Where in the World Has She Been

          Hello! I have been MIA from my blog for a week now! It has been a busy week! I've had CloverKid camps all last week along with the 4-H Presentation/Demonstration contest, meeting with Rock County FFA chapter about their Farm Safety day, and am currently back in the Big City of Lincoln as I had my Summer Extension Intern meeting on Friday with all of the other interns.
         Now, I am headed to Grand Island for the best week EVER! Tomorrow marks the start of the 2012 Junior National Hereford Expo "Livin' the Hereford Life."
         Look for some of my updates this coming week about the events.

Grandma's Chex Mix

          Even though this Chex Mix recipe is from the back of a Rice Chex cereal box; in my mind it's still Grandma's recipe. It is cattle showing season and Grandma typically sends us a couple containers full of Chex Mix and sometimes Puppy Chow.

 

**************************************************************************

          Below is the recipe courtesy of The Original Chex:

 

3	cups Corn Chex® cereal
3	cups Rice Chex® cereal
3	cups Wheat Chex® cereal
1	cup mixed nuts
1	cup bite-size pretzels (We aren't a huge pretzel family so a good twist is Goldfish crackers!!!)
1	cup garlic-flavor bite-size bagel chips or regular-size bagel chips, broken into 1-inch pieces
6	tablespoons butter or margarine
2	tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2	teaspoons seasoned salt
3/4	teaspoon garlic powder
1/2	teaspoon onion powder

 

 

1.	In large microwavable bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and bagel chips; set aside. In small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High about 40 seconds or until melted. Stir in seasonings. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated.
2.	Microwave uncovered on High 5 to 6 minutes, thoroughly stirring every 2 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container.
Oven Directions Heat oven to 250°F. In large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and bagel chips; set aside. In ungreased large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in cereal mixture until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container. ***************************************************************************           EVERYONE at the cattle show loves Grandma's Chex Mix and Puppy Chow. One year, one of my best friend celebrates her birthday at state fair and I asked her what she wanted for her birthday and she said, "Your Grandma's puppy chow!" So Grandma Hanson made an ice cream bucket full of puppy chow, just for her! This stuff is usually gone by the second day of the show so it is great to know that everyone loves it! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! Best of Luck to You in Your Cooking Adventures! :)

LFTB and Where it Stands Today

          I am sure many of you remember the chaos that started in April 2012 with what consumers call "Pink Slime." The correct term for this nutritiously safe beef product is Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB). The effect of this "scare" caused the closing of several BPI plants across the nation. The use of LFTB allows us to be able to use nearly 99% of every beef animal. It also allows for the prices of some beef products like hamburgers to be reasonable.

          I follow Nebraska Farm Bureau's blog and below is the link to their post about the use of LFTB in school programs throughout the United States. Only three states have chosen to stick with the plan. Read more to find out who that is:

Nebraska Farm Bureau's Blog

Wordless Wednesday

"When I Saw You I Fell In Love 

And You Smiled Because You Knew!"

--- William Shakespeare

3 years together and still going strong!
June 19, 2009

Sandhills Ranch Expo

          Last week, Wednesday and Thursday, I joined Denny in Bassett, Nebraska for the Sandhills Ranch Expo. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Services had two booths: 4-H Shooting Sports Trailer and the Mobile Beef Lab. The two day event was a lot of fun! I enjoyed comparing it to FarmFest which a farm show in Minnesota. I have helped at the Minnesota State Cattlemen's booth here for serveral years. In comparison, FarmFest is about 4x larger than Ranch Expo and also goes for 4 days rather than 2 days, but they both have similar exhibits and all include bringing agriculture enthusiasts together!
          The Shooting Sports trailer was there both days and that is the trailer that Denny and I ran. Now, this was an experience. I have never really shot any guns but Denny is bound and determined to make me Calamity Jane by the end of the summer. It is not that I don't like shooting it was just that no one in my family really used guns except to kill off rodents inhabited on our farm. To say the least, I got several rounds of practice in on a 20 gauge shootgun while helping and watching both young and old feel the adrenaline of the fire.

          The other trailer was only there on Wednesday but saw a lot of curious spectators throughout the day. The University has two Mobile Beef Labs in which they talk about ruminant nutrition by exhibiting a rumen-fisculated steer. Now, this is really a cool deal! They basically have made a hole in the side of the steer so you can see into the rumen part of the steer's stomach. The hole has a plug and does not hurt the animal at all. Numerous cattle through the University have these and have had them for many years. It is a pretty unique deal and some of the kids really loved it while others were kind of scared; I don't blame them though because if he coughs...WATCH OUT!

Check this video out:

*******************************************************************************

What is a new experience you have had lately?

Can you name any other ruminants besides cattle?

Another Running Adventure

          As I had mentioned in previous posts, I had a 5K run this past weekend. The Sandhills Sandbur Run at Calamus Outfitters near Burwell, Nebraska. It was such a gorgeous day for a run through the magnificent sandhills. My goal for this run was to finish in 25:00 but I missed it by 7 seconds as I finished in 25:07 but placed 13th overall and was 2nd in the female division for ages 20-29! So looking at it from all directions I would say it was a successful run!
          There were over 100 runners and a bunch of spectators. I ran the simple 5K Run but there were other options; 5K Walk, 5K Mud Run, and 10K Run. The mud run was pretty entertaining as they had to climb hay bales, run through Gracie Creek and slide down a mud slide into a pond just to name a few of the obstacles.

Carrie (Roger's sister) and her husband Cam
came in FIRST for the 5K Walk!

*************************************************************************

          This weekend on the ranch did not entail any horse riding or work so we got to enjoy the lake for awhile! Roger has a friend that he met last year that is really into water sports and so we have hung out with him several times already this summer but this was the first time we actually got out on the lake even though it was super windy! Jay says he has found the best windy water sport and I would have to agree with him. It's called Wake Surfing, where you literally surf the wake on a shorter surf board! It was a lot of fun especially for me! Yes, I grew up in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes, but never really did much lake time. I tubed a lot when I was younger but that was it. So my goal this summer is to learn to water ski but I got to experience wake surfing first!

 

Office Happenings

          Busy, busy bee! Friday I was in Norfolk helping at the Regional 4-H Speech contest. I was the emcee for the junior division, introducing each speaker. There were 20 4-Hers in this division who had some pretty adorable speeches that also told great stories and some learning lessons. Some of the examples were:

• How many Revolutions?
• HELP!!! I'm stuck in my horse's body
• My Bucket Calf-Shasta
• Bugology 101
• Passing on the Torch
• and many, many more!

          Yesterday, Monday, I was downtown Ainsworth with the lovely ladies of North Central Development Center (NCDC) assisting with BizKidz which is an entrepreneurship camp. We had two sessions. The morning was with returning students and the afternoon was for first year students. This is a week long camp where the individuals come up with a product or service to sell in which they start their new business. They get to learn several aspects about developing a business from business plans/goals, finances, advertising, marketing, and much more. Yesterday, we went over several key terms: need, want, service, product, mission statement, S.M.A.R.T. goals, etc. The students also made All About Me posters where they discovered their strengths and challenges and gave insight to their business. Some of the products and services that the students will be offering include:

• Hot Dog stands
• Homemade Ice Cream and floats
• Farm Fresh Eggs
• Tech Support
• Lawn Mowing Service
• Dog Walking
• Crafts
• Chapstick
• Candy Bouquets
• Kettle Corn
• and many, many more brillant ideas!

          Today, Tuesday, I have done two sessions of UNL Recruitment at the Tractor Training workshop. Yesterday and today, local 14-16 year olds have been in training session learning about tractor safety and guidelines. During two mini-sessions I have been over there playing CASNR Bingo with the students to inform them about the 28 majors that are offered at the UNL's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. They seemed to have fun with the game even though it was probably more because I gave them Tootsie Rolls for their marker pieces but they asked some questions and a couple of them did show some interest in the college. They are at that point where they may begin to think about college but none of them had really thought much about it yet. Hopefully this activity got them thinking about college and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I encouraged them to also get involved with clubs and organizations on campus as that is where you make great friends and keep lifelong connections for careers. Also, since we are in ranching country and most of them have cattle background I told them about the unique beef program at UNL.
          I am a student in the Nebraska Beef Industry Scholars program which is a separate certificate program through the University. This program intrigued me during my college search as it focuses on the beef industry covering topics of beef issues, communications through social media, policy issues, networking, and so much more. My first post to my blog was about the study tour we generated and took in the beginning of May.

Click here Nebraska Beef Industry Scholars for more information about this unique opportunity at UNL!

**********************************************************************

          What is to come? The next two days I will be in Bassett at the Sandhills Ranch Expo in the UNL Extension booth featuring the Mobile Beef Lab on Wednesday and the 4-H Shooting Sports Trailer on Thursday! Come by and visit if you are in the area!

Office Happenings

          It has been busy around here, obviously since I typically write these on Tuesday but it is now already Thursday! Anyway, I have been out and about recently which is nice to get out of the basement office.
          I continue to have computer assistance appointments with the lovely senior citizens of both Ainsworth and Bassett.

          Pam and Denny have been out of the office this entire week as they are traveling with a group of 4-Hers from the surrounding counties to Washington D.C. I have never been and tried to convince them to pack me in their suitcases so I could learn more about our nations history and see the wonderful sights of Washington D.C. I am sure I will hear the stories that will make me jealous from the local girls that went as well as Pam and Denny. Everything seems to be going fine for them as we get daily updates.
          On Tuesday, a group of 4-Hers, myself, and Amber from Farm Buruea found ourselves in a hot situation. We were seated at the corner or Main and Hwy 20 in the blistering sun participating in the statewide food drive, "Can Care-a-Van." This event has been going on for 24 years sponsored by 1011 News and Nebraska State Farm Bureau. We were outside from 11:00 am till 3:00 pm, where we all got a little sunburnt (sunscreen did not help me any!). It was a great drive though as we collected 156 pounds of food and $246.00. The way it works is for every $1 = 2 pounds of food, so our grand total was...

648 lbs of food

Donated to the Ainsworth Food Pantry



          So that was Tuesday! Now Wednesay I really got to enjoy a day outside! I headed on over to Valentine, the Heart City, to help at the Environmental Skills Day. We had 14 4-Hers from 3rd grade up to 11th grade participating. Both they and myself learned about:

Range- Marla, NRCS representative, discussed cool season grasses to be pressed for a project idea. The grasses collected included:

• Kentucky Bluegrass
• Crested Wheatgrass
• Smooth Brome

Invasive species- Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)- this was my presenation. The emerald ash borer is a green metalic tiny bug that is currently killing ash trees in 15 states. It is NOT yet in Nebraska but soon could be. We played a little game where they had to go to ficitonal locations (i.e. backyard, fishing area, city park, forest, etc.) and answere a question about the emerald ash borer. They were given 5 sticks, some long, some short. If they answered the question right, they would leave any stick. Once everyone was done, we gathered up and I explained that the sticks they were carrying was "firewood." The long sticks were infected with EAB while the short ones were healthy. They did not know this and could not tell the difference. That is how EAB has been spread due to people moving firewood which moves the bug. Their take away message was...

 DON'T MOVE FIREWOOD...BURN IT WHERE YOU BUY IT!



Saw one of these at Keller State Park
last night when Roger and I headed
up there to relax for the evening.
The state is trying its hardest to
inform Nebraskans to be smart and
not spread the bug.





Get places to find information about the EAB:

Stop the Beetle
Emerald Ash Borer

Both sites have some great activities for kids!

Forestry- Sandy, Nebraska Forestry representative, showed the kids how to measure tree height, circumference, and count the tree rings to determine its age.

Wildlife- Brett, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Wendy, Midplains Community College helped the kids learn to use binoculars for watching birds or other wildlife and wildlife tracking. They made plaster of paris animal tracks! They discussed different 4-H projects in both areas.

Intro to Kayaks and Canoes- Michelle and Linda, Niobrara Council gave the kids Kayak and Canoe 101 and got out on the Mill Pond to test their skills. This was what everybody had been waiting for. Luckily, there were NO tipped kayaks or canoes so everyone stayed pretty dry even though the water would've felt great!

Like I mentioned earlier, it was a great day! The weather was perfect, the kids were well behaved, and the lessons learned were endless. I learned a lot throughout the day as well!

Washing the roots of the
cool season grasses
before pressing

Measuring the cirumference
of a tree



Bird Watching



Animal Tracks



          Tomorrow, I am headed to volunteer at the Regional State 4-H Speech contest! And then headed to Burwell for the Sandhills Sandbur 5K Run on Saturday!

Peaunt Butter Pretzel Bites

          If you are a family member, were in Denver at the National Western Stock Show in January, or work with me in the BKR Counties Office, you know exactly what these delicious sweet & salty treats are! I found this recipe during Christmas break and have made it a point the past two years to make some homemade snacks to give to family and friends. This past year I made these bite sized snacks, Oreo cookie balls, and homemade caramels (which are my downfall!). We will see what I find to make this coming Christmas season! I'll take suggestions or just search hard on Pinterest.

          Anyway onto the recipe that many of you have been asking me for:


Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites

recipe courtesy of Two Tiny Kitchens via Foodaphilia

Calorie estimate: 4,000 – 5,000 for complete recipe (depending upon dipping chocolate and pretzels used, etc.)
Yield 60 – 80 pretzel bites

Ingredients
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp softened butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar (maybe more)
3/4 cup brown sugar (maybe more)
Pretzels
1 bag  semi-sweet chocolate chips (or I used 1 package of chocolate almond bark)

Directions

Combine peanut butter and softened butter in a large bowl with a fork or whisk, or in a stand mixer.  Add the sugars and mix to combine.  At this point if the filling will roll easily into balls without sticking to your hands you’re ready to go.  If not, add a little more of each sugar until you reach a consistency that is easy to roll (I used about 3/4 cup of each sugar).

Use a teaspoon measure to scoop the filling.  Roll each portion into a small ball, then sandwich them between two whole pretzels.  When all the balls are rolled and successfully sandwiched, stick the whole tray in the freezer for about half an hour.

Pour the chocolate chips (or almond bark) into a microwave safe bowl and heat at 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally until completely melted.  Remove the pretzel sandwiches from the freezer and quickly dip each half-way into the melted chocolate.  Return to the tray and repeat with remaining sandwiches.  When all are dipped, return the tray to the freezer to set up completely.  Store the sandwiches in the refrigerator until serving time.

Yum, Yum, Yum!