Friends Of Elsie

The kids start school soon. But I’ll admit it: Back-to-school is at times the furthest thing from my mind.

With summer coming to an end, I’m in the middle of lots of changes. I have started a new part- time job. Our family is busy building our new home, a log cabin that my husband Ed and I have always dreamed of. And on top of it all, our three children—Lindsey (16), Mark (15), and Lydia (6)—are all getting ready to go back to school.

Managing their schedules is always tough. Even before they sit down to breakfast, they’re hustling out the door to feed their calves. (Living on a dairy farm comes with its own rewards, and its own unique responsibilities.)

Somewhere between all of our activities, I’m trying to get our kids ready for school. And each of my children has their own individual needs and anxieties about what the next year will hold.

I’m not the perfect mom. But I find that with everything swirling around me, prioritizing helps me keep everything in perspective. Like realizing that spending time building a home together, even with all the challenges and hard work, means we’re getting to spend great quality time with the kids, especially Mark and Lindsey who are only a few years from leaving. Finding time for family togetherness, whether it’s something as big as building a cabin, as small as sharing a family meal, or as routine as buying school supplies, is my biggest priority—and ultimately, my greatest reward.

My advice for staying calm during the bustle of back-to-school? Make family togetherness a priority, stay organized, and do the best you can.

Jenny Lynne Pfeifer, Pfeifer Dairy Farm

Need a great tasting back-to-school recipe? Try the Pfeifer Family Taco Pie. Learn more about the Pfeifer family by watching the Pfeifer family video on Facebook.

Top Three Friends of Elsie Back-to-School Tips

1. Plan your meals on the weekend to get a jumpstart on daily meal preparation
2. Set up a color-coded calendar, in print or electronic form, to keep track of activities for each of the kids
3. Make a “school kit” for the car, including a variety of school supplies like pens, notebook paper, and a calculator, so the kids can make effective use of long drives to-and-from activities

Trade back-to-school tips with other parents through the “Back-to-School” discussion board on the Friends of Elsie Facebook page.

The familiar reprimand “don’t play with your food” is a statement that I couldn’t disagree with more. As a children’s cookbook author and kids cooking instructor, I’m an ardent advocate of bringing kids into the kitchen and encouraging them to play with their food. Here are some tips to consider when involving your kids meal planning and preparation:

• Use vibrantly colored ingredients and fun shapes to capture their interest and make them more receptive to sampling new foods

• Cook with fresh, nutritious ingredients to help your kids establish lifelong healthy eating habits

• Turn cooking into a craft activity by inviting them decorate the serving piece or display object

• Teach kids new vocabulary words as well as math and science concepts through cooking

• Take advantage of the time you spend together in the kitchen to make great memories

You can see these tips in action by watching my cooking demonstration with the Heavysides—a dairy farm family that’s part of the 100% farmer-owned cooperative that makes Borden Cheese. You’ll see the Heavyside kids make colorful kabobs that are served in fun clay pots, which the kids decorated with paint pens.

Bring your own family together in the kitchen to make our Tutti Fruity Cheese Kabobs and Cheesy Flower Nachos. You’ll be stirring up fun memories in no time! Then, visit Friends of Elsie on Facebook to share how these recipes turned out for you and offer your own kid-friendly cooking ideas.

To get more tips from my kitchen, visit my Kids Cooking Shop and blog or connect with me on Twitter!

Barbara Beery, Batter Up Kids

My family’s farming roots run deep, going back at least five generations, in our small community in rural Lamar County, Alabama. My grandfather started dairy farming in the 1950’s on the modest farm that his father settled and operated for half a century. Today, my father and I own and operate the dairy farm, continuing the agricultural legacy of our farming forefathers.

Growing up on a farm—tagging along with my dad as a child and working for him as a teenager—was a very positive experience. But having the opportunity to return home to the farm after college and to work alongside my dad is an even greater blessing. As a father myself, I hope to give my two young children the same opportunities that I have been so fortunate to receive.

Farming is an exercise in hard work, selflessness, and sacrifice, which gives those of us raised on a farm all the more reason to appreciate the examples set by our fathers. For family farmers—accounting for 98% of U.S. farmers—the celebration of Father’s Day each year is truly special. You can help us celebrate this Father’s Day by treating your dad or husband to his favorite dairy treats.

To learn more about my family’s dairy farm or to continue this conversation, you can find me on Twitter at @gilmerdairy or visit our website at www.gilmerdairyfarm.com. Have a “dairy” good day!

Will Gilmer, Gilmer Dairy Farm