Ofn dummy & cookbook 2013 ar by Eric Tietze

Living Nativity and Living Well

DECEMBER 16, 2013 • 40 PAGES

VOLUME 7, NUMBER 14 • WWW.OZARKSFN.COM

Shepherd’s Cross is built on a strict foundation of embellishing agritourism and biblical teaching

A Market for Market Lambs The Wagners take precautions so that feed rations don’t impact breeding in unexpected ways

More Forage, More Beef Cost-share programs allow Gary Proctor to raise more beef per acre

Country Christm Cookbo as and Fa ok Programrm Incentiv s & es

A Road Map to Extended Grazing 8 management practices that help producers feed less hay

DECEMBER 16, 2013

Serving More Than 24,000 Readers Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma

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2014 Oklahoma Market Garden School: The 2014 Oklahoma Market Garden School will begin January 16, 2014 in an effort to provide market producers with the most up-to-date information on management, production and marketing techniques. The eight-week course will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday evenings from January 16 through March 6, at the Cleveland County Extension Office in Norman, Okla. Preregistration for the garden school is required and limited to 50 participants. Registration is $70 per individual or $90 per couple, which includes handouts. For more information contact Stephanie Larimer at 405-744-5404. Cole Exhibited Reserve Grand Champion: Conner Cole, of Russellville, Ark., exhibited the Reserve Champion Heifer during the American Royal Junior Angus Show. Congrats, Conner. Conservation Stewardship Program: Enrollment is now open for the Conservation Stewardship Program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Producers interested in participating in the program must submit applications to the NRCS by Jan. 17, 2014. CSP emphasizes conservation performance – producers earn higher payments for higher performance. Producers install conservation enhancements to make positive changes in soil quality, soil erosion, water quality, air quality, plant resources, animal resources and energy. To learn more about CSP or to apply contact your local NRCS office. Master Gardener Training Announced: Applications are now being accepted for the River Valley Master Gardener program, for individuals who want to sharpen their horticultural skills. The Master Gardener training will take place on weekday afternoons from January 27 through February 7, 2014, with the final class on Saturday, February 8. For more information or to enroll call 479-484-7737. Achievement in Education Award: Oklahoma State University was named the recipient of the Achievement in Education Award by the Community for Education Foundation (CEF). The recognition is for OSU’s partnership with the CFE to bring the Overcoming Obstacles Life Skills Program to Oklahoma youth. Included in the recognition is the Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development Program for being the vehicle in which Overcoming Obstacles is distributed. Mt. Home Teacher Wins Farm Bureau Award: Arkansas Farm Bureau recognized Josh Baker of Mt. Home High School as the state’s Outstanding Ag Educator. Baker received the award at the 79th Annual Convention in Little Rock, Ark. The Outstanding Ag Educator Award recognizes a high school agriculture education instructor for their efforts in teaching young people about agriculture, leadership and involvement in FFA. Baker’s program includes 450 students in ag education and 200 FFA members. Young Farmers/Ranchers Honored: Scott and Cassie Davis of Prairie Grove, Ark., are winners of Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 2013 Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award. The Davis’ run 275 dairy cows on 450 acres in Washington County. Other young farmers honored at this year’s convention were Chris and Alechia Meador, Kris and Meredith Baker, Leigh Helms, and Stephen and Amanda Matthews. Scan Me Or Visit ozarksfn.com

The Ozarks Most Read Farm Newspaper

DECEMBER 16, 2013 | VOL. 7, NO. 14

JUST A THOUGHT

7 8 9

Jerry Crownover – Just a few thoughts about dog shows

Dusty Richards – A look back on the day JFK died

Lynzee Glass – Don’t overlook the Cookbook

MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS 7

Club lambs offer something for everyone in the Wagner family

Kent Livesay turns to the FSA for his storage needs

The University of Arkansas welcomes a new equine program

A living nativity draws people from across the country to Oklahoma

Eye on Agribusiness features Davis and 11 Sikes Feed Mill

Town and Country with Dianne Hardgrave

Gary Proctor shares his cost-share experience

Youth in Agriculture spotlights Jalyn Smith

FARM HELP 21 Understanding Technical Assistance offered by the NRCS

Will 300-Day grazing work on your farm?

A look at the programs that will keep youth involved in ag

CHRISTMAS COOKBOOK C1 Kristine Harris opens her heart and kitchen to help others

18 Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

Dyanna Moyer finds a new way to satisfy her passion for cooking

Nick Bonito started cooking at 10 years old and hasn’t left the kitchen since

DECEMBER 16, 2013

just a

thought

PO Box 6, Prairie Grove, AR 72753

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What’s On Your Mind, Ozarks?

Sandra Coffman

Life Is Simple

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n a recent holiday weekend, after the food and rthe evofootball nworC games yrreJ yB had been consumed, I retired to the recliner and loosened my Jerry Crownover is belt a couple of notches… OK, a farmer and former maybe three… alright, I may have changed into professor of Agriculture sweat pants. After surfing the limited number Education at Missouri of channels available on my antenna-powered State University. He is a TV, I decided that the airing of the ‘National native of Baxter County, Dog Show’ was the least-worst of my viewing Arkansas, and an choices. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the proauthor and professional gram… but I think I’ve come up with a couple speaker. To contact Jerry, of ideas that will really benefit the organization go to ozarksfn.com and that sponsors the dog show while increasing click on ‘Contact Us.’ viewer numbers at the same time. There were more than 150 breeds of dogs represented at the show, broken down into different groups like working dogs, toys, terriers, etc., not unlike the beef cattle industry that has nearly a hundred different recognized breeds, itself. Until the 1960s, there were just three major breeds of beef cattle and the breed organizations made certain that they were kept pure. If a steer was to win one of the big shows like the American Royal, Chicago International or the National Western, you could rest assured that the winner would be a purebred Angus, Hereford or Shorthorn. Then, someone had the great idea to allow crossbreds to participate and one nationally recognized livestock judge had the courage to make a mutt (crossbred) the winner at Chicago, and the cattle industry was changed forever. I can think of hardly any winners over the past 20 years that have been anything other than crossbreds…but back to the dog show ideas. Now, I’m not saying that crossing a Great Dane with a Chihuahua would be anything close to a great idea, but I’m suggesting that maybe the dog show people ought — Continued on Page 6 ATLAS STEEL OFFERS:

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Contributors Diana Dickinson, Gary Digiuseppe, Amanda Erichsen, Brandy King-Stoltze, Dr. Tim E. O’Neill, DVM, Amber Parham, Terry Ropp About the Cover Dr. Diane Dickinson has brought the story of Christmas to life on her farm for 21 years. Read more on page 10. Photo by Diana Dickinson

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor accepts story suggestions from readers. Story information appears as gathered from interviewees. Ozarks Farm & Neighbor assumes no responsibility for the credibility of statements made by interviewees. © Copyright Ozarks Farm & Neighbor, Inc., 2013. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

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went to work for Tyson as a chicken doctor three days before President John F. Western novelist Dusty Kennedy was shot in Dallas, Texas. DatRichards and his wife ing the time and place with all this hisPat live on Beaver Lake torical news lately I, like many other older in northwest Arkansas. people, can recall where I was when the shot To contact Dusty, go to was fired that killed the President. ozarksfn.com and click on Another fieldmen Carl Jones was showing me ‘Contact Us.’ how he serviced the farmers on his list that day. We had lunch in the Elkins Café at noon. It only cost 50 cents for a big plate of food and ice tea, plus a piece of pie or cake back then. I was just getting my boots on the ground in the chicken business. This was a very good paying job at the time and had lots of benefits. I made them a deal because I wasn’t absolutely sure I could handle it. I told Bill Martin to give me six months and if he didn’t like how I did, I’d leave and if I didn’t like it, I’d do the same. We shook hands. One thing I dreaded was all the driving I’d have to do to get around my area. But I became a driver without any thoughts and still think nothing of driving anywhere. When I explained to Bill that my degree was in agronomy not poultry, he said, “If you can get along with farmers, I can teach you all you need to know about chickens in six weeks.” Three weeks later, they gave me a pair of scissors and turned me loose. There was a lot to learn about house ventilation and the 24-hour lights that were on the birds. Some growers then didn’t even have electricity, gravity feed bins, gravity waterers or hand feeders in their poultry houses. In this case we were all pioneers. Curtains made the sidewall on new houses. Self-supporting metal frames were new to the poultry industry and a few had collapsed, that set a new standard for the weight they could sustain. We had some fans but no one, including the people that sold them, had a good, sure method on how to ventilate birds and propane cost 10 cents a gallon. Natural gas was much cheaper but unless you were close to town or near a pipeline you couldn’t get on line. After lunch on the day that Kennedy died, we stopped and found a farm wife crying in a chicken house while feeding her birds. Carl and I were both shocked. “Has a family member died?” we asked. “No, they shot President Kennedy today and killed him in Dallas,” she replied. I could not believe it. Who would shoot the president? No one would do that but a radical right or left. But we were not some banana country where they did that to change policies. After comforting her, we turned on the radio in the truck and listened. He had been shot and was dead. Lyndon B. Johnson was our new president, sworn in on a plane flying back to D.C. People were worried about the security of our government. In just two hours Dallas police had his killer arrested, Lee Harvey Oswald. No fancy communication or walkie-talkies were used and they had lost a policeman, but he was caught and jailed. Later to be assassinated by Jack Ruby. It was bad times in America. I never knew another theory on Kennedy’s death that suited me – so we only have the official report. My 32 years at Tyson were much better than the start. May the Good Lord bless and keep America and all of us. Dusty Richards

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

DECEMBER 16, 2013

just a thought

Keepin’ it Country By Lynzee Glass

he holiday season Merry Christmas is upon us. During this time of year it’s from your friends at easy to get caught Ozarks Farm & Lynzee Glass graduated up in the hustle from Missouri State Neighbor and bustle of family gatherUniversity with a ings, office Christmas parties degree in Agricultural and last minute shopping. Communications in 2008. Just in time for all your She grew up on a family family gatherings we’ve put together our annual farm in Dallas County, Mo. Country Christmas Cookbook filled with recipes To contact Lynzee call that are great for the holidays and perfect for 1-866-532-1960 or email your families throughout the year. The Country editor@ozarksfn.com. Christmas Cookbook also takes a glance into the kitchens of three local country chiefs, sharing their unique family traditions and delicious recipes. The Cookbook is a special section in the middle of this paper making it easy to keep all year long. I hope you enjoy the Cookbook, add your favorites to your own recipe collection and share it with your neighbors, friends or family. As we are with our families and friends over the next several weeks lets not forget that farmers and ranchers across this great nation are still in need of a long-term Food, Farm and Jobs Bill. But even more than farmers and ranchers the Farm Bill impacts every American, every day. Hopefully, Congress will pass a new Farm Bill before the end of the year. We need the certainty that the Farm Bill brings in 2014. A new farm would provide strong crop insurance, disaster assistance programs and assistance for livestock producers. It will also allow the USDA to continue export promotion efforts and

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just a thought Keepin’ it Country Continued from Previous Page give rural communities the chance to support new businesses. Keep your eyes and ears open in the next several weeks, Congress’ decision will affect all of us. I hope you will enjoy time with family and friends during the Christmas season.

May we all remember everything we have to be grateful for. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Best wishes,

Life is Simple Continued from Page 3 to, at least, consider a crossbred class or classes to their competition. Instead of having the subgroups divided into bunches like hunting dogs and herding dogs, they could follow the lead of their cattle counterparts and simply sort them by size. I would suggest that they have three size divisions that could be called large, medium and bait-sized. That way, your St. Bernard and German Shepherd crosses would be in the large-sized class while the Beagle-Labrador cross would fall into the medium class. The bait-sized would include the inevitable cross of the Shi-Tzu and Miniature Dachshund. I’m sure that purebred dog breeders all across the country are becoming enraged as they read this, but just let me remind them that purebred cattle breeders were just as offended in the ‘60s when shows started opening up to livestock that couldn’t produce a pedigree. The result,

however, has been the most phenomenal increase in the quality of beef cattle in the history of the world. My second suggestion has to do with the judges for the dog shows. I’m accustomed to going to cattle shows and watching the judge place his class from first to last. After the ranking, he has to go to the microphone and orally defend his placing to the exhibitors and spectators. The judge at the dog show, however, simply has to place the class without defending his choice, and then congratulate the winner before handing out ribbons and trophies. So, when the kennel club finally accepts crossbred animals into their prestigious shows, I sincerely hope they’ll consider me to be a judge. I have a lot of experience with crossbreds and I can shake hands and pass out ribbons with the best of them.

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DECEMBER 16, 2013

meet your

neighbors

A Market for Market Lambs By Amber Parham

Wagner Club Lambs discovers the importance of vaccinations, genetic testing and feed rations Exclusively raising market lambs for 4-H and FFA shows is a very distinctive feature of Wagner Club Lambs. Unlike many other farms in the state, their only product is

To combat internal parasites the Wagners administer anthelmithics four times per year, rotating to avoid resistance and to prevent temporary sterility in the rams. “The class of dewormers that

Three generations of the Wagner family find a niche in show and market lambs. (Front L to R: Caden and Jackson Wagner. Back L to R: Bob, Clay and Rhianna Wagner)

Photo by Amber Parham

contains ivermectin will make the rams sterile, so we have to use a sheep. They reach a broad national mar- different kind right before breeding seaket for their Suffolk, Hampshire and cross- son,” Clay explained. The summertime temperatures directly breds through shows and their website. Clay and Rhianna Wagner have lived just affect breeding as well. “It’s hard to get ewes to cycle in the summer,” he said. “The outside of Greenwood, Ark., since 2003. Clay Wagner is a pharmacist and the heat is really hard on the rams,” he added manager of Health Depot in Barling. later. The Wagners use several techniques to offset the heat during breedRhianna teaches Agriculing season. “We try to breed ture at Mansfield. Clay’s on a dry lot because fescue father lives next door and Greenwood, Ark. raises their body temperature. plays a major role in managIt’s only a degree or two but it is ing the farm. The Wagners enough that they don’t ovulate,” like the opportunity that the Clay said. “When they are in the farm gives their two sons, lot we feed them Bermuda hay and Caden, 10 and Jackson, 6. DECEMBER 16, 2013

feed. In September we bring them in to do their yearly physical, we sheer them and vaccinate. That jolts their system so that the ewes start ovulating.” They start supplementing the ewes with feed about a month before breeding season. The rest of the year, the flock of 50 ewes grazes about 60 acres of pasture surrounded by web wire. A few years ago they discovered that feed rations can impact their breeding in unexpected ways. “We were using feed that had a lot of soybean meal and cottonseed meal in it. It was lower cost but the soybean meal contained too much plant estrogens and counteracted the testosterone. That made our rams sterile,” Clay said. He said that changing out the feed quickly corrected the problem. Annual vaccinations include leptospirosis and Chlamydia which, if not treated will transmit to the ewes from the carrier rams, causing the pregnant ewes to abort about a month before they should deliver. They also administer 1cc of Bo-Se every other year to compensate for low selenium levels in Arkansas soils. “It keeps the afterbirth clear instead of cloudy or yellow,” Clay explained. “The ewes would not clean the lambs,” Rhianna said. “But after we started giving them Bo-Se, the afterbirth cleared up and they started cleaning them.” “We also do genetic testing for Scrapies resistance,” Rhianna said. They said that the test results indicate whether the sheep has a natural resistance to the disease. Clay explained that the genetic testing report comes back with the gene pair where ‘Q’ stands for susceptible and ‘R’ for resistant to the disease. QQ would mean that an animal carries no resistant gene and is more likely to acquire the disease. He clarified that a single R gene offers a significant amount of resistance. Although raising sheep presents unique challenges, it offers several advantages. “Lambs are smaller and easier for our kids to handle,” said Rhianna. “Which is a good selling point for people looking for their first show animal.”

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When brothers Kent and Steve Livesay, sons of the late David Livesay, took on their farming partnership of the Livesay Orchards in Porter, Okla., in 1976, adverse weather conditions came with it. Acres of fruit trees and livestock keep the two families involved in the tenable

orchard locations but most of the peach trees have irrigation. Peaches are a labor intensive crop. “If it were not for the help of others, we would be behind,” said Kent. Kent’s wife, Dawna and their two sons, Nathan and Kyle, help him and Steve work the farm along with other family members.

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lifestyle. Risk of loss runs high on their 130 acres of peach and apple trees since two of nature’s concerns can instantly be counterproductive and wipe out a season of production. “Difficult challenges and the highest risk on our farm is a spring freeze after blooming. Normally a freeze would not kill trees but would keep the fruit trees from producing. We have had spring freezes and it is just not practical to cover peach trees when you have thousands of them,” said Kent. Drought also makes it difficult. They have limited amounts of water in some of the

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

Nephew Brian Livesay, graduated in May from Oklahoma State University with a degree in Agriculture and niece Melanie Warren both maintain fulltime jobs outside of the part-time work performed on the farm. The trees bloom in mid-March and typically bare fruit from mid-June to early October in some years with a peak season in July and Porter, Okla. August. They have 40 or more varieties of peaches with the Loring being — Continued on Page 16 DECEMBER 16, 2013

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The Last Roundup

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By Lynzee Glass

The University of Arkansas says goodbye to the Razorback Roundup while embracing new equine educational opportunities After 13 years the faculty, staff, students and volunteers at the University of Arkansas have said goodbye to the Razorback Roundup but the opportunities for hands-on equine education is expanding. The Razorback Roundup started in 2001 as a pilot class with six horses. The program has since grown by leaps and bounds. This year, at the final auction, the Razorback Roundup auctioned 15 horses with the help from For the first time since nearly 80 volunteers. 2008, the D.E. King Equine “I am very grateful for all Program will include of the support over the years a year-round equine from the Bumpers College of Photo by Lynzee Glass breeding herd. Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, Division of Agriculture as well as the University of Ar- Stephanie earned a bachelor’s degree kansas,” stated Dr. Nancy Jack, program in animal since with a minor in equine director, D. E. King Equine Program at and a master’s in agricultural education the University of Arkansas, in Fayette- and extension services. She now works for the University of Arkansas. This was ville, Ark. Since the beginning the Razorback Stephanie’s eighth year volunteering Roundup has been a student-managed with the Roundup. But now is a time for big changes. At horse auction and tack sale ran by the students enrolled in the horse and the close of the 2013 Razorback Roundup livestock merchandising class and the the equine program kept back six horses equine behavior and training class. The to start a new year-round teaching herd. “My vision for the future is to teach proceeds from the sale each fall have natural horsemanship every semester. helped support the program. “The Roundup taught me responsibili- With the teaching herd being available for interm classes, sumty and patience. It taught me mer classes and for adult and skill sets beyond handling youth extension education,” a horse,” shared Stephanie Fayetteville, Ark. explained Dr. Jack. McKenna former UniverThe new program will be sity of Arkansas student. “No focused on teaching natural one can truly understand the benefits of this program unless you’ve gone through it.” — Continued on Page 16 DECEMBER 16, 2013

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ozarks

roots

the people, places and traditions that make the ozarks home

Living Nativity and Living Well By Diana Dickinson

Holiday event in Claremore, Okla., lends biblical storytelling with farm animals Dr. Diane Dickinson, veterinarian and shepherd of Shepherd’s Cross in Claremore, Okla., can be found energetically working on her 120acre farm just about anywhere on any day. Being a shepherd is a separate occupation on its own as well as among the oldest. It is also the home to one of the longest running live nativities. “Dr. D.” as she is known, maintains her veterinarian license but gives her all to shepherding her large flock of sheep. “My husband, Pete and I started the Living Nativity on borrowed trucks, trailers and animals 21 years ago and when it was over, I returned it all. Now, we – with God’s help and energetic volunteers can provide it all,” said Dr. D. The Living Nativity is located indoors and held regardless of inclement weather. It is a walk-through event complete with live animals and costumed characters to reflect on the dramatic storytelling. Viewers get to watch the sheep resting in the pastures as in that first Christmas night. There is a journey with the shepherds on a hayride through the pastures. “Families, individuals

and church groups can experience a memorable, peace-filled quality time volunteering in the Living Nativity. Costumes are provided, pictures and a free hayride are made available for the event,” said Dr. D. As the word traveled about her living nativity, soon people from all over as far as New Hampshire, California, South Carolina and Kansas to name a few, came to participate as interns. “They wanted to learn about agriculture to get back to grassroots and how it relates to the Bible,” said Dr. D. Shepherd’s Cross is built on a strict foundation of embellishing agritourism and biblical teachings. “It is an educational environment and I am just the teacher.” The red barn facilitates this experience by teaching others how to take wool and turn it into a product through guided processes. “It is not just the wool that makes the sheep valuable. Some shepherds use their sheep strictly for wool. We use it for whatever it provides which includes milk and meat.” For many years sheep have been called the “cloven hoofed” animals and are pasture improvers. They are very hardy animals but many are not as adaptable to natural foraging conditions as they once were due to modern practices of shedding and feeding in a feed bunk. “We

started with several genetic pools and came up with healthy, strong sheep that live off the pasture without supplements. They have a good survival rate, adapt to extreme temperatures and produce wool and meat. The meat has a lot of nutritional value and health benefits. It is hard to find lamb in a store that did not come from another country. At least here, you know where it came from and that the animals are cared for.” Shepherd’s Cross is an Accredited Agritourism Facility, Animal Welfare Approved Sheep Producer, a source of USDA approved meat, and a Made in Oklahoma company. “I care for the animals from start to finish. At the time of finishing, I walk them through; it is my responsibility as a good shepherd. It does move me but I understand the appreciation for meat,” said Dr. D. The farm also has an internship program for those who want the agricultural experience and the teachings. Curtis Terry, 21, of Owasso, Okla., found this to be what he wanted. “When I saw the listing for free room and board in exchange for working here, I jumped at it. Who doesn’t want something for free? Then it became something I had to work at. It was very different eating from the land. I never ate vegetables until I came here and the corn is my favorite

but all of it is good and it is healthy. I have not had pizza in a while and the closest to ‘normal’ food is what Dr. D’s mom, grandma Wilma (Wilma Thompson), cooks on Thursday.” Curtis confided that Dr. D. made it clear from the beginning that the internship on the farm did not mean it was a place to vacation but where there are well-enforced rules and a place of serious work. Curtis plans to continue as a resident until next fall with desires to serve the country in the armed forces. “My step-dad inspired me. I really look up to him and this experience of internship has made me a hard worker. I cannot just sit around anymore like I used to.” Shepherd’s Cross is also a member of Oklahoma Food Cooperative (Co-op) and accepts SNAP. The Co-op encourages producers to provide healthy food and practices to consumers. It is designed to market locally by buying directly from the producer, although consumers can shop online and have produce delivered. Lamb is sold on site in the red barn as well as items on consignment. The Living Nativity is offered several times in December. For Dr. D. there are no regrets in choosing her labor as a shepherd. She smiled and said, “I laid down my dream to pick up the Lord’s dream.” Photo by Diana Dickinson

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

DECEMBER 16, 2013

eye on

agri-business meeting the needs of farmers

Davis and Sikes Feed Mill Owners: Brandon and Charles Sikes Location: Scranton, Ark.

Products and Services: “Our business is custom feed mixing for a diverse customer base. Because we carry custom show feed, we have customers who come from as far as Hot Springs, Ark. We specialize in hard to find feeds, pharmaceutical products, small specialty items like a handheld emasculator and show items such as special halters and, therefore, have an excellent resource base that supplies these needs. We are also a Nutrena dealer. One area of current demand is specialized seed such as white clover and Austrian winter peas for dear plots. Organic producers come to us for organic supplies and products such as fish meal and kelp meal. “Our services include selling and spreading lime and delivering bulk feed as well as liquid feed.” Philosophy: “Our main goal is to spend quality face-to-face time with customers so when they leave here they understand exactly what they have bought. While some know what they want and need, others ask us for advice and we develop a mix to meet their needs. In order to do this successfully and efficiently, we must stay ahead of the market and that will promote our niche business for years to come.”

DECEMBER 16, 2013

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History: “My grandfather founded our Scranton, Ark., feed mill business in 1949. Then in 1974, my father joined him. When grandpa retired in 1984, my uncle was part of the business until 2008 when he also retired, which is when I entered. In the ‘50s and ‘60s the area was still heavily involved with row cropping so seed, seed blends, and hay and feed grinding were our mainstay. As farming in the area turned mostly to dairy in the ‘70s to the ‘90s, the business shifted to supplying mainly dairy feed later adding beef and equine feed as well. In the last three or four years the backyard hobby farmer has become our main customer raising poultry, pork, sheep and goats. We also service rabbit farms, turtle farms, crawfish farms and even ostrich breeders at one time.”

Story and Photo By Terry Ropp

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479-646-7369

Serving More Than 24,000 Readers Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma

918-647-8000

Buy One NEW Subscription,

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The first 200 people to buy a new subscription to Ozarks Farm & Neighbor, will receive a FREE 1-year gift subscription to give as a Christmas present to a friend or family member.

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town &

country

in the field and in the office

Dianne Hardgrave In Town: “I worked for the State of Arkansas in the Animal Science Division keeping track of cattle sale prices comparable to weights. I go to four auctions per week and I’m one of five auction clerks for a total of 17 auctions covered per week. I sit with my computer among the buyers and enter the weight and prices of the calves sold usually recording 80 percent of the calf sales. I grade them in 10 seconds by focusing on the 12th rib bone as an indication of how much meat the animal will provide at slaughter. We start by grading whether the frame is small, medium or large and then subdivide each of those areas with a rating of one, two, three or four with one being the best. The premium calf has a medium frame with a rating of one meaning that the frame is large enough to support muscle but not so large that the frame makes up too much of the total weight at slaughter. Arkansas is the only state to support the statistics with a physical description including weight, color, whether or not the animals have horns and other details in order to have a more complete record for comparison of market trends.” In the Country: “Our cattle business is a family business with close to 1,000 acres supporting both a cow-calf operation and a backgrounding operation near Clarksville, Ark. We sell our animals at 700 pounds or more, often in Fort Smith. I am still at my dad’s beck and call when he asks for help. We believe in grain feeding daily and I help him feed grain every morning. In addition, we always have hay out for the cattle regardless of the time of year. A good pond system also supports our operation and only rarely needs to have the ice broken up during extreme winter cold. “I am now beginning a pecan farm on my acreage because I don’t want to raise cattle for myself and because I want to leave a place that is on the original homesteaded land that my kids or grandkids can always come back to. There is always a chance one of my grandchildren or future great grandchildren will love cattle the way I do.”

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Story and Photo By Terry Ropp DECEMBER 16, 2013

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Serving More Than 24,000 Readers Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma

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market sale

steers 550-600 LBS. Ash Flat Joplin Siloam Springs

El Reno Ouachita Springdale

Ft. Smith Ozark Tulsa

Green Forest Ratcliff West Plains

162.47

slaughter

187.03 162.94 167.06

Week of 11/10/13

bulls

174.42

Ash Flat Livestock

Not Reported †

Benton County Sale Barn - Siloam Springs Cattlemen’s Livestock Auction

Not Reported †

170.17 174.00 167.96 174.30 184.51 175.11

82.50-103.00 †

County Line Sale - Ratcliff Decatur Livestock Auction

95.50-97.00 † Not Reported *

Farmer’s Livestock - Springdale Farmers & Ranchers - Vinita, Okla.

Not Reported †

Ft. Smith Livestock I-40 Livestock Auction - Ozark Joplin Regional Stockyards

† 8 80.50-105.00 Not Reported †

85.00-100.00 *

162.47

74.00-98.00 †

Week of 11/17/13

167.18

90.00-105.00 * 82.50-106.00 †

slaughter

178.39 159.46

110

130

cows

150

(Week of 12/1/13 to 12/7/13)

165.58 157.00

Ash Flat Livestock

Not Reported †

Benton County Sale Barn - Siloams Springs

Not Reported † 55.00-90.00 * 5

Cattlemen’s Livestock Auction

170.88

67.00-88.00 †

Cleburne County Livestock Auction Clinton Livestock Auction

175.58 188.93 171.23

** ** ** ** Week of 11/24/13

79.00-100.00 †

Stilwell Livestock Auction Tulsa Stockyards, Inc.

166.19

Springfield, Mo. • Springfield Livestock Mktg.

84.00-102.50 † Not Reported †

Ouachita Livestock Auction - Ola Ozarks Regional Stockyard

183.88

5 57.00-84.00 *

County Line Sale -Ratcliff Decatur Livestock Auction

64.00-89.50 † Not Reported *

Farmer’s Livestock - Springdale Farmers & Ranchers - Vinita, Okla.

Not Reported † 7 76.00-92.00 * 55.00-88.00 † 5

Not Reported † 61.00-95.00 †

Mo-Ark - Exeter

Not Reported

50.00-86.00 † 65.00-100.00 †

OKC West - El Reno, Okla.

Not Reported †

Ouachita Livestock Auction - Ola Ozarks Regional Stockyard

169.86 **

60.00-92.00 † 6 70.00-90.50 * 7

Stilwell Livestock Auction

11/26/13

Receipts: 449 Demand was moderate and the supply was light with near 08 percent springer heifers, 12 percent bred heifers, 20 percent open heifers, 08 percent fresh cows, 12 percent milking cows, 07 percent bred and springer cows and 10 percent calves. The sale included one herd reduction and two small dispersals. Several of the cows were sold by the pound. Holsteins unless noted otherwise and all prices are per head. Springer heifers bred seven to nine months: Supreme 1275.00-1425.00, Approved 1000.001285.00, Crossbreds 1090.00-1275.00; Medium 800.00-985.00. Heifers bred four to six months: Supreme 1225.001475.00, Crossbreds 1310.00-1350.00; Approved 1000.00-1200.00, Crossbreds 990.00-1125.00; Medium 900.00-950.00. Heifers bred one to three months: Scarce. Open Heifers: Approved 168-300 lbs 110.00-210.00, 350-390 lbs Pair 390.00, Jerseys 390.00-470.00, Indiv Crossbred 355.00, 430-488 lbs 490.00-560.00, 513545 lbs 510.00-585.00, Jerseys 550.00-580.00, 630685 lbs 700.00-770.00, Crossbreds 700.00-710.00; 704-834 lbs 790.00-890.00, Pair Crossbreds 840.00. Replacement cows: Fresh cows: Supreme 1525.00-1725.00, Approved 1200.00-1250.00, Indiv Crossbred 1300.00; Medium 990.00-1180.00, Common 770.00- 930.00.

sheep &

goats

Diamond, Mo. • TS White’s Sheep & Goat Sale

12/5/13

Receipts: 854 Supply was moderate, demand good. The supply included 28 percent slaughter and feeder lambs; 16 percent slaughter ewes and bucks; 5 percent replacement ewes; 40 percent kid goats; 10 percent slaughter nannies and billies; 1 percent replacement nannies. All prices per hundred weight unless noted otherwise. Sheep Slaughter Lambs: Choice 2-3 wooled traditional 120-122 lbs 102.50-142.50; hair 60-70 lbs 145.00180.00; 70-80 lbs 152.50-175.00; 80-90 lbs 141.00159.00; 90-100 lbs 130.000-137.50; 104-112 lbs 132.50-135.00. Feeder/Stocker Lambs: Medium and Large 1-2 hair 20-40 lbs 200.00-210.00; 40-50 lbs 180.00205.00;50-60 lbs 170.00-190.00. Slaughter Ewes: Utility and Good 1-3 wooled: 90235 lbs 40.00-55.00; hair: 70-145 lbs 41.00-65.00. Slaughter Bucks: wooled 210-255 lbs 41.00-56.00; hair: 111-170 lbs 50.00-65.00. Replacement Ewes: Medium and Large 1-2 hair 89166 lbs 51.00-72.50. Goats Slaughter Classes: Kids Selection: 1 40-50 lbs 195.00-205.00; 50-60 lbs 195.00-210.00; 60-70 lbs 190.00-197.50; 70-80 lbs 160.00-172.50; 80-90 lbs 155.00-156.00; 90-100 lbs 122.50-130.00. Selection 2 40-50 lbs 155.00-190.00; 50-60 lbs 170.00-185.00;

110

175.50

Steers, Med. & Lg. 1

165.08 175.23 *** ***

Bulls, Med. & Lg. 1

165.47 *** *** 186.50 176.03

130

144 158 172 186 200 * No price reported in weight break **USDA Failed To Report/Holiday *** No Report - Weather Prices Based on Weighted Average for Steers and Heifers 550-600 lbs.

14 14

300-400 lbs. 400-500 lbs. 500-600 lbs. 600-700 lbs. 700-800 lbs. 300-400 lbs. 400-500 lbs. 500-600 lbs. 600-700 lbs. 700-800 lbs.

Heifers, Med. & Lg. 1 300-400 lbs. 400-500 lbs. 500-600 lbs. 600-700 lbs. 700-800 lbs.

-----

-------------------------------------------------------------

Decatur Livestock*

12/4/13

1549

604

373

250

-----

Steady

-----

---------------------

175.00-216.00 170.00-204.00 165.00-189.00 145.00-164.00 140.00-150.00

193.00-215.00 174.00-205.00 160.00-180.00 151.00-161.00 -----

185.00-220.00 171.00-201.00 156.00-180.00 143.00-162.00 142.00-156.00

205.00 180.00-200.00 163.00-179.00 152.00-157.00 147.00-150.00

---------------------

165.00-210.00 160.00-198.00 150.00-181.00 140.00-155.00 125.00-140.00

----160.00-182.00 148.00-172.00 138.00-155.00 -----

---------------------

----170.00-179.00 156.00-159.00 140.00 136.00-142.00

---------------------

150.00-177.00 145.00-180.00 140.00-161.00 135.00-150.00 135.00-145.00

170.00-185.00 155.00-184.00 147.00-163.00 139.00-149.00 -----

155.00-174.00 150.00-168.00 144.00-163.00 139.00-151.00 -----

169.00-170.00 155.00-173.00 142.00-166.00 148.00-155.00 126.00

Ft. Smith Livestock

-----

Farmers Livestock Springdale -----

-----

746

-----

841

-----

Steady

-----

---------------------

214.00-237.00 184.00-214.00 166.00-184.00 159.00-166.00 154.00-159.00

---------------------

201.00-220.00 194.00-213.00 173.00-200.00 160.00-171.00 145.00-154.00

---------------------

193.00 170.00-186.00 ----145.00-150.00 138.00-145.00

---------------------

181.00-192.00 169.00-181.00 155.00-169.00 144.00-155.00 134.00-144.00

---------------------

170.00-194.00 167.00-191.00 146.00-175.00 140.00-152.00 136.00-143.00

USDA Reported * Independently Reported

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

Farmer’s & Ranchers Vinita, Okla.* 12/4/13

No Report - Weather

Week of 12/1/13

170.67

-----

Clinton Livestock Auction* 12/2/13

County Line - Ratcliff

12/4/13

Cleburne Co - Heber Springs 12/2/13

Not Reported

179.23

Cattlemen’s Livestock*

No Report - Weather

182.19

Benton Co. - Siloam Springs -----

No Report - Weather

Ash Flat Livestock

***

Buffalo, Mo. • Buffalo L

Receipts: 1094 Supply and deman 42 percent slaught slaughter ewes and ewes; 25 percent k does and billies. A unless noted other Sheep: Slaughter Lambs: traditional 70-90 lb 165 lbs 98.00-130.0 60-70 lbs 132.00-16 90-100 lbs 116.00-1 130.00-134.00. Feeder/Stocker Lam 30-40 lbs 130.00-17 50-60 lbs 87.50-110 Slaughter Ewes: U 120-150 lbs 25.00-4 Slaughter Bucks: w hair 93-275 lbs 36.0 Replacement class Ewes: Medium and Goats: Slaughter C Kids: Selection 1 4 170.00-181.00. Sel 50-60 lbs 136.00-15 Selection 3 50-70 l Does/Nannies: Sel Selection 3 81-125 Billies: Selection 1

stocker & feeder

130

** 171.89

60-70 lbs 165.00-17 Selection 3 50-70 l 130.00-160.00; 80Does/Nannies: Sele Selection 2 75-100 l lbs 90.00-100.00. Se Billies: Selection 1 Selection 3 60-110 Replacement Nann 67.00-85.00. Billies: Selection 1 Stocker/Feeder Kid 125.00; 30-40 lbs 1 lbs 125.00-136.00;

57.00-92.00 † 5

Tulsa Stockyards, Inc.

Markets

Ft. Smith Livestock I-40 Livestock Auction - Ozark Joplin Regional Stockyards North Arkansas Livestock

Milking cows: Supreme 1450.00-1725.00, Approved 1200.00-1470.00, Medium 975.00-1100.00, Common 825.00-980.00. Springing cows: Approved Pair 1275.00-1370.00, Common 730.00-800.00. Bred cows: Supreme Indiv 1470.00, Indiv Crossbred 1575.00; Approved 1250.00-1375.00. Baby calves: Holstein heifers 105.00-130.00, small 50.00-90.00, Holstein bulls 100.00-170.00; Jersey bulls 25.00-60.00; Crossbred heifers 110.00-160.00, Crossbred bulls 90.00-150.00, small 45.00-85.00; Beef Cross bulls 230.00-240.00.

dairy sales

† 8 80.00-105.00 Not Reported *

North Arkansas Livestock OKC West - El Reno, Okla.

12/9/13

5 Area (Tx-Ok, Ks, Neb, Ia, Colo) Live Basis Sales - Over 80% Choice Steers: 130.00-133.00; wtd. avg. price 131.84. Heifers: 130.00-133.00; wtd. avg. price 132.23. Dressed Basis Sales - Over 80% Choice Steers: 207.00-212.00; wtd. avg. price 208.86. Heifers: 208.00-212.00; wtd. avg. price 209.08.

* 8 83.00-99.00

Mo-Ark - Exeter

cattle

Midwest - High Plains Direct Slaughter Cattle

81.00-102.00 *

Cleburne County Livestock Auction Clinton Livestock Auction

178.00

167.89

beef

(Week of 12/1/13 to 12/7/13)

166.28

DECEMBER 16, 2013

12/2/13

ket sales reports

od. The supply d feeder lambs; ucks; 5 percent d goats; 10 llies; 1 percent per hundred

oled traditional 0-70 lbs 145.0080-90 lbs 141.000; 104-112 lbs

and Large 1-2 50 lbs 180.00-

d 1-3 wooled: 90lbs 41.00-65.00. 5 lbs 41.00-56.00;

Large 1-2 hair 89-

n: 1 40-50 lbs 10.00; 60-70 lbs 72.50; 80-90 lbs 130.00. Selection bs 170.00-185.00;

Receipts: 1094 Supply and demand moderate. The supply included 42 percent slaughter and feeder lambs; 14 percent slaughter ewes and bucks; 7 percent replacement ewes; 25 percent kid goats; 12 percent slaughter does and billies. All prices per hundred weight unless noted otherwise. Sheep: Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 2-3 wooled nontraditional 70-90 lbs 130.00-139.00; traditional 105165 lbs 98.00-130.00; hair 50-60 lbs 132.00-169.00; 60-70 lbs 132.00-166.00; 70-80 lbs 128.00-138.50; 90-100 lbs 116.00-137.00; 100-114 lbs 130.00-134.00. Feeder/Stocker Lambs: Medium and Large 1-2 hair 30-40 lbs 130.00-170.00; 40-50 lbs 146.00-167.50; 50-60 lbs 87.50-110.00. Slaughter Ewes: Utility and Good 1-3 wooled few 120-150 lbs 25.00-42.00; hair 71-135 lbs 40.00-71.00. Slaughter Bucks: wooled 202-205 lbs 42.00-43.50; hair 93-275 lbs 36.00-82.50. Replacement classes: Ewes: Medium and Large 1-2 hair 87-109 lbs 57.00-90.00. Goats: Slaughter Classes: Kids: Selection 1 40-50 lbs 175.00-176.00; 50-70 lbs 170.00-181.00. Selection 2 40-50 lbs 135.00-158.00; 50-60 lbs 136.00-157.50; 60-70 lbs 149.00-163.00. Selection 3 50-70 lbs 125.00-140.00. Does/Nannies: Selection 1-2 80-160 lbs 61.00-94.00. Selection 3 81-125 lbs 65.00-85.00. Billies: Selection 1-2 72-125 lbs 85.00-117.00.

feeder

Ft. Smith Livestock

-----

---------------------

201.00-220.00 194.00-213.00 173.00-200.00 160.00-171.00 145.00-154.00

---------------------

193.00 170.00-186.00 ----145.00-150.00 138.00-145.00

No Report - Weather

---------------------

4 0 Blyt

13.87

13.77

6.42

7.74 6.43 6.41

6.46

4.48

4.53

13.43

13.68

5.99

6.31

le na hevil Hele

4.53

4.58

Elain

eola

Osc

usta

Aug

Pine

Bluf

157.73 154.00 161.86

Not Reported *

172.00

860.00-1390.00 † 1000.00-1750.00 † Not Reported † 500.00-1600.00 †

142.50 162.37

1250.00-2060.00 *

900.00-1585.00 † 9

700

1200

1700

cow/calf

pairs

155.80

2200

Not Reported †

Ash Flat Livestock

Not Reported † 950.00-1725.00 *

Benton County Sale Barn - Siloam Springs Cattlemen’s

155.70 154.17 148.06 154.41 154.91 153.35

1325.00-1810.00 *

157.94

None Reported † Not Reported *

160.02

Not Reported † 1400.00-2000.00 *

Markets

Farmers & Ranchers - Vinita Ft. Smith Livestock

None Reported †

I-40 Livestock Auction - Ozark

Not Reported †

Joplin Regional Stockyards Mo-Ark - Exeter North Arkansas

1400.00-1900.00 † Not Reported

** **

1000.00-1530.00 †

OKC West - El Reno Ouachita Livestock Auction - Ola

1525.00-1775.00 † Not Reported † 1275.00-1750.00 †

Ozarks Regional Stockyard

1500.00-2000.00 * None Reported †

Tulsa Stockyards, Inc.

1000

147.85

1080.00-1620.00 †

County Line Sale - Ratcliff Decatur Livestock Auction

500

148.52

2700

(Week of 12/1/13 to 12/7/13)

140.72

Not Reported † 735.00-1625.00 †

Stilwell Livestock Auction Tulsa Stockyards, Inc.

4.38

4.28

161.75 153.80

825.00-1350.00 †

Ouachita Livestock Auction - Ola Ozarks

200

153.50 153.57

1 1000.00-1500.00 *

Stilwell Livestock Auction

1500

2000

2500

3000

** 161.97 ** ** ** ** **

12/2/13 841

-----

8916

-----

Steady

---------------------

220.00 183.00-220.00 169.00-188.00 154.00-173.50 152.00-166.85

---------------------

----185.00-202.50 158.00-176.00 136.00-160.00 -----

DECEMBER 16, 2013

Not Reported †

North Arkansas OKC West - El Reno, Okla.

Sorghum

13.87

13.86

Mo-Ark Exeter, Mo.*

176.00-194.00 163.00-184.00 151.00-172.00 144.00-165.00 143.00-152.25

†

Farmer’s Livestock - Springdale

Joplin Regional Stockyards 12/2/13

---------------------

6 665.00-1475.00 *

Cleburne County Clinton Livestock Auction

12 8

78.00-117.00 Prices reported per cwt. Not Reported *

Mo-Ark - Exeter

I-40 Livestock Ozark -----

170.00-194.00 167.00-191.00 146.00-175.00 140.00-152.00 136.00-143.00

Corn

County Line Sale - Ratcliff

Ft. Smith Livestock I-40 Livestock Auction - Ozark Joplin Regional

Week Ended 12/9/13

Soft Wheat

1020.00-1320.00 †

Farmer’s Livestock - Springdale Farmers & Ranchers - Vinita, Okla.

avg. grain prices Soybeans

850.00-1475.00 * 8

Cleburne County Livestock Clinton Decatur Livestock Auction

SPOT PRICES OF CLASS II CREAM, $ PER POUND BUTTERFAT F.O.B. producing plants: Upper Midwest - $2.1082-2.2908.

148.74 Week of 11/10/13

Cheese: 40 lb. blocks closed at $1.8725 with a weekly average of $1.8985 +.0335). Fluid Milk: Milk production is mixed throughout the regions in the U.S. In the Central, East, California, and parts of New Mexico, production is trending up. In Arizona and other parts of New Mexico, farm milk production is steady. Dairy producers in the Pacific Northwest, Utah, and Idaho are experiencing seasonal lows in milk production. Milk supplies are tight in the Central. Some milk processors in the Central noted additional farm sellouts over the past few weeks. Manufacturing plants in the Pacific Northwest, Utah, and Idaho could use additional milk supplies, while supplies are heavy in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Fluid demand is following seasonal trends as sales for bottlers have been steady to increasing across the nation. Class II interest remains strong, as retail sales drive the market. According to the NASS Agricultural Prices report for November, current U.S. prices for baled alfalfa hay were $188/ton, $27/ton less than a year ago.

prices

Farmers Livestock Springdale -----

12/6/13

Green Forest Ratcliff West Plains

176.05

Not Reported †

Benton County Sale Barn - Siloam Springs Cattlemen’s Livestockk

Ft. Smith Ozark Tulsa

151.08

Not Reported †

Ash Flat Livestock

El Reno Ouachita Springdale

149.97

Week of 11/17/13

12/5/13

11/26/13

cows

Week of 11/24/13

Sale

Buffalo, Mo. • Buffalo Livestock Market

Ash Flat Joplin Siloam Springs

164.43

-----

N. Ark. Livestock Green Forest 12/4/13

OKC West - El Reno, Okla. 12/4/13

Ouachita Livestock Ola, Ark. -----

Ozarks Regional West Plains 12/3/13

Stilwell Livestock Stilwell, Okla.* 12/4/13

Tulsa Stockyards Tulsa, Okla. 12/2/13

-----

1763

8970

-----

7025

2098

3113

-----

Uneven

St-4 Lower

-----

Uneven

St-4 Higher

149.97

---------------------

210.00-235.00 187.00-216.50 162.00-193.00 149.00-170.00 150.00-157.00

227.00-249.00 197.00-225.00 176.50-207.00 160.00-178.50 152.00-170.00

---------------------

200.00-217.50 192.00-225.00 170.00-208.00 159.00-178.00 159.00-171.50

190.00-215.00 180.00-204.00 170.00-192.00 155.00-180.00 145.00-160.00

208.00-220.00 201.00-214.00 184.00-202.00 158.00-171.00 145.00-155.00

150.10

---------------------

200.00-210.00 172.00-200.00 153.00-175.00 140.00-152.00 120.00-138.00

222.00 ----176.00 148.00-156.00 140.00

---------------------

----172.50-197.50 161.00-177.00 ---------

170.00-200.00 168.00-190.00 150.00-180.00 140.00-163.00 125.00-150.00

210.00-214.00 176.00-185.50 176.00-194.00 155.50-162.50 148.00-158.25

---------------------

171.00-192.00 159.00-184.00 146.00-165.00 130.00-150.00 139.00-142.00

211.00 175.00-216.00 163.00-180.00 134.00-164.00 144.50-158.50

---------------------

170.00-182.50 167.00-185.00 161.50-180.00 150.00-164.00 153.00-157.50

170.00-190.00 155.00-177.00 140.00-163.00 140.00-153.00 130.00-147.00

185.00-190.00 174.00-192.00 164.00-178.00 146.50-171.00 143.50-149.50

Serving More Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma Serving MoreThan Than24,000 24,000Readers Readers Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma

156.67

*** 166.04 153.25 Week of 12/1/13

goats

National Dairy Market at a Glance

heifers 550-600 LBS.

(Week of 12/1/13 to 12/7/13)

No Report - Weather Not Reported

0, Indiv Crossbred 00. 00-130.00, small -170.00; Jersey rs 110.00-160.00, ll 45.00-85.00;

replacement

Selection 2-3 Aged Weathers 78-165 lbs 87.50-138.00. Stocker/Feeder Kids: Selection 2 20-30 lbs 131.00160.00; 40-50 lbs 135.00-160.00. Selection 3 40-50 lbs 101.00-140.00.

Not Reported

275.00-1370.00,

60-70 lbs 165.00-177.50; 70-90 lbs 152.50-156.00. Selection 3 50-70 lbs 165.00-190.00; 70-80 lbs 130.00-160.00; 80-100 lbs 150.00-151.00. Does/Nannies: Selection 1 105-158 lbs 75.00-110.00. Selection 2 75-100 lbs 51.00-75.00; young nannies 60-82 lbs 90.00-100.00. Selection 3 48-80 lbs 72.50-110.00. Billies: Selection 1-2 105-175 lbs 80.00-120.00. Selection 3 60-110 lbs 85.00-125.00. Replacement Nannies: Selection 3 Dairy 85-115 lbs 67.00-85.00. Billies: Selection 1 115-235 lbs 85.00-130.00. Stocker/Feeder Kids: Selection 2 20-30 lbs 120.00125.00; 30-40 lbs 150.00-195.00. Selection 3 30-40 lbs 125.00-136.00; 40-60 lbs 100.00-125.00.

No Report - Weather

1725.00, Approved -1100.00,

USDA Reported * Independently Reported

159.81 *** *** 146.76 *** *** 168.66 163.97

120

134 148 162 176 190 * No price reported in weight break **USDA Failed To Report/Holiday *** No Report - Weather Prices Based on Weighted Average for Steers and Heifers 550-600 lbs.

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Sheltered from the Weather Continued from Page 8 the most favored of the peaches. The farm originally had 55 acres of peaches and 45 acres of apples and a few head of cattle. There was no previous orchard experience prior to the purchase. Today their peaches stretch across 120 acres while the apples occupy just 10 acres. “Oklahoma’s climate is better adapted to peaches than apples which explains the decrease of apple acreage due to the hot climate,” said Kent. Livesay Orchards also grows watermelon, pumpkins, tomatoes and nectarines. When it comes to immediate storage, the cold storage facility is critical for the storage of fresh picked fruits and vegetables. Livesay Orchards will be closing on their FSA funded Farm Facility Storage Loan (FFSL) soon to accommodate their cold storage needs. Although raising cattle is still a part of the business, it is a minor part. Property not useful to other agriculture is best used for grazing. The small herd of crossbred Angus and Brahman are mostly for replacement heifers with a calving season in the spring. Storage of the hay is part of managing the risk of loss associated with variant weather conditions of uncovered hay while also maintaining the health of the herd.

Hay loss is a major concern for farmers, especially if there is not adequate storage. Hay storage protects the hay from wet weather which can prevent loss of forage, death to horses and other animals due to the release of toxins from mold or spoilage, nutritional loss and spontaneous combustion for improper storage. The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides direct and guaranteed loans to farmers and ranchers for beginning farmers. They also provide low-interest loans to avid producers regardless if they are unable to obtain financing from other commercial credit sources. “We recently closed on a couple of hay barns, which is groundbreaking. Most producers think they need to contact us as a last resort. Congress has farm loans set up for those who cannot get credit anywhere but that is not the case with FSA,” said Brian Hisey, County Executive Director of USDA’s FSA. “Producers can obtain a low-interest loan through the FSA after meeting specific qualifications.” “Brian Hisey with FSA has been a tremendous help for us by knowing what we needed. When starting any farm, it is always best to start small. A small farm means a small risk of loss,” said Kent.

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The Last Roundup Continued from Page 9

horsemanship including trail obstacles in a natural setting. Students will learn a multitude of techniques from cutting to dressage. The program will continue to be a “non-denominational” program that incorporates all breeds from draft horses to miniature horses. “My goal is to endow the program so it is permanently funded,” Dr. Jack reasoned. “By endowing the program we will ensure its continuation into the future and allow faculty and staff to focus on teaching rather than fundraising which will benefit students tremendously.” Even though the future of the equine program is bright the Razorback Roundup will be missed.

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

“Only time will tell what this new program will do. The Roundup is a very unique program. It’s sad it’s ending but we have new opportunities with a yearround program,” shared Caitlin Barnett, University of Arkansas student. Caitlin earned a bachelor’s in animal science with a minor in equine. Caitlin worked for Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ken., after graduation. She is currently back in school seeking a degree in nursing. This is her fourth year volunteering with the Roundup. Dr. Jack concluded, “The new program will still include an end of the semester show so students can show off their skills.” DECEMBER 16, 2013

meet your neighbors

More Forage, More Beef By Terry Ropp

Gary Proctor uses USDA cost-share programs to reseed his pastures Gary and Jewell Proctor of Lin- pounds with an added treatment of shots coln, Ark., were both raised on and deworming. Jewell said, “Buyers will farms and met while they worked at pay more if they know the spring calves the Baldwin Piano factory in Fayette- are weaned and have had their shots and ville, Ark. the fall calves have had two rounds of Currently the Proctors own 400 acres shots.” Then Gary added, “The key to and lease an additional 800 with 700 good calves is good forage, and providing momma cows and 25 bulls. They own high-quality forage is one of the main fosome of the cattle and some in partner- cuses of my business because 80 percent ship with their son, Daren, who is also a of my income is derived from cattle.” full-time farmer. Most of their momma The severe drought of the last three cows are Braford and Tiger Stripe which years has taken a severe toll on the Procthey breed to Charolais bulls. The Brah- tor’s land resulting in a loss of much of ma influenced cows provide heat toler- their permanent grass, which was preance, bigger calves, richer though not dominantly Fescue. necessarily abundant milk, good protecGary believes that farmers need to be tive instincts, and reproductive longev- knowledgeable about which governity. The Proctors also have a few black ment programs are applicable to their mommas which they breed to black operations and then take advantage of Simmentals in order to get a bigger calf. the programs even though that means The Proctors sell one or two semi loads personally going to the local USDA faof calves at the Stillwell, Okla., sale barn cility to sign up. One program is costat a time but advertise about two weeks share, which means paying the full cost before the sale, which results in repeat up front with reimbursement coming buyers. They have built a later. In the case of reseedreputation for high quality, Prairie Grove, Ark. ing, a government inspecwell cared for animals. The tor comes after germination 500-pound spring calves are to inspect the fields before sold immediately after weanreimbursement checks are ising and after being vaccinatsued. Because of the drought, ed, castrated and dehorned. the government offered an 80-20 The fall calves are sold at 800 cost-share program to help farmers

Gary and Jewell Proctor incorporate Brahma genetics in their herd for heat tolerance, growth, rich milk production, protective instincts and longevity.

reseed their land. The first year the government reimbursed seeding both Rye and Ladino legumes while the second year they reimbursed only the legumes. Nonetheless, the savings for the Proctors was significant. Gary said, “Good field care, whether hay ground or pastureland, means more pounds of forage per acre resulting in more pounds of beef per acre.” Gary sets aside 400 acres of land as hay ground but will turn the animals on the hay ground after the first frost if good forage is available. Gary fertilizes with chicken litter and then top dresses with commercial ammonia nitrogen (34-0-0) testing his soil every five

Photo by Terry Ropp

years. He also sprays for weeds with spot spraying as needed. The last two years he has hired neighbor Warren Napier to seed turnips in a wheat field. Gary said, “The calves aren’t ready to eat turnips until they are about a year old, but then they will eat the tops, pull up the turnips, and eat them as well. Turnips are economical and easy to drill in with the wheat and my calves are gaining more weight so I plan on continuing to use a wheat/turnip field with my fall calves.” Gary and Jewell have a 6-year-old grandson named Denim will hopefully be the third generation to work on the Proctor farm.

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Jalyn Smith Age: 7, second grade Parents: Chris and Nesha Smith Hometown: Joy, Ark. School and 4-H Club: Rose Bud Elementary School and Rose Bud Mavericks 4-H Club Current Involvement in Ag: Jalyn enjoys showing Brangus crossbred calves. She has also shown a goat as well as rabbits, but it’s a genuine love for cattle that keeps her interest. She has independently broke her own show calves the last two years. She said her favorite thing about showing is, “when her calf is good.” Jalyn has been showing cattle since the age of 2.

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It’s in Her Blood: In 2004 Jalyn’s parent’s purchased their current farm from Jalyn’s great-grandfather who established this location in 1993. Along with their daughter the Smith family both own and lease land to run their expanding cattle operation Jay H Farms, LLC. The family currently raises Brangus crossbred cattle. She is full of interest and information about the families operation. Her parents say she doesn’t miss a Tuesday night sale at Arkansas Cattle Auction. She can be seen every Tuesday night alongside her father on the front row, often telling him what to buy. It is often said that Jalyn will catch things others might miss that would disqualify cattle from being a good purchase. Her mother said, “she will catch a big teat or bad foot every time”. Goals for the Future: “I want to be an agriculture teacher.” She also said, she can’t wait until she is old enough to buy her own cattle, because she is going to buy colored cattle. She would also like to show goats again in the future as well as ponies. There is no denying this young lady’s future lies in agriculture.

Story and Photo By Brandy King-Stoltze Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

DECEMBER 16, 2013

The Udder Side of the Story

Dr. Tim E. O’Neill, DVM, owns Country Veterinary Service in Farmington, Ark.

Dr. TIm E. O’Neill, DVM

ell the winter storms have hit. We have 8 inches of snow and ice. Hopefully, this article finds everyone safe and warm. But, what are some tips for this winter? We need to carry extra clothes and/or blankets, water, de-icer and maybe something to snack on if we get caught in this. It might not hurt to have some kitty litter or oil dry with us. This kitty litter can help if we are stuck on ice for traction, and oil dry will also work. We all need to drive our automatic transmissions like standards in slick roads. Let the transmission slow you down to avoid hitting the brakes. When we hit the brakes, it will lock up the tires and you loose control of the vehicle. Never travel any faster than what your transmission can slow you down to a stop. Now, for the animals... They need the number one ingredient for survival, fresh water. I also like to see a lot of calories going into them. Not just high protein. Cattle need some protein, but they do not need protein to make heat, its calories. So, feed that hay. As hay is digested into glucose, it gives off heat increment, which is the heat made during the digestion and it warms them up. Contrary to popular belief, corn is not a real hot feed. Yes, it does have a lot of good calories, but it does not make that much heat during digestion. Hay and forage does. Just think about it, if you come in and eat a warm bowl of beans or soup or stew, you warm right up. We also need to think about getting our animals a wind break. If animals are fed enough, out of the wind and dry, they can withstand a lot of cold. Where if you are wet and out in this weather, it doesn’t take long to get very cold. This is why all of the cattle died in the Dakotas earlier this year. They got a freezing rain and then very cold temperatures. Animals were cold and wet, while being in the wind. Luckily our woods and hollers’ help with this naturally. Another point is to put out some old hay or straw for them to bed down in. If we insulate the ground from them, they will be a little warmer while they rest. We used to save bales of straw from wheat harvest and put it out on the south and east sides of our draws for cattle to bed down in. Amazingly, most of them would. Babies will need external heat. They do not have the body mass to make enough heat for them to stay warm in this weather. Please, remember, DRY AND OUT OF THE WIND.

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farm

help

Making farming a little easier

Finding Technical Assistance By Gary Diguseppe

Technical Assistance offered by the Natural Resources Conservation Services can help producers on a wide range of projects Although financial assistance for voluntary USDA conservation programs often grabs the headlines, the technical assistance offered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service comes first. “In order to get the financial assistance to the programs, you do have to have a conservation plan, which is the product of the technical assistance,” explained Mike Sullivan, who since September 2010 has been NRCS State Conservationist for Arkansas. “It’s really our foundation for our overall agricultural and community assistance with NRCS, and we have basic enabling legislation that allows us to provide one-on-one assistance to producers… It’s something that’s a win-win situation in that it helps them to manage their operations, to meet their production goals and objectives, and at the same time addresses environmental issues and concerns.” Sullivan told Ozarks Farm & Neighbor the process may begin with a producer who needs financial assistance to implement a conservation practice, and approaches the agency for help. The first step is the technical assistance, which helps the producer assess natural resource problems or concerns and identify alternatives that will make the producer eligible for aid through voluntary USDA conservation programs. Sullivan said every step of his entire 31-year career with NRCS and its predecessor agency, the Soil Conservation Service, which has taken him to headquarters in Washington, D.C. and to several other states, has involved responsibility or activity with the technical assistance program. Conditions have changed as the years have progressed; the drought of 2012-13 presented urgent need on the part of producers to develop water sources, as well as longer-term assistance to help them manage pastureland in a way that would mitigate the impact of future droughts. Another area of need, he said, is in forestland. “There’s a lot of land in Northwest Arkansas that has forestland in poor condition,” Sullivan said. “Over the years, some of the more desirable species have been harvested; the trees have not been managed, and producers have not had the funds to manage them really well. So you’ve seen a lot of erosion; trees are really close together, and could use quite a bit of additional management – which we help with, developing those conservation plans while working with the Forestry Commission.”

what do you say? How do you handle watering livestock during extreme cold? DECEMBER 16, 2013

“I am blessed enough to have two naturally spring-fed ponds and only occasionally have to break the ice.” Kelly Woods Newton Co., Ark.

A program unique to the region is the Illinois River Sub-Basin and Eucha-Spavinaw Lake Watershed Initiative. Begun in 2010 out of the discretionary budget of then-national NRCS Chief Dave White, the program targets 576,000 acres in Arkansas and 744,000 acres in Oklahoma to address the water quality problems that have left officials and agribusinesses in the two states trading accusations and lawsuits. Despite the acrimony, Sullivan said, “What we’ve seen is a tremendous response from producers in wanting to get good conservation plans together, and then get whatever assistance may be available to put as much conservation on the ground and show that they’re doing all they can possibly do to protect water quality.” Arkansas has fully utilized the $4 million a year it gets under the program, and receives more applications than can be funded. Sullivan said much of the focus is on combined animal operations, helping poultry and pastureland operators with their manure management and nutrient plans. The Eucha-Spavinaw has been designated a Nutrient Surplus Area, and excess manure has to be transported out of the watershed; Sullivan said, “Our technical assistance includes outreach to make sure producers and others are aware of issues, concerns and opportunity, and then, the detailed conservation planning.” NRCS has also expanded its technical assistance to include energy conservation, and has helped poultry operators conduct audits that can show them how to reduce their energy consumption. The surge in funding for NRCS voluntary programs over the last five years has created an imbalance; Sullivan said money for technical assistance has remained static, so they have not been able to boost their conservation plan assistance to match the increase in demand. He said that will hopefully change in FY2014: “There was a decision to recouple technical assistance needs with financial assistance needs, so we’re hoping when we see our funding for this year we see a little better picture in reconnecting and addressing the workload with the funding that comes to us.”

“The ponds all freeze over so we break ice with an ax and if it is safe we drive around the edge of the pond to crack the ice with a four-wheeler.” Melissa Holland Benton Co., Ark.

“We water by bucket, break ice and have one stock tank with a tank heater.” James Tanner Logan County, Ark.

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“We are fortunate because we have a rotational grazing system with a 10-acre spring-fed pond that seldom freezes, and we can move the cattle there when needed. If the water does freeze, we break it.” La Joyce Duncan Washington County, Ark.

farm help

A Road Map to Extended Grazing By Lynzee Glass

300-Day Grazing Program can impact grazing days, reduce nitrogen fertilizer needs and improve hay management efficiency The 300-Day Grazing Program is designed to reduce expenses and maximize profits according to Dr. John Jennings, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service animal science professor and forage specialist. This program has helped improve forage systems across the state. Benefits of this program include extending the number of grazing days and reducing the amount the days of hay feeding. The University of Arkansas has developed eight different management

practices or demonstrations to help producers maximize their forage. The management practices or demonstrations are: 1. improving grazing management, 2. stockpiling fescue, 3. stockpiling bermudagrass, 4. growing legumes 5. growing summer annual forage, 6. growing winter annual forage, 7. reducing hay losses in storage and 8. reducing hay losses during feeding. Because getting started and deciding which practices should be used can be difficult for producers the 300-Day Graz-

ing Program has been divided into five steps to help producers succeed. Dr. Jennings shared those five steps with Ozarks Farm & Neighbor. 1. Inventory the forage base to find what forages are available for grazing during each season. This step determines what forages and species you have in place, how much and their potential. By inventorying your forages you can determine if you have forages that can be grazed in each season 2. Improve forage management practices to extend the grazing season with the existing forages. Do this before adding any additional forage to your pasture. This step helps you optimize what you have and shows you ways to get more out of your pastures. 3. Add complementary forages to fill in seasonal gaps if needed. Plan short-term and long-term options. 4. Plan forage and grazing practices ahead for the year and get the schedule on the calendar. By planning ahead

you will know when you need to clip, plant, fertilize, stockpile and graze your forages. Having a plan in place will make the 300-Day Grazing Program easier to establish and more successful. 5. Monitor and adjust forages and livestock as needed by keeping records of each practice. Keeping records of your grazing system will allow you to see exactly how the system worked and make it easier for you to make adjustments for the upcoming year. Implementing a new grazing system can be overwhelming, the University of Arkansas suggests starting with one field or pasture the first year and going from there. Producers interested in participating with one or more of the 300-Day Grazing Program demonstrations can contact their local county extension agent for more information and assistance. In order for a producer to be considered for the program an application must be completed by the livestock producer and their county agent.

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farm help 300-Day Grazing Program – Schedule for a Fescue-Based System Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter

Year 1

• Start rationally grazing fescue at greenup to control sequence – Mar. • Determine forage need and fertilize specific pastures for the spring only if needed – March • Select thin pastures to lightly disk and overseed with crabgrass in mid April to mid-May. • Weed control – February-March • Soil sample – when soil is moist • Plan summer grazing sequence and rotation – March • Rationally graze fescue to protect accumulated growth in case of drought conditions • Fertilize emerging crabgrass with N fertilizer and rationally graze – June/July • Graze off or clip fescue pastures in late August that will be stockpiled for winter grazing • Plan fall grazing sequence and rotation – June/July • Decide if perennial warm season forages will be needed in the long-term and if so start planning renovation of specific pastures for planting next spring • Plant brassicas on lightly disked pasture for grazing in fall before fescue is ready – Sept 1. • Fertilize fescue with N in early September and stockpile for winter grazing • Rationally graze non-stockpiled fescue pastures during fall Sept.-Nov. • Graze crabgrass before frost Sept-Oct. • Graze brassicas in late October to allow better growth of fescue pastures for fall grazing • Plan winter grazing sequence and strip-grazing for stockpiled fescue – Sept./Oct. • Strip-graze stockpiled fescue Dec.-Feb. • Overseed clover and/or lespedeza on closely-grazed fescue pastures – Feb. • Manage hay feeding to reduce hay waste • Apply herbicide for weed control in Nov./Dec for thistle, buttercup, hemlock • Plan spring grazing sequence – Dec./Jan.

Year 2

• Follow Year 1 plan • Graze fescue/legume pastures early to control canopy so legumes can establish • Do not apply N fertilizer or litter to fields overseeded with legumes • In late spring, graze fescue/crabgrass pastures closely to allow emergence of volunteer crabgrass – Do not apply N to those pastures until early summer for crabgrass • Plan summer grazing sequence – March • Follow Year 1 plan • Plan fall grazing sequence – June/July • Follow Year 1 plan • Graze pastures with lespedeza and crabgrass before frost • Plan winter grazing sequence. • Follow Year 1 plan • Overseed clover or lespedeza on fescue pastures where needed • Manage to reduce hay waste during feeding • Plan spring grazing sequence

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farm help dents, and enClassroom maFor more information visit: courage them • Arkansas Farm Bureau: www.arfb.com/education- terials with their youth/ag-classroom/default.aspx to be involved normal, tradiin the agricul- • Oklahoma Farm Bureau: tional Arkanwww.okfb.org/index.php?action=programs.agyouth ture industry sas curriculum • USDA: Visit your local USDA office or visit usda. in some way. frameworks; and gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=FOR_KIDS “Whether it is • Arkansas 4-H: kidsarus.org farmers often through leader- • Arkansas FFA: http://arkansasffa.org serve as teachship programs, • Oklahoma 4-H: 4h.okstate.edu/ ing guests and speech contests • FFA: www.okffa.org distribute activor showing/ ity books and judging livestock, every aspect of agri- information on specific crops. culture is important and we want to see Arkansas Ag Scholarships: Because more and more youth involvement in Farm Bureau cares about the future of those areas,” Carroll added. our farming communities and our youth of today, there are several wonderful ArArkansas Youth Programs kansas college scholarships for college “Agriculture is Arkansas’ largest in- bound students. dustry, adding around $16 billion to the Safety Education: Farm Bureau is constate’s economy every year. The Natural cerned with saving lives and preventing State’s diverse landscape and climate injuries. Farm Bureau has two full-time produce a wide variety of agricultural Safety coordinators who present safety products. Arkansas is a major exporter of programs around the state FREE of charge rice, soybeans, cotton, poultry and feed to schools, churches, county Farm Bugrains. There are 49,346 farms statewide reaus, civic and charitable organizations. and 97 percent of Arkansas’ farms are family-owned,” according to the ArkanAvailable in Arkansas sas Farm Bureau website. and Oklahoma With this knowledge of agriculture’s Through the U.S. Department of Agpresence in the great state of Arkan- riculture’s Farm Service Agency, loans sas, it is essential that youth programs are available to qualified rural youth to are available to enhance and brighten establish and operate income-producing the future for tomorrow’s leaders of the projects in connection with 4-H Clubs, state’s rural and agricultural industry. FFA and other agricultural groups. These The following are programs avail- projects must be planned and operated able through the Arkansas Farm Bu- with the help of the organization advisor, reau (AFB). produce sufficient income to repay the Ag in the Classroom: The Ag-in-the- loan and provide the youth with practiClassroom program utilizes volunteers, cal business and educational experience. both teachers and farmers, as in-classroom The youth loan program is a way for resources. Teachers incorporate Ag-in-the- rural youth to get started in agriculture

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A Mission to Feed By Terry Ropp

Kristine Harris takes her skills in the kitchen and uses them to volunteer with the Feed My Sheep program Many cooks start out cooking with their mother or grandmother as a child. Even though she came from a long line of excellent cooks who often worked in restaurants, such is not the case with Kristine Harris of Tahlequah, Okla. She was brought up in a 1950s household where she was asked what she would like for breakfast and came to the table to find it fixed. Everything changed when she got married in the late 1960s. Kristine said, “I had watched my mother and grandmother but basically learned by trial and error. However, I grew up with really good food and had those flavors in my mouth. What that means is I kept messing with recipes until they tasted right, and I still do.” Among Kristine’s most cherished possessions are her grandmother’s cookbook, Household Searchlight Recipe Book, and a collection of antique cooking utensils she uses to this day. Although Kristine’s career was in music education, she along with her mother and daughter ran a restaurant for 14 years featuring handmade hamburgers. Kristine said, “When we opened up, my mother was 80, and she would sit at a prep table weighing and hand forming all of the patties. There were two secrets to our hamburgers. One was that the meat was double ground, and the other was plenty of salt and pepper.” Kristine believes a sharp knife is the most important kitchen tool and carries a knife sharpener with her wherever she goes to cook whether that’s for a fundraiser or for a multi-denominational church sponsored weekly dinner on Thursdays called Feed My Sheep. The project began over two years ago when a friend called Kristine and asked if she wanted to be part of a new mission to feed the homeless and hungry. In the beginning 50 plates of food per week were served, but that total is now up close to 300 with one cook in charge per week. Kristine oversees the dinner about nine times a year and serves foods such as chicken pot pie, baked spaghetti and Italian beef stew. DECEMBER 16, 2013

Serving More Than 24,000 Readers Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma

C-1

Appetizers & Sides Dixie’s Ortega Rice Casserole

Judy Williams, Berryville, Ark. 1 can clear chicken broth Salt and pepper to taste 7 oz. can diced chiles 8 oz. sour cream 2 C. Minute rice Bring to a boil chicken broth, chiles, onion and rice. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, sour cream and cheese. Put in casserole dish. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes.

Cheese Ball or Log

Pam Fortner, Yellville, Ark. 2 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature 2 C. shredded cheddar, mild 1 T. Worcestershire sauce 1 T. chopped green chives, dried or fresh Pimentos, one small jar, drained 1 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt Chopped pecans or walnuts Mix well and form into ball or log and roll into chopped nuts. It’s best to use chopped nuts and not ground nuts. Tip: roll log or ball in nuts on wax paper, working the nuts up and around cheese by lifting wax paper. Will make 4 logs or 2 large cheese balls.

Esther’s Stuffed Jalapeños

Judy Williams, Berryville, Ark. 16 large jalapeño peppers 8 oz. cream cheese 16 precooked shrimp 8 slices of bacon halved Cut large jalapeño lengthways, put about a tablespoon of cream cheese in pepper, place a precooked shrimp on cream cheese and wrap with a piece of bacon. Cook in the oven or grill until bacon is cooked.

C-2

Sesame Garlic Green Beans

Claudette Wilcox, West Fork, Ark. Fresh green beans, trimmed Olive oil or coconut oil for sautéing Lots of fresh minced garlic Sesame oil Lightly toasted sesame seeds Salt & pepper, to taste Heat the oil in a large skillet over mediumhigh heat. Toss in the green beans and sauté until the beans are starting to get golden and crisp (don’t let them get to the mushy stage). Toss in the garlic and let cook for a few seconds. Remove from heat, drizzle with a bit of sesame oil, toss with the toasted sesame seeds and season with salt & pepper if you’d like. Serve immediately.

Norwegian Slaw

Christine Grigg, Huntsville, Ark. 3 medium cabbages, shredded 2 T. salt 3 large bell peppers, chopped 1 bunch celery, chopped 1 T. mustard seeds 4 C. sugar 2 C. vinegar 1 C. water 1 T. celery seeds Let cabbage stand in salt for 2-3 hours. Squeeze cabbage until dry. Boil sugar, vinegar, water and seeds for 4 minutes. Let mixture get cold then pour over vegetables. Will keep in fridge for up to 3 months.

Mint Syrup Claudette Wilcox, West Fork, Ark. 1 C. sugar 1 C. water 1 C. fresh mint leaves packed Coarsely chop leaves. Bring all to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer 2 minutes. Strain into a clean jar and press solids to remove all of the liquid. Serve with ice tea, ice cream, berries and even sparingly in green beans. Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

Cowboy Caviar Dip

Dyanna Moyer, Lincoln, Ark. 1 can black eyed peas, drained 1 can black beans, drained 2 small Roma tomatoes, chopped Featured 1 small purple onion, chopped Cook 2 avocados, peeled and diced 3 jalapenos, finely chopped 1 C. Italian dressing of choice 2 T. lime juice Mix and serve chilled with tortilla chips.

Strawberry Nut Salad

Kristine Harris, Tahlequah, Okla. 2 small pkgs. of strawberry flavored Jell-O 1 C. boiling water 2 (10 oz. pkg.) frozen sliced sweet strawberries thawed 1.4 lb. can crushed pineapple, drained 3 medium bananas, mashed Featured Cook 1 C. coarsely chopped walnuts 1 pint sour cream In a large mixing bowl combine gelatin with boiling water stirring until dissolved. Then fold in the strawberries with juice, drained pineapple, bananas and walnuts. Turn half of the mixture into a 12x18” dish. Refrigerate until firm (about an hour and a half). Next spread the sour cream evenly on top of the chilled layer. Refrigerate until cool. Then carefully spoon the other half of the strawberry mixture on top of the sour cream and refrigerate until firm.

Spicy Crackers

Hendrixetta Watts, Leslie, Ark. 4 rows of saltine crackers 1 T. crushed red pepper flakes 1 1/3 C. oil 1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix Put crackers in a turkey-roasting bag. Mix oil, pepper flakes and dressing mix. Pour mixture over crackers. Turn bag frequently for 48 hours before eating. Store in airtight container. DECEMBER 16, 2013

Appetizers & Sides Yorkshire Pudding (Popovers) Geneice McCall, Eureka Springs, Ark. 2 C. flour 2 C. milk 1 tsp. salt 5 large eggs, lightly beaten Butter or pan drippings from roast beef Preheat oven to 400°. Whisk together first four ingredients until smooth. Place ungreased popover pan in preheated oven for 5 mins. Brush bottom and sides of pan with butter or meat drippings. Pour batter into pans. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes or until puffed and brown. Yield: One dozen

Frog-Eye Salad

Barbara Groskopf, Clarksville, Ark. 1 C. sugar 2 T. flour 2 1/2 tsp. salt 1 3/4 C. pineapple juice 2 eggs, beaten 1 T. lemon juice 3 qt. water 1 T. cooking oil 1 (16 oz.) pkg. acini di pepe noodles 3 (11 oz.) cans mandarin oranges, drained 2 (20 oz.) cans pineapple chunks, drained 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained 1 (9 oz.) carton non-dairy whipped topping 1 C. miniature marshmallows (optional) 1 C. coconut (optional) Combine sugar, flour and one-half tsp. of the salt. Gradually stir in pineapple juice and eggs. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until thickened. Add lemon juice. Cool mixture to room temperature. Bring water, remaining two tsp. of salt and oil to a boil. Add acini di pepe. Cook at rolling boil until acini di pepe is done; drain acini di pepe. Rinse with water; drain again and cool to room temperature. Combine egg mixture with acini di pepe. Mix lightly but thoroughly. Refrigerate overnight in airtight container. Add remaining ingredients; mix lightly but thoroughly. Refrigerate until chilled in airtight container. Salad may be refrigerated for as long as a week in airtight container. DECEMBER 16, 2013

Not Your Grandma’s Sweet Potatoes Kashmir Baker, West Fork, Ark. 2 large sweet potatoes baked and mashed smooth 1/3 C. creamy peanut butter 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (more or less to taste) 1/4-1/2 tsp. cinnamon, optional Mix thoroughly as you would mashed potatoes and served as a side dish.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Christine Grigg, Huntsville, Ark. 3 C. boiled sweet potatoes, drained and mashed 1 C. sugar 2 eggs 1/2 C. milk 1 T. vanilla 6 T. butter Topping: 1 C. brown sugar 3 T. flour 2 T. cold butter 1 C. pecans Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla and butter and pour into baking dish. Combine all topping ingredients and sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake uncovered at 350° for 45 minutes.

Biscuit Mix

Hendrixetta Watts, Leslie Ark. 8 C. plain flour 1/3 C. baking powder 2 tsp. salt 1 C. shortening Mix flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in shortening thoroughly. Until mixture looks like meal. Store in airtight container. May use selfrising flour, just omit baking powder and salt. Just add enough milk or buttermilk to make soft dough, roll about 1/2” thick and cut with biscuit cutter. Bake at 425° until golden brown.

Homemade Soft Pretzel

Eric Tietze, Lebanon, Mo. 1 1/2 C. warm (110-115° F) water taff 1 T. sugar OFN Srite 2 tsp. kosher salt Fa v o 1 pkg. active dry yeast 22 oz. all-purpose flour, approx. 4 1/2 C. 2 oz. unsalted butter, melted Vegetable oil, for pan 10 C. water 2/3 C. baking soda 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 T. water Pretzel salt Combine water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4-5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approx. 50-55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 450°. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside. Bring the 10 C. of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-qt. saucepan or roasting pan. In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan. Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12-14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Serving More Than 24,000 Readers Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma

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Feast Without Regret By Tammie Gimenez

10 tips to stay on track during the holidays Holiday eating can be a loaded topic – most people relish holiday recipes – cookies, candies and pies – yum, but live to regret their overindulgent holiday eating patterns after the season has passed. It’s very tempting to fall into unhealthy holiday eating patterns, but regret should have no place in your holiday celebrations. To help you maintain a healthy diet during the holiday season, consider these 10 eating strategies.

Eat the “Best for You” Offerings First. For example, hot soup as a first course, especially when it’s broth based, not cream based can help you avoid eating too much during the main course. Stand more than an arm’s length away from munchies – like a bowl of nuts or chips, while you chat so you’re not tempted to raise your hand to your mouth every few seconds.

Concentrate on Your Meal While You’re Eating It. Don’t forget to use your “senses.” Focus on chewing your food well and enjoying the smell, taste and texture of each item. Research shows that mealtime multitasking, whether at home or at a party, can make you pop mindless calories into your mouth. Of course, dinner party conversation is only natural, but try to set your food down until you’re finished chatting so you are more aware of what you’re taking in.

Don’t Go Shopping Hungry. This not only includes grocery shopping but also mall shopping. To cut down on the lure of the food court, never go to the mall on an empty stomach. Plan your shopping route so you don’t pass the Cinnabon stand a dozen times. Both sights and smells can coax you to eat, and saying no can feel impossible.

Keep Track of What You Eat. Maintain a food diary to help you stay committed to your goals during this risky eating period. There are many good tools available to download that allow you to record your daily intake to help keep you on track.

people eat more, regardless of their true hunger level. Cutting down on your personal smorgasbord can decrease what you end up eating by 20- 40 percent.

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Remember to Eat Breakfast. This has been shown to prevent overeating later in the day.

Keep Healthy Snacks at the Office. Stash healthy foods in your desk at work so you’re not as tempted by the treats piling up at the office. Try to keep communal office goodies out of view, either in an area that isn’t as highly trafficked as the kitchen or the break room, or in dark containers or covered dishes. Before you allow yourself a splurge, do something healthy, like eating a piece of fruit, walking around the office for five minutes or climbing a few flight of stairs.

Keep Up the Exercise. Be determined to squeeze in at least one or two workouts a week, no matter how busy you get. If you don’t have time for your daily four mile walk, do a few 10-15 minute spurts of exercise throughout the day. They can be just as effective at maintaining overall fitness as one continuous workout.

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Manage Portion Size. Take sensible portions so you don’t end up eating too much.

Choose Your Indulgences. You tend to stave off feelings of deprivation by allowing yourself a “cheat” day a week. For instance, rather than inhaling four sugar cookies on your cheat day, allow yourself one as a dessert when the mood strikes. Then make one little switch during the day to account for those calories – maybe skipping that morning latte or cutting out an afternoon snack. Instead of wasting calories on foods that you can have at any time of the year, pick items that are special and unique to the season. Tammie Gimenez, MHS, RD, LD with North Arkansas Regional Medical Center Department of Food and Nutrition Services in Harrison, Ark.

Limit the Number of High-Calorie Foods on Your Party Plate. Research has shown that when faced with a variety of foods with different tastes, textures, smells, shapes and colors,

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Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

DECEMBER 16, 2013

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A Messy Passion By Terry Ropp

Expanding her passion for cooking Dyanna Moyer recently joined a competitive Dutch oven cooking team When a young Lincoln, Ark., woman had a mother who cooked for both a school cafeteria and a large family and a mother-in-law who cooked out of love, she became an excellent home-style cook who has absorbed efficiency from one woman and a genuine passion from the other. Dyanna Moyer admitted she is a messy cook and in that respect was much more like her mother-in-law than her mother who, out of necessity, was neat and efficient. However, she fondly remembers picking blueberries near her home as a child so her mother would make blueberry dumplings which consist of a homemade blueberry filling with dumplings on top. One of the earmarks of Dyanna’s passion for cooking is her love of sharing food with those around her including George’s chicken catchers in the middle of the night, fellow parishioners at church suppers, friends and neighbors. She especially enjoys baking during cold weather and generously flours her kitchen as she makes rolls, cookies and pies. Dyanna drives a Prairie Grove school van in the mornings and often leaves muffins at the bus barn for the other drivers. Her girls are now away at college, and she is always happy when her daughter Cheyenne calls for a recipe or advice or her other daughter Caleigh Sue says she is coming home from school for a visit and orders her favorites.

A recent excursion into cooking was partnering up with her friend Reba Moore in competitive Dutch oven cooking at the Washington County Fair. She was Photo by Terry Ropp amazed at the process, especially when she found she could maintain a 350-degree temperature by placing specific numbers of coals on the top and bottom of the Dutch oven. Their beef tips and taters won second-place for main meal, their rolls third place and a blueberry cobbler another second place which earned them second place overall at the fair. They plan on competing again next year with a new menu. Dyanna believes one of the most important cooking skills is properly thickening sauces, gravies and fillings. She explained that thickening with flour takes more time and care but can be reheated more successfully while adding cornstarch as a last minute can adjust thickness when adding more flour is impractical. One trick Dyanna learned from her mother was to use instant mashed potatoes as a last-minute adjustment for sauces such as those in chicken pot pie.

Main Dishes Beaurox

Fried Calamari

Dyanna Moyer, Lincoln, Ark.

Filling: 1 lb. hamburger meat 1 lb. bacon cut into small pieces with scissors 1 medium/large head of cabbage, chopped 1 medium/large onion, chopped Dough: 1 pkg. yeast 1 C. warm, not hot, water 2 T. sugar 1 tsp. salt 2 eggs 2 1/2 C. flour 2 T. shortening

DECEMBER 16, 2013

Featured Dissolve the yeast in a large bowl with the warm Cook water. Stir in sugar, salt and half the flour. Beat until smooth. Add eggs and shortening and mix well. Then add remaining flour scraping the sides of the bowl. Let rise in warm place 45 minutes, punch down. Cook hamburger in bacon until brown. Add cabbage and onion and fry until it is all cooked and brown in color. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you want one large big loaf, roll out dough and pile the filling in the middle folding the ends inward and then the sides to the middle. Turn seam side down on a baking dish. Bake loaf at 400° until golden brown. Brush with melted butter as soon as you take loaf out of the oven. If you prefer smaller pocket style loaves, divide the dough into the desired number of loaves. Rollout following the same procedure baking at 400° until golden brown.

Nick Bonito, Low Gap, Ark. 1 lb. calamari 1/4 C. milk 1 C. flour Featured Cook 1 C. bread crumbs 2 T. seasoned salt Lemon wedges and Marinara sauce on the side Mix the flour, crumbs and seasoned salt. Dip the calamari in milk and then coat with the flour mixture. Deep fry until golden brown. Serve with Marinara sauce and lemon wedges. If used as an entrée, served with sautéed vegetables or salad and seasoned rice.

Serving More Than 24,000 Readers Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma

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Main Dishes Fried Cabbage with Smoked Sausage

Lisa Rader, Oologah, Okla. 1 stick butter or margarine 1 small head of cabbage, 1 small onion 1 lb. smoked beef sausage 1 can Rotel Salt and pepper to taste Melt butter and add cabbage and onion; cook for 5 minutes stirring often. Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

Cowboy Skillet Casserole

Pete Boaz, Prairie Grove, Ark. 1 lb. ground beef 1/2 onion, chopped taff OFN Srite 2 red bell peppers, cut into 2” Fa v o pieces 1 (15 oz.) can baked beans 1 T. dry fajita seasoning 1 (8.5 oz.) pkg, corn bread mix 1 egg 1/3 C. milk Preheat the oven to 350°. Crumble the ground beef into a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until beef is evenly brown. Drain the grease, and add the onion. Cook and stir until the onion is translucent. Add red peppers, beans and fajita seasoning; cook and stir until heated through. Spread out in an even layer on the bottom of the skillet. Mix the package of cornbread mix according to the directions using the egg and milk. Spoon over the ground beef mixture, and spread evenly. Place the whole skillet in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cornbread layer comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes before serving.

And the angel said unto them, fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. – Luke 2:10-11

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Smoky Bacon Chili

Kathy Myers, Lebanon, Mo. 1 lb. ground beef taff 6 slices of bacon, cubed OFN Srite o 1 yellow onion, diced Fa v 1 red pepper, diced 1 green pepper, diced 1 garlic clove, minced 1 (14 oz.) can of fire roasted tomatoes 1 (8 oz.) can of tomato sauce 1 T. garlic powder 1 T. chili powder 2 T. smoked paprika 2 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. cayenne pepper Salt and pepper, to taste 2-3 sweet potatoes (optional) Chili served over sweet potatoes if desired. Preheat oven to 400°. Punch holes in your sweet potatoes with a fork. Place on rack in oven and cook for about 30 minutes or until potato is soft and cooked through (I bake mine in Microwavable cooking bags, much faster). Now pull out a large pot, add your cubed bacon and let cook down. While the bacon is cooking, chop all your veggies. When the bacon has browned and is a bit crisp, add your veggies. Let cook for about 6 or so minutes, then add your ground beef and all the spices. Once the beef is browned, add your tomato sauce and fire roasted tomatoes. Mix well and let all the flavors meld together while cooking on low for the next 8 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Then split open your sweet potato, pour your chili over it, and eat.

Hobo Dinners

Judy Williams, Berryville, Ark. Hamburger patty Sliced potatoes Sliced onion Sliced carrots On a piece of aluminum foil, layer all ingredients, season with salt and pepper, wrap and bake at 400° for 45-60 minutes or on the grill. You can also add squash or bell peppers or other vegetables. Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

Beef Tips and Taters

Dyanna Moyer, Lincoln, Ark. 1 pkg. brown gravy mix 1 pkg. Lipton soup mix 1 can cream of mushroom soup Featured Cook 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 small can mushrooms 1 can Coke (any soda will do) 3 lbs. stew meat or sirloin tip cut in two chunks Mix all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Serve over mashed potatoes although wide egg noodles or rice will also work well.

Chicken Pot Pie Melissa Fuller, Tunas, Mo. 2 ready made pie crusts taff 1 can chicken breast, drained OFN Srite 2 1/2 C. mixed frozen vegetables Fa v o 1 can cream of chicken soup Mix chicken breast, vegetables and soup in a pan over medium heat. Heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally. Place 1 pie crust in a 9” pie pan. Fill with vegetable mixture. Cover with second pie crust. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Creamy Ranch Pork Chops & Rice

Lynzee Glass, Lebanon, Mo. 1 T. vegetable oil 4 boneless pork chops, 3/4” thick 1 (10.75 oz.) can Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup 1/2 (10.75 oz.) can milk 1 (1 oz.) pkg. ranch salad dressing mix Paprika Ranch-Style Rice

taff OFN Srite Fa v o

Heat oil in a skillet. Add chops and cook until browned. Add soup, milk and 1/2 pkg. salad dressing mix. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes or until done. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve with Ranch-Style Rice. DECEMBER 16, 2013

Main Dishes Mexican Casserole

Manicotti

Nick Bonito, Low Gap, Ark. 2 1/2 lbs. ricotta cheese 1 1/2 C. shredded mozzarella 1/2 C. grated Parmesan Featured 2 T. fresh chopped basil Cook 3 eggs 1 pkg. of premade crêpes 1 qt. Marinara sauce Mix the ricotta, 1 C. mozzarella, and the Parmesan with eggs and basil until a uniform mixture is formed. Ladle and spread 1 C. Marinara sauce on the bottom of a greased 9x13” ovenproof baking dish. Spoon the cheese mixture into the crêpe and roll. Place rolls seem down and side-by-side in the ovenproof dish until filled. Cover with the remaining Marinara sauce and 1/2 C. of the shredded mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes in a 350° oven. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Elsie Parker, Stillwell, Okla. 1 1/2 lb. ground beef 1 large onion, chopped 1 large green pepper, chopped Salt and pepper to taste 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies 1 can El Chico taco sauce 1 large package Doritos 1/2 lb. or more of shredded cheddar cheese Brown ground beef, onion, bell pepper, salt and pepper in a large skillet. Add soups, tomatoes and sauce. Spread the Doritos in the bottom of a large baking dish. Top with shredded cheese. Cover with the skillet mixture. Bake 25 minutes at 400°.

Fettuccine Alfredo Roast and Rice Kristine Harris, Tahlequah, Okla. 3 lbs. chuck or arm roast with fat on it 2 T. vegetable oil Featured 1/2 tsp. garlic powder Cook Salt and pepper 4 garlic cloves, whole Salt and pepper the meat liberally and rub the garlic powder on one side. Brown slowly in a large skillet covered or a Dutch oven in the oil while punching holes in the meat so the juices flow to create the base for the au jus. Brown on all sides until the meat and juices are very brown but not burnt. Then add 2 C. of water and simmer covered for two hours until tender. Adding water as needed and stirring occasionally to keep the brown bits and the meat from sticking to the bottom of the pan so the liquid maintains flavor. Remove meat from the pot and let rest for 5 minutess while checking the seasoning of the au jus. If more au jus is desired, adding more water and beef flavored Better than Bullion can increase the amount without loss of flavor. Serve with rice and the au jus. DECEMBER 16, 2013

Nick Bonito, Low Gap, Ark. 1 qt. heavy cream 1 tsp. white pepper 1 tsp. granulated garlic Featured Cook 1 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 lb. butter 1/4 C. chopped parsley 1 lb. fettuccine cooked al dente Melt the butter and spices heating slowly until the flavor infuses through the butter. Add the cream and heat through, stirring constantly. Stir in parsley and serve over fettuccine. Cooked chicken or shrimp and or sautéed vegetables may be served on top.

It’s true, Christmas can feel like a lot of work, particularly for mothers. But when you look back on all the Christmases in your life, you’ll find you’ve created family traditions and lasting memories. Those memories, good and bad, are really what help to keep a family together over the long haul. - Caroline Kennedy

Three-Pepper Tenderloin Roast with Mushroom & Leek Barley Arkansas Beef 1 beef tenderloin roast center-cut (2-3 lbs.) Cookbook 1 T. coarsely ground mixed pepSponsor percorns (black, white, green and pink) 1 lb. cremini or white button mushrooms, halved or quartered if large 3 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise then crosswise into 1/2” thick pieces 2 T. olive oil, divided 1 C. uncooked quick-cooking barley 2 1/2 C. reduced-sodium beef broth 1/2 C. dried sweetened cranberries or cherries Salt to taste Preheat oven to 425°. Press peppercorns evenly onto all surfaces of beef roast. Combine mushrooms, leek and 1 T. oil; toss to coat. Arrange vegetables in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is centered in thickest part of beef, not resting in fat. Do not add water or cover. Roast beef in 425° oven 35-40 minutes for medium rare; 45-50 minutes for medium doneness. Roast vegetables 35-40 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring once. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 T. oil in 3-qt. saucepan until hot. Add barley and cook 3-5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add broth and cherries; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer; covered, 10-12 minutes or until barley is tender. Keep warm. Remove roast when meat thermometer registers 135° for medium rare; 150° for medium. Transfer roast to carving board; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 15-20 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise about 10° to reach 145° for medium rare; 160° for medium.) Stir mushrooms and leeks into barley mixture. Carve roast into slices. Season barley and beef with salt, as desired. Serve with barley. Makes 4-6 (6-oz.) or 8-12 (3-oz.) servings.

Serving More Than 24,000 Readers Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma

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An Italian Tradition By Terry Ropp

After professional training Nick Bonito still sticks to his Italian roots Nick Bonito, owner of the Low Gap Café in Low Gap, Ark., comes by his love of food honestly and said the love, “comes from the heart and was born in my blood.” Nick first learned by watching his Italian born grandfather and his mother cooking for the family. He cooked his first dish at 10. The first dish he ever cooked with his grandfather was homemade pasta ravioli filled with spinach and cow brains and dressed with Bolognese sauce. He continued the early cooking tradition with his younger son Andrew when Andrew was 8. They prepared a caramel pumpkin cheesecake. The lesson went so well that Andrew is hoping to go to culinary school and become a chef himself. Nick always says he got the best professional training possible at the CIA but

with a grin he clarified that the CIA was not a governmental agency but rather the renowned Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. After earning his degree, he worked as a chef in Florida, Colorado and California before opening his own restaurant in Harrison, Ark. Eight years ago the then owner of the Low Gap Café offered to sell the restaurant to him but Nick thought the location was a detriment until he sat outside on a wooden bench watching on a Saturday. According to Nick many people stopped and asked if he was going to open a restaurant there. The restaurant now will typically serve 290 people on a Saturday night in a 40 person capacity restaurant with only a 40 minute average waiting time. Obviously people don’t mind. The two most popular dishes are

pan seared scallops with mango cream and hand cut rib eyes with horseradish cream. He serves a rotational seasonal dessert menu with the three most favorite desserts being chocolate crème brûlée, tiramisu and a mascarpone cake with raspberries and blueberries. According to Nick, the most important skill in becoming a good cook is sautéing properly and suggests learning by trying to sauté five cherry tomatoes. Nick said, “The trick is to keep them in the pan because they bounce around like soccer balls.” Another important tip is to have what Nick considers the most important piece of kitchen equipment, a sharp knife.

Photo by Terry Ropp

Nick has never strayed far from his roots and gets the most satisfaction out of Italian cuisine. He especially likes preparing tasty sauces such as Green Peppercorn Kentucky Bourbon Cream Sauce and Morel Mushroom Marsala Demi-glace.

Desserts Orange Pecan Refrigerator Cookies

Kristine Harris, Tahlequah, Okla. 1 C. Crisco 1/2 C. sugar 1/2 C. brown sugar 1 egg, beaten Featured Cook 2 3/4 C. flour 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 2 T. orange juice 1 T. orange zest

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1/2 tsp. vanilla 1 C. chopped pecans Cream shortening and sugars. Add egg, vanilla, orange juice and zest beating until well blended. Sift the flour with soda and salt. Add to the first mixture and blend well. Add and mix in pecans. Form the dough into a roll about 1/2” in diameter, chill, cut into 1/4” slices and bake at 350° for 10 minutes.

Peach Cobbler

Hendrixetta Watts, Leslie, Ark. Filling: 6 C. peaches, peeled and sliced 1 1/2 C. sugar 3 T. flour 1 stick melted butter Crust: 2 C. plain flour 1/2 C. buttermilk (may need a little more)

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/2 C. shortening Mix peaches, sugar and flour for the filling and let set while making crust. Mix crust ingredients well and pat into oblong baking dish. Add melted butter to filling and stir. Pour filling into crust. Pat out remaining crust and put on top of filling.

DECEMBER 16, 2013

Desserts Divinity

Raisin Cream Pie

Elsie Parker, Stillwell, Okla. 4 C. sugar 1 C. light corn syrup 3/4 C. water 3 egg whites, stiffly beaten 1 tsp. vanilla 1 C. broken nuts Heat the sugar corn syrup and water over low heat stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Then cook without stirring to 255° or hardball stage which can be determined by putting a little drop into cold water and forming a hardball. Remove from heat and pour, beating constantly in a fine stream into the beaten egg whites. Continue beating until the mixture holds it shape and loses its gloss. Then mix in the vanilla and nuts. Drop quickly from the tip of the spoon onto waxed paper in individual peaks or spread in a buttered pan and cut into 1” squares when firm.

Mom’s Pecan Pie

Francine Curnutt, Wister, Okla. 3 eggs (beaten until foamy) 3/4 C. white sugar 1 tsp. vanilla Pinch of salt 1/3 C. butter 1 C. of dark corn (waffle) syrup 1 C. pecans, chopped if desired Unbaked pie shell Combine all ingredients and mix well. Put into unbaked pastry shell and bake 10 minutes at 400°, then reduce heat and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. I use one of the egg whites, smear over pie shell covering bottom then beat with rest of the eggs. Makes the pie crust bake better.

Pear Crisp Terry Ropp, West Fork, Ark. 5 firm pears 1 C. flour 1 C. sugar DECEMBER 16, 2013

Hendrixetta Watts, Leslie, Ark. 1 1/2 C. raisins 1 1/2 C. water 3 egg yolks 3/4 C. granulated sugar 3 T. cornstarch 2 T. margarine Bring raisins, water and sugar to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in a small amount of water add egg yolks. Stir into raisin mixture and cook until thick. Add margarine and stir well. Cool slightly and pour into baked pie shell. Top with meringue and brown in oven.

Mountain Dew Cake

Hendrixetta Watts, Leslie, Ark. 1/2 C. chopped pecans 1 box yellow cake mix 1 small box instant vanilla pudding 4 eggs 1/2 C. oil 1/2 C. Mountain Dew 1/2 C. Water Glaze: 1 C. Sugar 1 stick butter or margarine 1/4 C. Mountain Dew 1/4 C. water Grease Bundt or tube cake pan; sprinkle nuts on bottom of pan. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil, Mountain Dew, water and eggs. Beat for 2 minutes. Pour over nuts. Bake at 325° for 50-60 minutes. Glaze: Boil ingredients for 3-4 minutes and pour over hot cake. Let cool then turn onto a cake plate.

1 tsp. ground ginger 1/4 lb. butter, cold Place peeled and diced pears in a greased 1 1/2-2 qt. casserole dish. Mix dry ingredients and spread on top. Slice butter in thin slices. Cover dry ingredients with butter slices. Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Good with ice cream. Apples also work well.

Ginger Snaps

Claudette Wilcox, West Fork, Ark. 1 C. sugar 3/4 C. butter 1/4 C. molasses 1 egg 2 1/4 C. flour 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp.salt 1/2 tsp. ginger 1/2 tsp. cloves 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 C. sugar In bowl, combine 1 cup of sugar, butter, molasses and egg, beat until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking soda and spices, mix well. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate 1 hour. Heat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1” balls, roll in 1/4 C. sugar, place 2” apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-12 minutes. Cookies will puff up, then flatten during baking. Cool 1 minute then remove from cookie sheet. Makes 5 dozen cookies.

Pumpkin Pudding

Francine Curnutt, Wister, Oka. 16 oz. canned pumpkin 1/4 C. white sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. cinnamon 1 small box of butterscotch pudding 2 (8 oz.) tubs of cool whip 1/4 C. water Chopped pecan nuts for topping (optional) Stir pudding mix in water over low heat until dissolved. Stir into pumpkin, sugar, salt and cinnamon mixture. Fold in cool whip, save some of the cool whip for topping. Top with cool whip and chopped pecan nuts if desired. Refrigerate until served. I like to buy a small pumpkin, hollow out the middle, put a larger butter bowl in bottom of pumpkin and serve pudding from the pumpkin, makes for a really pretty table centerpiece.

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Owners: Chris Buffer • 479-531-2962 Shawn Sperry • 479-957-1387

Desserts Red Velvet Pound Cake

Pat Vaughn, Hindsville, Ark. 1 1/2 C. butter, softened 3 C. sugar 5 large eggs 3 C. all-purpose flour 1/3 C. unsweetened cocoa 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1 C. whole buttermilk 1 (1 oz.) bottle red food coloring 1 tsp. distilled white vinegar 1 tsp. vanilla extract Frosting: 1 (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened 1 1/2 C. confectioner’s sugar 1 T. milk Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour a 12 C. fluted pan. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, food coloring and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture beginning and ending with flour. Bake 50-60 minutes, or until done. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Drizzle with cream cheese frosting. Frosting: Beat cream cheese until creamy. Add sugar and milk, beating until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

Oreo Pie Tina McCool, Rogers, Ark. 1 (15 oz.) pkg. Oreo cookies, crushed 1/2 gal. ice cream 1 C. pecans 8 or 9 oz. Cool Whip 2 Oreo crusts Mix together. Pour into 2 pie pans and freeze. If desired, top with Hershey’s chocolate syrup. DECEMBER 16, 2013

Peppermint Meringues

Lois Lamphear, Colcord, Okla. 2 egg whites 1/8 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. cream of tarter 1/2 C. sugar 2 peppermint candy canes, crushed In mixing bowl beat egg whites until foamy. Sprinkle with salt and cream of tarter. Beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes. Drop by small teaspoons on foil or paper lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Bake at 225° for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off oven and crack the door and leave in oven for 1 hour or until cool. Store in airtight container. Makes 3 dozen. Just melts in your mouth.

Sin City Chocolate Pie

Terry Ropp, West Fork, Ark. 1 baked graham cracker crust, cooled 1 1/4 large Hershey bars 1/2 pint heavy cream 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla Melt chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute and stir until smooth. Add vanilla to cream and whip until soft peaks form but not firm. Fold in chocolate until well mixed. Pour into pie shell and chill. Can be topped with whipping cream and shaved chocolate or chocolate curls.

Dessert Special

Judy Frazier, Mountain Home, Ark. 1 pkg. Jell-o, any flavor 1 1/4 C. water 3 T. orange juice 1/3 C. honey Pinch of salt 1 can of Milnot Vanilla wafers Mix all ingredients together. Whip until doubled in size. Add can of Milnot, mix together. Line 7x11x1 1/2” pan with vanilla wafers. Crush some for decoration on top. Let set in refrigerator.

Ritz Pie Slices

Judy Frazier, Mountain Home, Ark. Crust: 4 1/ C. flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 1/2-2 spoons of salt 1 1/2 C. Crisco 2 eggs 1/2 C. milk Filling: 6 C. water 3 C. sugar 6 heaping tsp. cream of tartar 72 Ritz crackers Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in Crisco. Beat together eggs and milk and add to mixture a little at a time, stir with fork. Divide into 2 crusts. Filling: Combine water, sugar and cream of tartar and boil for 2 minutes. Add 72 Ritz crackers, boil for 2 more minutes without stirring. Cool, pour filling into crust. Dot top crust with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 400° for 30-40 minutes.

Creamy Fruit Salad

Lois Lamphear, Colcord, Okla. 1 lg. can pineapple chunks, drained 1 lg. can sliced peaches, drained 1 lg. can mandarin oranges, drained 2 med. apples peeled and chopped fine 1 1/2 C. cold milk (2% or less) 1/3 C. frozen orange juice concentrate 1 box instant vanilla pudding 3/4 C. sour cream Mix together pineapple, peaches, mandarin oranges and apples and set aside. In a medium bowl mix milk, orange juice and pudding. Whip or whisk until smooth for 2 minutes. Add sour cream and mix well. Fold in fruit. Cover and refrigerate. Yields 16 servings. This is a great recipe for diabetics. Use fruits that have no added sugar or just rinse fruit in cold water. Use fat-free pudding.

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