Sugarbeet Harvest 2012

This is just the beginning. The beginning of a long Sugarbeet harvest. Digging beets is like no other harvest I have been around. A Sugarbeet grower is at the mercy of the weather and the Sugarbeet factory. If it gets to warm, they shut us down. If its too wet, they shut us down and so on and so forth.

The beet dump opened at 7:00 am this morning. We had defoiliated and dug enough beets to fill our trucks sober were ready to dump right away this morning.

We had a good day. No major breakdowns. Things were going quite smoothly. Until we got the phone call that 'they' were shutting beet harvest down until sometime next week. You see, it's way to warm out. It's beautiful out. Which is not good when digging beets. It has to do with them letting their sugar down and how well they don't store when dug above certain temps. So now we sit and wait.

I took a few photos of the beet dump this morning as we drove by. They aren't the best as we were a ways a way and I took them with my phone.

Apples everywhere!

Apples. Apples. Apples.

 I don't have any apple trees, but my mother in law has some in her yard and so does my uncle. Last Sunday, while my mother was here, my girls and I and her picked lots and lots of apples. Tons of apples.

We tried a new apple bar recipe that I thought I would share with you. The crust is a little different as it ha cream cheese in it, but oh so good.

I didn't get a picture of the bars before my husband and kids dug in, but here's proof they enjoyed them.  *I am not a food photographer, or any kind of photographer.  I am slowly learning*

half eaten pan of Apple Bars!

Apple Bars

Crust:

8 oz softened Cream Cheese

1 C softened Butter

3 C Flour

Cream butter and cream cheese together.  Gradually add in the flour.  Divide dough into half.  Take first half and roll out in between two greased/floured pieces of wax paper.  Place into 15x10 greased pan.  Roll out second piece for top crust.

Filling:

9 C sliced apples (roughly)

1 1/4 C Sugar or Splenda

1/4 C Flour

1 tsp Cinnamon

Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon and pour over apples.  Mix together.  Pour apple concoction into pan, onto dough.  Place top crust over apple concoction.  Tuck in the side and slit some vent holes in the top.  Bake for 35-40 minutes at 400*.

Glaze:

3/4 C powdered sugar

1 TBL water

Mix sugar and water.  Drizzle over hot apple bars.

Let Apple Bars cool for 30 minutes or until the aroma drives you nuts that you can't wait any longer!

*Next time I think I would add a bit more cinnamon and maybe a little nutmeg.

*Depending on the tartness of your apples some brown sugar maybe needed

*May also server without the glaze with either ice cream or whipped cream

*My recipes will always contain some vague measurements and directions as that is kind of how I roll!

Enjoy!

A little shopping for me!

As I mentioned earlier it's my 29th birthday (again) and I did some shopping for myself today!

I missed out on getting one of these last year, and I wasn't going to forget again this year.  So, I headed on over to The South Dakota Cowgirls blog and ordered myself up a 2013 calendar!

The South Dakota Cowgirl takes some pretty amazing photos around the ranch and throughout her life.  I only wish I was half as good at taking pictures!

I am quite excited to get this calendar in the mail when they become available.  And I am thinking I may order a couple more for some Christmas presents!

Famous?

Last week my husband had an interview with Sugarbeet Grower Magazine. I thought that it was pretty cool!

The magazine was looking to interview sugarbeet farmers who are using innovative farming practices. That would be my hubby! On the three years we have down beets, we have used no till practices which is almost unheard of in sugarbeet farming.

Hubby asked our farming partner and our neighbor whom we work with during harvest to tag along on the interview also. When I was asking the hubby how the interview went all I got in response was a shoulder shrug and a 'Fine.'.

Guess we all have to wait until the magazine comes out!

Gratulerer med dagen

Gratulerer med dagen to me!

Today is my *coughcough* 29th birthday, and Gratulerer med dagen (loosely translated) means Happy Birthday in Norwegian!

My kids and hubby did wake me up this morning by singing to me and giving me big bear hugs.  Great way to start any day!

My big birthday plans?  well, they include my chores and probably some laundry.  Then its my day to head out across the river and visit with my grandpa while doing his laundry and cleaning his house.  He usually has a to do list ready for me also.  Then it will be back home to meet the school bus and hearing about T's big day at school.

T and her dad did declare they were making supper tonight!  Thats a treat in itself!

Here's to another birthday!  Hope you all have a blessed day like me!