EXTENSION REPORT

Keeping Ourselves Informed

There are a lot of things that we have to do as livestock producers. This time of the year we know that our workload will increase. There have been calves born, and more calves soon to come. We are having to feed hay or other feeds since the dry weather and cool nights have stopped our summer annual grasses from producing adequate amounts of forage for our animals. We are looking forward to the time when our winter grazing will be ready, and hoping for continued rain so that it will. Feeding, caretaking, and general observation of animals seem to take up a lot of our shortening days. Football games (I won’t mention the Iron Bowl), basketball games, hunting, and holiday events seem to take up a lot of our nights and weekends (I don’t think I’m the only one who experiences this). I know this time of the year it is really easy for me to concentrate on the things that I just mentioned and forget about keeping up to date on what’s happening in the world of livestock production. I would encourage each of us, however, to keep abreast of current happenings and issues that can be both informative and interesting to us as producers.

            There are some very good sources of information available out there. I have plugged our website before (www.aces.edu/animalforage.

Senior Division Sweet Potato Contest Winners

Honorable Mention, Tim Holly, Foley High School; First Place, Jared Johnson, Gulf Shores High School; 2nd Place, Ally Parker, Gulf Shores High School and 3rd Place, Carolina DePuma, Spanish Fort High School. Participants in the Sweet Potato Contest prepare a recipe using at least one cup of sweet potatoes. The contest is sponsored by the Baldwin County Sweet Potato growers, Baldwin County Farmers Federation and the Alabama Sweet Potato Association.

Junior Division Sweet Potato Recipe Contest Winners

The winners in the Junior Division (6-8 grade) include First Place, Kellie Mundell, Spanish Fort Middle School; 2nd Place, Rachel Younce, Elberta Middle School; 2nd Place, Kaitlin Simison, Daphne Middle School and 3rd Place, Jon Jon Frizzel, Gulf Shores Middle School. Not pictured are Honorable Mention winners, Cierra Perkins, Alexis Newton, and Shelby Young.

Supreme Sweet Potato Cake

Kellie Mundell-Spanish Fort Middle

1st Place-Jr. Division-2007

Cake Mixture

2 cups all-purpose whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 large eggs

2 cups sugar

¾ cup coconut oil

¾ cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups grated sweet potato

1 cup chopped pecan

*Grease three 9-inch round cake pans; line with wax paper. Lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set aside.

*Stir together first 4 ingredients. Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in sweet potato and chopped pecans. Pour batter into prepared pans.

*Bake at 350 ° for 25 to 30 minutes.

Buttermilk Glaze

1 cup sugar

1½ teaspoons baking soda

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup butter

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Boil 4 minutes, stirring constantly until glaze is golden. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Cool slightly.

*Drizzle warm Buttermilk Glaze evenly over warm cake layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, inverting layers. Peel off wax paper, invert again, glaze side up. Cool completely on wire racks.

Deluxe Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

¾ cup butter, softened

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

*Beat first three ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.

*Spread Deluxe Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Chill cake several hours before slicing. Store in refrigerator.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake

Jared Johnson-Gulf Shores High School

1st Place-Senior Division-2007

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

2½ cups mashed, cooked sweet potatoes

4 eggs

3 cups flour

¼ tsp. salt

2 tsp. soda

½ tsp. nutmeg

½  tsp. cinnamon

½  tsp. vanilla

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup flaked coconut

Cream butter and sugar. Add sweet potatoes and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Combine dry ingredients and stir into creamed mixture. Add vanilla, nuts, and coconut. Pour mixture into greased 10 inch tube pan and bake at 350° for 1 hour 15 minutes or until cake test done. Spread with icing while warm.

Icing for Sweet Potato Pound Cake:

1 lb. box confectioner’s sugar

Grated rind of 1 orange

Grated rind of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 orange

Combine all ingredients, slowly adding enough orange juice to make spreading consistency.

Email address: kellewi@aces.edu
Phone number: 937-7176 or 943-5611, 928-0860, ext. 2222

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.