Spa Treatment

What's the perfect gift on your birthday? It's a trip to the spa, of course.

Curl up in a nice blue robe. Get toasty in the sauna. Have the friendly staff bring you a warm drink. Now that is service.

And after you've been pampered for a bit, it's always great to have a reunion with your family.

We had more birthdays than a Chuck E. Cheese pizza joint around here yesterday. Four baby calves entered this world on a cold, snowy February day on the County Line.

It was a day not fit for man or beast, as the old saying goes. But contrary to what the animal activists would have you believe, we spent the majority of the day out in the elements, caring for the animals that have been entrusted to us.

And, yes, one of the babies got a birthday spa treatment. Twice.

Jake found him during one of the frequent checks at the pasture south of our house. Randy and I headed out, armed with an old blue blanket and a warm pickup.

Mothers are mothers, whether they are human or bovine. The mama wasn't sure about interlopers approaching her newborn baby, so Randy approached warily, taking it slow.

The mama was reluctant. Mamas are supposed to know best, but it's a little tough to have a logical conversation with a nervous cow. It's better to have quick feet.

But Randy picked up the 70-pound (or so) baby and headed for warmer climes.


The baby was like an icicle when he first nestled down on the pickup floorboards.

After awhile, some of the ice and snow began to melt.

We mixed a little bit of milk replacer with warm water and put it in a bottle.


Drinking a little bit of warm milk helped speed the process.


After a short stay at the "spa," Randy provided ground "transportation."

He deposited the baby in some hay.

And the mama and baby are reunited. It's always rough returning to reality after a "vacation." It's especially tough when you leave the warm climate of a resort and return to the harsh realities of a snowy, Midwest winter. (Just ask our daughter and son-in-law, Jill and Eric, who came back to Nebraska after a Mexican vacation last week.)

Repeat as necessary.

In this case, it was necessary yet again for this same calf. Same song, second verse. Randy picked up the calf again, put it in the pickup again, ran the heater on high and gave it a little more milk before again returning it to its anxious mom. There's not a barn or shed close enough for that pair, but the trees provide some windbreak and the guys put out fresh hay for them to lay on. You just have to do what you can and hope for the best.

My usually optimistic husband wasn't so optimistic about the baby's survival last night. I dreaded reporting that the baby had died. But the baby survived the night. During Randy's morning visit to the pasture, the little calf was up and nursing. Success!

Randy doesn't need to visit a gym to get his weight training in. That calf wasn't the only one he moved yesterday.

This one was a Popsicle, too.

So he picked it up ...
and carried it 50 yards ...

to a shed at the creek.

When we went back later, the baby had nursed and the two were content to be out of the snow and wind.

Mission accomplished - times 4.

This story wasn't an exclusive to the County Line yesterday. Beef producers all across the state were out there, fighting the fight against the elements to make sure their animals were well fed and cared for.

There are people out there who want to do away with animal agriculture. Just last week, Oprah featured a vegan author on her show and urged the 378-member Harpo staff to go vegan for a week. Several ag blogs written by ranchers have said they would welcome a visit from Oprah and her staff, a chance for them to see what really happens on family farms and ranches across the nation. Just one of them was Haley Farms in Ohio; lots of others have chimed in with similar invitations.

So, if Oprah wants to come to the County Line and spend the day on a working farm, she'd better bring her boots and some warm gloves. It's cold out there.

A 'Soup'er Meal

Soup just hits the spot during these cold winter days. So here's another soup recipe to add to your arsenal to combat the chill in your bones.

Since we have beef in the freezer, it is usually the meat of choice around here, but this chowder recipe uses salmon.

Randy likes clam chowder and often orders it if it's an option for a restaurant meal. Me? I'm not overly fond of seafood, but I do like salmon.

I buy frozen salmon fillets and make them for dinner occasionally. Last week, I purposely made extra and then used the "leftovers" for this chowder. I think you could probably use canned salmon, though I've never tried it.

Even better, it's a lower calorie chowder. The recipe was originally published in the December/January 2007 issue of Taste of Home's Light and Tasty magazine. (That magazine is now called Healthy Cooking.)

Enjoy!

Salmon Chowder

1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1 tbsp. butter
2 cups 1% milk
1 can (10.5 oz.) condensed chicken broth, undiluted
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 medium potato, cut into cubes
3 tbsp. flour
1/4 cup cold milk
1/2 lb. salmon fillet
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir the onion, garlic, thyme and basil in butter until onion is tender. Stir in milk, broth, corn, carrot and potato. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Combine flour and 1/4 cup milk until smooth. Stir into onion mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; add salmon and zucchini. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese before serving.

Note: I didn't have garlic, so I added a little garlic powder.

Nutrition facts: 1 cup equals: 214 calories, 10 g fat, 38 mg cholesterol, 656 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 16 g protein.

***

Need another idea on this cold winter day when the wind is howling? If salmon chowder doesn't appeal, try this one:

Tomato and Rice Soup

Stay warm!

Serendipity

We had a little magic happen before we ever got into Century II Concert Hall last weekend.

Two tickets miraculously appeared at just the right time - no magic wand required.

Randy saw the ads for the Wichita Symphony Orchestra's "Magic at the Symphony" concert and wanted to go.

The Friday night version was the blue jean concert. Hmmm ... dressing up or blue jeans? You don't need ESP to figure out which night he chose.

He looked online (which is a major achievement in itself). All the tickets on Friday night were general admission. He figured that meant you could just get tickets at the door. So we had a leisurely supper at The Olive Garden and sauntered up to the ticket counter.

And that's when we found out that a little magic was definitely in play.

"Sir, we've been sold out all week," the ticket agent told Randy. "But these two tickets were just turned in, so you're in luck."

We certainly were. We ended up in the balcony, but we were happy to be there.

Randy has been an amateur magician for the past 20 years. He has most often used magic for children's sermons at church and has shared it with 4-Hers. He was bitten by the magic bug after we saw a Siegfried and Roy magic show in Las Vegas on a trip to celebrate our 10th anniversary.

After tigers appeared in boxes about 6 feet from us during that show, he was intrigued enough to come home and check out books from the library.

There are no tigers appearing out of thin air in any of Randy's routines. But, even without tigers, he was a hit when he demonstrated magic at the Stafford STARS after-school program last year.

The magician at Friday night's show was Lyn Dillies, who was awarded the Merlin Award for Female Illusionist of the Year in 2009. As a former violin player, she combines her love of music and magic in shows across the country.

It was a pretty magical evening ... beginning at the ticket office - for my own favorite magician.

Here is a youtube glimpse of Lyn Dillies' magic. Randy isn't on youtube yet.

Cheeseheads Unite!

Cheeseheads unite!

True confessions: I'm not really a Green Bay Packers fan, AKA, a Cheesehead. I am, however, a fan of one of their players. Jordy Nelson played for my beloved K-State Wildcats. Our K-State No. 27 ...

... is now Green Bay Packer No. 87 and a wide receiver and punt returner for the Wisconsin team.

He's a small-town Kansas boy, the son of a farm family from Leonardville, who now also own a restaurant there called Nelson's Landing. He went to Riley County High School before putting on a purple uniform and earning All-American honors.

So, for this Super Bowl, I'm rooting for the Green Bay Packers. Besides, having a "personal" connection gives me more reasons to watch the game than just the Super Bowl commercials.

I have to be a little careful here. My sports fanatic son truly dislikes "bandwagon fans," the people who join the party when things are going well ... and likewise jump ship when a little adversity comes their way.

But I think I'll even have Brent's OK to cheer for Green Bay this week since we're talking about Jordy here.

Whether I'm a true Green Bay Packer fan or not, I am a true cheesehead in another regard: I do love cheese.

If you're a cheesehead, too, I have a perfect Super Bowl snack for you. It's good no matter when you serve it - whether at a ladies' luncheon, a holiday get-together or watching the football game - whether you're cheering for the Packers or the Steelers.

It looks fancy, but it's really fairly easy to put together. And that ooey-gooey cheese with the tart cranberry?

It will make anyone a cheesehead. Enjoy!

Crescent-Wrapped Cranberry and Brie

1 8-oz. can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 8-oz. round Brie cheese
3 tbsp. whole berry cranberry sauce or cranberry chutney
1 tbsp. chopped pecans
1 egg, beaten
Fruit - Grapes, apples, pears, etc. - washed and sliced
Crackers

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Unroll crescent roll dough. Separate dough crosswise into two sections. Press dough to form two squares, firmly pressing perforations to seal. Cut corners off both dough squares and reserve to use for cutouts. Place one dough round on cookie sheet.

Cut cheese crosswise into two equal parts. Place bottom half of cheese on center of dough circle on cookie sheet. Spread cranberry sauce over cheese. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Top with remaining cheese half. Bring dough up around side of cheese, pressing and pinching the dough.

With small cookie or canape cutter, cut shapes from reserved corners of dough; set aside. Place remaining dough on top of cheese round. Press dough evenly around side of cheese, sealing well. Brush dough with beaten egg. Top with cutouts; brush with additional beaten egg.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 15 minutes before serving.

To serve, place warm, pastry-wrapped cheese on platter. Arrange fruit and crackers around cheese. Serves about 12.

***

Looking for other snack ideas for the weekend? Here are a couple more.

Strawberry Dip with Cinnamon-Sugar Chips (and/or fruit)

Or revamp these little treats, using the team colors for the Packers or Steelers.

Pretzel Snacks

Are You My Mother?

Do you remember the book, Are You My Mother? It was published in 1960 as part of Random House's Beginner Books series.

I remember checking this book out of the Pratt Public Library as a child. When I took Jill and Brent to the library, I loved pulling my favorite books of childhood from the shelves and packing them in our book bag. We read Are You My Mother? over and over again.


Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman is the story about a mother bird who knows her egg will be in her nest where she left it, so she leaves him alone to go and get something for him to eat. The baby chick hatches. He does not understand where his mother is, so he goes to look for her. In his search, he asks a kitten, a hen, a dog, and a cow if they are his mother. They each say, "No."

Then he sees an old car, which cannot be his mother for sure. In desperation, the hatchling calls out to a boat and a plane, and at last, convinced he has found his mother, he climbs onto the teeth of an enormous power shovel. But as it shudders and grinds into motion he cannot escape. "I want my mother!" he shouts.

But at this climactic moment, his fate is suddenly reversed. The shovel drops him back in his nest, just as his mother is returning home, and the two are reunited, much to their delight. He then tells her about the adventure he had looking for her.

Unfortunately, we have a homegrown version of the Are You My Mother? tale going on in the corral.

On a prolific and very cold night, we had three heifers in labor. Two calved successfully. But despite Randy's efforts, the other baby didn't survive. It was twisted inside the mom and no amount of manipulation could dislodge the baby in time.

The next morning, the mama was still looking for her baby. So when Randy let the two pairs out of the barn, this lonely mama thought one of the babies was hers.

And I could understand it. It even looked like her.

It was heartbreaking for this human mom to watch. The instincts are there, deep inside her, just like they are for mothers everywhere. If we would happen to have twins right now, this heifer would be an ideal candidate to "adopt" one of the babies.

Randy and I watched the dance between the two mamas for awhile. With all the nudging going on between the two heifers, I worried the baby not get fed.

But Randy has another theory. That calf might just become the best fed calf in the corral.

I like Randy's theory better.

And what mother wouldn't love that cute little face?

I love happy endings.

Groundhog Grub

Lucky for Phil he didn't see his shadow this morning. Otherwise, there might have been a homicide to report in Punxsutawney, Philadelphia, today instead of just cheesy guys in top hats and tails holding onto a furry rodent.

Today is Groundhog Day. On this morning with wind chills at -22 here on the County Line and miserable winter conditions across half the country, let's just say that Phil got the memo: If he knew what was good for him, he'd better predict that spring is on the way.

Phil, I don't want to be a doubter, but it's a little tough to believe. Top hats off to Phil's PR team. Everybody's looking for the silver lining in a white, windblown landscape.

This was the 125th time that Punxsutawney Phil (or his ancestors) had made the February 2 prediction. According to legend, if Phil sees his shadow, there will be 6 more weeks of winter. If the day is overcast and he doesn't see his shadow, there is supposed to be an early spring.

This morning in Punxsutawney, Philadelpia, the groundhog came out of his burrow at Gobbler's Knob. The world - or at least the TV morning shows - watched. They held their breath. (That was so they wouldn't fog over the cameras with the collective breath of the masses on this bitterly cold morning.)

No shadow! Spring is on the way.

Well, we'll see.

The celebration of Groundhog Day began with Pennsylvania's earlier settlers. It stemmed from a combination of religious beliefs and facts associated with hibernating animals. They brought with them the legend of Candlemas Day.

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come, Winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Go Winter, and come not again.

I think most of us are in the "Go Winter, and come not again" mode right about now.

We got a jump on Groundhog Day around here last night. I fixed breakfast for supper. Appropriately, I served groundhog. Phil had nothing to fear. It was really sausage.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Brown Butter was a recipe I dogeared in my October/November issue of Taste of Home magazine. The pancakes were good, but the Cinnamon Butter sauce was simply divine.

Whether you eat them for breakfast, lunch or supper, they are sure to warm you up on a cold day.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Brown Butter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups milk
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Cinnamon Brown Butter
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

In a small heavy saucepan, cook butter over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg. Remove from heat; stir in pecans.

In bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, pumpkin, and cheese. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until the second side is golden brown. Serve with brown butter.

Yield: 14 pancakes.
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: about 10 minutes for the batch

A Cattleman's Fashion Statement

And now, Randy models the latest in heifer-checking apparel.

A trench coat and dress pants are the garb of choice for this task, right? And those black dress shoes? They are the perfect color in case a fashionable farmer steps in the wrong place.

Well, the laundress and housekeeper might beg to differ.

But a guy has to do what a guy has to do. After a rocky start to the calving season, a farmer/stockman must remain ever vigilant - even if it means wearing his church clothes to do the job.

As I told you yesterday, the heifers were scheduled to start calving January 28. So how do we arrive at that magical due date circled on the calendar?

Last March, Randy and Jake mixed MGA into the feed given to 21 heifers. MGA stands for melengestrol acetate, which suppresses the ovulation cycle for the heifers. For 14 days, the guys added the MGA to the grain in the feed truck and fed the equivalent of 1/2 a pound per head per day.

Then 19 days later, on April 21, they gave each heifer a shot of Lutalyse, which makes the heifers come into estrus (or heat).

The same day the Lutalyse shot was given, five bulls came a callin'. The bulls were chosen for the "job" because they are bulls whose offspring are expected to have lower birth weight, making it easier for the first-time mothers to deliver their calves.

Then 283 days later, the babies are supposed to arrive. This year, the date was January 28. But the heifers didn't get the memo evidently since no babies arrived on the due date. (That sounds like most human babies I know, too.)

The five bulls stayed with the heifers for 10 days. Then one remained with the heifers, while the others went to different pastures with mature cows. Our cows should begin calving around February 7. (However, we did have one from that group yesterday: Please refer to the Cattleman's Law.)

So why do we try to synchronize the heifers' cycles? We do it to shorten the calving season for the heifers, which saves labor at calving time. (Well, it saves some labor for the humans - not the mama cows.)

Since heifers are first-time mothers, Randy and Jake check them several times a day to see if any are experiencing trouble calving. If they are having difficulty, Randy can assist the birthing process, helping the mama and - hopefully- yielding a healthy baby calf.

I helped Randy run several heifers into the barn Sunday evening. With temperatures set to drop into the teens, the barn can provide a little shelter for newborn babies and keep a cold winter wind from freezing them.

We had moved them into a smaller corral, and Randy then looked through the group of 20. He was looking at each heifer to to see if her udder was more pronounced, a sign that she's closer to calving.

We then sorted off several and sent them off for accommodations in the barn for the night.

Randy didn't stay the night in the barn. He just made sure our "guests" were situated and comfortable.


When he checked the heifers one last time before bedtime, there were two new babies!



And there was a heifer in trouble. He came back to the house to get me to help. I'm not much of a cow midwife, but I can provide another set of hands.

We put the new calving pen into use, and it was definitely a good investment. But unfortunately, despite Randy's best efforts, the baby calf was twisted inside its mom. By the time he got it pulled out, it didn't survive.

I am always impressed with how Randy deals with these tense situations. He is calm, talking gently to the heifer. That's a very good quality to have in a cattleman - and a husband, by the way.

And it also does a lot to explain why my guy was checking cattle in his dress clothes. He's all about helping damsels in distress - whether he's wearing his coveralls or his dress clothes. He's always there to help us out.

However, the laundress around here usually votes for work clothes whenever possible. Today, though, I'm just thankful his meeting got postponed, and he's here to perform any midwifery services required - no matter how many clothes he gets dirty!

He had to pull another baby calf last night, and thankfully, that turned out better than Sunday night. However, with the wind howling, sub-zero temperatures and snow, I think I may need to trademark that Cattleman's Law thing.