The Gift of Giving

Every year we like to give back to our land lords, customers, friends and family. It is important to show how much we appreciate each of them. This is what we do during the holiday season.

The last few years we have just given them some cheese and a Christmas card, but this year I took upon myself to make some goodie bags. In these little goodie bags, I put some chocolate chip cookies and candy. According to hubs, “Everyone will obviously be able to tell there is a woman working on the farm.” Next year, I am going to strive to make some candies and chocolate covered pretzels but this year I had limited time because of my parent’s trip.

Delicious Cookie Dough!

Baking in the Oven

188 cookies later...

Now, I have to tell you all about my love for baking. It all started several years ago, when my grandmother taught me all I know about baking. She was my inspiration for many things, including learning how to play the piano, milking cows and reading Amish books. We spent quite a few hours together in the milk barn when I was in middle school and high school talking about the Amish and our love for learning about them and many other things. She taught me so much about hard work and giving back to others. If you ever need pop or cookies, you can go into the house and if you are there for lunch she always has enough for everyone (including all our friends and workers that may just show up unannounced!). Well, the recipe I made is my grandma’s and I will not lie, she makes them way better than I do and they look neater. But as I was taught by her and my mother, “they were made with love” and that makes them the best.

My love for agriculture, helping feed the world and giving is the love I put into these cookies to share a little holiday spirit with our friends.

Cute little Snowman bags

Candy

Cookies (Which have taken 1st Place
at the State Fair a couple of times :) )

                  It is always important to give back 

and it is always a joy to see it spread a smile on others faces.

Hubs was nice and helped me put the goodie bags together.

My gift of giving every year is giving every day of life to agriculture. Working sun up to sun down, long hours and short hours, hot and cold, wet and dry, morning and night, healthy and sick, whatever it may be. My “love of giving” is helping others be fed, clothed and so much more that you get from agriculture, along with every other farmer. What is your love of giving?

Finished Product along with a card!

Here is to hoping you had a wonderful holiday season,

The Milkmaid