Only in America do we say 'Git R Done'!

That is a phrase that has made several trips around the U.S. and has become the motto for NASCAR fans, camo-clad hunters, farm boys and several million other Americans who, like me, embrace their country upbringing. In fact, Git R Done was my class motto (there were only 7 girls and 11 boys; we got outvoted).

The twangy, plaid-wearing Larry the Cable Guy made the phrase famous on the Blue Collar Comedy tour and never looked back. His success has been astronomical, with two BCC videos, his own stand-up career, playing Tater in Cars 1 and 2 and most recently, a TV series the History Channel called "Only in America."  It debuted last year and just premiered its second season last week. Basically, Larry takes camera crews around to various rural outlets and gives viewers a firsthand look at American rural life. During this year's premiere episode, he visited Alaska to try to bust moose poachers and dropped in on Sarah Palin and her family.

The next episode, which is on tomorrow at 8 pm/C on the History Channel, will be in Wisconsin getting a better look at the dairy and beef industries. The online summary says that, "His first stop is the state's largest dairy farm, where he works every tough job that goes into each glass of milk." Additionally, I'm sure we can expect the usual LtCG antics and humor which will probably spice up the show.

I am not sure if I'll be able to tune in but I'm sure going to try! If ya'll watch, please leave me some comment love and let me know how it goes!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Great American Desert

In 1820, explorer Stephen H. Long led a group of soldiers across the Great Plains in search of the source of the Red River.  During his expedition, he explored much of what is now Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska.  What did Long report to his superiors after his journey concluded?

 The region between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains is almost wholly unfit for cultivation, and of course inhabitable by a people depending upon agriculture for their subsistence.

On Long's published map of his expedition, he labeled what is now known as the Great Plains as the "Great American Desert". Boy was he mistaken!

Today the Great Plains are the heartland of American agriculture - just look at these digits:

-- Kansas ranks 1st in grain sorghum produced, 3rd in cattle on feed and grass and 10th in hogs on farms.
-- 1/5 Kansans, both rural and urban, works in a job related to agriculture and food production.
--  Nebraska ranks second in the U.S. in cattle and calf sales
-- Nebraska is 3rd in the nation in producing corn for grain, with nearly 1.4 billion bushels produced in 2008
-- There are more than 105,000 jobs in Colorado related to agribusiness, contributing more than $16 billion annually to Colorado’s economy.
-- Colorado’s sheep and lamb totals rank fourth in the nation and Colorado wool production is sixth.
-- Colorado ranks first in production of proso millet. This annual grass is grown as a grain crop and is used for bird and livestock feed in the U.S.

Of course there are many more great attributes about these midwestern states but this gives you a glimpse into the billions of dollars of worth of agricultural products produced in the Great Plains.  Too bad Stephen Long can't see us now!

Until next time,
~Buzzard~

Food, History and Kansas - A Hat Trick

(Photo courtesy of Great Plains Foodways Connection's website)

My homepage is set to http://www.ksu.edu/ (I bleed purple) and yesterday when I opened up my browser, one of the recent headlines was highlighting this new website called Great Plains Foodways Connection.  Intrigued....

Upon further investigation, I discovered that GPFC's mission is to 'explore, conserve and celebrate Kansas food heritage and its contributions to the American culinary tapestry through research and education." Food and history (think --> chuckwagons), two things I absolutely love.  Sweet.

GPFC also "explores the powerful but often subtle ways in which food has shaped, and shapes, our lives socially, economically, politically, mentally, nutritionally, and morally. Because food is a pervasive social phenomenon, it cannot be approached by any one discipline.” Food shapes lives - oh you bet.

 In a nutshell, they have a blog about food's history, they advertise food events like the Anderson County CornFest (my home county!!), they enable networking among foodies and of course, they have a recipe page. They even have historic cook books! Yeah!

Check it out -- I meant to spend 10 minutes perusing and ended up exploring for over an hour! 

Until next time,
~Buzzard~