Check Yes or No — I mean ‘Chex®’ Yes or No!!
If you check ‘Yes’ – enjoy this gluten free recipe!

Valentine Chex® Mix

INGREDIENTS

9 cups Rice Chex® cereal (gluten free)

1 cup white vanilla baking chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter or margarine

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup red, white and pink candy-coated chocolate candies

1/4 cup red or pink jimmies sprinkles

INSTRUCTIONS

• Step 1:  In large bowl, place cereal. In small microwavable bowl, microwave baking chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.
• Step 2:  Place 1/2 of the cereal mixture in 1-gallon food-storage plastic bag. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 15 minutes.
• Step 3:  Meanwhile, stir candies and sprinkles into remaining cereal mixture. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 15 minutes.
• Step 4:  In serving bowl, mix both cereal mixtures. Store in airtight container.

VALENTINE GIFT IDEA:

And to make sweet treats for that special someone, look for decorated cellophane bags in craft or paper goods stores. Fill with this extra-special mix and tie with festive ribbons for a Valentine gift.  Be sure to always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is gluten free. Products and ingredient sources can change.

We found this fun and easy recipe at BettyCrocker.com.

Pretty soon the sight of bright yellow school busses will once again grace the farm.  We look forward to that time each season when we have little visitors come to see us and have fun learning on the farm!  We love sharing our farm with folks, especially school children, where they can learn all about farming and agriculture!

SPRING FIELD TRIPS

The sights, sounds and yes — SMELLS of a real farm greet the farm-goers as they venture all around.  In the spring time, the bright green fields, tree blossoms and even newborn baby animals are apart of what can be seen here on the farm.  Not to mention the favorite attraction this time of year – the strawberry patch!  Students will learn all about strawberries and even hand-pick their own fruit.

It’s an experience most will always remember!

Contact us with any questions, or you may make a field trip reservation online.  To continue reading about an educational experience for school classes here on the farm, click here.

Follow Southern Belle Farm on Twitter – click here!

“I am pleased to tell you that I was most impressed with the field trips that my classes and I took to Southern Belle Farm.  Each year my class not only enjoy the trip to the pumpkin patch but also learned many interesting and valuable facts about farm life.  The staff at the farm was always knowledgable , friendly and more than willing to help in any way possible to make the trip a success.  I would highly recommend this trip to all teachers who are interested in an organized and fun-fact filled trip for students.”   - Ms. Peters, First Grade Teacher

“I love how organized all the activities, the variety of activities and how everyone is very helpful and friendly.  The pig races and ice cream are a very special treat the kids really enjoy!  The activities are really aligned with education standards that I teach.  Thank you all!”  - Ms. Lutes, Kindergarten Teacher

Just thought we would share a few kind words from some teachers who have brought their classes on field trips here to the farm, not just one year — they keep coming back!!  We welcome your thoughts and feedback – you can always reach us by email or by phone!

Today is January 11, 2012 – Happy National Milk Day!

Our family was in the dairy business for over 40 years. We carry on this heritage today with educational milking demonstrations with a live Holstein, our farm mascot ‘Belle’.  Miss Belle enjoys visitors into her dairy barn, where school-aged kids get to learn all about farming, cows and where milk comes from.

When we have school groups visit the farm, many of the children have never step foot on a farm before. We ask the kiddos ‘Where does milk come from?’. As you can imagine, we have had a host of very interesting answers…

Can you guess some of the responses we get from the young children?  Share your answer with us on Facebook!

Homemade Play-dough

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
1 Tbsp oil (any type of cooking oil will do)
2 Tbsp cream of tartar
1/8 to 1/4 tsp food coloring

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients into a pan and blend with a whisk.  When ingredients are blended, place the pan on the stove on medium-to-high heat.  Mix continually until the mixture thickens.  When the mixture starts to clump, take the pan off the stove.  Pour the dough on a floured surface and when it is cool enough to handle, start kneading like bread dough.  Remove from the floured surface when the dough is no longer sticky.  Knead away from the floured surface until the dough is smooth and pliable.  Store in plastic wrap, a plastic bag, or airtight container.

Make-Your-Own Gift Certificates

Show loved ones you really care with a gift certificate for a ‘date night’ to a movie, or to dinner.  Gift certificates can also be for a service or something helpful you can do for someone — for an elderly grandparent, you could rake leaves or wash their car.  A teen can give a parent a gift certificate for ‘a night out’ where the teen will babysit younger siblings to help out the parents.

Just remember that sometimes just time spent together with those you love can be the greatest gift of all!

Here’s something that will spread a little Christmas cheer!  These adorable lil’ Santa Hat Brownies are sure to be a crowd pleaser! And is a fun activity kids can help with too. And of course we LOVED this recipe because it called for STRAWBERRIES (which we will have in the Spring here at Southern Belle Farm!!)

So, if you put some of our strawberries in the freezer whole this year, they will work great for this recipe!

Santa Hat Brownies

Found this recipe on Daisey’s World.   Yields 12-16 brownies

Ingredients:
1 pan of your favorite brownies, cooled and cut into desired size and shape (I used a round cutter) **You could also use a mini-muffin pan.
12-16 small strawberries, cleaned and hulled  **We prefer strawberries from Southern Belle Farm that were frozen whole – they will work perfect for this recipe!
vanilla-mascarpone buttercream (recipe below)

Mascarpone Buttercream
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2-1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Method:
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and mascarpone cheese until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.  Add vanilla extract and salt.  Add 2-1/2 cups of sugar, half a cup at a time and continue beating until smooth.  Add more sugar, if needed to reach desired consistency and sweetness.

To assemble, pipe a ring of vanilla buttercream on top of each brownie.  Cut off the base of a strawberry so it is flat and place it upside down on each brownie, pushing slightly to secure in place.  Top the tip of the strawberry with a dot of buttercream to finish the santa hat.

We welcome you to SHARE any fun, Christmas recipes with us on Facebook!

We are honored to be chosen as the Best Educational Farm of 2011 by Lifestyles Magazine of Georgia.

Our goal at Southern Belle Farm is to educate students on farming and its importance in an exciting, hands-on way! Our 200-acre outdoor classroom makes learning so much fun!  We enjoy watching the little eyes and smiles of children as they venture onto the farm, learning about our animals, watching a dairy cow milking demonstration, hand-picking fresh berries in the berry patch, learning about the work of honeybees and more.  Our seasonal agriculture exhibits are just part of the efforts we make educating youngsters – the future of our community.

We are most honored to receive this recognition, and will continue to strive to educate the community to the best of our ability.

When it gets cold here in Georgia, we have to find something fun to do indoors … So, here’s a little Christmas song trivia for ya!  Have fun!

We’re playing trivia tonight on Facebook – with a YUMMY prize from MiMi’s Kitchen!

Slow down this holiday season to enjoy time with family & friends.  Turn on some Christmas tunes, and have fun baking & decorating with the kids!  Here’s a fun activity the whole family can enjoy!

Christmas Cookie Ornament Recipe

by Taste of Home 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands® pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 
  FROSTING:
• 6-2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands® pure vanilla extract
• Assorted liquid or paste food coloring
• 
  9 yards of 1/8-inch-wide ribbon in Christmas colors of your choice
• 
  Christmas cookie cutters or sizes of your choice

Directions

• In a bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar. Beat in the honey, egg and vanilla. Gradually add the flour and salt.
• Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll to an 1/8-in. thickness. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters dipped in flour. Transfer cutouts to ungreased baking sheets.
• Using a straw, make a hole in the top of each cookie. Remove the center circle of dough. Bake the cookies at 350° for 6 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Remove the cookies to wire racks to cool.
• For frosting, combine the confectioners’ sugar, water, corn syrup and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Tint the frosting with liquid or paste food coloring in desired colors.
• Place each color of frosting in a pastry or plastic bag. Cut a small hole in the tip of each bag. Spread and pipe frosting onto cookies as desired.
• If desired, create stitch marks on a stocking or veins on holly leaves by dipping a toothpick in food coloring and painting on the lines.
• For hanging loops, cut forty 8-in. strips of 1/8-in.-wide ribbon. Thread a ribbon strip through the hole in each cookie and tie the ends into a bow. 
• Yield: 40(3-inch) cookies.
• Crafter thoughts: —To help give your frosting a smooth look, work quickly when spreading it on the cookies. —Write a name on each treat by painting the letters with a toothpick dipped in food coloring or by piping them using plain or tinted frosting. Then serve the cookies after a holiday meal.