairy Council (NDC), the non-profit organization funded by the national dairy checkoff program, is committed to nutrition education and research-based communications. NDC provides science-based nutrition information to, and in collaboration with, a variety of stakeholders committed to fostering a healthier nation, including health professionals, educators, school nutrition directors, academia, industry, consumers and media. Established in 1915, NDC comprises a staff of registered dietitians and nutrition research and communications experts across the country. - See more at: http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/AboutNDC/Pages/AboutNDCLanding.aspx#sthash.AA7AXij9.dpuf

For 100 years, National Dairy Council (NDC), the non-profit organization funded by the national dairy checkoff program, is committed to nutrition education and research-based communications. NDC provides science-based nutrition information to, and in collaboration with, a variety of stakeholders committed to fostering a healthier nation, including health professionals, educators, school nutrition directors, academia, industry, consumers and media. Established in 1915, NDC comprises a staff of registered dietitians and nutrition research and communications experts across the country. - See more at: http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/AboutNDC/Pages/AboutNDCLanding.aspx#sthash.AA7AXij9.dpuf

E Is For Explanation

I'm taking you on a journey from A to Z throughout June Dairy Month.

So come on in...the barn doors are open!

  E Is For Explanation

"Hey Farmer John! You can stay a little longer. Just skip milking tonight." 

This is one of the biggest misconceptions of dairy farming. We cannot, and will not, skip a milking session.

"We need you Farmer John."

Cows are creatures of habit. Cows love being on a schedule. Actually, cows need a schedule. If we deviate from their milking routine, it can harm their health and milk production. A cows milk supply is dependent on demand. If a farmer doesn't milk the cows, less milk is produced. 

 At each milking we try to remove all the milk from the udder. Without being milked, she will get extremely uncomfortable, full, and even down right crabby. She is also at risk to develop infections, which could possibly end milk production in one or more teats. If cows aren't milked, cows quit producing milk all together, or in farmer terms, "dry up."

 "Come on. It's milking time."

We milk our cows twice daily at 6 AM and 6 PM. Even a few minutes late, and we are greeted with lots of moos, and the girls waiting eagerly at the gate to enter the milking parlor. 

  You may also want to read my previous years posts for June Dairy Month...
E Is For Environment 
and
E Is For Every 

Cows + Books = MOO!

I love to read and I also have many, many great memories of spending time at the local library with Sara and Michael when they were little kidlets, so when the library asks me to help out with an event (especially one that involves cows)

 I say, "What time do you want me there"?

 I recently participated in the "Once Upon a Reader" program which is designed to encourage the love of books.

 

The featured book was Moo! by David LaRochelle.

There were guest readers, like Tom from our local TV station,

 and crafts to make like these great cow hats...

and I got to talk about living and working on our dairy farm to lots of kidlets.

Cows and books, AND cookies and milk at the library...

my life is good!

You can click here to see a movie of the book Moo! 

and you can click here to learn more about cows and milk!

Happy Spring and Happy Reading!

Moo!

Sharin' The McLove

I just returned from a social media workshop in Chicago, hosted by  Midwest Dairy Association. This is the fourth year I have been invited and each year I come away with new ideas, new insights, and new friends which all help to invigorate me to continue to share my story as a dairy farmer.

One of our speakers was from McDonald's. (Yep, the golden arches people). McDonald's restaurants have a partnership with the National Dairy Council to develop dairy offerings on their menu. You probably already know about many of the dairy choices-  the fruit 'n yogurt parfaits, the low fat white milk, the fat-free chocolate milk, and my favorite the Shamrock shake! 

 

Did you know McDonald's now offers Go-Gurt (yogurt) with its Happy Meals? McDonald's worked with General Mills Corporation to make Go-Gurt with 25% less sugar than the Go-Gurt you find in your grocery store. And I was excited to hear that of the side items kiddos could choose from to complete their Happy Meals, Go-Gurt was chosen more than 50% of the time. Go dairy!

I am proud of the partnership McDonald's has with dairy farmers, and happy to see that they acknowledge the importance of dairy foods, even when dining out. I'm also thrilled to see that they understand our passion and commitment we have each day to provide milk for those healthy dairy offerings.

Cows! Gotta Love 'Em

Today is Cow Appreciation Day!

Son Michael appreciates our cows every day.

Cow Appreciation Day may not mean much to you...but it should. Thanks to cows you can have milk on your cereal, cream in your coffee, ice cream with your birthday cake, cheese on your pizza, sour cream with your baked potato, and on, and on, and on. Thanks to cows and their gift of milk we can have our 3 servings of dairy every day. 

Hey! What about us calves?

 Michael, (and all of us at Bremer Farms) appreciate our cows,  

and our calves every day. 

Visit Dairy Makes Sense

B Is For Butter

It's June dairy Month! The barn doors are open, 

so join me on my daily A to Z journey 

to learn more about dairy. 

Today B is for Butter.

 First, the cream is separated from fresh whole milk. The cream is then churned by shaking it vigorously until it thickens. The remaining liquid (buttermilk) is removed. The butter is washed and formed into its solid shape.

Ta-da! Butter is made.

 

Melting on your toast... a sliver on your steamed vegetables...drizzled on your popcorn... you get the picture.

Sage, Rosemary & Thyme Butter

Ingredients

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves

1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt 

Preparation

Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until well blended. Spoon into an airtight container. Store in refrigerator.

Visit Dairy Makes Sense for another  butter treat, Cranberry Orange Butter

 

Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme Butter

     

Spread the dairy love by serving this savory butter with vegetables or bread, or by giving as a gift to that deserving someone.

Download High-Resolution Image

• Servings: 8
• Prep time: 10 mins
• Total time: 10 mins
• Created by: Midwest Dairy Association

Ingredients

• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in a small bowl; stir until well blended. Spoon into an airtight container; store in refrigerator.
2. Recipe Variations: Use your favorite herbs and/or spices to flavor unsalted butter. Add your own salt to taste. We purchased a combination package of “poultry blend” herbs – sage, rosemary, and thyme – making it super easy to prepare this flavored butter. Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme Butter can be used as a rub to flavor and moisten your holiday turkey. Also, add flavored butter to season any vegetable or serve with hot bread. Give as a gift in an airtight decorative container with lid.

Nutritional Facts Per Serving

• Calories: 100
• Total Fat: 11g
• Saturated fat: 7g
• Cholesterol: 30mg
• Sodium: 0mg
• Carbohydrates: 0g
• Dietary Fiber: 0g
• Protein: 0g
• Calcium: 0% Daily Value

- See more at: http://www.dairymakessense.com/recipe/sage-rosemary-and-thyme-butter/#sthash.6sDYw9L7.dpuf

Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme Butter

     

Spread the dairy love by serving this savory butter with vegetables or bread, or by giving as a gift to that deserving someone.

Download High-Resolution Image

• Servings: 8
• Prep time: 10 mins
• Total time: 10 mins
• Created by: Midwest Dairy Association

Ingredients

• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in a small bowl; stir until well blended. Spoon into an airtight container; store in refrigerator.
2. Recipe Variations: Use your favorite herbs and/or spices to flavor unsalted butter. Add your own salt to taste. We purchased a combination package of “poultry blend” herbs – sage, rosemary, and thyme – making it super easy to prepare this flavored butter. Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme Butter can be used as a rub to flavor and moisten your holiday turkey. Also, add flavored butter to season any vegetable or serve with hot bread. Give as a gift in an airtight decorative container with lid.

Nutritional Facts Per Serving

• Calories: 100
• Total Fat: 11g
• Saturated fat: 7g
• Cholesterol: 30mg
• Sodium: 0mg
• Carbohydrates: 0g
• Dietary Fiber: 0g
• Protein: 0g
• Calcium: 0% Daily Value

- See more at: http://www.dairymakessense.com/recipe/sage-rosemary-and-thyme-butter/#sthash.6sDYw9L7.dpuf

Ingredients

• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in a small bowl; stir until well blended. Spoon into an airtight container; store in refrigerator.
2. Recipe Variations: Use your favorite herbs and/or spices to flavor unsalted butter. Add your own salt to taste. We purchased a combination package of “poultry blend” herbs – sage, rosemary, and thyme – making it super easy to prepare this flavored butter. Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme Butter can be used as a rub to flavor and moisten your holiday turkey. Also, add flavored butter to season any vegetable or serve with hot bread. Give as a gift in an airtight decorative container with lid.

Nutritional Facts Per Serving

• Calories: 100
• Total Fat: 11g
• Saturated fat: 7g
• Cholesterol: 30mg
• Sodium: 0mg
• Carbohydrates: 0g
• Dietary Fiber: 0g
• Protein: 0g
• Calcium: 0% Daily Value

- See more at: http://www.dairymakessense.com/recipe/sage-rosemary-and-thyme-butter/#sthash.6sDYw9L7.dpuf

This And That Thursday - 19

A little bit of this and a little bit of that- here's what we've been up to.

Each Spring we are visited by Canadian geese heading north on their way back home. Every year I am amazed at their size, and the volume level of their squawks as they spend a few days on our farm.

I think they enjoy the snacks that Farmer John spreads in the field. These "goose snacks" are actually a mixture of manure and straw bedding from cleaning the cow and calf barns each day. Our high-flying visitors also find tidbits of corn and corn stalks too. As quickly as they arrive, they leave for the next leg of their journey. See you next year!

Also this past week we began our "auditions" for farm workers. My post In The Blink Of an Eye  will give you an understanding of our search. Our "3 shift trials" are going very well, as we have hired three outstanding, young people who are all eager to learn about dairy farming.  

No, this picture of Bessie the cow promoting June Dairy Month is not a mistake. I know it is still April, but June will be here before I know it. I am looking for some help from you in preparation for June Dairy Month. Each June I write an A to Z Dairy blog-a-day celebrating dairy farming and dairy foods. Here's where you come in...I'm looking for suggestions for each letter of the alphabet. What would you like to know? So leave me a comment, click on the contact me tab, tweet me or use Google+. Just a warning...I've already done D Is For Doo-Doo and Z Is For Zebra. Thanks for your help!

This And That Thursday - 18

Welcome to Spring! March 20th, the first day of Spring! As I look around the farm, I don't see any huge changes that a new season is here. I mean, the bird feeders are not over-run by a new influx of robins. Didn't they get the memo to return to Minnesota for the change of seasons?

Daughter Sara started Spring cleaning today...the kitties each got a face wash. They patiently waited in line for Sara to wash off the Winter goobers. She is our resident "Pied Piper" of the cat world, as it is rare to see her without a trail of felines following her around as she does her chores. Her furry friends have definitely found a great caregiver in Sara.

Mail delivery was exciting today, as each of us got a new pair of chore boots! Even though this is not a paid endorsement, I am going on record by saying, "We LOVE our new boots!" I am the proud owner of the green pair! This #DairyMom is stylin! Hey, is that a bit of green grass peeking through?

Welcome, Spring! We are so glad you are here. Now, how about inviting your friends "warm" and "melty?"

Visit Dairy Makes Sense. More dairy news and recipes too!

This And That Thursday -17

A little bit of this and a little bit of that - here's what we've been up to.

As the snowy, frigid month of February draws to a close (thank goodness) sadly, so does our month as the featured photo on the Midwest Dairy Face Book page. This family photo was taken on the day Minnesota Viking Toby Gerhart visited Bremer Farms. Wow! Great photography! You can't even tell our teeth were chattering!

I returned home late last night from Kansas City where I attended the Midwest Dairy Dairy Ambassador Workshop. This was my third year of soaking up the enthusiasm, friendliness, and knowledge of my fellow dairy advocates. I'll be posting more about this wonderful experience in the next few days. Stay tuned...

One of the many perks of going to a dairy workshop, is meeting passionate dairy supporters like Amber Pankonin, Registered Dietitian, who writes a tasty blog, Stirlist . I can't wait to try her Kick It Up A Notch Spicy Cauliflower Soup filled with the dairy goodness of milk, cheese and greek yogurt, too!

What's a farm without a cat...or two ...or ten? One of our favorites is Cookie. Well, Cookie seems to be just as tired of winter as we all are. She is getting very sneaky about silently tiptoeing into our toasty, warm house when Sara returns from doing her evening calf-feeding chores.

And lastly,

Real Women Milk Cows. Heck yeah! 

I love my new shirt!