I Did you realize that dairy cows played an

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Did you realize that dairy cows played an important part in the survival of Virginia as a colony? Dairy cows were brought to Jamestown in 1611 to provide nourishment for the starving settlers.

The noble beast continues to play an important role today in Virginia agriculture. According to the American Dairy Association of Virginia, the top ranking dairy county in Virginia is Rockingham County.

Fortunately, the capacity of American dairy cows to produce more milk is steadily increasing, even though the number of cows is decreasing. On the average, one dairy cow produces a year’s supply of milk for at least 40 Americans, says Lisa Lafoon, marketing specialist with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service.

Dairy products are an excellent source of calcium that your body needs for strong bones and teeth. It is very important for young bodies to intake regular amounts of calcium for the formation of skeletal bones. However, after formation, the bones need continuous amounts of calcium because every day, old bone tissue is being replaced by new bone tissue.

Up to the mid-thirties, the body adds more new tissue than it takes away, then the bone mass begins to lessen as your body ages. When aging begins, your body still needs adequate calcium to maintain your present bone structure.

If the calcium intake is not maintained, the bones become fragile and easily broken which is known as osteoporosis. This is especially something that women need to be careful about, because they start out with less bone mass than men do, and lose bone at a faster rate after they go through menopause.

The recommended daily servings of milk needed per individual according to the National Dairy Council are as follows: children, three servings; teenagers, four servings; adults, two servings; pregnant women, four servings and lactating women four servings.

One serving of milk is equivalent to one cup of fluid milk or yogurt; 1 ounce of che e; 1/2 cup of cottage or ricotta cheese; or 1/2 cup of ice cream, ice milk or pudding.

Some easy ways to incorporate more calcium into your diet may be to: 1. Add cheese to salads, casseroles, eggs, sandwiches and Italian or Mexican dishes 2. Include milk in eggs, custards, puddings, soups and beverages 3. Use yogurt or sour cream in salads, salad dressings, dips and desserts.

Put your creative talents to work in providing your family with new nutritious and interesting dishes. To stimulate your tastebuds try these two delicious summer recipes from the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association.

Blue Cheese Beef Dip

1 package (3 oz.) smoked sliced beef 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons crumbled Blue Cheese 1 tablespoon minced onion 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, drained 2 tablespoons dairy sour cream Shred beef in blender or chop finely. Mix cream cheese and Blue cheese. Add shredded beef, onion, horseradish and sour cream. Chill. Makes: 1 Vi cups.

Fruit Frappe

1 cup milk 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice 1 teaspoon grated orange peel 1 large seedless orange, peeled and sectioned 1 banana, peeled and sliced