Jill's Dairy Diary

Sample Sunday, May 6

2007-04-29T19:23:00.000-07:00

Dear Bloggers,

You're invited to visit the farm, see the cows grazing,
sample local foods & and enjoys kids' activities during our...
SAMPLE SUNDAY
May 6 Noon-5 p.m.

*Local food samples galore: root beer float ice cream,
fresh white cheddar cheese curds, cream cheese balls,
elk sticks, cinnamon creamed honey, barbecue sauce,
creamery butter, organic peanut butter, Iowa wines & more!

*Guest Vendors: Rosey Acres Winery, Runnells; and Russ 'n'
Franks BBQ Sauce, Des Moines

*For the kids: See the calves, pigs, kittens, our new puppy,
decorate a cookie or cupcake, & get free pencils and Got Milk posters!

*Super Deals: 12 oz. cream (great for your coffee, or whipping) only $1!
Our own 90% lean ground beef (no artificial hormones), $2.95/lb.
Check out our Local Meat Value Packs...cash and carry.
Sour cream cinnamon rolls - plate of 4...$3.90
9" homemade deep dish pie and quart ice cream...$14

Music provided by HB Productions, Altoona, Iowa

For information, call the creamery, 515-438-2697.
MC, VISA, EBT
http://picketfencecreamery.net

In other news, we survived 5" of rain last week...had a couple of sump
pumps going, the cows were safe and sound inside the free stall barn.
Today, they are back out on the lush grass that was left in the storm's
aftermath! By the way, it was in the 80s here today....summer????

We'll check in again soon.
JB

Earth Day at the Creamery!

2007-04-11T16:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Bloggers,
You're invited......

Picket Fence Creamery
hosts Earth Day event

You are invited to attend an Earth Day celebration at an Iowa grass-based working dairy farm, Sunday, April 22 from noon to 5 p.m.
Picket Fence Creamery, located 20 miles northwest of Des Moines, Iowa, will host an Earth Day Sample Sunday at its environmentally friendly, sustainable dairy farm. Visitors may see the cows grazing, the newborn calves, pigs, and enjoy locally grown food samples as they wander through the country store. Food samples will include ice cream, Swiss chocolate milk, pepper jelly, Iowa wines, fresh cheese curds, cheese ball, creamery butter, elk sticks, dips, caramel pecan apple butter, organic peanut butter and more. They may also see the on-site bottling plant, where Jeff and Jill Burkhart bottle 100% non-homogenzied, natural milk, free of artificial hormones from Jersey cows on grass.
Admission is free.
Many local foods are available at the store, including homemade pies, cinnamon rolls, jams, salsa, Kalona noodles, beef, pork, elk, lamb, buffalo, chicken, duck, eggs, cider, real maple syrup, dried sweet corn, and more.
Kids who bring in pop cans or bottles for recycling may decorate a sugar cookie! Proceeds will go to the local softball team.
Picket Fence Creamery is located at 14583 S Ave., near Woodward. For information or directions, call 515-438-2697, or go to http://www.picketfencecreamery.net

Thank you and have a great week. By the way, it's snowing here in Iowa. Where's spring???
JB

Happy Easter!

2007-04-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Bloggers,

Happy Easter from Picket Fence Creamery!

Hello! This is just a note to give you an update on the happenings on the farm and about our specials for your Easter weekend dining!

We've had nine calves so far this spring, five heifers (female), and four bull calves. They're located in their huts just south of our building, so don't hesitiate to bring the kids to see the newest additions to Burkhart Dairy! We also have some yearling calves in the barn that you are welcome to visit, along with three pigs. We don't have any kittens yet, but I don't think it will be long!

For your Easter dinner.....

SUPER DEAL! 12 oz. whipping cream - only $1
Farm fresh eggs - $2.25/dozen, or 2 dozen for $4
Fresh churned butter - only $2.50/tub (unsalted available too)
Fresh cinnamon twist rolls - made with our cream! $3.90 for four large rolls! Great for Sunday morning!
Fresh cream cheese balls - great for the relish tray or on crackers - $5/tub

ANOTHER SUPER DEAL!
9" deep dish pie and a quart of ice cream - only $12 Dessert is served! (Choose from apple, cherry, or peach pie. Choose any quart of ice cream.)

Back for Easter and Spring: EGG NOG ICE CREAM! Delicious!
Other new flavors: chocolate cookies 'n' cream, Girl Scout Cookie Thin Mint, and Girl Scout Cookie chocolate caramel Samoa. YUM!

And announcing....yet another variety of chocolate milk.....SWISS CHOCOLATE. So far, our customers agree that this is by far our best effort. So don't forget to take home a jug of "the best chocolate milk this side of the Milky Way!"

We have a good selection of beef, pork, elk, buffalo, lamb, chicken and duck. Also enjoy browsing our line of certified organic foods, and also the natural foods with no preservatives from 80 Iowa families: jam, salsa, Kalona noodles, canned meats, fresh baked goods, popcorn, snack mixes, candies, etc., and a nice selection of IOWA WINES.

New: Picket Fence Creamery All-Purpose Sauce: great for steaks, chops, dipping, etc.
New: Hardneck granulated garlic, from Green Acres Farm in Clarinda.

We hope to see you this week for a look at the calves AND some great deals on local foods from sustainable farms!

(Feel free to forward this blog to your interested friends and family!)

JB

P.S. Mark your calendar! Our next Sample Sunday is April 22, noon to 5 p.m.
Also, we are now booking tours for spring, summer and fall. Call 515-438-2697.

2007-03-22T20:04:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Bloggers,

Yes, it is Spring in the Country! With the arrival of spring is just a little bit of green grass starting to show...a beautiful sight on a dairy farm!

We also have our first four calves, all of whom are heifers (females)! A great thing on a dairy farm because they will be our future milk cows! If you live anywhere near Woodward, Iowa, stop out to the farm. The calves are situated in huts near the creamery - easy for the kids to get to. Breathe in some fresh country air while you're here too!

Just arrived in our store, a fresh supply of our own beef. The ground beef is on special this week for $2.90/lb. What a bargain!

Jeff is bottling a new version of our chocolate milk tonight - it's called chocolate vanilla swirl. YUM! Another take on "the best chocolate milk this side of the Milky Way!"

Also in the ice cream freezer.....Girl Scout Cookie Thin Mint Ice Cream. It doesn't get any better than this!

That's all for tonight. Enjoy spring!
JB

2007-03-05T20:14:00.000-08:00

Hello Dear Bloggers,

The full moon is shining down brightly on Picket Fence Creamery this evening! It's beautiful! Perhaps the calm AFTER the storm? Yes, we received several inches of snow and experienced blowing, drifting, blizzard conditions this past weekend. Thank goodness we did not ever lose power. Otherwise, we would have been calling in all of our friends on four-wheelers to come help milk the cows! But business went on as usual...drifts and all! It's amazing what people will drive through to get their moo juice!

We are celebrating SPRING will a Sample Sunday this weekend, along with our neighbors to the north, Prairieland Herbs. Here is what's happening...

Celebrate 'Spring in the Country'
near Woodward, March 11

You're invited to celebrate spring in the country at a Sample Sunday event, March 11 from noon to 5 p.m. near Woodward, Iowa.
Admission is free.
Prairieland Herbs and Picket Fence Creamery, located just off Highway 141 near Woodward, are hosting a day of local foods and wine sampling, homemade herbal soaps and skin care sampling, and fun for the kids including seeing the new Jersey calves!
At Prairieland Herbs, 13505 S Ave., enjoy browsing the herbal luxuries, checking our the new lineup of spring classes, and receiving some free handmade soap and skin care samples. New are locally produced alpaca yarn and raw fiber to knit and spin.
At Picket Fence Creamery, 14583 S Ave., enjoy sampling Penoach Wines of Adel, Salsa by Joni of Waukee, ice cream and a host of other locally produced foods. Kids can enjoy a hay maze and see the calves and pigs.
For more information, call 515-438-2697 or check www.prairielandherbs.com, or www.picketfencecreamery.net.

We'll also have some Extra Value Meat Packages available to save you some money. Our super deals are:
9" deep dish pie and quart of ice cream, $12
90% lean ground beef, $2.95/lb.
Ribeye steaks, $9.50/lb.

Our featured ice cream sample will be Girl Scout Cookie Thin Mint!

That's it for tonight; we'll talk again soon.
JB

2007-02-21T17:58:00.000-08:00

Dear Bloggers,

YES, it was 55 gorgeous degrees here in Central Iowa today! Once the mud subsides, the cows will be outside at long last! As for me, I took a nice walk outside today. Great for both the physical and mental well being!!!

Today at the store....received a nice supply of Pazquali's Pizza, made in Humboldt, Iowa. Very simply, frozen pizza doesn't get any better than this. The breakfast pizza rocks! All reasonably prices at $5 or less.

Take a walk if you can - you'll be glad you did! And don't forget to drink your Picket Fence milk!

JB

2007-02-18T18:33:00.000-08:00

Dear Bloggers,

Hello from Iowa and Picket Fence Creamery! THE SNOW IS MELTING!!! With temperatures anticipated in the 40s this week, our Jersey cows are sure to be giving lots of rich, delicious, creamy milk. Jeff will be bottling his famous Cookies 'n' Cream chocolate milk on Thursday night, just in time for the weekend. Also this week, in celebration of the sun and warm temps, we're running a special on our ribeye steaks....only $9.50 per pound! And, if you buy a package of steaks, you will receive $1 off your favorite bottle of Iowa wine. It doesn't get any better than this!

Around the farm.....let's see....all the calves are weaned now. We'll be starting the new calf crop in April...a sure sign of spring. And then it won't be long till the cows can get back outside again and start eating the sweet, green grass of spring. Have I mentioned spring yet???

Milker Dan is in Bolivia doing mission work, but we have a volunteer in Charlie, a vet, who just misses cows and stops by once in awhile in the evenings to help milk. Thanks Charlie!

Good night dear bloggers,
JB

2007-02-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

Dear Bloggers,
Just arrived at the store.....chocolates for your sweetheart from Lillie Mae Chocolates in Marshalltown, Iowa, made with Picket Fence cream. It doesn't get any better!!!
On the farm....the skid loader broke down today. Dan, our morning milker, used a wheelbarrow to feed the cows. It was quite a sight. Good job Dan!
This weekend....we're looking forward to Sample Sunday. Bring the kids and enjoy sunshine and temperatures in the 20's!!! The kids can decorate a sugar cookie while you sample your way through the store. Great goodies for your valentine as well!
Talk to you soon,
JB

2007-02-05T20:23:00.000-08:00

Good evening,
It's still cold here in the heart of Iowa, but the cows are snug as bugs in a rug, inside and warm and giving lots of milk. Go Girls!

We have a Sample Sunday event coming up this weekend, in conjunction with our neighbors, Prairieland Herbs. It's supposed to be sunny and in the 20s...so bring out the kids and have some fun in the country while sampling yummy local foods and shopping for your valentine!

Picket Fence Creamery and Prairieland Herbs invite you to our
VALENTINE SAMPLE SUNDAY!
Feb. 11 12 to 5 p.m. Free admission!
Sample local foods - Cookies 'n' cream ice cream, fresh white cheddar cheese curds (regular, dill, garlic, hot pepper & garden herb), elk sticks, real maple syrup, Iowa wine, certified organic foods, cheese ball, Sutliff Hard Cider & more! SUPER DEAL! 9” deep dish pie and quart ice cream- only $12!
For your sweetheart - "Iowa Wine and Iowa Chocolates Gift Baskets," Lillie Mae Chocolates (from Marshalltown, made with Picket Fence cream!), ISU and Iowa tissue box covers, raspberry ganache cheesecake for 2, Pella Dutch letters & breads, and Iowa foods & wine baskets for friends and family!
Kids - Decorate a cookie, see the calves & pigs, do a valentine craft & FREE pencils!
Woodward, Iowa - We accept MC, VISA, EBT

Talk to you again soon,
JB

2007-01-29T19:55:00.000-08:00

Dear Bloggers,

Baby it's cold outside...I mean zero and going lower tonight. Not to worry about the cows, though, they're safe, snug, and warm inside the barns. The cows are milking like crazy - the cold doesn't seem to be slowing them down - yea!

From friend Maggie at Prairieland Herbs, just up the road, is this recipe using Picket Fence cream and butter....enjoy!

World's Best Scones
2 C. flour
1/4 C. sugar
2 tsps. baking powder
dash salt
4 ozs. Picket Fence butter
1 egg
1/3 C. Picket Fence cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. raisins
bit of extra cream and sugar

Preheat oven to 425 - lightly butter a cookie sheet. Combine flour, sugar, and baking powder. Cut butter into small pieces, and work into the flour mixture. It will resemble crumbs. Add egg, cream, vanilla and raisins and combine until you have a thick dough. Using a floured board or counter, press the dough into a circle, about 8" across. Brush with more PFC cream, and sprinkle with a bit of sugar. Cut dough into 8 pie-shaped wedges; place on cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly brown on top. Best fresh and warm!

Tomorrow is delivery day in Ames. We'll be wearing parka coats for sure!

Until we meet again,
JB

2007-01-25T19:51:00.000-08:00

Today, Thursday, Jan. 25, Jeff bottled milk, I made ice cream as fast as I could, and the customers were quite content! Orders received in the store today include locally grown chickens (the broth make the BEST gravy!), and our locally grown lamb. We're running low on eggs; the egg man had better get here in good time tomorrow!

By golly, Rod Stewart is coming to Des Moines. We'll have to see about attending that one. His hit, "Have you ever seen the rain?" is fantastic. I think it was Creedance that had the original? Let me know if I'm wrong!

Our five cats, the official store greeters, are hanging out by the store door again now that it's relatively nice outside. They are good at nibbling cookies if the kids let them!

Signing off for tonight,
JB

2007-01-22T20:13:00.000-08:00

Happenings on the dairy today! Let's see...Jeff moved snow, snow, snow....but the cows are safe and sound and happy in their comfy barn. We can't wait for spring so we can let them out to eat lush, green grass again! For now, they are eating stored feed and are milking like crazy. Ahh - winter in Iowa.

We milk Jersey cows, the little brown milk cows, that don't give as much milk as their Holstein counterparts, but do give milk that is richer in butterfat...all the better for us to make whipping cream, ice cream and butter in our on-site creamery!

Our store just received a fresh shipment of Kalona noodles today, you can't beat 'em. Made with real egg yolk and you can TASTE the difference. Just like Grandma used to make! The noodles are among the local products from 80 local Iowa families that we sell in the store - a treasure chest of local, organic products!

Thanks to Prairieland Herbs for getting me started with my blog....I'll talk to all of you tomorrow!

JB