I know this has been a different and crazy summer for most. As a farmer's wife and mother it has gone way too fast!

-Wheat harvest came and went. We were blessed with good protein in our wheat this year.

-We started building a barn for my critter collection. It is jokingly (or not so jokingly) called my she-shed. I am excited to have a room to keep all my milk stuff in and a place to milk out of the elements. Unfortunately, fall harvest starts next week which means my barn will be on hold for a couple months. 

-Probably the most exciting thing from our summer was adding a new family member. We were able to adopt our daughter the end of July. We amazingly had in person court and followed that with a barbecue to celebrate.

Millet harvest will start next week. This means I am the babysitter for the family now. I will juggle homeschooling my five kiddos, watching my three youngest nephews, physical therapy appointments, gymnastics and ninja fit practices, Awana, and being available if anything is needed in the field. Long story short, pray for me! Fall harvest can last until Thanksgiving for us, rarely longer. In three and a half months we will finally get to slow down and hopefully get to unwind a little as a family.

Even though it's long and demanding harvest is an exciting time. We work all summer for this. This is the time where we see the fruits of our labor. The long hours pay off as we watch that golden grain come out of the field, into the combine, onto the grain cart, into the truck, and to the bin.

I pray your summer was full of blessings and you find much to be thankful for in fall.
Blessings,
​Jennifer

I know this is a scary time for some. We see so many conflicting news articles and it is hard to know what is true and what isn't. We see people wearing masks and we see people that aren't. We see people buying just what their family needs for a week and some panic buying. I am not here to get into a political or medical debate about what's right or wrong. I'm here today to say we are still here for you! And maybe, to give you my opinion as a farmer to the latest announcement that the next pandemic will be global starvation.

Right now we see news articles that we are headed for a famine. Then, we turn around and see that they are euthanizing pigs and dumping milk. REALLY! Which is it? Are we starving or do we have a surplus? The answer is both and neither. The demand for food hasn't actually changed, and the amount of food grown hasn't actually changed. There should be a balance right? Again, the answer is never simple. The products that are being demanded has changed, compounded with panic buying it has caused a strain on supply. Then we add processors reducing production and some even closing there doors and we have compounded things even farther. The difficult thing is finding a balance of health for a few, health for the entire US, and the economy. I do not envy the person that gets to figure this out. 

What my focus will be on is that production hasn't changed, processing has. Farmers are still planting crops. Here is a look out my back door. See all that nice, dark green? That's winter wheat. All those brown fields? Well, those are getting ready to be planted to fall crops such as millet, sorghum, sunflowers, or corn. And that other picture is what I was driving today to get fuel to the tractors so they could keep on planting.

And, animal producers are the same way. Animals are still being born. Processors have bottlenecked the system and that's what's keeping food from getting to you. My brother just had this adorable litter of pigs born last week. While they are super cute at this stage, I promise they turn into big pigs that like to cause trouble but make amazing bacon. And the picture beside them is my sweet milk cow, Brownie. This picture was taken just before we bought her. She gives my family a gallon plus everyday and is raising her calf. She gives us more milk than my family uses on a daily basis.

The question is, now that we know the food is out there how do we get it? Government regulations make selling many of these products off the farm illegal. With my one milk cow I can't compete or justify jumping through all the hoops to be able to sell my milk. People like my parents, have jumped through said hoops to be able to sell their meat to you. It doesn't mean it's easy or the right option for every small farm, but it was for them. I encourage you to tell our representatives that you deserve the right to access your food at the source and not have to wait for it to get past the bottleneck. Support your local farmers. They are taking a loss right now on most of their crops while you are paying a premium. Buy from the source, you pay less and they make more. 

I can't help but think of the story of Joseph in this situation. Pharaoh was warned in a dream of a coming famine and was told there would be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Joseph was the man God intended to interpret this dream and to be put in charge of putting food away in the time of feast. I have to ask why, if a global famine is being predicted, why are we dumping our food? Why is more not being done to preserve it for use at a later time when it may be needed? The only answer I can come up with is, a government that controls the food source, controls the people. Think about that for just a minute. It is time that we stand up and say enough is enough and we want access to ALL food available not just what is put in the grocery store. 

Here are some links to find your local farmer:
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/Colorado%20Farmers%20Markets.pdf
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/Colorado%20Farm%20Fresh%20Directory_1.pdf

Farmers are still producing their animals and crops to continue to feed this country. I would be devastated to have to leave my little farm, and there are guys that farming is all they have ever known. If you ate, got dressed, or had a beer today, thank a farmer. 

God Bless,

​Jennifer

Gluten free bread recipes are probably our most requested recipe. Baking gluten free bread is very different from a wheat based bread in that every grain reacts differently in the baking process. This means that the consistency is going to be different than what you are used to and in many cases the process even looks different. We have tested many different recipes and are happy to share with you the one we have picked to be our favorite. Oh, and did I mention it's pretty simple.

​1 ½ cups Warm Milk
¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 egg
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¼ cup oil
3 cups flour (CJ Milling, LLC All Purpose or Baking Millet Flour)
1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder (optional)
 
Combine the warm milk, honey, and dry active yeast in a large bowl. Allow yeast to proof approx. 10 minutes.
 
Add remaining ingredients and mix until a smooth sticky dough forms.
 
Transfer dough to a greased 9-inch loaf pan and let rise 30-45 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Preheat oven to 375⁰.
 
Bake loaf for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
 
Remove loaf from pan and place on wire cooling rack.

I promised at my shows this fall that I would post recipes. I'm sure I'm not alone in this time of year being busy so, they did not get posted as quick as I had hoped. Hopefully this gives you enough time to create some delicious gluten free goodies for your friends and family as we approach Thanksgiving. ​God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving!

Sugar Cookies
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Egg
2 tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
3 Cups Flour (Recommend half Cookie Blend and half All Purpose
 
Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in extract and egg. In separate bowl combine baking powder, salt, and flour and add to the wet ingredients. The dough will be stiff. Roll onto a floured surface and cut. Bake for 6-8 minutes.
Use this recipe to make:
-Window cookies with crushed hard candy in the middle
-Pinwheel cookies, divide the dough and add food coloring and peppermint extract to half. Roll each half into sheets then stack and roll.
​
Gingersnap Cookies
2 Cups Flour (Recommend half Cookie Blend and half All Purpose)
1 tbsp Ground Ginger
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Salt
¾ Cup Shortening
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 egg
¼ Cup Dark Molasses
 
Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Beat the shortening until creamy, gradually add granulated sugar. Beat in the egg and dark molasses. Slowly add the flour blend to the wet ingredients. Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until tops are rounded and slightly cracked, approximately 10 minutes.
​

These cakes can be cooked in a coffee mug or I found some cake cup papers that are about 4 inches across that these bake very well in. 
Pumpkin Spice Cake
6 tbsp CJ Milling Vanilla Cake Mix
2 tbsp Pumpkin Puree
½ tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp Nutmeg
2 tbsp Ginger Beer or Milk
Combine all ingredients and microwave 2 minutes.
 
Banana Bread
6 tbsp CJ Milling Pancake Mix
1 Banana
1 tbsp Sugar
¼ cup Walnuts
Cinnamon to taste
1 tsp oil
Combine all ingredients and microwave 2 minutes.
​
Chocolate Chip Cake
6 tbsp CJ Milling Vanilla or Chocolate Cake Mix
1 tbsp Water
2 tbsp Apple sauce
2 tbsp Chocolate chips
Combine all ingredients and microwave 2 minutes.

Are you looking for some new ideas for using cornbread?  I never make cornbread the same way...ever. I am always adding and changing. Here are a few ideas to spice up your cornbread as a side dish or make it the main dish.
           Add a can of creamed corn.
           Add a diced jalapeno or can of green chiles.
           Sprinkle with cheeses.
           Cook bacon in a cast iron pan and then pour your cornbread over the top and bake it.
You can pick one or all of these things and then just follow the directions on the back of the package as normal.

We have a family favorite that we like to call cowboy cornbread. It is sooooo simple to make also. 
            1 lb hamburger
            1 lb sausage
            1 can Rotel tomatoes
            1 onion, diced
            Garlic (to taste)
             Salt and Pepper
             1 can creamed corn
             Optional: jalapenos or green chiles

Combine the hamburger and sausage with the Rotel tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. We love garlic and will use a tablespoon or two of minced garlic, but not everybody does. Go with your tastebuds. Put in a casserole dish or dutch oven and bake like a meatloaf. Once the meat is cooked, mix up the cornbread mix with the directions on the package. Add in the creamed corn and jalapenos or chiles is you choose and bake until golden brown.

I love this because I can mix it up throw it on the grill or in the oven and go work on other stuff while it cooks.
I hope these recipes give you some ideas and get you thinking outside the box with cornbread.

Fall harvest is upon us and keeping us hopping. We have combines running to swath millet, pickup millet, cut corn, and we are planting wheat right now. It certainly takes the whole family to get all the work done this time of year. It won't be too much longer and we will have milo ready to come out of the fields also.

This is always a wonderful time of year when we get to see the fruits of our labor. Summers as a farmers wife can be very busy, difficult, and lonely. Don't get me wrong, I love my life and my family and wouldn't trade them for anything! Summers keep everyone moving in different directions. I am busy traveling with flour, taking care of kids, and helping where ever needed on the farm. Our guys are working long hours tending to fields, equipment repairs, attending meetings, and wheat harvest. When fall comes the hours get longer, but it means a break is in sight. We know family time is only a few short months away and we have something to look forward too.

I was so glad to be able to go to La Junta this past weekend for Early Settlers. It was a beautiful day and I loved meeting new people and getting to see old friends and catch up. If you missed us I sent stock with my family at Collins Family Farms so, if you need flour or meat give them a call. 

I am gearing up for a busy October with two shows at the Altered Reality Event Center in Colorado Springs the first and third weekend. We hope to see some familiar faces there. If you are in need of tickets to the shows I have some to give out and will do so on a first come first serve basis. Just send me a message with your mailing address and how many you need and I will get them out.
Blessings,
​Jennifer

A lot of exciting things are happening in the family and on the farm. I know if there are any other farmers reading they know the relief and excitement that comes with wheat harvest being complete. I also wanted to let you know that my dad, Jim Collins, and my husband, Chris Stum, are here to help you with your grain marketing needs. Check them out at collinscommoditiesllc.com and trinitygrains.com. 

The International Millet Symposium is coming to Fort Collins August 8th-12th. You have until July 30th to get registered for this amazing event that has come to our country and better yet, our neck of the woods. It is also not to late to help sponsor the symposium. If you are interested in attending or sponsoring I encourage you to go here to learn more or you can copy and paste https://go.unl.edu/millet2018 into your address bar.

As I mentioned earlier, wheat harvest is over and now we watch and pray our fall crops through until harvest. That doesn't mean the hard work is over, that is a long way from the truth. Our days are long and our nights are short making sure our crops have the best conditions we can provide and the equipment is ready to go or keep going depending on its job.

Due to the high cost of getting to and being at markets we had to drop our Bennett market and the Pikes Peak Farmers Market. It was not a decision that was made easily. We will miss seeing all of you, but we hope that we can still see you in Canon City or that you will take advantage of ordering from the website. We will also continue to come to holiday shows and events in the area so keep an eye on our calendar and right here on the blog for those announcements.

There are so many more recipes out there for millet than what I create and post here. I have created a Pinterest board for CJ Milling where I pin recipes and other information from around the web. I encourage you to follow the board to find more delicious ways to use your millet!
Blessings!
​Jennifer
​

We are so excited for market season to be back. We have picked up two new markets this year. In addition to the Pikes Peak Farmers Market at Bancroft Park, we will be at Veteran’s Park in Canon City and the Muegge House in Bennett.

A little about ourselves for our new friends. CJ Milling is a family owned flour milling operation. We only process naturally gluten free grains through our mill. Millet in our community was often leaving not only our area but also the country. There was a lack of market availability. We made it our goal to expand the millet market into the food industry (which is what it was exported for) in the United States by starting within our own state. Most of the grain we mill is grown in our community. 

We enjoy getting to know our customers and being a resource for them. If you have any questions about farming practices or agriculture in general, please do not hesitate to ask. We look forward to seeing you throughout the summer!
Jennifer

​Pikes Peak Farmers Market 
June 9 – October 20

Canon City Farmers Market
June 5, 19
July 3, 17, 31
August 7, 14, 21
​
Bennett Community Market
July 7
August 4, 18
September 1, 8

While the milling has slowed down here for the winter, I have been keeping busy and working on some new items for this year. Some of these new items that are in the development process include pancake mix and edible spoons. My goal is to complete the development of these items and have them available for purchase by our first show of the year in April. 
I have also been working on some new marketing stuff and have been traveling the eastern edge of the state speaking to various groups about CJ Milling, LLC and operating under the Colorado Cottage Food Law. I have met some wonderful people at these and hope I was able to help other farmers know that they can take their crops directly to the consumer also. 
AND THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!
We are now able to sell products online and ship! I talked to a representative from the state and it has been clarified and we are able to ship products produced under the Colorado Cottage Food Law. Check out our products page for what is currently available and stay tuned for the new items that we are developing.
God Bless!
​Jennifer

Red Fruit Millet Salad
4 cups water
1 cup hulled millet
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 red apple – diced
½ cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp raspberry vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
Salt and Pepper to taste

​Dry toast millet until lightly golden. Add water to millet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool.
Soak cranberries in orange juice for at least 15 minutes. Drain cranberries  and reserve orange juice for vinaigrette. Combine cooled millet, cranberries, apple, and toasted pecans in a bowl.
Wisk together the orange juice, raspberry vinegar, and olive oil. Toss with millet mixture, salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cool in the fridge at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to combine.