CA Dairy Farmer Heading AGAIN to Sacramento YES on AB31

The Wheels On The Bus GO Round and Round…..

Yep, we are back at it. Leaving our farms, our jobs, to fight yet again for a fair price. (Thank you to Western United Dairymen and Western Milling for making this bus happen). They realize that the numbers speak volumes and show just how important this is to us dairy farmers.

Secretary of Ag. Karen Ross refused to help…400 dairy families are gone. Assembly Member Richard Pan (9th District) introduced a bill to help California Dairy Farmers.

“Assembly Agriculture Committee set to debate Assembly Bill 31 - – California is on course to losing 100 dairies each year. Assemblyman Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) has proposed new legislation to remedy an unfair cost-setting scheme that threatens to force hundreds of California’s local, family-run dairies to shut down. Assembly Bill 31 will allow the state Agriculture Secretary to change a flawed dairy cost structure that now allows cheese makers to pay far less for milk in California than in other states. “This legislation will fix an unfair set of rules that allows cheese producers to enjoy comfortable profits while dairy farmers risk losing everything,” said Gary Conover, Director of Government Relations for Western United Dairymen. “AB31 will level the playing field for dairy farmers, protect California’s spot as the nation’s top milk producer, and preserve our rich history of supporting family-run farms”

THANK YOU Assemblyman PAN….I appreciate your effort. I PRAY we get this much needed relief. 

YES on AB31 video -Ray Souza

Local supporters of dairy bill heading to Sacramento (click for full story)

 

My Beef with Carrie Underwood

Reblogged from Mal The Beef Gal:

I invite you to explore the follow up blog I wrote to this one titled, "Mending Fences" in order to move the dialogue forward with Carrie Underwood about misconceptions animal agriculture has about her. On Tuesday, April 23, 2013 Carrie replied to this blog in a tweet stating, "I've actually never worked with PETA." Please consider that when reading or sharing this blog.

Read more… 974 more words

A passionate, beautiful, young agriculture advocate! This post is spot on. Why in the world would animal rights activist want prolonged abuse of animals? Abuse of any kind should be reported immediately...so the suffering could stop....Well done Malorie...Well done!

Take Time For Dairy – Part Of The Worlds “Everyday Things”

Hello Everyone!

Dairy Goddess has missed you. It seems that time goes so fast. I am happy to report all is well on our farm and with Dairy Goddess Farmstead Cheese and Milk.

I love my distributor and the Nor-Cal Whole Foods is treating me very well. We continue to take it day by day and work hard to provide the very best our farm has to offer.

 

On my blog I was sent a link to this amazing video EVERYDAY THINGS . It was sent to me by ThisIsDairyfarming.com . This is a wonderful website by British Dairy Farmers to tell THEIR story. Like our Dairy Farming Today , our website to tell OUR story.

I have said many times… whether you have 10 cows or 10,000 cows, dairy farmers lives revolve around the care and well being of their cows, their land, their water.

That is the same for ALL dairy farmers. Through this blog I have been blessed to get to know many dairy farmer brothers in sisters through out the world and know their story, their lives are the same as mine.

In the days of our grandfathers and fathers they did not have to share what they did. People saw it. Life was more transparent. Now, as so many more people live in cities and are so far removed from the farming / rural life, we have to use tools to bring them to our farms. We need to share what we do and why we do it.

Milk does not come from the store. It comes from us, the dairy farmers, all around the world. So as we embrace our tools to share our farms through technology and the world wide web, I hope you all take a look at all the information out about what we do and why we work so hard to bring you the best nutrition, with quality and pride.

Please look at the facts. Go to the source and ask your dairy farmer see for yourselves with the information provided by dairy farmers. Don’t take for granted “YOUR Everyday Things”.

From our dairy farms (where ever you are in the world)……With love, to your home!

(Thank you Gareth Crew for sharing this with me. I am honored you took the time to do so.) 

 

 

 

California Artisan Cheese Festival March 22-24

Well the Dairy Goddess survived the Fresno Food Expo. It was a great success

and a wonderful way to promote our business and to make some new contacts. I had an opportunity to do  my first radio interview with Chis Daniels at KMJ Talk Radio and it was a lot of fun and I enjoyed the experience. I also had an opportunity to pre-register to participate in next years Fresno Food Expo. It will be here again before you know it!

One thing I have always wanted to do is California’s Artisan Cheese Festival.  It is going to be on March 22-24 in Petaluma, CA. I am a member of the Guild but haven’t had the time to take and enjoy it’s benefits. This year is going to pass without me attending yet again, but I am sharing it with you so that you might go and enjoy all of the fabulous cheeses. I am sure it is like going to cheese heaven.

The Artisan Cheese Festival is the United States’ premier cheese and wine event and will be taking place at the Sheraton Sonoma County in Petaluma as well as various area farms. From cheese-making seminars and beer and cheese pairings, to tasting competitions and and farm tours, this lively weekend will feature top artisan cheese experts, authors, chefs and winemakers from all over Marin and Sonoma counties. There are several new and exciting additions to the lineup this year, including a meet the cheesemakers reception and a Farm Tour that takes guests to LaFranchi Ranch and Keller Estate Winery which features a sit-down three course lunch with guest chef Mayet Cristobal, the Executive Chef for Bon Appetit at the Getty Center in Los Angeles and the Getty Villa in Malibu. Throughout the weekend guests will have the opportunity to experience limited-production, rare artisan cheeses and learn about the art of making cheese, while supporting local and sustainable farmers and cheesemakers in California.

Dairy Goddess Countdown – Fresno Food Expo

I can’t believe it has been already a year! The Fresno Food Expo is already here and things are a bit crazy in preparation as well as tending to all of our regular orders. We continue to service the 37 Nor-Cal Whole Foods so don’t forget to go in an ask for some “Dairy Goddess”. 

The Expo is Thursday March 14, 2013. The public portion is going to be held from 5pm to 8pm at the Fresno Convention Center, Hall 1. Tickets are $40.00 but you can go to www.fresnofoodexpo.com for discount ticket offers. 

Come on out to taste, touch, and try food and beverage products from 106 food exhibitors. It is a great opportunity to learn about local food companies and you will even have a chance to purchase product you like at the show. Dairy Goddess is offering special Expo discounts. 

Supporting local food companies has never tasted so good. 

Also I am asking you to please go to Fresno Food Expo New Products Award (click on link) and vote if you haven’t already. My 3 entries are in the TOP 5 of 55 products. The voting continues until the day of the event. 

All you need to do is 

“Like” each of my products (3 of them, Whole Milk, Chocolate Milk, and my Cheese) along with that please email a vote too. Your support is appreciated and helps our little company get our name out. Remember, I AM our marketing team. 

Our family does it all! So join “OUR” family and take a moment to cast your votes.

Hope to see you at the Expo!

Dairy Goddess Fulfilling Her Dairy Dreams With Your Help!

As you know. Dairy Goddess Farmstead Cheese and Milk was created by me. Partly as a dream to create products from our cows milk but also out of desperation during the worst economic time in our dairy industry. Trying whatever we could to save our farm.

With the help and support of my husband Tony, my daughter Tara we have done a pretty good job. I am very proud of what we have accomplished in two and a half short years.

I am proud to announce that we just made it into the Northern California Whole Foods 35 plus stores with my Non-Homogenized, Low Pasteurized Whole Milk and Chocolate Milk along with Dairy Goddess Fromage Blanc Cheese. If you are in that region…please go in and tell them you LOVE Dairy Goddess. The real key to this success is to receive and maintain those re-orders.

I have expanded my tiny little plant and product as I have gone along. Dairy Goddess does not have a marketing team. I do not have an advertising budget. We do EVERYTHING ourselves. With that said. I am asking you to help me out. Please go to Fresno Food Expo’s Website (click here) Like their page. Then look at all of the wonderful new San Joaquin Valley New Products that will be highlighted at the Fresno Food Expo on March 14th. Then please LIKE each of my products. I have the Whole Milk / Whole Chocolate Milk and Cheese. Click the like by each of those pictures and that is all you have to do and sharing that with your friends would also be appreciated. This type of promotion is what has got me to where I am now. It is hard to get reach without professionals helping, but with your assistance I could not be happier!

I am the little ant that could….and this ant is going to do her best to keep going!

Thanking you in advance for your help…remember LIKE all Three Dairy Goddess Products by clicking the “thumbs-up” next to it’s picture.

Farmers Given Tribute! Dairy Goddess Says “THANKS DODGE”

Isn’t it nice for a change that farmers are given some real and positive recognition…AND it was during the most watched event in the world.

Now let me go back a bit…I did not see the Dodge commercial titled “So God Made A Farmer” yesterday, during the Superbowl but one of my daughters friends, Claudia Avila, posted on my Facebook wall…

“Hope you saw that farmer commercial for Ram…totally thought of you guys. Xoxo”

I was so bummed that I missed it but Thank God for You Tube (click to view) I watched it, and watched again. It brought tears to my eyes and I swelled with pride. I thought, finally…a shout out to all of the farmers that feed our nation…our world and they are supporting Future Farmers of America to boot! Wow that is so cool!

I was so happy that Claudia, a beautiful, sweet, twenty-something that lives in the city, away from farms saw that commercial and took that moment to share that she thought of us. THANK YOU Claudia that make me very proud.

The commercial’s impact continues. It has been all the buzz this morning on the talk shows and I was so happy to hear “Kelly and Michael” say how much they loved it and made them think about how hard farmers work. It is nice to have this good media attention for a change.

I am happy to say that I do drive a Dodge and this farmer thanks you!