Knollbrook Farm: A Day with the “Girls”

By Lindsay Martin, Ball State Dietetic Intern Prior to this week, I had never been to a dairy farm.  I am 25 years old and it was finally time to make my first visit!  My wonderful colleague and I took a road trip to visit “the girls”, also known as dairy cows, in Goshen, Indiana.  [...]

International Picnic Day – Fun in the Sun

It’s that time of year again when the sun is shining and everyone likes to get out for some fun and fresh air! Get ready to have some food and fun on international picnic day, June 18th. It’s time for friends and family to get together to enjoy the outdoors. Though it’s not an official holiday recognized by Congress, tons of families, organizations, and social clubs gather to celebrate this special day.

Indiana’s Family of Farmers Celebrate Being Everyday Environmentalist at Earth Day Indiana 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (April 18, 2011) – Indiana’s Family of Farmers are exhibiting at Earth Day Indiana 2011 on Saturday, April 23, 2011, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at White River State Park at 801 W. Washington St., Indianapolis. Indiana’s Family of Farmers, a coalition of more than a dozen ag-related organizations, [...]

Getting to Know Deb O.

  What do you do at Indiana Dairy? I am the General Manager.  I focus on our organization’s vision, mission, goals, strategies, staff and budgets.  I work with our dairy farmer board of directors.  I participate in our senior leadership team comprised of staff from our national and state and regional dairy promotion organizations.  Occasionally [...]

On the Farm

By Deb Osza One of the activities I enjoy most about my job is getting to visit dairy farms. I love animals and cows are one of my favorites. This week, our team visited Four-Leaf Clover Dairy in Geneva Indiana. The dairy is owned by Leontien Oostdijck – Vandelaar and her family. The Vandelaar family [...]

Greetings from Northern Indiana Dairy Country!!

Sure seems odd to be blogging about water use when things are so very dry here right now!! I water only 5 pots of flowers by the house here – even though things look so rough! Neighbors’ crop field irrigation systems have been going on a frequent basis this summer. This spring sure seemed like it could never get wetter – all of our crops were delayed by the wet and cool spring that we experienced! Now they are drying too fast! Every day we practice water conservation on our farm! Our cows drink about a bathtub of water every day. The cow’s water comes from the same well that provides my family with our drinking water! So water is a big piece of their budget! What they drink goes in and around the cycle of milk production – what is good for the cows is good for us, you, me and our children, in the way of a wholesome, nutritious, safe, dairy product!!

Legacy of a Dutch Indiana Dairy Princess

You’re probably wondering why a nursing student is your new Indiana Dairy Princess, but I have always lived on a farm. I guess you can say that, “I was born and raised a dairy girl!” Born in 1990, in the Netherlands, my parents owned a dairy farm of 100 cows in Belgium, and when I was nine years old my family moved to Indiana to expand our farming business. Now, we live in Lewisville, Indiana, with a herd of 2000 dairy cows and 1500 acres to farm. Yes, I have had to haul manure, bottle feed calves, vaccinate cows and calves, bale hay and straw, and many more things on the dairy farm to help out! However, I’m not complaining because farming has made me who I am today and that includes great work ethics. But, in celebration of it being “What will be your legacy?” Month, I will share with you what I hope my legacy will be.

The Miracle of Life

A few days ago I was given the opportunity to visit the Elkhart County 4-H Fair, my first county fair. This is one of the largest 4-H county fairs in the nation. One of the most interesting and fun exhibits for families at the fair is the Miracle of Life Animal Birthing Center. The American Dairy Association of Indiana/Indiana Dairy Farm Families has made this exhibit possible again for the second year in a row. Their sponsorship allows families the chance to experience cows giving birth!

Get Up & Enjoy the Great Outdoors!

July is National Recreation & Parks Month with July 9th being National Recreation Day so let’s get out and enjoy all that God has created for us in our national, state, and local parks. Whether at home or away, try hiking, swimming, rafting, canoeing or whatever form of recreation you and yours enjoy. You’ll be spending quality time together, you’ll enjoy all the natural beauty that is around you, and because you’ll be expending energy, you’ll feel better both physically and mentally!!!

Enjoy the Great Outdoors with Delicious Food

State parks are full all season long with tents, RVs, campfires and the joyous sounds crackling wood while cooking over an open fire. Any way you choose there are some basics you need to remember so the cold foods stay cold and hot foods are cooked to the right temperature and served properly. Prepare a menu and pack it as it will be used to maximize space as well as limit the opening/closing of coolers and/or refrigeration stations. Select foods that can be reworked into other dishes with minimal ingredients.