Hunger in America

 

I have so much to be thankful for as do all of you! No matter where in life you are, there is always something or someone to be thankful. I am very grateful that I have the opportunity to raise my children knowing where their food comes from, the farm. When my children say mom "I am hungry" it is the perfect time to share with them that fortunately they do not really know what being hungry feels like and I hope they never do. As a mom it truly breaks my heart to know that there are little children here in America that go to bed hungry each night.

 

46 million adults and children are truly going hungry in America. That is 1 in 6 people struggling  with some type of hunger. We are fast approaching the holidays and I would love it if you would help me and my farm community across America partner with +Bayer CropScience US and +Feeding America fight hunger on a big scale.

To take part all you have to do is visit www.thankful4ag.com and create a digital meal with your 4 favorite Thanksgiving meal foods and share it on Social Media.  Each time this is done +Bayer CropScience US  will donate $1 to +Feeding America. $1 provides 10 meals to people who are struggling with hunger.  When you make the fastest Thanksgiving meal ever, it will even share some fun farm facts with you about your meal.  If only fixing the perfect Thanksgiving meal was this easy!

 

 

All it costs is a minute of your time to help those who need a little extra assistance. NOW through December 19th we hope to have 200,000 meals donated to +Feeding America.

As if providing those in need with a warm meal is not enough, when you share your virtual meal on social media and use the #T4AgGrant to your post (must be a teacher or student) +Bayer CropScience US will enter your post for a chance to win a $5,000 grant for your school. 

 

31 Days Farm-Food-Fun

 

 Welcome to 31 days on Farm-Food and Fun!

Click on the links below, each day will have a new link. Thanks for stopping by!

 

Day One  Intro

Day Two Getting Saucy in the kitchen

Day Three Project #watchthemgrow

Day Four Irons in the Fire

Day Five Save the Best for Last

Day Six Time a hop back in time

Day Seven Wordless Wednesday

Day Eight Clowning Around

Day Nine How a GMO is made

Day Ten High Fructose CORN Syrup

Day Eleven Know GMO

Day Twelve Back to the Basics

Day Thirteen

Day Fourteen

Day Fifteen

Day Sixteen

Day Seventeen Who Say's You Can't Have Everything

Day Eighteen  Get Fresh in the Kitchen

Day Nineteen

Day Twenty These are a few of my favorite things...

Day Twenty One

Day Twenty Two

Day Twenty Three

 

 

Project #watchthemgrow week 9

Today the soybeans were getting a little foliar feed and spray. Macro nutrients were distributed using this sprayer as well as a some herbicide to kill weeds. This week for the first time you can see the blooms that have been popping up all over the field. Lots of blooms means lots of pods for soybeans to grow.  It is really important to apply the herbicide and foliar feed at the correct time.  In a perfect situation the herbicide would have been applied a little earlier but rain and wet fields delayed that a bit. If you look close you can see the sprayer has very thin wheels that fit between the soybeans at this point. This minimizes the beans that get run over during this process.

There is a little canopy in between the rows.

These bloom will turn into the pod which the soybeans will grow in.

I'm Farming and I'm Dangerous!

Watch out! I’m farming and I am very dangerous!  My name is Sophia Marshall and I am with the Industrial Food Image Bureau!

Ok, so my name is Kristin, and I am not really with any food image consultation company. I am actually a farmer.  Am I dangerous? Depends on who you ask…

I did just kick my workout partner in the jaw while trying to balance on a workout ball attempting to do stomach crunches and I have knocked a person or two off a hay wagon before. So a Danger I may be.

If we want to get specific, I am a small farmer who owns a cooking company that uses local foods. In fact, my business was started in part due to the amount of misinformation about food and farming that is floating around out there. I wanted a way I could reach out to people who were interested in local foods and had questions. 

As a farmer, I wanted to make sure people got straight forward, honest answers from the farmers who work hard to grow the food we all eat. I wanted to have conversations with the people eating my food that had questions about how I farm. I also wanted to explain that I think it is pretty amazing how others farm on a larger scale and do it just as well, if not better, than what I do. Roll back those barn doors and let's answer all the questions you may have! We have absolutely nothing to hide — especially not cows that eat petroleum capsules.

When I first heard about “Farmed and Dangerous” coming out, my first feeling was, “Why can’t we all just get along!” I was not going to watch this mini satire just out of principle, but I decided to watch. I am actually glad that I did, in fact I watched it twice. 

There were some great lines such as “Organic farmers will fertilize their pants!” I must say I laughed a few times at the clever puns and wit. The best may have been when Buck searched the Internet for “Exploding Cows” and he forgot to clear his search history…he had previously been searching some interesting things. The show had great music and they picked a pretty handsome group of actors to portray their parts in the food system.

I try to keep a very open mind and completely support consumer food choices and growing practices. It is pretty fantastic that we even have so many food options.

I have struggled with Chipotle before, but appreciate their support of niche farmers they source food from. I do find it difficult when I hear and see such an inaccurate portrayal of what farming actually is and I cannot help but take it personally. I think “Farmed and Dangerous” cost a lot of high priced burritos to produce and they were looking for a BIG REACTION and wanted to see outrage from those of us who do not share their same viewpoint. I can appreciate their concern for ethically raised foods. Who doesn’t want healthy safe and humanly cared for foods? I think on this we can all agree.

From my perspective from the farm, I think many of the portrayals in the film (though satirical) were actually somewhat representative of reality, with a couple of key exceptions. Chip the farmer is smart, successful and very knowledgeable and caring about the food he produces — just like pretty much every farmer I know. The PR folks (though I do know some really good and honest PR folks) are appropriately unscrupulous and conniving for the purpose of the message.

And, there is no doubt that there is big business manipulation of agriculture for monetary gain as portrayed by Mick with his exploding cattle. But, I would argue that, rather than “Big Ag” trying to peddle poison for profit, the real deception out there is “Big Chipotle” peddling lies and misinformation to give a perceived benefit to their products over the competition — goading consumers into ponying up more cash for their “healthy” burritos.

Let’s stop slinging inaccurate information and farmers and Chipotle get down to what we both do best, raise food and make burritos. Whether you choose to eat their burrito or not, let’s not have a foodfight! Instead, we should all come together at the table and have a great conversation about food and farming without all of the profit driven “Big Chipotle” smoke and mirrors about the food system. This seems a whole lot more logical and actually productive. Maybe we can even discuss it over an exploding burrito.

 

 

 

Blooms in the Hilltop Dessert

Lessons from a little Hilltop farm

When I hear the word "Hilltop" I think of a gassy pasture that has animals grazing on a hill. This is hardly what the Hilltop community actually looks like located south of West Broad Street at the corner of Highland Avenue and Floral Avenue in a struggling part of the Columbus. I recently got to visit the Hilltop to speak at the Highland Elementary and the J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center.

Back in 2009, many community centers were being closed across Columbus due to lack of funding. These centers served as after school programs for many youth, a safe place to grow and learn and a common place for community members to go and feel safe. Columbus is a great city, but let’s face it, in every large city there is crime and poverty. In a meeting at the Hilltop Lutheran Church, a group of concerned citizens gathered to discuss what could be done to promote growth of the youth in the Hilltop community, since the community centers were no longer available for the children. Out of this meeting the dream of the Highland Youth Garden was put into action. This large garden area includes areas of irrigated crop production, raised beds where crops are planted “by color,” a high tunnel (green house), an herb garden, a butterfly garden, and a native plant area. Each provides special teaching and learning opportunities.

The majority of children in the nearby schools and in the community live in poverty. Most of the youth receive free or reduced lunches. For many, English is a second language. This area is also referred to as a food desert due to the lack of grocery stores in the community. Fresh vegetables and fruit simply are not available unless the children receive them in their school lunches or their parents or guardians have access to transportation to travel outside the neighborhood to shop in grocery stores.

In 2013, the youth planted vegetables, herbs, flowers, and six fruit trees. The crops included corn, mustard greens, beets, onions, cucumbers, potatoes, turnips, eggplant, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, potatoes, sweet potatoes, a wide variety of tomatoes and peppers, and several other vegetables. Approximately 25 percent of the garden is dedicated to raising food for the local food pantry and for residents that are not able to do the physical work in the garden. The children and volunteers have delivered the produce to the pantry to share what they have grown with people in their community. Two canning classes have been offered each year to help families learn how to preserve food from the garden. With the help of Strader’s Nursery, the Highland Youth Garden also assisted the broader community by sharing over 3,000 flats of vegetables, fruit plants, herbs and flowers with other community gardens, with neighbors for their own gardens, and with youth who are participating in the garden. The garden is now recognized as one of Franklin County’s 12 Hub Gardens, each of which is a resource that is being leveraged to teach and start other gardens in the city.

I was invited to visit with many of the school students who have teachers and a principle who value a hands-on approach to gardening and food. I was more than excited to see how the teachers and staff really value this garden and allow class time for their students to participate. I have always said almost every life lesson can be learned on a farm. For these children, this is about as close to a farm as they will ever get. This outdoor garden and learning center not only teaches them about science and food but about respect, responsibility and rewards.

The children that I met had so many questions for me about food and farming. They had no idea what agriculture was and seemed very excited to meet a farmer. Kids say the darndest things! Some of my favorites were:

“I didn't know that there were girl farmers.”

“You are too pretty to be a farmer.”

“Can you drive a tractor?” 

“Where are your bib overalls?”

My take home message in a nutshell was that there are children living with very little close to our farms that have no idea where their food comes from or what agriculture is about. There are volunteers who are willing to donate countless hours for children and create gardens to help educate the youth about food and making healthy food choices. They need help from people in agriculture to share what we do on the farm and how they too are a part of the food production cycle. It was such an honor to be invited to their garden and listen and watch the children. Their eyes are so full of hope and excitement. They seemed eager to learn and content, yet they have so little. Visiting the garden for just a few hours really got me excited and charged up to go out and do great things. I think that every adult (rural or urban) can learn from these children, and their little farm on the Hilltop.

  

Campbell's Cans and Parkers Puppies

Raising kids is not easy task. Just when you think you have it down pat, they go and pull the wool over your eyes. Raising a little lady and a rough and tough boy are completely opposite. We have great days and some not great days. Just when you think you have raised little monsters, you see a glimmer of what you thought you have been teaching them all along when they go and do something so thoughtful.

We have tried to make sure our kids are very aware of where their food comes from and provide them with many hands-on experiences, even at their young ages of 6 and 4. The kids enjoy gardening and even trips to the local food pantry delivering their produce for those less fortunate than us. As a mom I deal with food every day. We raise food, sell food and cook with food. Campbell and Parker know where food comes from, but I also want them to value what an abundant food supply we are blessed to have. We raise food and what we do not raise we have the means to go to the grocery and buy what we would like to eat. If we want to have turkey burgers for dinner we put it on the grocery list (which I never remember to take with me) and next trip get turkey burgers.

A friend (Kara McCarthy) posted something online that really made me think with the upcoming holidays rapidly approaching. She raised the question “Have you ever been so hungry that you could not sleep?” I have said many times I am starving and I listen to the kids say how hungry or thirsty they are about 5 times a day. I cannot recall ever being so hungry I could not sleep. I am grateful that I have not had that hunger and I never want my children to experience that either, but I know it is out there. While we are blessed with a roof over our heads and a freezer and pantry full of healthful foods, there are many who do not have that luxury.

While some of us are worrying about eating non-GM crops or Organic foods, there are some who just want food. I heard a great quote on a recent trip from a biotech researcher: “I want a 'What will we have for dinner?' society, not a 'Will we have dinner?' society.” By doing research and involving GM crops as a part of becoming a more sustainable country, I truly believe we can work towards eliminating hunger, be more naturally resourceful and provide a safe food for our families and food for our animals.

We talked  with our kids about other little children who truly experience real hunger. The kids came up with the idea that we would challenge our friends and family to donate and volunteer at a local pantry, shelter or find a family in need for the months of  November and December.

Campbell loves to cook so she will be donating to the food pantry and Parker loves his puppies so he will be donating to the local animal shelter.

Many already make donations or volunteer. If you do not already do so, think about involving your children, family and friends and give back to those who need it.

Reaching out to 800,000 Consumers

April 2013 Clicking on attached links will in some instances take you away from USB-funded information. FARMERS REACH 800,000 CONSUMERS IN 1 DAY

It's amazing what one morning in a TV studio can do. Two CommonGround volunteers recently appeared on 25 television, radio and blog outlets, informing consumers in major media markets such as Boston, Detroit and Minneapolis about the truth behind today's agriculture. Kristin Reese, from CommonGround Ohio, and LaVell Winsor, of CommonGround Kansas, settled into a St. Louis TV set starting at 7 a.m., and gracefully handled interviews, many of them on live TV shows, for the next four hours. They answered questions about everything from organic food to GMO food safety, and took every opportunity to talk about the values and care that America's farmers bring to the country's food supply. While most of the interviews were friendly and informative, a live TV interview on WJBK in Detroit presented a challenge. The reporter presented a sensational picture of GMO foods by playing a clip about research conducted on biotech foods from a naturopathic doctor. Reese and Winsor were prepared with the facts. They cited the fact that groups such as the World Health Organization say that no effects on human health have been shown as a result of the consumption of biotech foods. They also discussed the benefits of biotechnology for food security and the environment. Reese and Winsor opened the barn doors, offering themselves and their fellow CommonGround volunteers as a resource for consumers. As Winsor stated a number of times in her interviews, most Americans are two or three generations removed from farming, so naturally they have questions and concerns about how their food is grown and raised. CommonGround volunteers work to build trust in agriculture by having open conversations and sharing the true story of today's farming. Thanks to support from America's soybean and corn farmers through their checkoffs, they've reached millions of consumers with their stories and the facts. Sixteen states participate in the grassroots CommonGround movement, with 85 volunteer spokeswomen. Because of the passion of these farm women to reach urban consumers with the truth, CommonGround continues to grow. To view available interviews, click on the links below. WPMT-TV (Fox, Harrisburg, Pa.) KGWN-TV (CBS, Cheyenne, Wyo.) KIMT-TV (CBS, Rochester, Minn. / Mason City, Iowa)

My double life

I had the privilege to introduce our Governor John Kasich on a trip to our state’s Capitol as part of AgriPOWER last year. As I stood in front of our group, Governor Kasich asked me “Are you a Farmer?” It took me a second in my head to think and say “Yes, I am a farmer.” I said that with great pride and I think that was the first time I had ever said it out loud.  Was I a closet farmer? I outed myself and in front of the Governor of Ohio. Do others really think of me as a farmer? After all, I kind of lead a double life.

On one hand, I am a farmer. My dad was a farmer we have raised livestock my entire life. But while agriculture is in my blood I never really considered myself a “farmer.” Farmers wear bib overalls and hold a pitch fork right? I surely hope that is not your image of a farmer, but I also think I am not the typical farmer image either. I do not drive big equipment or even raise row crops. Those who know me when I am at home working in coveralls with our sheep or in the hay field sometimes have a hard time thinking of me in a suit and heels. 

On the other hand, I work off the farm in a professional capacity, too. I spend a lot of my time with people who are 4 and 5 generations removed from agriculture. Most are shocked to think that I go home to a barn, bale hay, deliver lambs and haul manure. I have had some pretty interesting conversations with clients and coworkers about country life. People want to know what it is like to live a rural life.  I have found that when I take time to develop a professional relationship with people they feel comfortable asking questions and seeking you out when they hear things that go against what you have told them.

In my double life, I have had some pretty amazing opportunities and have lifelong friendships with some one of a kind people because of agriculture. During the Superbowl, I am sure you either saw it live or on the Internet, the Dodge commercial “So God made a Farmer.” This commercial was great for many reasons, which I will not go into, but you can read my husbands thoughts on his blog.  Once this aired, I got many messages from people saying they thought of me when they saw this ad. I kind of chuckled because when I saw this ad I thought of all my friends who are farmers.

We live in a society where people are increasingly becoming more interested in farming and food. This is fantastic and I am so excited that people are engaged in what they are putting in their bodies and in our earth. Farmers come in all shapes and sizes. There no longer is a typical farmer. Farmers can wear a suit under their coveralls, deliver lambs and then go back to work. Farmers can have grease under their fingernails and go to a board meeting. Farmers in the middle of harvest get a call that the neighbor’s cattle are out and they stop to help a friend. There are no limits to what one can accomplish in agriculture and this is a concept I am so excited to be instilling in my children. We farmers get to do what we love because everyone needs to eat. Everyone can eat because of farmers and all those who are involved in the agricultural community. In Ohio, Agriculture is our #1 industry.

What makes a farmer a farmer? A hardworking, dedicated, caring individual who will make personal sacrifices to better whatever situation it may be. A farmer believes in the future of agriculture and will let nothing stand in their way to make what we have now better for future generations.

This may sound a little familiar because it is for the farmer in everyone, even those of us leading double lives.    

When mom is out of commission

This past weekend I got the horrible dreaded flu bug that no one wants but many seem to have gotten this season. I am typically very healthy and on the go all the time. I had a very busy weekend planned and of course, who has time to get sick? My main concern what that no one else in my family got what I had. While I made my comeback, it was a slow one. Feeling and looking like pond scum, I could not help but lay in my bed listening to all that was going on in my household. Since I was quarantined to my room, I had no idea what the rest of the house looked like but I had a pretty good visualization in my mind based on conversation that was going on with the kids. When I felt well enough to venture around to survey the damage, my stomach began to churn again and I decided it was best to stop my investigating.

I had planned on taking a trip to the grocery store but never made it, so we lacked milk, bread fresh fruits and vegetables. It was slim pickings for the family. The kids were wearing shorts and tank tops, the dog was barking for food, children were crying for the mommy they wanted to hold them, and daddy had reached his limit. Bath time may have been the most comical time of the day. The kids had reached exhaustion and so had the daddy. They wanted their special towels, which were in the giant mound of laundry, and their favorite pjs, which too were in the dirty clothes. They were pulling out all the stalling tactics in the book.  I was half laughing and half saddened to be listening in on this and not being able to do anything about it. The children were screaming in their beds. I yelled down to remind Matt to pack Campbell’s lunch for pre-school. He said it was already done I was impressed.

The next day, I was mostly back to functional. I picked up Campbell from pre-school. We talked about her day and she said, “Mommy I have to tell you about my lunch.” She proceeded to tell me she was the first one done with lunch at school and she was starving. I asked her what daddy packed and she laughed. He packed her cold cheesy rice, cottage cheese and pudding. He did however remember to include a napkin and a spoon!

 I am just glad the family survived mommy being sick and we did not get a note home from Pre-School informing us of what is appropriate for a healthy preschooler’s diet. And, for my entire family’s sake, I hope I do not get sick again anytime soon.

Tuesday EWESday: Ohio State Fair Edition

Ruby one of our fall ewe lambs is getting a bath at the Ohio
State Fair. She did not mind the water but the band marching
by did make her a little nervous. We do not have many
marching bands going down our road out in the country.

When you take livestock to the fair you are bound to get good questions. Here are a few oft the most common questions we fielded this year. The best part is that Campbell and Parker are getting old enough to talk to people and answer these questions on their own.

Why do the sheep wear covers? To help keep them clean after being washed. It does not hurt them or affect them from doing normal behaviors. We in the sheep business call them blankets.

Does it hurt them to get their haircut? First off sheep have wool not hair. It is just like getting your head shaved or cut. Most sheep farmers shear their sheep 1 time each year.

Are these goats or sheep? Our breed are Horned Dorsets. Both rams (males) and ewes (females) have horns. This is a breed characteristic. The Rams have larger thicker horns than the ewes.

What do sheep eat? They eat grass or hay when there is not grass to eat like right now. Our lambs also get pellets when they are young and then a grain mix when they are in their growing stages birth-7 or so months. We want them to get the best start as possible from birth so they can be a quality meat protein or a ewe or ram to reproduce healthy quality lambs.

Do we eat our sheep? Yes we do eat our sheep. We keep the best sheep in our flock to produce new lambs. By best I mean sheep that will make our breed of sheep better. We want to continue to better our breed of sheep so we can provide an even better end product. We raise sheep to eat them. It is a fantastic healthy and tasty protein. We take our jobs a livestock stewards very seriously. We want to raise the best lambs to feed to our family and our customers.

Where do we buy lamb? Most every grocery store will have lamb. If you do not see it out in the meat case ask the butcher and they may have it in the cooler or will be happy to special order it. You can also buy straight from the farmer like us. We do sell off the farm as do many farmers.

How do I prepare the lamb? You should not stress about cooking with lamb it is easy. Do not over think it. Lamb can be substituted for many recipes that call for beef. Try making meatloaf or meatballs out of your own family favorite recipe. Lamb is best when not over cooked and feel free to use chicken or beef broths to add even more flavor to your dishes. Visit www.americanlamb.com for some great recipes.

Musings of a “Hollywood” mom

Last week, I had the opportunity to jet set across the country and hit L.A. representing Ohio Farm Bureau and the United States Farmers and Ranchers Alliance. Sounds glamorous, but I was out there talking about all things agriculture. Who is not to say farming is glamorous, right? What we do is the backbone of our country and very important work, which provides food for many, including my family.

Farmers and Ranchers from across the country, along with TV producers, chefs, business owners and even a few celebrities gathered for talks called the Food Dialogues. Topics covered a wide spectrum about food from the farmer, processor, distributor, store and ultimately on to our dinner tables.

I participated in the panel titled “Real Chef Challenge: Understanding how Food is Grown and Raised.” We had cattle rancher and Dean from Chico State University Dr. Dave Daley; hog farmer Julie Maschhoff; the owners and chefs of the restaurant “Animal,” Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook; Ray Martin, VP Culinary Development for BJ’s Restaurants; Gabe Segovia, Manager of Culinary Innovation of El Pollo Loco; Laura McIntoch, host of “Bringing It Home;” and me. How did I fit into this equation? I was not sure at first. Why would they invite a small farm mom from Ohio to participate in this dialogue? When I arrived, I saw very few familiar faces. But as our conversation began, I came to realize the importance of a small farmer/mother role at our conversation table.


From left to right:  Jon Shook,  Kristin Reese, Ray Martin, Gabe Segovia


I have a very unique role that I feel is of great importance in the conversation of food and agriculture. Without one there is not the other. The only thing missing in between the farm and the table is perhaps the most important chair at the table…the farmer who can connect the two. Although our farm is very small, I have a great appreciation of how large farmers farm. I also get to see firsthand the practices that they use and learn if I do not already know why things are done the way they are. I also understand how both very large and very small farms can serve vital roles in our food supply.

I often wonder why some in our culture think big is bad and small is good. Why is one better than the other? Why can we not work together to make what we do better, whether big or small?

On our small farm I am continually looking to make sure we are doing the best we can. Sometimes you learn new techniques to improve your farming toolbox. The same is true for all sectors of agriculture.

The other challenge facing agriculture is its responsibility to meet the food needs of a growing population with increasing restrictions. We need farms large and small to work together to produce food to meet these needs. Because we all need to eat, there is room for all types and styles of farming. We are fortunate to live in a free country where we have the opportunity to support causes we feel are important and make the food choices we feel are best for our families.

The tv crew setting up for the event. Those are crew member sitting in at the table
checking the lighting where we sat.

What I learned most from my Hollywood adventure is that there is a definite breakdown between the farmers/ranchers and the mom at the grocery store or even the restaurant owner or chef who puts the food on the table.

I started my small business, Local Flavor Foods, in early 2011 to address this challenge. I saw a huge disconnect between the person who buys food and we the people who produce the food. For years, people have been saying, “If you are not hiding anything then let’s talk.” I could not agree more. Let’s come to the table and have civilized dialogues about what consumers of food want to know. More than ever before, farmers are here to listen, not to condemn, but to listen and answer your questions.

On a trip to Chicago, I met a woman who changed my perspective on the way I talk about agriculture. This was a fantastic experience that opened my eyes as to how others view farmers alike. While I did not agree with most of her statements, I did feel her passion for making sure she and others eat safe and healthy foods. I am not an expert at much, but I sure do have a passion for family, food and agriculture. I invite you to become part of the conversation. If you have questions, find a farmer in your community to ask those tough questions. Let’s put all of our passion to good use and accomplish great things together from the West Coast to the East Coast and all of the farm fields in between.

Recipe that Celebrates

As we celebrate July 4th with our friends and family we often do so with good food. Take the time to appreciate the freedoms we have as a Nation but also the freedoms we have to make decisions when it comes to what we eat. Farmers and Ranchers all over the U.S.A. are working hard to provide safe food that is affordable and abundant. Large farm or small, organic or traditional we have the ability to make choices that are best for our own dinner table. I encourage you to take the time to reflect on what our country was founded on and the principles that our country was based.


Enjoy this patriotic recipe that has become a tradition in our family each 4th of July. The kids love to help bake and decorate and it is an opportunity to talk about history and make it fun.

Ingredients

18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 cup sour cream at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

To assemble:
2 half-pints blueberries
3 half-pints raspberries

Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter and flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth.

Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.

Serve this cake right in the pan.



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Antibiotics sound bite does not tell the whole story

As I was in the Dallas airport and a news program had a teaser piece about antibiotics in our food. Of course my ears perked up and I had to hear what they were talking about. I am a mom and a livestock producer so I’m very tuned in to the regulations that we as farmers abide by for the health of our animals and the safety of the food we produce. The news segment was about seven seconds long and all it stated was that there is a concern among consumers about antibiotics being in our meats and consumers want to know if antibiotics were used in the food they are eating.

All this segment did in my opinion was make a claim and then provide no facts for either side to go along with the claim. Livestock producers follow strict guidelines to what medicine can be given IF needed, where on the animal to administer the medicine and at what point it can be given to an animal before it would enter our food system. This is all done with the supervision and approval of veterinarians.

What I would have loved to hear on this television segment is more about the great lengths that are taken from farmers and ranchers to make sure that the protein we buy is safe, healthy and nutritious. Antibiotics are used to make sure animals live healthy, quality lives while also producing healthy, quality foods. If concerned about antibiotic use, talk to a farmer/rancher and ask them how antibiotics use fits in on their farm. Because we live in the U.S. we have a variety of food options, some being labeled organic. You need to make the decision that aligns best with your food and family value system and budget. What a good feeling it is to be able to make food choices and have options courtesy of hard working American farmers.

Here some great links to gain more insight.

http://ocj.com/2012/04/the-science-and-ethics-of-antibiotics/

http://ocj.com/2012/04/the-dark-secrets-of-agriculture/

What Should you Eat?

I have just had a great opportunity to visit New York City and spend a few days talking to Editors about food, farming and even some political issues facing the farm.


The questions I have heard over and over are about Organic, Local and food safety. I want to break down my thoughts on these issues and I hope it helps you out the next time you go to spend your hard-earned dollars on food. I also hope that you remember that no matter if you buy fresh produce, meat at the market or even canned foods, a Farmer somewhere worked really hard to put that food on your table.

First, food is an important thing for every parent to consider based on the specific values, nutritional needs, and budget of the household. And, while food choices are very important, they can also be very confusing. How can you know that you are feeding your family healthy or nutritious food with all of the marketing gimmicks and farm-related terms that fill the grocery?

I think the easiest way to share what I know is to tell you what I eat and feed my family, based upon my lifetime of involvement with agriculture. We do raise most of our food in the summer. I would say 95% of the time we raise our own meat or I buy direct from the farmer. I do this because I know lots of farmers and I have the freezer space. I also budget more for meat to buy the whole or half of the animal at one time. I understand not everyone has the means or freezer space to do this.

If you want to go above and beyond the grocery store with your food purchases, I think the biggest bang for your buck is by buying your meat locally. This provides a great connection with your food and a great quality product. I have found that especially beef and chicken are hard to beat in terms of cost savings and quality when purchased from a hard working local farmer you know.

I buy all my milk and dairy at this point from the grocery store. I buy the store brand milk 2%. When the kids were smaller I bought Vitamin D. I have been to many dairy farms and those are the hardest working families I know. Large dairy farms, especially, are very clean, cow care is top-notch and they are quite impressive. They milk two and even three times a day and their cows live a wonderful happy life! I have no idea what farm my milk comes from but I have never once worried about what my kids are drinking. Frankly I think kids drinking pop should be a greater concern to the public than concerns about the safety of our milk. There are some small dairies out there, and I occasionally buy milk from there for fun, but it is expensive. It does taste a bit better, but most of the time I go with the better value, and also safe and nutritious store-brand milk.



When fruits and vegetables are not in season I buy from the grocery store. I can honestly say I have never worried about what I put in my grocery cart with regard to these items either. Just be sure to properly wash and prepare your food properly to maximize food safety. It can be really fun to buy your produce when in season from the Local Market, but, when in a hurry, do not fret over a grocery store purchase.

We raise our own eggs, but I do buy them from the grocery on occasion as well. Large poultry farms actually have a number of advantages in terms of food safety over small farms like ours. If you do get eggs from a small farm (which is great) take extra care to avoid eating them uncooked (like my husband eating the cookie dough) and make sure they are cooked properly.

 If you want you and your family to be healthy eat a good mix of food. Go for less processed foods and eat lots of colorful foods. Remember portion control and whole grains! Do not forget to add in a bit of exercise too!

Now, at the grocery you can find all kinds of labels for all kinds of foods. The one I get the most questions about is organic.

Organic

It seems that there are many mothers out there who feel guilty if they are feeding their families anything other than organic. There is no need for this.

Organic is simply a term that describes the way the food was produced, not the end food product itself. Research from USDA has shown there is no nutritional difference in organic verses conventionally produced. There are also no food safety differences between organic and non-organic foods. The ONLY thing organic means is that is was produced following a strict set of production standards outlined at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop. There are many standards, but organic basically means that the food was produced without the use of chemical pest control, fertilizers for crops. Livestock are not treated with medicine and are fed organically produced feeds.

If these things are important to you, then organic foods are a great option. Do I ever buy organic? Yes and No. To me, I buy whichever is more cost effective at the time I am in the store. I will not pay extra for organic lettuce when I can buy an equally safe and nutritious lettuce for less.

Why does organic cost more? The risks for organic farmers are much greater and production costs can be higher, which is one reason why organic production is a very small portion of our food supply. Organic farmers have a niche market and there is a certain segment of consumers who feel a passion for organically grown food. Go for it! If you can afford it in your budget and it aligns with your family values, then buying organic is a great decision. The bottom line is, all types of agricultural production have pros and cons for the consumer, the environment and for food safety.

Local

First off, Local does not automatically mean organic. Please know the difference. Local can mean whatever you want it to mean. If you want to buy seasonally at the farmers market or right off the farm, go for it! When I have time, I love to visit the farmers market. It is a great experience for the entire family to make that connection. In the warmer months, the farmers market seems to be the in thing to do. Fresh food is typically more nutritious and often of better taste and quality. So if you want the more nutritious food, go with the fresher option.

Of course, this is not always possible in Ohio. So, reminder, do not have guilt if you are in a pinch on time or money and buy apples from the store and not the orchard or if you buy a tomato from the grocery store in January. Not buying local is not a bad thing either.

Food Safety

Every time you take a bite, you are taking a risk, whether it is organic, local or from the grocery. Eating is, and always has been, risky business. But today in the United States we have the safest food supply in the history of the world. Yes, there are certainly problems, but really not all that many. For example, the recent BSE case in California was caught. This cow was never going to enter into our food supply. I am personally glad the media was talking about it. This is a great example of a system that did not fail but thrived! If they were not talking about it, I think I may be a little more concerned. Remember, farmers are consumers too, just like you. They eat what they raise. Like you, our families come first. If our families are eating it, than you can rest assured that it is safe for the consumer.

We have enough worries and fear in our lives. I am here to say you should not fear when it comes to your food. Ask questions, be an educated consumer and take care to use all standard food safety precautions when preparing your food. Be sure to get the whole story, not just what you hear or read in the media. When in doubt, talk to a farmer.

And finally, please do not let people make you feel guilty for whatever educated food decision you make for your family.