We have had an amazing year. Too much to try and share all at once, so this shall be a two-parter. This year started out busy, got busier and is now, blessedly, quite quiet.
pigs out feeding in the snow
Winter has been exceptionally mild. While trading tips on feeding pigs with a wizened farmer he remarks, ‘haven’t seen a winter like this since ’78!’ So many times we laugh at the shortness in history of weather and ourselves and yet the wisest of farmers will know what it will do with a sniff of the air. Ice is clinging to everything up here as we have traded our deep snow for treacherous surfaces. Ice walkers are great for humans but not as handy for our four footed friends, they slip and slide to eat, drink and mingle and we watch, hoping for warmer weather to melt the ice and relieve the tension.
We are finishing this years paperwork and are, quite frankly, surprised! I had guessed that sales had gone down, that from the economy, from more farms and ranches offering good foods, etc, etc that we had shrunk ever so slightly. John ( The Shepherd) mentioned that whenever we focus on our passion, what we love, not on ‘making money’ you will have been living a full life. We have had a very full year last year, totally blessed by you, our CSA members and we are ready to tackle some ideas we have had shelved for what seems like forever! We are planning on doing grains, whole, milled grains that at first will be used for our chickens and pigs and then for ourselves and you. Maybe even baked goods some day?
The grain would be great. I bake my own bread weekly. I’m thinking of buying a grinder, so your grain would be wonderful.
Blessings,
Kandice Shirley
My parents ground wheat berries and made the most amazing bread, can’t wait to do it ourselves!