Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/191616
Saturday, October 12, 2013 – Daily News 5A Agriculture farm & ranch Touring Tyson in Arkansas While in North West Arkansas for the National Beef Ambassador Competition we visited Tyson Discovery Center where new products are brought to life. 173 research and development team members work in 19 different kitchens. Some were setup like a home, or restaurant or a food service kitchen. 50 technologist have a Masters or PhD degree. 46 team members have a CSC Culinologsist certification so they can talk to chefs. There is a dedicated team in their special kitchen for McDonalds. They worked for 7 months developing "wings" for the football season. Photos of kitchens not allowed. Each customer has specific specifications for fat. They are making gluten free nuggets. The nutrition lab can run a panel for ingredients. They develop products that are targeted to consumers for weekends vs during the week when they are short of time. Their motto seemed to be: "Know your customer – focus on their need." A former National Beef Ambassador Jackson Alexander greeted the group. He is currently in graduate school at University of Arkansas. Enroute to our next stop we drove past the corporate headquarters for Walmart. We were told that Walmart requires all their vendors to have an office here in NW AR, and they prefer it to be in Bentonville. Bentonville has a population of 35,301, and gas was $3.11, diesel was $3.67. We visited JAC'S Ranch sale barn, where they would have their 25th production sale the following week. There were pens of yearling heifers for us to see, but no information. When a group of ranch women visit a ranch we want to know their vaccination program, the breeding program, sires used, grazing conditions, EPD and ultra-sound data, etc. I figured that the ranch didn't get much information about us, and didn't realize we were interested. The ranch manager told us they have 550 Angus cows, 250 bulls are sold each year to commercial breeders and have two sales a year. Whole Hog Café in Bentonville catered the lunch with bbq thin sliced smoked brisket on a bun with four different bbq sauces, coleslaw and Barton Courtesy photo Tyson Discovery Center with offices in the cubicles for the employees. The kitchens were on each side of room. potato salad, baked beans with sweet and unsweet iced tea or bottled water. We would have loved to have seen the landscaped, brick show barn and headquarters, across the highway. The average cattleman has 30 to 50 cows and a full time job in town, we were told. The CattleWomen's Workshop was interesting, because Troy Johnson of Fresh Harvest, Eureka Springs taught us about olive oil and balsamic vinegar. There are no USDA regulations to verify it is pure olive oil. 70% of the oil is not extra virgin olive oil (evo). It could be adulterated with canola oil for cheaper price. EVO describes a quality we consume. "Light" is a marketing gimmick and light on real olive oil. The olives should not be black when picked. Handpicking is best. The first crush is the best, and cold press under 80'F. The best oil is less than 6 hours from harvest to crush, in cold press. Then placed in air tight containers. The crush date is more important than expiration date, and not more than 14 to 16 months old. Be sure the bottle is tinted, store in the cabinet, and close tightly. We tasted extra virgin olive oil that was light, fruity with floral tones and smooth. Then Blood Orange fused oil from Tunisia, that you can cook with fish, chicken, salads, fruit. Another infused oil was Organic Tuscan Herb with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and Rosemary. Delicious and suggested for steaks, stews and salad dressings. I thought that Balsamic Vinegar was acidic, but learned that it was 6% and The Over 25 years of experience STOVE JUNCTION BBQ PELLETS The North State's premier supplier of stoves All makes and models. We perform dealer recommened Members Welcome 30K, 60K, 90K SERVICES AT LOWER PRICES Smog Check $ starting at 95 $ 25 + 8 certificate 25 (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. RUNNINGS ROOFING Sheet Metal Roofing Residential Commercial • Composition • Shingle • Single Ply Membrane "No Job Too Steep" " No Job Too Flat" Serving Tehama County No Money 530-527-5789 530-209-5367 CA. LIC#829089 Down! FREE ESTIMATES Owner is on site on every job ture field. by a university K*** 9 unit. The media Texas A & M has been busy 45, the Razzorwith Miley backs were 33. Cyrus, the *** economy, the Cathy Andreishut-down and ni was rememnot a mention bered with a about the devmoment of astating blizsilence during the zard last FriTehama District day in southJr Livestock Aucwest South tion. She helped Jean Dakota. many 4-H and Tens of FFA members thousands of with their market cattle lie dead lamb projects following blizover the years. Atlas. Heather Norman and Cathy zard were our neighbors. The Hamilton- Maude wrote old house on their ranch in Beefmagazine.com: "It was my Uncle Ora and dumped 2 in. of rain on Aunt Minnie Willard's Thursday, before switchhome a hundred years ing to snow and surpassago. Cathy had beautiful ing a 94-year-old record Suffolk sheep with a in nearby Rapid City white guard dog in the when 19 in. of snow fell on Friday alone. I have adjoining field. The Catholic Church heard of wind gusts in the was filled with family, upper 80-mph range, with school, livestock friends known steady winds of and high school rodeo 40-60 mph throughout parents since Cathy was the storm. "We were nearly sick Emily and Adam's when we learned there biggest fan. Her father Rich Figo- were 30 dead cows and ni told how she loved calves – mostly cows – on her animals, starting our pasture fence line. "It was a family effort with two rabbits that rapidly became more. to ride and check on Then Rich and Cathy everything. We held each went to a sheep show other up when we found and sale when she was 9 half of our missing yearyears old, and came ling heifers in a creek home with two ewes in bed, buried in snow, and their car. Her mother we forced ourselves to Bonnie was not happy look beyond them to the with the mess they made white grave that we in her car. By the time assumed held the rest of Rich concluded his eulo- our count." The ranchers have had gy we were all reaching an Indian Summer fall for a handkerchief. At the Celebration of and had not brought their her life we learned that cattle home for the winEmily graduated from ter, and sheltered canyons Oklahoma State Universi- and wind breaks. The catty in Stillwater last May tle were still on flat paswith a degree in Animal tures when the blizzard Science, and is in gradu- hit. ate school working on her Jean Barton can be Masters. Adam is a at senior at CSU-Chico reached majoring in the agricul- jbarton2013@gmail.com. Now in Stock! Popular customer request Serving Butte, Glenn & Tehama Counties Tues-Sat 9am-5pm • Closed Sun & Mon 22825 Antelope Blvd., Red Bluff 530-528-2221 • Fax 530-528-2229 www.thestovejunction.com Dr. Art Sutfin Large Animal Mobile Veterinary Practice (Serving the North State) Cell: 530 227-1459 Office: 530 934-3801 adulterated with red wine vinegar. We sampled 18 year old, wood aged, Balsamic Vinegar that was rich like a Port Wine, and 3% acidity from Modena, Italy. So smooth and delicious. Our hostess Geneice McCall had many different bottles of infused olive oil and Balsamic vinegar in her kitchen, and after sampling a couple I too am enthused about infused olive oils and 3% Balsamic vinegar. We experienced how important college football is in that area of AR, OK, TX when the Arkansas Razzorbacks were staying in our hotel. The campus was only five or six miles away, but they sequester the players the night before a game. The elevators for the eight floors were blocked, so when the players arrived off their three chartered busses they could go to their rooms without mingling with their fans. One of our group had to walk down 8 floors since elevators weren't working. The hotel ballroom was for the players meals, and we used the convention center across the street. Contest day we had a very heavy rain, so umbrella's were valuable. On each floor by the elevator there was a 55 gallon barrel of iced Gatorade and bottled water for the athletes so they would be hydrated. The team had 11 p.m. curfew, but until then there was food available and they could swim in the pool. Friday evening we had noticed security on each floor, local police, deputy sheriff or university police, and they were on duty all night. Reason was to prevent someone tripping the fire alarm and disturbing their sleep. Saturday morning the team had breakfast at 10, followed by boarding the busses for a brief practice, then lunch at 2, and leaving for the game at 3:45. There were three or four police cars leading the caravan, with two motorcycle officers, then the three busses followed