FARM HAPPENINGS
Just as we were able to take a bit of a break over Thanksgiving from the turkey madness that is our typical November on the farm, the first big snow storm of the season moves in. We are always hopeful the first big winter storm doesn't come through until mid-December, but these past two days our Operations crew is scrambling to get the remaining hens off the pastures and into the hoop house where they will have protection from wind, snow, and cold.
We still have 90+ pigs on pasture that will need some shelter from the wind and snow, so we have to winterize their portable pasture housing. And with all the water lines drained for the winter we now need to haul water out to the pigs twice a day with the water wagon. Good times! We have processing appointments for all the pigs over the next four weeks so its a good time to stock up on pork for the winter. We even have whole hogs available now to preorder for January processing.
Our raw milk supply is abundant right now, in particular since the store was closed on Thursday for the holiday and coming off a slow Saturday due to the snow storms.
Our Guernseys are feasting on some very good quality organic alfalfa hay we made this summer. The dairy divas are very picky eaters so they get all the best hay, and the beef herd gets stuck with the lower quality hay cuttings. Ironically we usually make the dairy-quality hay at our Wisconsin farm where the beef herd is located, and the lesser quality hay at the Dundee farm where the milking herd resides. So for much of the winter I am hauling a big flatbed trailer full of hay back and forth between the two farms.
Finally, we will be taking all the older hens to Twin Cities Pack for processing into stewing hens next Tuesday and Wednesday morning, so we should have the packaged stewing hens back in the farm store by next Friday.
FARM STORE UPDATE
The farm store is well-stocked now with a great variety of our grass-fed beef including steaks, roasts, ground products and organ meats. And almost every cut of pork including nitrate-free bacon, chops, sausages and brats.
We also have a good variety of fresh organic produce available in the store this weekend including Avocados, Limes, Oranges, Lemons, Pomegranates, Kiwis, Ginger, Buttercup Squash, Spaghetti Squash, Brussels Sprouts, Green Beans, various Radishes, Asparagus, Parsnips, Napa and Green Cabbage, Carrots, Pie Pumpkins, Sweet Potatoes, Gold, Russet, and Red Potatoes from Igl Farms, White, Yellow and Red Onions, and local Garlic from eScape Farms.
And a good supply of organic Michigan apples including Macintosh, Golden, Liberty, Spy, and Gala. Plus Microgreens from Kaleido Greens and local Oyster and Shiitake mushrooms from Crystal Lake Mushrooms.
Local pie varieties baked at Van Laars Fruit Farm in Harvard include Dutch Apple, Apple Cranberry, Apple Cherry, Rhubarb, and Pumpkin. These pies are produced with organic flour and simple clean ingredients, ready to thaw out and enjoy with your holiday meals.
And a delicious recipe tip from the farm store team…mix your Raw Milk with the Date Lady Chocolate Syrup: crafted from just five real ingredients—organic dates, cocoa, vanilla, water, and sea salt. Gluten Free and Vegan.
Please remember to bring any extra plastic or paper shopping bags as well as egg cartons on your next visit so we can reuse those and keep them out of the landfills and oceans.
Stay warm out there!
Cliff, Anna, and the Farm Team