Category Archives: Slow Cooker

Celebrate May Beef Month with Pot Roast

Posted on by

Every farmer I know looks forward to the beginning of a new planting season – as well as to its end! As much as Ben Jones of Spencer, Iowa, enjoys farming, he’s eagerly anticipating the end of the 2013 planting season and the beginning of a new chapter in his life.

Ben and his fiancé, Chelsea Heillers, are set to wed on June 22. Ironically, the two will be married in the building were they became reacquainted as the former Bomgaars building in Spencer has been converted into Faith Lutheran Church.

Both Ben and Chelsea were FFA members at Clay Central Everly, but Ben was a senior when Chelsea was a freshman. It was a few years – and many trips to Bomgaar’s – later, before the two reconnected.

“At the time, I was working fulltime for a farmer from spring through fall and working construction in the winter. It seemed like I was always going into Bomgaars for one thing or another. Once I realized Chelsea was working there, I might have come up with a few more reason to head into town,” says Ben with a shy smile.

Growing up on the farm and being active in both 4-H and FFA, helped Ben and Chelsea develop a love of the land and a passion for livestock. As a member of the Clay Raiders 4-H Club, Ben’s favorite 4-H project areas were cattle and hogs.

“I learned a lot about managing livestock and the importance of keeping accurate records,” he says of his 4-H experience. “You learn from your experiences and look for ways to continually better your operation.”

Such 4-H life skills are still in practice today as Ben helps his dad with the family’s Black Angus-mix cow-calf operation. Ben runs his own custom baling business, as well. He also still helps a local farmer, who Ben credits for interesting him in precision farming. They use GPS data to increase overall farm profitability by managing nitrogen and planting at variable rates.

Seed selection and seed placement are also key factors in increasing profit per acre. This is where Ben and Chelsea can team up as they get their Latham® seed dealership off the ground. This summer Chelsea is interning with a co-op. After earning an agronomy degree this December, she’ll pursue full-time employment in agronomy.

With two busy schedules, Ben and Chelsea plan ahead to spend time together often while enjoying a good meal. The two of them even cooked up their own recipe for Pot Roast. And in honor of May Beef Month, they’re sharing it today on TheFieldPosition.com. Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner!

Slow Cooked Roast

Ingredients:

  • 3-pound roast of your choice
  • 1 packet of Italian dressing dry mix
  • 2 to 3 cans of beef broth
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 1 bag of baby carrots
  • 2 to 4 potatoes, cubed

Directions:

  1. Rub dressing mix on entire roast, and then place it in a crock pot.
  2. Place peppers, onions, potatoes and carrots around and on top of the roast.
  3. Add beef broth until everything is almost covered.
  4. Add salt or pepper if desired.
  5. Cook on low for 8 to 12 hours.
Print Friendly

Sweet & Sour: This Recipe Describes Our Spring Weather, Too!

Posted on by

You might say that farming is in Ben Rein’s blood. His great, great grandfather homesteaded around Highland, Minnesota, in 1884. Farming is a tradition that has continued throughout the generations.

“I’ve been farming for as long as I can remember,” says Ben, who grew up on a family farm and started farming full time in 1997 by custom baling hay and renting 160 acres. He shared equipment with his dad and uncle, who were farming together at that time. They ran a 100-sow, farrow-to-finish operation. They also raised 200 registered Angus cows, selling bulls and heifers. In 2005, Ben’s dad went to work for him. Today they grow corn and alfalfa. They also milk 65 cows and finish fat cattle.

Ben said he wanted to try Latham® products because the company is independent and family owned. He’s stayed with the company because the corn really yields. “I’ve been planting Latham for two years and have had a great experience,” he says. “The people I work with are very knowledgeable and accessible. The seed corn I used last year yielded 200 to 230 bushels, and it was the only corn that stood against the wind and rootworm issues we dealt with.”

While Ben tends to the crops and livestock, his wife Amber stays busy on the home front. The couple lives on the farm Ben’s grandfather bought in 1952, and it’s where they’re raising their five children: Steven, 14; Jaime, 12; Nora, 10; Kimberly, 8; and Rachel, 4.

“Living on a family farm allows us to spend time together working and playing,” says Ben. “It’s the perfect place for kids to develop a good work ethic and to discover their interests. Some of our kids are interested in horses while others enjoy working with calves. There are just so many different things our kids can explore.”

The Rein children are also involved in a lot of activities at school. During the summer months, they enjoy camping. During the winter months, Ben enjoys restoring antique John Deere tractors.

Like most farmers, Ben enjoys promoting the products he raises. Today, in honor of May Beef Month, the Reins are sharing one of their family’s favorite recipes for Sweet and Sour Meatballs. Crock-pot recipes like this are perfect for the spring planting season, so give it a try and let us know what you think!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. ground beef
  • ¼ c crushed butter crackers
  • 2 T Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 c. chopped onion
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Sweet & Sour Sauce

  • 15 oz. can of chunk pineapple
  • 6 oz. can tomato paste
  • 1/2c brown sugar
  • 2 T apple cider vinegar
  • 2 T Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 green pepper, chopped

NOTE: Add water if you like thinner sauce.

Directions:

  • Shape into meatballs and place in slow cooker.
  • Pour sauce over meatballs.
  • Cook on low for 6 hours.
Print Friendly

Food & Family4-H Brought This Couple Together and Binds Their Family

Posted on by

The Sunkten family of Belmond, Iowa, gathered in May 2012 for Kellen’s high school graduation. They’re looking forward to being recognized during the 2013 Iowa State Fair for their Century Farm. Front row, from left, is Kirsten, Katelyn and Katelyn’s husband, Ryan Borcherding. Back row, from left, is Jon, Kendrick, Kellen and Tami.

Jon Suntken and Tami Pralle’s shared passion for 4-H brought them together in 1979 when they were selected to serve on the Franklin County 4-H Council. Nearly 30 years later, they’re still preparing for the annual county fair and trekking to the Iowa State Fair.

“All of our children began showing bucket calves at the Franklin County Fair when they turned 5, and it’ something we did for 17 consecutive years,” says Tami. “This helped them develop a passion for showing and judging livestock. Our boys also have been involved in woodworking. Both of our boys entered the Franklin County Fair livestock judging contest in 4th grade, and two years ago they were on a team that placed second in the state for 4-H Livestock Judging. The girls have been involved in Food & Nutrition, Sewing, Clothing, Clothing Selection, Challenge, Working Exhibits, Photography, Needle Arts, as well as showing sheep and cattle.

4-H teaches and allows our children to experience many things that are important in life: work ethic, responsibility, how to start and finish projects, character development, meeting new people, public speaking, helping others and developing new friendships.”

Raising livestock and being active in 4-H are important to the Suntkens, who had the honor of earning second place in the 2011 Iowa 4-H Livestock Judging circuit. From left to right: Kellen Suntken, Joe DeVries, Kendrick Suntken, and Drew Abbas.

The Sunktens have four children. Their 23-year-old daughter, Katelyn, is married to Ryan Borcherding. They live in Davenport where Katelyn is a teacher’s assistant at a daycare, and Ryan is employed with John Deere Information Systems as a Dealer Advisor. Oldest son Kellen, 19, is a freshman at Iowa State University, with a major in Ag Studies and a minor in Animal Science. He’s a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, serves on the ISU Freshman Council and is a member of the Veisha Tournaments Committee. Kendrick, 16, is a sophomore at Hampton-Dumont Community High School. He’s involved in football, wrestling, track, 4-H, FFA and RCYF at church. Kirsten, 11, is a fifth grader at Hampton-Dumont Community Middle School. She is involved in basketball, softball, band, 4-H, and dance.

“We enjoy raising our children on a farm,” says Tami. “They have the freedom to play in wide, open spaces. They learn to get along while playing and working with their siblings. They learn responsibility from doing chores. They get to experience nature and gain an appreciation for God’s creation through the birthing of animals, as well as smelling fresh cut hay, silage and fresh tilled soil in the spring.”

The family resides on the Sunkten home farm, which will be recognized in 2013 as a Century Farm. Jon started farming full-time upon graduating from high school and worked winters for 12 years at Latham Hi-Tech Seeds. Their diversified operation includes corn and soybeans plus a cow-calf herd and a custom hog finishing operation. For the past 16 years, he and Tami have worked side-by-side with the crops and livestock. They’re proud their children also are actively involved in the day-to-day operations.

Livestock judging helped the boy develop confidence when selecting their own calves, says Tami. They spend a lot of time researching genetics and sale cattle. They A.I. their own cows, and recently started doing embryo transfers to improve cattle genetics. All of the Suntken kids wash, clip, fit and groom their own cattle. In 2012, they were able to sell some of the calves they produced to other 4-H members.

Today Kirsten helps promote Iowa beef by sharing with us one of her favorite recipes for pot roast in a crock pot. Tami also shares a recipe for grape salad with an Irish twist.

Pot Roast in the Crock-Pot

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 lb. boneless chuck roast (lean)
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 pkg. dry brown gravy mix
  • 1 pkg. onion soup mix
  • 2 cups ginger ale

Directions:

  1. Put flour in a Ziploc bag, add meat and shake.
  2. Put floured meat in a crockpot, keeping the extra flour in the bag.
  3. Next add the package of gravy mix and the onion soup t to the remaining flour; shake together.
  4. Pour the flour mixture into a batter bowl and add the 2 cups of ginger ale; pour all over meat in crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Grape Salad

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounce Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2-3 lbs. Holiday red, seedless grapes (large ones)

Directions:

  1. Mix all together and pour over washed grapes; gently mix together.
Print Friendly