Like A Girl, Farmer

I have been creating story time posts with videos for over two months now. How exciting to open my email to discover an email from author, April Peter telling me about a book series she and co-author Daniel Shneor write. It's all about girl's in jobs we typically think about as "boy's work."  

They wrote today's story time book, Like A Girl, Farmer. It's all about the chores farmers do during all the seasons of the year. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Following the story, I invited some of my farmer friends to share a tiny glimpse of a chore they do each day. Yep, they are all girls!

Fun fact- The girls in the video are my daughter Sara, and also the 2019 finalists for Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Minnesota's dairy goodwill ambassador.

The Commercial I Still Love

Super Bowl Sunday is Tomorrow!

 Even if my Minnesota Vikings are not playing in the Big Game, I will be watching. I will be watching because I like football. I will be watching because I like Justin Timberlake. I will be watching because Minnesota is this year's host. I will be watching because I like the commercials.

I have posted this commercial each year since 2013 when this commercial was first broadcast during the Super Bowl. It brings tears to my eyes each time I view it. It makes me cry knowing I am a sixth generation farmer, and I think back to the hardships my ancestors have endured as farmers. 

But this year it makes me especially sad knowing so many of my fellow farmers have had to leave farming because the struggles of farming are too great. Low prices for our goods have caused many farmers to leave the career they love. Many farm families have taken jobs off the farm to supplement their income, hoping to hang on to their farms. Some farmers are discouraging their sons and daughters from farming, knowing that it is a tough way to support a family.

I am not writing this to complain. I don't want sympathy. I am writing this to make you aware of the situation farmers are facing. It is real. It is serious. It affects all of us. Yes, you too, the consumer.

Thank you are purchasing milk. Thanks for stocking your refrigerator with yogurt and cheese. Thanks for buying that ice cream you love. Thanks for your support of the farming community.

So God made a farmer. Thank God he made us resilient.

B Is For Bread and Butter

I remember my Dad bringing home an amazing bumper sticker and hat when I was a kid. I liked the saying so much that I hung the bumper sticker in my locker at Junior High.

The message was-



Back then I remember thinking, "Wow! What a powerful message." And I still think so.

It gives me goosebumps when I think of the impact and importance farming has on everyone. Thanks God for choosing me to be a farmer.



Quick Mix Pepperoni Cheese Bread

3 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup chopped pepperoni

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Teaspoon salt

1 package quick rise yeast

2 Tablespoons butter

1 1/4 cup hot water

Set aside 1 cup of the flour. Mix remaining flour and all other ingredients except butter and water. Next add butter and hot water.Add remaining flour. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Turn into greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Cover; let rise until double in size, about 30-45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove from casserole dish and cool on wire rack. Makes 1 loaf.

I have also made this recipe substituting bacon for the pepperoni. This bread can also be made using just the cheese, or just the pepperoni.

This bread is delicious with flavored butters too, like Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme Butter.

See you tomorrow!

Farmer John Plays Weather Man

Farmers have an addiction...to weather forecasts.

Farmer John listens to the weather forecast as he gets dressed in the morning, and then again three hours later when he eats breakfast. He tunes in while eating lunch, and then there's the television for the 10 PM news/weather report. And don't forget the weather radio that is perched in our laundry room and another in our milking barn. Did I mention the weather calendar that hangs on the wall?

I'm not complaining however, and no, I'm not ready to start an intervention. I realize how much the weather influences most of the chores Farmer John performs each day. So knowing about John's love for all things weather, imagine his excitement when he found this...

So what is it? Maybe this will help...

Curiosity is supposed to have killed the cat, but as far as I know curiosity never hurt a farmer (John) or his wife (me) so we contacted Anna, one of my faithful blog followers whose husband, Jason happens to be a meteorologist for the National  Weather Service.

Jason told us the white thingy hanging from the string is/was a balloon. When it reaches about 100,000 feet it bursts and the orange parachute takes over and the weather instrument floats down, safely resting in our corn field until John rescued it.

So we filled out the requested information, even though the weather service didn't fill out theirs. I sure wonder where it was sent from. Oh man, there's that curiosity thing again. We popped it into the mailbox to be delivered to Kansas City. Is that where it came from? Oops, curiosity...again.

X, Y, And Zzzzzz

  June Dairy Month is coming to a close! But the barn doors are still open, 

so join me on my daily A to Z journey 

to learn more about dairy. 

  X, Y, And Z

Since this is my final blog post for June Dairy Month- 2014, I thought it would be a great time to answer some reader questions 
that I have received recently. So today, 

X Is For eXtra Information

Cindy, from Omaha, Nebraska wants to know-

Why do farmers get paid for their milk by the pound, when consumers buy it by the gallon?

Google image

Interesting question. I never thought about that! My guess would be that farmers are paid by the pound because many years ago milk was put in milk cans to be delivered to the creamery (milk plant). These cans of milk were then weighed and the farmer was paid for the milk by weight. Thus, paying by weight continues today. This is just a guess however, and after much "googleing" I couldn't come up with the answer. Does anyone else know the answer to Cindy's question?

Anna, from Rosemount, Minnesota asks-

Why does whole milk cost more than 2%, 1% or skim?

When the fat is taken out of the milk, that fat is worth something.  It is used for butter, for example, and so the whole milk costs more because they haven't removed any of its fat to sell in other products. Therefore the only income from that gallon of milk has to come from only that gallon, not any additional products that use the fat. However, many stores do charge the same price for all milk, no matter what the fat content. 

Lynn, from Chicago, Illinois inquires-

Is there a difference between store-brand milk and "name-brand" milk? 

Funny you should ask that question.  Each milk jug is stamped with the "use by" date and a 4 or 5 digit code which identifies what milk plant that jug was packaged in. It looks like this...

Land O'Lakes ($4.88/gallon) 27-180

Walmart brand, Great Value ($3.09/gallon) 27-180

You can go to the website Where Is My Milk From and type in this code, and you will find where this milk is bottled. Interesting isn't it, that these two jugs of milk are from the same plant? What is different other than the price? Probably nothing.

 Y Is For YouTube

Did you know I have a YouTube channel?  You can find it by searching MyBarnyardView or clicking HERE. This past week I appeared on a local television show which came and toured our farm for June Dairy Month. This video will be on my channel very soon. I'll let you know when it happens! If there is something you are curious about on our farm, just ask! Perhaps I can answer your question in a video!

And lastly,

Z Is For Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

Thanks for following along on my A to Z journey through June Dairy Month.

J Is For Just a Farmer

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. 

  J is for Just A Farmer 

When I was a kid, and other kids would ask,"What does your dad do?" I would rather humbly reply, he's just a farmer. I don't know why I added the just in that reply. Actually, yes I do. I was just being a silly kid with silly kid thoughts. He was just a farmer because he didn't wear a suit and tie to work. He was just a farmer because he didn't get vacations for time off with our family. He was just a farmer because I didn't think he had an important job like the other kids dad's.

My dad got to just spend everyday with his family, working and playing. My dad got to just do the job he loved, everyday. My dad got to just help feed people. My dad got to just be a great example of what a proud, hardworking, compassionate farmer looks like.

As a kid I didn't get it. My dad, and farmers like him, are never just a farmer. As Father's Day rounds the corner, I thank God for my dad,

 the great man he was, and the great farmer he was. 

"What did your dad do?"

My dad was a farmer, and I'm proud of him.

I love you and I miss you... you were never just a dad to me.

The Farmer Takes A Wife

As a child, I often played "The Farmer In the Dell." We all stood in a circle, sang the song, and anxiously waited to see who would be chosen as the wife, child, dog, cat, and on and on. This past weekend I witnessed the real-life "Farmer In The Dell" as Aaren (the farmer) chose Dena (my niece) as his wife. But although fun and games were included, this was serious business, as the farm boy from southern Minnesota married the city (o.k.- the town) girl.

Photo by Sheree

I'm thrilled that this farmer took this wife! At the reception Aaren shared a humorous story about when he knew Dena would make his perfect mate. It seems Aaren was fixing a barn door, dropped a screw in the manure, and without hesitation, Dena, the town girl, swooped down to pick it up. Ah, yes, true love will make you do almost anything, even things we may not have even considered before. But isn't that what marriage is all about- diving in, without hesitation, to make someone else happy, while making yourself just as happy? 

 

A farmer and his pick-up are rarely parted.

My advice to Dena, from one farm wife to another- 

• Be patient. Remember when you want "date night", he has no control over when animals give birth.
• Be understanding, even when he is late to meals. I'm guessing a piece of machinery broke down.
• Be forgiving. Weather that is not conducive to farming can lead to a husband that says things he may not otherwise say, to you or aforementioned machinery.
• Be gentle, when you nudge him awake after he dozes off on the sofa from a long, hard day of doing what he loves...farming, which provides both of you with the best life you can live. Welcome to farm life!

Special thanks to Larry, Dena's new father-in-law, who was seen promoting my blog by handing out my business cards at the wedding reception. 

 He's another proud farmer!

Saying Goodbye To Dad

 

My Dad passed away this week. After 10 years of struggles with the results of a stroke, diabetes, and just growing older, God chose to end my Dad's pain and bring him to his heavenly home where God has lovingly wrapped his arms around 

 my great dad, 

  my mom's loving husband of 63 years, 

 my children's amazingly supportive grandpa, 

 a passionate farmer, even after retirement,

a caring Christian, 

 and a truly funny guy.   

I love you dad, and you will always be In Our Hearts.

 In Our Hearts

by Rose de Leon

We thought of you with love today,
But that is nothing new.
We thought about you yesterday.
And days before that too.
We think of you in silence.
We often speak your name.
Now all we have is memories.
And your picture in a frame.
Your memory is our keepsake.
With which we’ll never part.
God has you in his keeping.
We have you in our heart.

Something Doesn't Look Right

Have you ever had that feeling when something doesn't look right? Farmer John felt that way last night. Our family went out for supper and as we arrived back home, Farmer John noticed lights about 1/2 mile down the road from our house. He dismissed the something doesn't look right feeling after he was convinced it was probably just a car coming down the road. This morning when John was taking one of the daily loads of manure to the field, that not right feeling came over him again, and it was justified when he noticed a water line hanging down from one of our irrigators. It seems the lights we saw down the road from our house the night before was someone stealing the copper wiring from our irrigator.   

So why take the copper? Perhaps you have heard of copper pipes being stolen from abandoned houses, and the pipes being sold to recyclers. This is what is happening to the irrigators also. Sad to say this is not the first time this has happened. Last summer our neighbor had his irrigators wiring stolen, and after reporting the theft, our local sheriffs canvassed the farmers in our area to alert us of this robbery. When we checked our irrigation, it had been hit too, and 13 other farms as well. So besides the frustration, there is the financial lose too. Last summers  irrigator  damage totaled $8,000 and our recent lose is yet to be determined.

What can be done to stop these thefts? Unlike most machinery we use on the farm, the irrigator cannot be kept in a shed for safe keeping or be dismantled until needed in dry weather. The best defense we have is what I'll call our "neighborhood crime watch." Our neighbors and fellow farmers look out for each other. We support each other when tragedy strikes. We help each other when someone is sick or hurt. And we celebrate the good times. It's a community that now-days can be rare. 

Irrigation- A necessary part of our farm

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!

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

You Can Call Me Rambo

Last night when walking into our barn to begin our evening milking, I was greeted by my husband John. "Hello, Rambo!" I didn't know if he was referring to my Rambo-like fierce determination to get the milking done, or his observation of the bandana I had tied around my head. (You will notice I am not including a photo.) It turns out it was my new bandana fashion statement.  It was one of my attempts to keep myself cool in the nearly 100 degree heat we Minnesotans have been experiencing the past 14 days.

Bremer farms fierce determination is full speed ahead in this hot weather. No matter what the weather, we strive to keep our animals comfortable, but this long stretch of extreme heat brings on additional challenges. The ideal temperature for cattle is between 59 and 77 degrees, so our cows are not happy with this Summer blockbuster heat.

One of the ways we meet this heat challenge is with our free-stall barn. This barn provides shade for our cows. The tall roof line and the open ends of this building provide for good airflow, and the fans really keep that air moooving. Water is another way to beat the heat. A cow drinks an average of 30 gallons of water a day, even more on the scorchers we have been experiencing. We always insure that our cattle have access to plenty of clean, fresh water. While most jobs have set hours, a dairy farm is open around the clock. The health and well-being of our animals is our top priority, day and night, and especially when it's steamy hot we check our animals around the clock.

Yes, these are steps we take every day to insure the comfort of our cows. We tackle every day with fierce determination, no matter what the thermometer reads, but when it is 95+ degrees we do it in style, bandana style!

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!