FARM HAPPENINGS
Thanks for all the great calf name ideas we received since the last newsletter. We decided to go with “Willow” which was suggested by multiple readers, but we had over 50 great name suggestions. Will probably ask for more name ideas when the next heifer calf is born.
Thanks for all the great calf name ideas we received since the last newsletter. We decided to go with “Willow” which was suggested by multiple readers, but we had over 50 great name suggestions. Will probably ask for more name ideas when the next heifer calf is born.
Over the past two weeks we have been crazy busy transitioning the farm from fall to winter, in addition to managing the hangover from Thanksgiving turkey madness. We usually push off the winter transition as long as possible while keeping a daily eye on the weather forecast.
The biggest challenge is our water lines, which run throughout the farm along fence lines to deliver fresh water to the pigs, turkeys, chickens, and cows in their pasture rotations. During the fall we occasionally deal with overnight freezes but if the next day warms up enough to thaw out the frozen spots in the water lines we are fine.
However, once we see a multi-day freeze coming in the forecast we have to pull up all the hoses for winter storage and empty the water lines as much as possible before the deep freeze hits. And of course that means hauling water out to the livestock in 5 gallon jugs multiple times per day until they are settled into their winter quarters. All this happened during Thanksgiving week this year and we still had 60 pigs out in the field and over 1000 laying hens. They drink a lot of water!
The hens are all now moved into the hoop house area for the winter where we have a frost proof hydrant inside, and we took 20 of the fattest pigs in for processing this week so there are only 40 left to bring water to. The turkeys are gone and the cows have access to the barnyard all day where they have a 500 gallon water tank to drink from which usually doesn't freeze up except on the coldest days. We are settling into the winter routines now.
HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS
Anna has put together a 25 lb. Holiday Variety Pack which includes an assortment of our grass fed beef, pasture-raised pork and Corn Free/Soy Free chicken. Send friends and families the gift of clean/healthy meat for Christmas - now with free shipping to all of IL and WI and most of IN, MI, and IA.
Other gift ideas in the store include a variety of local, handmade natural soaps and lotions, tallow butters and balms, and hand-crafted beeswax candles and jewelry. We also have a great selection of books on healthy lifestyles, cooking, and eating well.
FARM STORE UPDATE
We just processed almost 500 of our older layers into stewing hens this week, I will be bringing some down to the store later this afternoon so they should be on the shelves tomorrow. In addition, we have restocked the Smoked Turkey Corn Chowder soup and beef bone broth, as well as Tourmaline Hearth tallow soaps made from our own grass-fed beef fat. And the chicken/turkey bone broth bundle sale is on 4 for $40 to help with all those soups and stews.
In addition we have a limited quantity of grass-fed lamb rack and loin chops, as well as lamb stew meat in the store from our spring lambs which were processed last month. This batch was only eight lambs so probably won't last long.
And I did pickup the November pork from our processor yesterday, included in this batch we made some smoked ham roasts which might be popular for holiday dinners. Those should be inventoried and into the store soon. And we have a few turkeys left over from Thanksgiving for those that might interested in a turkey dinner for Christmas.
Cheers,
Cliff, Anna, and the Farm Team