Titan Outlet Store » Blog http://titanoutletstore.com Guaranteed Iron at a Guaranteed Steal Fri, 18 May 2012 17:18:33 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Farm Recipe Friday: Summertime, Strawberries, & Jell-o http://titanoutletstore.com/farm-recipe-friday-summertime-strawberries-jell-o/ http://titanoutletstore.com/farm-recipe-friday-summertime-strawberries-jell-o/#comments Fri, 18 May 2012 17:18:33 +0000 titanoutlet http://titanoutletstore.com/?p=4605 Summertime, Strawberries and Jell-O

Jell-O has been a household staple for as long as I can remember, and I found when reading about its beginnings, that it had a “slippery” start.  Its diversity amazes me when I picture that gelatinous substance holding various ingredients in suspension.  I’ve seen Jell-O recipes that include cabbage, cucumbers, green pepper, pineapple, celery, carrots, peas, grated cheese, nuts, pimento, olives, marshmallows, bananas, pears, and cherries.  It’s been mixed or topped with cottage cheese, cream cheese, whipped cream and Miracle Whip.  Jell-O dishes are made at home and brought to pot lucks, and served to hospital patients.  Depending on your desire, jello can be a salad or a dessert.  Long live Jello!

 

As my mouth watered over strawberries in my grocer’s produce section, I decided to share a great recipe that my sister uses often.  This jello, cream cheese and strawberries combination is refreshing and delightful.

 

Summertime Strawberry Gelatin Salad

BOTTOM LAYER:

1 pkg (3 oz) strawberry gelatin

1 C boiling water

1 C cold water

 

MIDDLE LAYER:

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

½ C cold water

1 C Half & Half cream

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 C sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

 

TOP LAYER:

1 pkg (6 oz) strawberry gelatin

1 C boiling water

1 C cold water

3-4 C sliced fresh strawberries

 

In a bowl, dissolve strawberry gelatin in boiling water; stir in cold water. Pour into a 9x13x2″ dish; chill until set.

Meanwhile, place unflavored gelatin and cold water in a small bowl; let stand until softened. In a sauce pan over med. heat, heat cream (do not boil). Add softened gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Cool to room temperature. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the unflavored gelatin mixture; mix well. Carefully pour over the bottom layer. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hr.

For top layer, dissolve strawberry gelatin in boiling water; stir in cold water. Cool to room temperature. Stir in strawberries; carefully spoon over middle layer. Refrigerate overnight.

YIELD: 12-16 servings.

 

 

Enhanced by Zemanta
]]> http://titanoutletstore.com/farm-recipe-friday-summertime-strawberries-jell-o/feed/ 0 Hay Talk: Controlling Pasture Flies http://titanoutletstore.com/hay-talk-controling-pasture-flies/ http://titanoutletstore.com/hay-talk-controling-pasture-flies/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 13:09:28 +0000 titanoutlet http://titanoutletstore.com/?p=4590 A stressed animal isn’t going to perform the way you need it to. You want what’s best for your livestock. It’s only natural.

An example of a cattle eartag with insecticides to protect your herd.

Flies can be a major stress on cattle. Flies are becoming resistant to the pesticides that have been around for a while, but there’s still hope for you keeping the sanity of your herd.

According to Farm and Ranch Guide, you gotta scout:

“It all begins with scouting The first step is doing a little scouting to see which insects are bothering the herd, much like a grain farmer will scout his field for problem weeds, insects and diseases. Moon divided the summer insect pests that affect cattle into two main groups – aquatic biting insects and another group he termed ‘filth flies’. The aquatic biting insects include mosquitoes, horse flies, black flies and biting gnats. These insects originate from wetland areas such as swamps, sloughs and streams, and there isn’t really much that can be done about them except to eliminate those wet areas from which they originate.

The ‘filth flies’ group is subdivided into two segments – stable and house flies that originate from organic debris where animals congregate, such as feed yards and calving areas. The other group includes face and horn flies, which hatch from the cow dung pats in the pasture. Since cattle on summer range or pasture are more likely to be impacted by those flies hatching from the manure pats, this will be the main emphasis of this article.

There are a lot of those dung piles distributed each day as, on average, a cow defecates every two hours, Moon said. Each of those fresh patties is a prime location for the horn and face fly adults to lay their eggs to start a new generation of flies. Of the two species that are hatching in the cow patties, Moon said cattle producers should be most concerned with the horn flies, since it doesn’t take much of an insect load to cause at least a 5 percent reduction in efficiency. On the other hand, research hasn’t been able to prove there is a significant loss in production due to face flies.

In the past, insecticidal dusts and ear tags did a fairly good job of keeping these numbers down in the pasture, but the insects have developed resistance to many of these chemicals causing producers to look at biological and other methods of control.”

Dung beetles are another great source of help with fly control on the farm. There are a few different types of dung beetle, each doing their part to prevent flies.

Another method is a mechanical fly trap chute:

“Mechanical fly trap Producers may also want to consider employing a ‘walk-thru’ fly trap in their pasture insect management system. Probably the most effective is known as the ‘Bruce’ walk-thru trap. This device, when placed in an area that cattle must pass through, can reduce horn fly numbers by 50 to 70 percent when beef cattle walk through the trap once or twice a day according to research done in Missouri. Moon suggested locating the trap in a path the cattle must take to get to water, such as a dugout or water tank, and fencing the water area in a way that all cattle must pass through the trap to get to the water.”

There’s plenty to do to help your cattle with their fly problem. Click here to read the rest of the story at Farm and Ranch Guide.

-Al Winmill, Titan Outlet Store Team

 

Related articles

 

Enhanced by Zemanta
]]> http://titanoutletstore.com/hay-talk-controling-pasture-flies/feed/ 0 Farm Tune Tuesday: The Musically Gifted Tractor [Video] http://titanoutletstore.com/farm-tune-tuesday-the-musically-gifted-tractor-video/ http://titanoutletstore.com/farm-tune-tuesday-the-musically-gifted-tractor-video/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 21:38:33 +0000 titanoutlet http://titanoutletstore.com/?p=4587 I honestly have no idea how I found this video, or really what to say about it. It’s a tractor that has found its way into a band in what looks to be Russia, based on the comments of the video. This thing really keeps the beat!

I think this tractor takes the place of the whole percussion section, it’s a pretty good drum set!

-Al Winmill, Titan Outlet Store Team

Related articles

 

Enhanced by Zemanta
]]> http://titanoutletstore.com/farm-tune-tuesday-the-musically-gifted-tractor-video/feed/ 0 Ag Pizza Party: Support Domino’s This Weekend! http://titanoutletstore.com/ag-pizza-party-support-dominos-this-weekend/ http://titanoutletstore.com/ag-pizza-party-support-dominos-this-weekend/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 21:34:12 +0000 titanoutlet http://titanoutletstore.com/?p=4574 Farmers across the country are gathering (remotely, of course!) to show their appreciation to Domino’s Pizza for supporting farmers and not banishing certain types of meat based on media response. Instead of going with decisions made by Oprah or any other “expert-of-the-day” on animal agriculture, they listened to animal agriculture experts who know what’s best for the animals farmers raise and love.

Here’s an excerpt from Ohio Country Journal:

In April Domino’s Pizza shareholders rejected a resolution proposed by the Humane Society of the United Statesto require its pork suppliers to stop housing sows in gestation stalls. In fact 80% of shareholders voted against the resolution.  A Domino’s spokesperson says the company relies on animal experts to determine the best way to raise an animal that’s used for food.

The farming community is rallying together this weekend to thank Domino’s Pizza shareholders for choosing to consider the welfare of farm animals over the cries of an extremist group. Farmers are encouraging everyone to order Domino’s Pizza this weekend, May 18-20 as a way to thank Domino’s Pizza for standing with America’s farmers.

The blog The Truth About Agriculture started a Facebook Group, Farmers Paying it Forward with Pizza where you can show your support.

Missouri hog farmer and agvocate  Chris Chinnput forth the idea last week in a blog post she wrote for Just Farmers.

Chinn says, “Domino’s decision speaks volumes to me as a farmer.  It shows they trust the experts I trust.  It shows they trust me. I appreciate that.”

We love this idea – too many times consumers boycott businesses because of things they don’t agree with, but this time farmers (and those involved with agriculture) get to give back to companies making the right choices.

Get out there and get some Domino’s this weekend!

-Al Winmill, Titan Outlet Store Team

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
]]> http://titanoutletstore.com/ag-pizza-party-support-dominos-this-weekend/feed/ 4 Norwegian Farmers…Oof Da! http://titanoutletstore.com/norwegian-farmers-oof-da/ http://titanoutletstore.com/norwegian-farmers-oof-da/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 15:58:50 +0000 titanoutlet http://titanoutletstore.com/?p=4570 Independent Norwegians…gotta love ‘em

May 17th is the day many Scandinavians celebrate Norway’s most important national holiday.  This is the day the Norwegian Constitution was signed back in 1814 declaring Norway’s independence by ending its union with Sweden.  Throughout history, these people have immigrated to the United States, making their marks and establishing livelihoods so they could provide for their families.  Many became farmers, which seems to me to be a good fit, and I can name the reasons based on my years of living in communities filled with them (and being one myself):

1.      Norwegians are independent.  I believe some of them will live their whole life doing things by themselves, without ever asking for help from anyone.  Farming takes a certain amount of independence.  I guess this leads me to the next trait of:
2.      Norwegians are stubborn. Yes, Norwegians will do things by themselves, without ever asking for help from anyone, and they’ll refuse to admit defeat even if it means jury-rigging something to accomplish what they want.  This unwillingness to give up is a necessary characteristic in farmers.
3.      Norwegians are stoic.  They can be unemotional, and can show patience and endurance during adversity.  Did I mention that as a young girl I learned how to curse in Norwegian when I hung around as my father was repairing machinery?  Not sure where this fits into the “patience and endurance” part…
4.      Norwegians are inventive.  Did you know that the cheese slicer was invented and patented in 1925 by a Mr. Bjorkland who was irritated at how difficult it was to cut cheese nicely when you used a knife?  He invented the razor on the basis of a common carpenter plane.  Cheese slicers can be found in every Norwegian house, and it’s this sort of resourcefulness that is so often helpful on the farm.
5.      Norwegians love nature.  I can remember Dad sitting outside on a lawn chair long after he was done milking the cows or combining, taking in the cool evening air.  The glow from his pipe was all I could see.
6.      Norwegians know all about packing lunch.  Matpakke literally means “packed food” and is popular among Norwegians at every age.  They take it to school, to the university, when they go on a hiking trip or to their job places, so taking lunch when heading out to the field is the natural thing to do.
7.      Norwegians are modest.  The Law of Jante proclaims – in a variety of ways – that “Thou Shalt Not Think Highly of Thyself”.  It expresses, in other words, an ideology of equality which depreciates the original and the unusual.  It is widely held that the Law of Jante is a deeply embedded aspect of Norwegian culture, and that it discourages brilliance and high achievements.  I believe many farmers temper any feeling of success because they know that things can quickly change with the weather and the markets.
8.      Norwegians have a rural connection.  Half of Norway’s population still lives in rural areas, and Norwegian identity as it is generally defined by Norwegians, is primarily a rural identity, not an urban one.  That strong connection was bound to lead them to farming when they immigrated to the U.S..
9.      Norwegians talk quite a lot about the weather.  The weather in Norway changes often within the same day or from one day to the next so it bears talking about.  Also, talking about the weather shows a Norwegian’s willingness to ease into the start of a conversation with someone they have just met.  Talking about the weather is a Norwegian “ice-breaker”.  The weather is a constant topic for discussion in the farming world, and continues to be a “small talk” conversation starter.
10.   Norwegians have a sense of humor.  This trait is a must when taking on the many challenges of farming.  A Norwegian’s humor tends to be dry and witty, with a touch of irony – and appears often when you least expect it.

I could probably go on with this list, and many or all of these qualities can most likely be connected to other heritages as well.  But for this week, because of Syttende Mai, I felt compelled to feature the good ‘ol Norske.  I want to leave you with some profound words of Norwegian wisdom that you can take with you as you tend to your farming chores this week:

Uff Da is when you step over it, Fee Da is when you step in it!

Skol!

-Terry Olson

Related articles
]]> http://titanoutletstore.com/norwegian-farmers-oof-da/feed/ 0 Farm Recipe Friday: Celebrating Norwegian Independence Day http://titanoutletstore.com/farm-recipe-friday-celebrating-norwegian-independence-day/ http://titanoutletstore.com/farm-recipe-friday-celebrating-norwegian-independence-day/#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 21:48:26 +0000 titanoutlet http://titanoutletstore.com/?p=4546 Syttende Mai!

Norwegian  Independence Day was declared on May 17 in the year 1814 when The Constitution of Norway was signed at Edisvoll, ending its union with Sweden.  During the whole day there are numerous, colorful parades, gathering huge crowds, with national Norwegian flags and national dresses – the bunads.  Unlike other countries, their parades don’t have a military character, but gather school children with their parents, music corps and graduates.

My church is no different, serving a Scandinavian dinner with favorites that include Lefse, Flat Bread, Pickled Herring, Fruit Soup, Fattigmand, Rosettes and rommegrot.  I have prepared another treat, Sandbakelse (or Sandbakkels) that I would like to share with you for Norwegian Independence Day.  Sandbakelse (meaning sand tarts) are a Norwegian sugar cookie.  After the dough is mixed and cooled, it is pressed into fluted tins.  All ages down to 3-yr olds can help press the dough into these tins.

In 1845 a recipe for sandbakelse appeared in a Norwegian cookbook, but they were not widespread until later in the 19th century.  Emigrants took their tins and recipes west across the sea, where sandbakelse remain an “old-country” Christmas (or Syttende Mai) tradition for many Norwegian-Americans.

Sandbakkelse

 

1 cup butter

1 cup Crisco

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

4½ cups flour

 

Cream Crisco and butter until smooth and

cream. Add sugar; mix again. Beat eggs slightly; add to other ingredients. Add vanilla and flour; mix well. Pat into sandbakkels tins. Put the little tins on cookie sheet; bake until nice and brown. When cool, tip them out on wax paper.

 

 

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
]]> http://titanoutletstore.com/farm-recipe-friday-celebrating-norwegian-independence-day/feed/ 0 Happy Mother’s Day! http://titanoutletstore.com/happy-mothers-day/ http://titanoutletstore.com/happy-mothers-day/#comments Wed, 09 May 2012 21:20:25 +0000 titanoutlet http://titanoutletstore.com/?p=4537 Happy Mother’s Day!

 

I would be thoughtless if I neglected to mention mothers this week.  Think about it.  There’s not ONE of us who would be here today if weren’t for a woman who decided to bear and raise children.  Let’s all remember to hug, thank and honor our mothers this weekend, and if they want to go fishing with you guys, take them!  I’m printing one of my favorite tributes to mothers as it says it all:

 

Mothers are one of the best creations of God. She has amazing powers. She can multitask without complaining. She cares for everyone without any demands. Read here and marvel at the wonder called – Mother.

By the time the Lord made mothers, he was into his Sixth day of working overtime. An Angel appeared and said, “Why are you spending so much time on this one?”

And the Lord answered and said, “Have you seen the special sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have 200 movable parts, all replaceable, run on black coffee and leftovers, have a lap that can hold three children at one time and that disappears when she stands up, have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart, and have six pairs of hands.”

The Angel was astounded at the requirements for this one. “Six pairs of hands! No Way!” said the Angel.

The Lord replied, “Oh, it’s not the hands that are the problem. It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers must have!”

“And that’s just on the standard model?” The Angel asked.

The Lord nodded in agreement. “Yes, one pair of eyes is to see through the closed door as she asks her children what they are doing even though she already knows. Another pair in the back of her head is to see what she needs to know even though no one thinks she can. And the third pair is here in the front of her head. They are for looking at an errant child and saying that she understands and loves him or her without even saying a single word.”

The Angel tried to stop the Lord. “This is too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish. ”

But I can’t!” The Lord protested, “I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can feed a family of six on a pound of rice and can get a two year old to stand in the shower.”

The Angel moved closer and touched the woman, “But you have made her so soft, Lord”.

“She is soft”, Lord agreed, “but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish.”

“Will she be able to think?” asked the Angel.

The Lord replied, “Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason and negotiate.”

The Angel then noticed something and reached out and touched the woman’s cheek. “Oops, it looks like you have a leak with this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one.”

“That’s not a leak.” The Lord objected. “That’s a tear!”

“What’s the tear for?” the Angel asked.

The Lord said, “The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride.”

The Angel was impressed. “You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything, for MOTHERS are truly amazing.”

They have strengths that amaze men. They carry children, they carry hardships, and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe in. They stand up for injustice. They don’t take “no” for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go without new shoes so their children can have them. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend. They love unconditionally. They cry when their children excel and cheer when their loved ones get awards. They are happy when they hear about a birth or a new marriage. They are strong when they think there is no strength left. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart. Mothers come in all sizes, in all colors and shapes. They’ll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a mother is what makes the world spin! Mothers do more than just give birth. They bring joy and hope. They give compassion and ideals. They give moral support to their family and friends. Mothers have a lot to say and a lot to give.

-Terry Olson

Related Articles:

Enhanced by Zemanta
]]> http://titanoutletstore.com/happy-mothers-day/feed/ 0 Farm Tune Tuesday: Josh Abbott Band “FFA/Flatland Farmer” http://titanoutletstore.com/farm-tune-tuesday-josh-abbott-band-ffaflatland-farmer/ http://titanoutletstore.com/farm-tune-tuesday-josh-abbott-band-ffaflatland-farmer/#comments Tue, 08 May 2012 19:35:09 +0000 titanoutlet http://titanoutletstore.com/?p=4528 The Josh Abbott Band is one of the most well known bands in the Texas Music/Red Dirt Country scene. They recently (two weeks ago today!) put out a new album that has a very rural feel to it, with many of the songs being about farming.

The two most obvious choices are next to each other on the CD: “FFA” and “Flatland Farmer,” both covers of songs written by Terry Allen. Check out the song below:

The Josh Abbott Band’s new CD is on Spotify – check it out here: Small Town Family Dream – Josh Abbott Band 

-Al Winmill

 

Related Articles:

 

Enhanced by Zemanta
]]> http://titanoutletstore.com/farm-tune-tuesday-josh-abbott-band-ffaflatland-farmer/feed/ 0 Hay Talk: Round vs. Square http://titanoutletstore.com/hay-talk-round-vs-square/ http://titanoutletstore.com/hay-talk-round-vs-square/#comments Tue, 08 May 2012 18:08:41 +0000 titanoutlet http://titanoutletstore.com/?p=4518 What’s your baling preference? Round bales, big square bales, small square bales?

Everyone has their favorite method, but how do you pick?

I saw this question posted on HayTalk.com and wondered what our readers prefer. I think a lot of it has to do with what you’re doing with the bales and how you’re storing them. Let us know in the comments what your thoughts are on bale shape!

Speaking of hay equipment, here’s some highlights from our inventory:

2009 New Holland BC5070 Small Square Baler – Like New!

2000 New Holland 1475 Mower Conditioner

 

 1994 New Holland 660 Baler

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
]]> http://titanoutletstore.com/hay-talk-round-vs-square/feed/ 0