Recipe
Cow Chow (for people)
1 cup old fashioned oats 1 cup corn nuts ¾ cup apple chips 1/8 cup maple syrup 1/8 cup molasses 1 tsbp coconut oil 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla Pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In large bowl mix oats, corn nuts, apple chips, cinnamon, and salt. Break up apple chips into smaller pieces if they are large. Stir to combine.
In a small bowl combine maple syrup, molasses, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and stir well until everything is coated.
Melt the coconut oil and add to mix, stir until well combined.
Spread mix onto a baking tray in an even layer, do not over crowd tray. If you are making a larger batch you might need multiple trays.
Bake for about 15 minutes, checking periodically to make sure it is baking evenly. Rotate if necessary.
Let the cow chow cool completely on tray.
Note: This recipe is easily scalable for your needs. I did a smaller batch while testing but it could easily make a larger quantity.
History
The Saginaw County Fair
This c. 1920 view captures the Saginaw County Fair a few years after its founding.
Fairs were held in Saginaw County as early as the 1860s; however, by the early twentieth century the county was without one. In the early teens a fair was held at Riverside Park in the city of Saginaw. Organized by The Saginaw County School and Farm Bureau Association, the 1913 event was billed as the first school fair in Michigan.
In August of the following year, the Saginaw County Agricultural Society was formed and opened their first fair on October 6, 1914. The site for it was located at the corner of East Genesee and Webber and was rented from the Saginaw Driving Club. The location was considered far out in the county. The only permanent structure on the property was a wooden grandstand serving the racetrack. Horse racing was an important part of the fair and the track was put to good use. Exhibits were housed in tents and unpaved roads became a mire of mud.
The Saginaw county Agricultural Society purchased this East Genesee Avenue site, and the fair would remain at this location through 2001. In 2002 the Saginaw County Fair was held on its new location on Peet Road in Chesaning.
This link will take you a copy of a program booklet from the 1914 Saginaw county Fair:
https://www.castlemuseum.org/pastexhibits/1914-Saginaw-County-Fair-Book
Inspiration
It’s Saginaw County Fair week so we thought we would celebrate the occasion with some unique recipes for livestock.
Henry and Lorina Schwan’s Cows, Pigs and Chicken Feed Recipes
Henry Schwan (Saginaw Township) and Lorina Zoellner (Kochville Township) were married August 9, 1936 and immediately settled into life on their 40 acre Hackett Road farm in Saginaw Township. In addition to raising four children (Kenneth, Arthur, Elaine and Marlene) they grew crops and raised various livestock, including cows, pigs and chickens.
Cow Feed
8 bags Ears of Corn
4 bags Oats
50 lbs. Molasses
Arthur’s Memories: This amount would feed 5 cows for about 2 weeks. In addition they were feed hay and shredded shell cornstalks as well as given a salt lick.
Pigs Feed
2 bags Wheat
7 bags Oats
100 lb. Pork Maker [Mash]*
Lorina’s Note: If milk is fed [to the pigs], don't use so much Pork Maker [Mash].
Arthur’s Memories: This amount would feed 10 pigs for about 3 weeks. In addition they were feed ground corn on the cob, apples, pears and peaches in the fall of the year when they fell off the trees, peelings from vegetables eaten by the family, table scraps, sweet cornstalks and skimmed cow’s milk.
Chicken Feed
1 bag Wheat
5 bags Oats
5 bushels Shelled Corn
Lorina’s Note: If feeding wheat separately, don't put any wheat in.
Arthur’s Memories: This amount would feed about 50 chickens, mostly hens for about 4 weeks. In addition they were feed ground oyster shells to strengthen their egg shells and mangoes (similar to a sugar beet). When baby chicks were purchased, an additional chick starter mix would be added to half their food.
Once the ingredients were assembled, Henry would take them to Freeland to be milled into feed. This was done on a rotating basis; cow feed one week, pigs the next, etc.
*”Pork Maker Mash is formulated for growing and finishing fatter hogs.”
Wedding Photo of Henry and Lorina Schwan and their Wedding Party. August 9, 1936. (image 1)
Aerial Views of Henry & Lorina Schwan’s farm located at 3520 Hackett Rd., Saginaw. (images 2 & 3)
The Schwan Children from left to right: Arthur, Kenneth, Marlene & Elaine (image 4)
1943 image of Henry plowing the field with his horses Dan & Dick, Arthur, Kenneth and Elaine are following behind the plow. (image 5)
1937 image of the first piglets born after they were married. (image 6)
1972 image of the interior of one of their chicken coops. (image 7)