Karina Jones is a real-life ranch wife in the Nebraska Sandhills and one of the most highly sought-after speakers in the cattle industry nationwide!
I love supporting American agriculture and that is just what Fun, Fact Friday is all about right here on Ranch Raised!
It is pear season in the US! Many old homesteads are still dotted with the occasional pear tree or orchard. But for those of us who are not so lucky to have a pear tree in our backyard, I am thankful for these top pear producing states: California, Oregon and Washington make up the majority of production. I am excited to report that the US is a huge net exporter of pears, with our two biggest customers being Canada and Mexico.
Pears have a very sweet flavor, but is not overbearing, making it a great fruit to incorporate into processed foods such as, canned pears, baby foods, and fruit bars.
Pears are an excellent source of polyphenol antioxidants, which protect against oxidative damage. Be sure to eat the whole pear, as the peel boasts up to six times more polyphenols than the flesh. They pack a power punch of vitamins and minerals such as copper, Vitamin K & C! One of their strongest health assets is their robust fiber content
Pears are a pantry staple in my house. I can a couple lugs of pears every year in light syrup and I also love canning a few jars of salted caramel pie pear filling and salted caramel pear butter. The pie filling comes in clutch for me during branding season. The pear butter is a holiday delight served to my family alongside graham crackers to dip in.
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Karina ranches with her husband, Marty, and 3 daughters near Broken Bow, NE. She grew up in western NE, with roots also in southwest SD. The cattle industry and raising kids is her passion.
Watching the cattle industry go the path that it has gone, she could no longer sit quietly at home checking cows, fixing fence, and doing all the everyday tasks wondering when some else was going to make it all better. As she became more active and outspoken on industry issues, she was asked to join the R-CALF USA staff in September 2020 as the Checkoff Petition Campaign manager. That position transcended into her current role as full time Field Director for R-CALF USA.
You can hear her almost every Friday on Your Ag Network’s Hot Barn Report that is broadcast on 60 radio stations with coverage in 9 states, where she deep dives into cattle industry issues and highlights R-CALF’s work on industry reforms. Listen to Ranch Raised on a Your Ag Network hometown station or www.youragnetwork.com where she talks about her daily life on the ranch.
Cattle producers are her people. She will meet you at the county fair, at the sale barn, or anywhere the dusty trail leads.
[email protected] or visit facebook.com/ranchraisedwithkarinajones
