Moving Along...

It is so hard to find time to blog yet there is so much to write about. We just had our screening of "Fresh" two Saturday's ago and we are in the beginning of teaching a food awareness/nutrition class at Trinity Fellowship on Wednesday nights.  Rachel, who WWOOFed on our farm for a month, just left for a farm on the island of Corsica in France. Just when we thought it would slow down we end up with more on our plate. 

Two weeks into teaching our Wednesday night class, we've discovered how much people want to know about their food.  It has been an eye-opening experience to say the least.  I never would have dreamed in a million years that we would have so many folks attend. Wednesday nights are not known for huge turn-outs at church, yet folks are coming in eager to learn.  God has got something in mind, that’s for sure.

Chicken Time....

Last weekend we processed our first batch of chickens. This was quite a learning experience for our kids.  I think the typical response is - "Yuck!" or "Eewww" or "Why can't we just go to the store and buy a chicken instead of processing it ourselves."  The answer is we want to know how these birds were raised and that they were processed in a humane way.  I know that we love and care for all of the birds on our farm and that we honor Gods creations.  I know these birds were happy and free to move about, not restrained by a cage. 

Speaking of knowing where your food comes from, we had a CSA member that came to help process and another who watched.  This may not seem significant, but the fact that we allow and encourage participation (as long as you can handle it) is important.  If you are a local farm, why wouldn't you want customers to see the process, look around the farm and feel welcome doing so.  We probably do 3-4 tours a week and it never gets old.  The big chicken companies would forbid this sort of thing, but I think it adds to the whole idea that we are transparent and you’re always welcome.  It also bridges the community gap or disconnect people have with their food. 

While on the subject of chickens, I can't forget about the eggs.  As fall creeps in, egg production slows down.  We are noticing a two dozen drop a day and it will continue to drop. Chickens need 14 hours of daylight to produce on the 25 hour schedule. When fall and winter sneak in, daylight shortens and allows for a chicken's body to rest.  This is the natural cycle God intended.  These girls did a great job all summer producing the best eggs known to man, so they deserve a rest. 

Fall Crops Are Coming In...

Last but not least, our fall crops are slowly coming in.  Lettuce, pak choi, and arugula are starting to or will be harvested for our CSA's with broccoli, cabbage, spinach, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts to follow in the coming weeks. Yum!