Signs of Spring

Spring is here, both on the calendar and on the ranch. The snow is starting to melt and our new calves will soon be born. This past week we moved our cows closer to home where they will calf.

As the calves are born and begin to romp, we will also be watching the spring birds return, the trees bud, and the new green grass sprout. We know this is a busy season, but we joyfully anticipate all the new life that spring brings.

From the Farm to My Table

While sipping my coffee and thumbing through a cookbook the other day, I came across a new recipe that sounded good, Chicken Spinach Lasagna. It had a lot of good ingredients. I quickly got my grocery list and started writing down what I would need on my next trip to the store.

With my shopping bags in hand, I headed for the grocery store. In my cart I had chicken breasts, chopped spinach, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, onions, mushrooms, soy sauce, corn starch, cream of mushroom soup, lasagna noodles, parmesan cheese, and pecans. The shelves in the grocery store were full of choices and options, and I found all of my recipe ingredients easily. Now I was set to fix my family this new dish.

Indeed, the Chicken Spinach Lasagna was delicious. But the most amazing part of this dish was the fact that so many farmers had a hand in making my dinner so good. From the chicken producer, to the dairyman, to the vegetable and wheat farmers, it took a lot of man hours to bring my meal to the table. I, also think of those in the process that shredded the cheese, chopped the spinach, shelled the pecans, and packaged the noodles that made my time in the kitchen fun and convenient. This dinner was truly a labor of love.

So next time you try a new recipe or fix an old favorite, take time to be amazed at the abundance and variety of foods that are produced and available to us.

Weather Observer

"Weather or not,” is often the deciding factor in many of our decisions. The weather does dictate our work schedule, travel plans, and appointments. We know that the weather is different every year and that each season brings about a new set of weather challenges.

Our family has been recording weather data for many years. Our uncle was a weather observer for the National Weather Service for over 80 years. Today, my husband carries on that tradition by reporting the daily high and low temperatures, and measuring any moisture that comes in the form of rain or snow.

The weather information we collect is interesting and becomes part of the National Weather Service’s database. My husband keeps a running tally on moisture totals throughout the year and often compares his information with past years. Since everything we do on the ranch depends on moisture and weather, we find the data very useful.

I’ve attached a short video showing how we measure the moisture content of snow. The snow is collected in the outdoor collection can. Then we simply melt the snow, by running hot water over the can in the kitchen sink. After the snow is melted, my husband pours the water into a cylinder and accurately measures the amount. It’s an easy chore, but a daily one that we take seriously.

I'm Back

When I started this blog eleven months ago, I was excited to share my thoughts from the ranch. As the spring got busy, I missed a couple of my personal writing deadlines and I slipped away from my blog. I think getting out of the habit of writing is a lot like giving up on a new year’s resolution. But, I’m back and I’m going to do my best to make this blog interesting!

So pour yourself a cup of your favorite coffee and let me bring you up to date. --- It is now the time of year that we are in the feeding mode. Our days are spent feeding the yearling replacement heifers, the bulls, and the cows. We were blessed with a good hay crop last summer and have plenty of hay to see our cattle to green grass. This winter has been fairly snowy and we are hopeful for good spring runoff to grow grass and provide for irrigation for this coming summer.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts from the ranch with you as the year progresses and the seasons change.

Calving Season

The calendar says it’s spring, but here on the ranch it’s calving season. This season is a busy time for us. The cows require a lot of attention as they have their new calves.

The older cows, that have calved before, are looked at three times a day. We drive through the herd and look for any difficulties in the birth process, such as a backwards (or breech) calf. In that case, we would bring the cow into our barn, restrain her, and help her deliver her calf. While checking the cows, we also observe the calves already born to make sure they are up and sucking. It’s important that baby calves get a good start in life.

The two-year old heifers, that are having their first calf, demand much more attention. We monitor them around the clock, because they are more apt to need assistance. Heifer problems are mostly a matter of getting everything stretched without stressing the calf. We do breed our heifers to low birth weight bulls to minimize troubles. With this being their first calf, motherhood is all new to them and they need to be watched.

So while we are tending to the cows and the new calves, spring is happening. The green grasses are starting, trees are budding, and meadowlarks are singing. The renewal of life is upon us and it is a beautiful season!

Healthy Eating

There is so much talk these days about food, nutrition, and health. Have you been watching Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution? He makes some good points, but he also blurs the lines on other points. I will agree wholeheartedly that school lunch rooms warm-up too much already prepared food. And I will agree that our meals should be colorful and varied. However, pizza and sloppy joes alone are not bad foods.

I come from the old school of approaching everything in moderation when it comes to eating. If our plates are filled with foods from each of the food groups, have texture, and contain color, most likely we have prepared a well-balanced meal. This should not be a complicated task, but rather an enjoyable responsibility.

Do schools still teach home economic classes? Those classes provide valuable food skills and nutrition knowledge. I remember writing weekly menus in class and using the food guide to see that each food category was included. We learned portion sizes, food budgets, and table manners. And we learned to cook and clean up after ourselves.

Eating and cooking should be a fun adventure for everyone. I fear that our society might be demonizing food. Food is not evil nor is food the enemy. Food provides us with the energy we need to live.

So, rather than single out certain foods or blame food production on our bad eating habits and unhealthy lifestyles, let‘s each begin by consuming size appropriate, balanced meals and engaging in activities that get us moving.

Cookie Memories

What goes better with a cup of coffee, than a cookie? Somehow a cookie just makes us better! And at our house, we are “cookie monsters.”

Each person in our family has their own cookie story. Take for example, my Mom, she makes the best applesauce cookie in the world. One day I found a note in my cookbook, “If you want a good applesauce cookie recipe, ask Jo Ann.” Indeed, I got Mom’s recipe and never used the cookbook recipe again. --- Our daughter’s specialty is double chocolate oatmeal cookies. It’s a chocolate drop cookie with chocolate chips and oatmeal. She keeps the hayfield cooler well stocked with her delicious cookies and we love her for them!! --- Then there was our Uncle John. He was an old timer that always had his cookie can filled and he expected you to have a cookie when you came to see him. His oatmeal peanut butter cookies were special because he pressed a few chocolate chips into the top of each cookie, he said they were less messy that way.

This week our Uncle John would have been 102 years old, but we lost him last May at the age of 101. We miss our uncle, but we celebrate his long and kind life. He was a Christian, pioneer, cowboy, friend, and cookie baker. In memory of John, here is his cookie recipe:

John’s Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookie

1½ cups packed brown sugar
1 cup chunky peanut butter
¾ cup margarine
2 eggs
3 cups oatmeal (either quick or old fashioned)
1½ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Beat brown sugar, peanut butter, and margarine until fluffy. Blend in eggs. Add oats, flour, and baking soda; mix well. Cover and chill 1 hour. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Using bottom of glass dipped in sugar, press into ¼-inch thick circles. Press a few chocolate chips into each cookie. Bake at 350º for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.