Last published July 24?

I logged on to Blogger tonight to see the facts hitting me in the face:

Last post: July 24.

Has it really been over five months since our last blog post? I guess so.

(Insert lame excuse here.)

Truth be told, there is no excuse. However, here's my social media pledge for 2013: one Facebook page update a week, one blog post a month, and a few tweets scattered in.

So, stay tuned for more frequent updates from our farm.

Real Conversations

If the drought has brought one positive thing, it's the conversations. Suddenly, agriculture is in the news  pretty much daily. People are paying attention to challenges farmers face on a daily basis.


I've noticed lately that people want to talk about how the weather is affecting our livelihood. People who seemingly didn't care in the past are asking questions. Finally, some real conversations about agriculture are happening.


It's sad that it takes a natural disaster to begin these conversations, but nonetheless, I'm grateful they're happening. Food doesn't come from a factory; it comes from hard-working individuals who deal with ups and downs like everyone else.


Take a few minutes to say a prayer for rain this evening. While you're at it, bless the men and women who are wondering what tomorrow will bring on America's farms and ranches.

Faith on the Farm

This spring has been full of warm weather and sunshine... and breezy temperatures and snow! Some times in Ohio, it's difficult to predict what Mother Nature will bring tomorrow. When you are banking your whole year on having a successful crop, it's essential that you have faith. 


Our corn is in the ground, and our soybeans aren't far behind. With favorable weather conditions and a little bit of luck, we hope to have a successful harvest in the fall. This summer, as you drive down the road, watch the crops progressing through the various stages of growth, and say an extra prayer for the farmers. They have unending faith, but a little extra support never hurt.

Here's a shot of our soybeans during last year's growing season.

Mooooove your vocabulary up a notch

I had a student tell me the other day about the "cow" they were taking to the fair. They were explaining how it they had castrated it over the weekend. I held up my hand and said, "Stop right there." I knew that this student was in fact not telling me about a "cow," but instead they referencing a "steer." What's the difference? Funny you should ask! Here are some words that will help you sound more intelligent the next time you're standing around the water cooler. 

Calf: A young animal of the cattle species (Our calves stay in individual pens at an early age, so we can provide specialized care for them.)

Heifer: A young female that has not yet had offspring (This is Greg's heifer, Barb. Heifers live together in groups on our farm.)

Cow: A female that has had at least one calf (These are two of our lovely cows enjoying a balanced ration.)

Bull: An intact male that is capable of reproducing (This picture is courtesy of NREL. Bulls are used for breeding.)

Steer: A castrated male (Iowa State Extension gets the credit for this picture. Steers are most often raised for meat.)

There you have it: five words you can use to impress your friends with your knowledge of the cattle industry!

The Non-Vegan Cow Cake

Allen turns 53 tomorrow. We got together to celebrate his birthday today. I (Rose) was in charge of bringing the cake.


I knew a while back that I wanted to bake some sort of cow cake. I mean, he's a dairy farmer, he loves cows. I started Googling "cow cakes" to find inspiration. I wanted to find a picture of something someone else had created and pattern my own cake after it. Alas, I found the perfect image! I followed the link to a website with more directions. And then, I gasped. The image was on a Vegan blog. 


I was at a crossroads. On one hand, I really liked how the cake looked. On the other, I couldn't help but wonder if using a Vegan blog as inspiration was like making a deal with the devil. After days of deliberation, I decided I would use the vegan cake as a model, but I would be sure to use extra butter in my own recipe.


So, here's what I did. I whipped up a marble cake mix and baked it in two 9 inch round pans. (Did you know that you can substitute milk for the water in a cake mix to make an extra moist cake?!)

Next, I plopped the first cake down on the cardboard circle that I planned to serve the cake on. I freehanded a cow head and two legs on wax paper, and cut through the wax paper with a knife. 

Then, using my trusty Wilton cake lifter, I lifted up the cow head and set it aside. I took the second 9 inch cake and placed it on the cardboard circle. I put the legs aside on a small plate. 

I placed the head on the "body," put the legs in place, and crumb coated it with frosting. (If you've never decorated a cake, this is a layer of frosting that you put down to hold the crumbs in place.) I also traced the mouth and some spots onto the body with a toothpick.

I used regular buttercream frosting and chocolate buttercream frosting. The chocolate frosting is easier to turn black, since it's already a brown color. I used star tips and a regular round tip. I used the Wilton buttercream recipe:


Ingredients:

• 1 cup solid vegetable shortening (I use butter! It has great flavor!)
• 1 tsp clear vanilla extract
• 1 pound confectioners' sugar
• 7 tbs milk (You can use water, but the milk has a rich flavor. Plus, it supports the dairy industry!)

Directions:

Combine shortening and vanilla. Add sugar and milk. Beat at a medium speed until light and fluffy. 

Ready to see the finished product? 

Non-vegan approved ingredients used in the cake and frosting:

• 3 eggs in the cake
• Milk instead of water in the cake
• Butter in the frosting
• Milk in the frosting

So, there you have it, my alternative to the cow cake found on the vegan blog. I've never had vegan cake, but I can tell you this conventional one was pretty tasty!