Cucumber Boats

This summer has been hot. Not normal summer hot, like 50 Shades of Hell hot. When it's this unbearable, I like to have food that is refreshing and cool. That's where these cucumber boats come in.

There's nothing really special about these, you could just slice up a cucumber and throw some cottage cheese on top, but the boats look more appetizing and you MUST add basil and cilantro to the cottage cheese. 

What You Need:

• 1 cucumber, peeled, halved and seeds scooped out
• 3/4 cup cottage cheese
• 2 tablespoons basil, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• Salt and Pepper - to taste

What You Do:

1. Peel a cucumber - I don't mind the skin, so I just peel off the parts that aren't good.  Slice it in half and using a spoon scoop out all the seeds.  Sprinkle a little salt on the cucumber.

2. Mix together the cottage cheese, basil, salt and cilantro and fill the hollowed out area.

3. Sprinkle with cracked black pepper.

4. Chow down.

Wordless Wednesday: Somewhere Over the Rainbow

This photo was taken a few weeks ago, there was a full double rainbow in the sky.  Monkey was super excited about it!

Be the Match

The first half of 2012 hasn't been so great.  I find it's better to look at the glass as half full rather than half empty and always try to stay positive about things.  So I haven't even bothered blogging about the trials we have been faced with.  I don't like to dwell in it and I think that no matter what life throws at us, I would rather roll with the punches than lie on the ground and be trampled.
However, now I'm going to share a little something and just ask for your prayers.

My sister-in-law, Shelly and her husband Nick are facing some pretty tough stuff.  They've already been down a really long road, three years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer and beat it.  Last year, came a diagnosis of infertility due to the breast cancer treatment, and was able to beat those odds as well, as she is now 20 weeks pregnant.  Unfortunately the road has gotten even longer, last week she was diagnosed with MDS/early stage leukemia (AML) caused from the breast cancer treatment as well. 

They have spent time at the ER and Mayo Clinic and will now most likely be going to Shands.  Her type of leukemia combined with being pregnant is pretty rare so finding someone to treat her has been difficult.  They believe Shands has the Neonatal and Cancer facilities to help. If she wasn't pregnant, she would already be starting chemo, but as of now, they are playing a waiting game trying to give the baby the best chance at survival.  There is good news, they think they'll be able to treat this with chemo, but she may need a bone marrow transplant.  She will probably be spending a lot of time in the hospital, but right now, taking it one day at at time. 

I'm asking for you to please pray for her, Nick, and that precious cargo she is carrying.  I'm also asking that you sign up to be a bone marrow donor.  Not only is Shelly facing this fight, but a very close family friend is currently battling MDS-AML as well.  While you probably won't be a match for them, you may be a match for someone else.  Go to the Be The Match website to sign up.  You could save a life.

Here's to hoping the last half of 2012 brings forth more joy than sorrow.

Last Appleseed of the Year!

Next weekend, August 18-19, is the final Appleseed of the year at our farm. If you haven't made it out to one yet, you don't want to miss this one!  Fun is guaranteed to be had by all!

If you aren't familiar with what an Appleseed shoot is all about, check out their website.  You can also see if there are any other events close to you coming up.

Big Fan

This was Monkey last night as we were watching the Olympic coverage of the women's U.S. beach volleyball game.  Yep, she's definately my daughter.

Hats off to Funk Farms

I wanted to share this awesome accomplishment by a family who I consider to be my own!  Congrats Dan and Kathy!

Originally posted by the Illinois Beef Association

Dan Koons of Funk Farms Trust
Picture courtesy of Summit Livestock Facilities

Funk Farms Trust, located in Shirley, Ill., was recognized as a 2012 regional Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) winner during the 2012 Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Denver, Colo. Funk Farms Trust is the Region III ESAP award winner and will compete with six other regional winners for the national ESAP award, which will be announced during the 2012 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Trade Show in Tampa, Fla. The ESAP award is sponsored by Dow AgroSciences; the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); U.S. Fish and Wildlife; the National Cattlemen’s Foundation; and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

According to a nomination by the Illinois Beef Association, conservation of the land and efficient utilization of the resources have been a long time priority at Funk Farms Trust, which is managed by Dan and Kathy Koons. The Funk Farm Trust is one of the oldest farms in Illinois, dating back to 1824. Presently, Funk Farms Trust encompasses 2,175 acres, of which 1,700 acres are used for corn and soybean production.

Funk Farms Trust has worked with many organizations to improve the environmental quality of their operation, including the USDA NRCS, the McLean County Soil Conservation Service, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Conservation and stewardship measures taken by the farm include establishing 35 miles of waterways and 25 miles of terraces to prevent soil erosion, establishing grass along hedge rows, recycling nutrients back into fields by utilizing a feedlot and handling manure through composting.

Preserving hedge rows and buffer areas throughout farm is required at Funk Farms Trust. The farm uses hedgerows to help improve air quality by diminishing wind and airborne dust and pollutant distribution. These hedge rows also address water quality issues by filtering and slowing rainfall, allowing runoff to percolate slowly into the soil and water table.

“Funk Farms has always been a shining example of what conservation and stewardship could be and should be on farms and feedlots in the Midwest,” said Steven L. Foglesong, owner of Black Gold Ranch and Feedlot, and past NCBA President. “Funk Farms has always been willing to try new technology in their conservation efforts and then share the results with others as is evidenced by the many open houses and field days held there over the years. Dan and Kathy have always been willing to open their doors and be advocates for not only the beef industry but the rest of agriculture as well.” Through a dedication to responsible environmental practices and conservation, NCBA has represented America’s cattle producers since 1898, preserving the heritage and strength of the industry through education and public policy. As the largest association of cattle producers, NCBA works to create new markets and increase demand for beef.

The National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF) advances the future of the beef industry by assisting in the education of the next generation of beef industry professionals. For more information, visit www.nationalcattlemensfoundation.org.

Food, Think!

I attended a conference today for work.  Since I work in the ag industry, this was a conference centered around agriculture.  I have been so busy the last few weeks I hadn't really had a chance to look at the agenda before actually showing up at the conference.  Once there, I took a peak at it and one speaker stood out to me, Cassie Payne Webb. 

Cassie grew up with an urban childhood, attended college at Vanderbilt University and was a school teacher in Brooklyn, NY.  She readily admits she was a believer of all things Michael Pollan and had MANY questions about the safety of our food supply.  She went on to get her Masters Degree at Texas A&M University in Animal Science.  She now understands the degree of safety and system of checks and balances the U.S. food supply undergoes and is now advocating for the industry! 

Check out her blog, Food, Think!  Cassie does a great job at getting right to the heart of the matter of food safety and dispells a lot of the myths that are out there.  It goes to show that first-hand experience is the best way to change someone's opinion.  If someone is willing to learn, we should be willing to teach.  Let people come to your farms and answer the questions that they have.