This is the busiest time of the year around the farm. The record breaking weather this Spring has kept us on our toes and caused some disruptions and delays. This is the first time since I started farming here in the dry land farming area that I've had to deal with delays due to mud and hurricane winds. Its been a mixed blessing.Wanna Be Cowboy Stuff
We had 13 calves born this Spring including Curly's, and 5 others earlier in the year. So the calf crop has been great except for the one we lost to coyotes earlier. The heavy rains have been great for the cattle and they're already getting fat. In spite of this it didn't stop them from being impatient and thinking the grass was greener somewhere else.
While my wife and I had to visit the west coast on some family business they all decided to visit the neighbors. Its uncanny how this always seems to happen when we are away on a trip. Lucky for us my Grandson came out to check on things and discovered they were missing. Soon all the phone calls clued him in. A good neighbor tried to help and had tried to chase them back home. Unfortunately they went the wrong way and trampled the new lawn he had just seeded. My Grandson arrived and they all got exercise trying to chase the cows back home without success. I'm told they enjoyed returning to the new lawn and didn't mind that it had fresh young grass before they turned it into mud. Then my Grandson decided to deal with it like I do when leading the cows to new pasture.
He cut a hole in a perimeter fence like a gate and called them, "C'Mon Cows, C'Mon Cows!!!!" Soon the lead cow bellowed and came in his direction and the rest followed as he kept walking and they all followed him home. That's the best way to round up cows I know. It works on pigs as well.
Spring Hog Happenings:
All is going pretty well with the hogs and we have had several new litters of baby piglets. We have had a lot of Spring visitors this year and they always love to see baby pigs. One young boy was even brave enough to sit on my boar Rex like my Granddaughter did last time she was here for a visit. I've always noticed that horses, and now hogs are more tolerant of kids than us adults. I've seen a kid climb on a horses back and ride around without any tack or saddle and all was just fine. The next day a wrangler would try it and the same horse was a real handful to manage and staged a mini rodeo event. Thankfully the Berkshire breed is pretty tolerant to visitors. They've all been enjoying the spring pastures as well but they still keep putting away the feed grain. It kind of like teenagers eating you out of house and home.
The Garden and Produce/Eggs CSA Update:
Everyone has responded greatly and all shares are now spoken for. We're working hard to start the deliveries this coming week and we're in a panic making sure everything is ready. The weather has caused a lot of problems and several plantings have been frozen out requiring re-planting. In all we probably lost about a third of the potted plants ."SO" started back in late February when we had that predicted early warm and dry Spring weather. Then the volcanoes started blowing there tops in Iceland and all has been changing. At least that's my theory.
The extra homemade Hoop Houses we built have kept enough growing to meet minimum member deliveries. We want everyone to know we grow our garden organically the natural way. We actually grow plants in the dirt with compost fertilizers and allow unfiltered - untreated rain and well water irrigate plants that grow with real sunshine as has been done for thousands of years.
Something Unsettling:
A disturbing trend we have noticed lately is what seems to be a rise in the preferences for synthetically grown vegetables. These vegetables that look like they are cloned are grown in special chemical soups inside buildings similar to greenhouses but that are augmented with sophisticated computer climate-control cooling and heating systems along with massive special light fixtures substituting for good old fashioned sunlight. They call this "Hydroponic Farming"!
One of these factory style farms covering two acres costs about $250,000 as compared to two acres at our farm which cost roughly $800. Massive corporate advertising efforts would have us believe that this method of production is healthier, more nutritious, as well as a more environmentally friendly farming method. We are amazed that some health conscious consumers actually prefer this kind of produce to organic and naturally grown produce. The Hydroponic Industry considers this sterile test-tube-grown produce to be our best answer to producing food for the future. It's kind of like the promises of GMO and Livestock Factory farms.
Variety Meats CSA:
All is ready with fresh freezer wrapped meats I just picked up from the butcher last week. I am happy with the support for this program as well. The support we have received from our pre-order and CSA customers has kept this small farm business alive! Our customers have treated us way better than banks of the past that no longer exist to loan operating funds to independent small business or farmers. We would like everyone to consider this farm part theirs! We are very grateful!!!
KREM 2 Visit:
We had some special visitors from KREM 2 News. They did a story about processing and marketing local meat. Please go to our FaceBook for a link to the video. While the Camera Man was doing close ups of the pigs one came up so close it stuck it's nose into the camera lens and slimed it. Later while Jane McCarthy was doing the interview by the cattle my wife's pet Cow "Curly" decided the mic was a treat and kept sticking it's head between us and she had to keep pushing the head away. They didn't show these events. It was a good interview and should give folks some new insights.
Farmer's Markets:
- Millwood ( Wed, 3-7 PM)
- So. Perry Farmer's Markets (Thursday 3-7 PM).
We look forward to seeing you all soon!
Gary
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