Talk of the West » Susan

Smoothies anyone?

Susan — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:14:15 +0000

What a perfect meal – the SMOOTHIE! I’ve been experimenting with ingredients: almonds, flax seed, wheat berries, Cream of the West Roasted Wheat and Roasted Ranch Oats, yogurt, buttermilk, fruit, vegetables…and the list goes on. (I haven’t actually tried vegetables yet, but wouldn’t a sweet carrot or garden-fresh cucumber be good?)

Yesterday’s concoction included: a tablespoon of brown flax seed, a small handful of whole almonds, and a spoonful of soft white wheat berries all ground together in the bottom of the blender. I added three big spoonfuls of vanilla yogurt, some frozen cherries and blueberries, buttermilk to thin, and a couple ice cubes to keep the whole thing frozen…YUM! (Did you know that buttermilk is a really great compliment to yogurt?)

So get busy creating your own favorite combinations for a quick and satisfying breakfast – or start with our basic recipe for Flaxseed and Berry Smoothie. And keep watch on our website for the introduction of our new line of organic grains and flours. You’ll find us to be a unique source for everything you need for the healthiest (and tastiest) of smoothies!

University of Montana “Food, Agriculture, and Environment” class

Susan — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:54:07 +0000

Back in June a group of University of Montana graduate students visited us at the Moe Ranch and Cream of the West. One beautiful rainy evening, the fields refreshingly green, the skies dark and gray, we were treated to yummy, natural ranch-raised beef burgers at Richard and Alicia’s. Blessed with great company, we visited the night away on the screened porch of the old stone house.

A couple of the students enjoying the rustic swing and lovely view of the Musselshell River, snaking it’s way east just on the edge of Moe’s lawn.

Unbelievable views of the Musselshell River and Crazy Mountains following a cleansing, June rain.

What better place to set up camp than on a grassy lawn on the banks of the Musselshell, right outside a beautiful house with indoor plumbing facilities?

Beautiful Maya, Richard’s and Alicia’s granddaughter, happened to be visiting as well – and she had no trouble charming the socks off us!

The next day, the group aquiesced and donned hair nets for a tour of our plant in Harlowton (good sports that they are!).

Neva Hassanein, Ph. D. (far left) led her “Food, Agriculture, and Environment” graduate students on an eight-day tour of Montana. Making a loop from Missoula, all the way east to Glendive, north around Malta and Great Falls, and back, the group visited several Montana businesses taking advantage of sustainable agriculture practices and principles. Cream of the West was lucky enough to be one of their stops.

The course description for the Environmental Studies class states, “According to Wendell Berry, “eating is an agricultural act.” But most of us know very little about how the food we eat each day is produced or how it reaches our plates. Food is central to our lives, and it has the capacity to profoundly connect us with nature and the place where we live. In this course, we will explore the premise that the sustainability of the food and agriculture system requires practices, policies, and social arrangements that balance concerns of environmental soundness, economic viability, and social justice among all sectors of society. We will look at the conditions created by the dominant, “industrial” food and agricultural system, as well as investigate emerging alternatives – such as “sustainable agriculture” and “local food systems.” The purpose is to introduce you to some of the central contemporary issues in the study of food and agriculture in the U.S. and to demonstrate an approach to broad, interdisciplinary study and practice. Through a research paper or a project, you will also have the opportunity to improve your research, communication, organizing, and presentation skills.”

Along those lines, the students let go many tough, yet insightful questions of us (the owners). We had lengthy conversations about what it takes to get our food from the farm to the table, and Cream of the West’s role in that endeavor. Here at COTW, we do believe in the concept of sustainability, and live it every, waking day. Four of our owners (Richard, Alicia, Steve and I), are full-time, local ranchers, producing natural, ranch-raised beef and grain. Two of our owners (Tom and Beth) own and operate our local grocery store (and stock every one of COTW’s products, of course!). Two of our owners (Tom and Trudy) own and operate Rocky Mountain Cookware. And two of our owners (Keith and Janet) deliver irrigation water and clerk for the district court. Most of us have lived here our entire lives, and all of us contribute mightily to not only our small community’s sustainability, but to the promise to deliver natural, healthy, and delicious food to our customers.

The maroon UofM van delivers and it takes away. So long, thanks for a lovely stopover, and we look forward to seeing you again!

(photos by Susan)

Green Barn Organics ready to roll…

Susan — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:50:51 +0000

At Cream of the West we have officially introduced our new line of organic flours and grains. We begin our foray by offering our line to natural foods stores in Montana…so kudos to the Good Earth Market in Billings for being our very first GBO customer!

Mission Statement!

greenBarn organics (GBO) is the brainchild of Richard, Alicia, Steve and I, and we have all worked very hard bringing these “Montana-made”, and to a certain extent “Montana-grown”, flours and grains into your home. Bobby and Stacy, our production crew, have labored tirelessly getting our plant in “organic” order, which involved some remodeling and much re-organizing. And our office manager, Liane, has been chugging away seeing that nutritional labels are being generated, customer sheets are being designed, and our inventory system is up to date. Our certification from Montana’s Department of Agriculture came to us in May, and since then we’ve been narrowing down the product list, setting prices, and finally, FINALLY, we are ready to introduce you to greenBarn organics!

meet Green Barn Organics!

Richard and Alicia made the delivery to Good Earth Market last Thursday, so you should be able to head straight to their bulk bins and stock up on some organic and Montana-made grains! Please stay tuned as we expand our list of Montana natural foods outlets, and be sure to keep watch on our website for retail offerings, nutritional information, recipes, and more!

Alicia delivering our first GBO order!

Rainy June morning

Susan — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:08:47 +0000

Rainy, snowy June morning

We woke up to this beautiful view yesterday morning after 1 1/2″ of rain the night before!

Things are happening at Cream of the West today…we have a group of graduate students from the University of Montana visiting. They’re on an eight day adventure, touring central and eastern Montana studying a diverse group of businesses and their roles in sustainable agriculture!

They’ll be setting up tents in Alicia and Richard’s yard, so tonight Steve and I will join them for a bar-b-que and tomorrow they will tour the plant.

In Flanders Fields

Susan — Mon, 31 May 2010 14:52:56 +0000

In tribute to our fallen soldiers on this Memorial Day,
we reprint the John McCrae poem…

WWI: In Flanders Fields
John McCrae (1872-1918)

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

And A Memorial Day Litany

We remember and honor those whose lives were
given in service to us:

The 184,000 who served in the Revolutionary War
and the 4,435 who died in that service.

The 286,703 who served in the War of 1812
and the 6,765 who died in that service.

The 78,718 who served in the Mexican War
and the 13,283 who died in that service.

The 3.500,000 who served in the Civil War
and the the 530,000 who died in that service.

The 306,760 who served in the Spanish-American War
and the 2,446 who died in that service.

The 4,743,826 who served in World War One
and the 116,708 who died in that service.

The 16,353,659 who served in World War Two
and the 407,316 who died in that service.

The 5,764,143 who served in the Korean War
and the 33,651 who died in that service.

The 8,744,000 who served in the Vietnam War
and the 58,168 who died in that service.

The 467,539 who served in the Persian Gulf War
and the 268 who died in that service.

The 320,000 who served and are serving in the Afghanistan War
and the 492 who have died in that service.

The 1,680,000 who served and are serving in the Iraq War
and the 4,021 who have died in that service.

as spoken during Sunday services at American Lutheran Church in Harlowton

Coming Soon!

Susan — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:18:59 +0000

Cream of the West has received approval to handle organic products! We’ll soon be offering a wide variety of healthful, Montana grown grains and flours. Keep watch here for news and our June unveiling! In other exciting news, we are rejuvenating the look of one of our most popular products. Stay tuned for the particulars!

Recently, Alicia has been busy peddling our wares. Last week she attended the spring Sysco show in Billings and earlier, she and I took part in the “Made in Montana Marketplace” in Great Falls.

We’ll keep you posted…

Violet Noel

Susan — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 03:57:26 +0000

Wow…what a busy December/January we’ve been having at Cream of the West…

Violet Noel

On a lovely Christmas morning, Assistant Plant Manager Stacy felt the pangs of labor, alerted Tom, loaded the car with daughter Karrigan in tow, and headed out for the 90 mile trip to her mid-wife in Billings. In the vicinity of mile marker 143 (not quite halfway to their destination), on the side of the road, baby Violet decided to make her entrance. With Karrigan on the phone with 911, instructing Tom how to cut the cord, a new life began! Violet’s birth certificate in fact notes Mile Marker 143 as her place of birth, and appropriately, her as yet undecided middle name became Noel. No Kidding! Welcome Violet Noel and congratulations Stacy and Tom – and sisters and brother Kareneka, Karrigan, and Kaden!

Remodel

January brings a bit of chaos to the Cream of the West facilities in the form of a slight remodel. Once finished, our newly arranged plant will allow us the necessary divisions to offer Montana organics. So stay tuned for the introduction of our new line of organic grains and flours! Plant Manager Bobby has been busy with our local contractor moving some doors and adding a wall, and he and Billy have been moving some obsolete machinery to an offsite storage facility. We’ve purchased some new equipment and look forward to our newly refurbished plant and final inspection!

Cinnamon Rolls

It’s decided to snow this morning here in the Harlowton/Two Dot area, and what better weather for fresh, homemade cinnamon rolls! I make the dough in my bread machine, let it rise in the machine for an additional half hour or so (until I’m ready), fill, roll out and slice, raise and bake, and – presto – yummy cinnamon rolls for a wintry morning! See our website for a simple sweet dough recipe.

Until next time…

Health Benefits of Honey

Susan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:36:51 +0000

I’ve recently been interested in the health benefits of honey. In the course of my research, I’ve noticed several, consistent reasons why we should incorporate more honey into our diets – besides its yummy taste! Since we have an excellent source for honey here at Cream of the West, I thought I’d share my discoveries.

Honey possesses large amounts of friendly bacteria, including Lactobacilli, which aids in inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria.
When compared to other sweeteners, honey may improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity.
Honey-based diets (versus sugar-based diets) have been shown to help reduce weight gain and body fat percentage.
Honey has been shown to be an effective cough suppressant in children.
The use of honey has been found to be an ergogenic (performance) aid in athletes.
Used topically, honey can be used as a wound healing agent.
Daily consumption of honey has been shown to raise levels of protective antioxidant compounds in humans.
In a series of experiments, honey reduced total cholesterol and increased HDL (good) cholesterol in healthy subjects, decreased total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol in patients with high cholesterol, and significantly lowered the rise in blood sugar in subjects with type 2 diabetes.

So find yourself a local source for honey, and start enjoying it’s healthful benefits (or order Bear Luv-Un Honey direct from Cream of the West.)

Start incorporating honey into your diet by trying some of our scrumptious recipes, like Honey-Mustard Salad Dressing!

Short Health-Related Articles

Susan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:29:02 +0000

In researching ideas for this blog, I have come across numerous sources for some very interesting short, health-related articles. Follows are a few of my tried-and-true favorites and others that have caught my eye:

VitaminStuff – First on the list is an article on the benefits of chocolate!
Prevention – By now you may have guessed that this website is my all-time favorite! It changes daily and is chock-full of interesting articles. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, or even start one, you’ll find the motivation you need here.
Women’s Health Magazine – Another site always current in many issues concerning women’s health.
Women’s Health Center at WebMD – WebMD is top-of-the-line! There is not a topic or question for which you can’t find an answer. Click on the “healthy living” tab for an staggering assortment of articles.
Women’s Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – “The most reliable and current women’s health resource with information on more than 800 topics”… Their words – enough said!
American Heart Association – A neat, intuitive site for living a heart-healthy lifestyle. An excerpt from their “nutrition fact” page on cholesterol, fiber, and oat bran reads, ”Many commercial oat bran and wheat bran products (muffins, chips, waffles) actually contain very little bran. They may also be high in sodium, total fat, saturated fat and trans fat. We recommend reading the labels on all packaged foods.” Here at COTW we say by all means read our labels!

Take a look at these sites; they’re a great way to motivate and educate yourself!

Recent Flu-Prevention Articles

Susan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:16:18 +0000

Heading into the heart of flu season finds us searching for preventative measures. Read on for a list of recent immune-boosting articles.

Prevention – 9 Power Foods That Boost Immunity – Oats and barley, number 2 on the list, appear to have a type of fiber, beta-glucan, with more antimicrobial and antioxidant punch than echinacea, says a Norwegian study. For the sake of your good health this winter, order extra supplies of “Montana Crunch”, a tasty, nutritional, and possibly flu-fighting, oat and barley snack. Pair twice a day with number 1 yogurt for a double boost of immunity!
Suite 101 – 10 Ways to Boost Immune Health – Squeeze lemon juice into your herbal tea, cut back on sugar and caffeine, don’t skimp on protein, nurture yourself, stock up on raw fruits and vegetables, drink plenty of water (no brainer), and GET OUTSIDE!
Fox News – 9 Ways to Boost Your Immune System – Massage, relax, listen to music, laugh, sleep…this is my kind of immunity building! Bottom line – reduce stress and eat healthy.
World of Mysteries – 12 Vital Foods to Boost Your Immune System – We’re seeing many of the same flu-fighting foods over and over. This article adds pumpkin (or pumpkin seeds), ginger, oysters, and turmeric. I’m thinking pumpkin bread made with freshly grated ginger and a pinch of turmeric – pretty, too!
CNN – Arm Your Immune System to Fight Flu – This article advises lean protein, healthy fats, an array of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and plenty of rest.

Brilliant detective that I am, I see a pattern beginning to emerge. Eat a variety of healthy, whole (never processed) foods, exercise daily (preferably outside), drink plenty of water, and pamper yourself!