According to Bloomberg News, farmers are seeing the wettest weather in 124 years! Holy cats! That’s epic and NOT in a good way!

Your Bald Spots are Showing!

It’s super soggy all around! The results of this wet spring and summer are wonky fields with very irregular growth patterns throughout. There are areas in our fields where rainwater has sat too long, resulting in “bald spots”. We know from watching the news and traveling around the Midwest that we are in better shape than others. So, as Grandma would say, “Keep your mouth shut and get your work done!”

Ultimately, the rest of the corn will grow taller and will hide those bald spots from the casual observer. But come harvest, as when your online date takes off his ball cap to reveal his chrome dome, the bald spots in our fields will reveal something we didn’t expect!

This year has been difficult. And we know it’s been difficult for others; fruit and vegetable farmers, cattle, chicken and hog producers, hay producers or any vocation having to do with dirt and farming, have all suffered at the hand of Mother Nature. And we all persevere.

It seems fairly tragic that an important element in our commodity pricing is tethered to weather wrecking the crops of others. Isn’t it enough that we produce a good crop? Nope. Our success seems to be connected to the failure of others. To misquote Bette Davis in the 1950 classic movie All About Eve “Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.” (She actually said bumpy night.)

And though your online date may have a bald spot, he might be your soul mate. Farming is our soul mate and we aren’t about to leave it now, bald spots and all!

Be Blessed!

Banana, Blueberry, Oatmeal & Pecan Muffins

Today’s recipe is Banana Blueberry Oatmeal & Pecan Muffins! It’s from the ‘70’s. You will notice the sweetness comes from the bananas as opposed to lots of sugar. It’s an easy recipe that yields a large batch of goodness! Did I mention they also have oatmeal? Quite honestly, for the length of time it takes to go to a coffee shop, you could make breakfast or snacks for a few days, and they don’t come in a plastic package! Give them a try!

Tools You’ll Need:

• Fork to mash bananas
• Mixer to cream shortening and sugar
• Wooden spoon
• Bowl
• Muffin tin

Ingredients:

• ½ C butter
• 1 C sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 C mashed bananas (2-3)
• ½ C quick oatmeal – I also sprinkled extra on top of muffins before baking
• ½ C pecans, chopped
• 1 ½ C + 2 T flour
• 1 t baking soda
• ¼ t salt
• ½ C blueberries

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add bananas and everything else. Stir gently. Grease and flour muffin tins. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Makes at least 18 nicely-sized muffins.

There’s another oatmeal recipe on this blog. If you haven’t tried the Oatmeal Bread, you should!