It's Saturday. Here's what we're up to.

Today is Saturday, which means a day of rest for many. However, for the farm, things shift into some of the most bustling moments of the week. It's also the day we get to see so many of you.

The farmers market crews had some of the earliest starts this morning. Most of the trucks were already loaded during the week by our warehouse team, freezers packed with all of our pasture-raised meats and ready to go. But, there are some things that have to wait until morning; farm fresh eggs, smoked fish, charcuterie, snack sticks and all those last minute things get packed before the trucks pull out of the driveway.

Once they arrive at the markets, our teams basically build little pop-up stores for our farm. The blue tents go up, the blue coolers come out, freezers are opened and stocked, signs and tables get put into place, and everything is ready for the morning rush.

Then, we get to do what we've been doing at farmers markets for a long, long time. We talk about food, but really, we get to talk with you. We answer questions about different cuts of meat, how our animals are raised, how to cook something, or what someone should make for dinner that night. We catch up with people we've been feeding for years, hear what's happening in your families, and meet people discovering our farm for the very first time. All morning long, into the early afternoon, across markets in Michigan and Illinois.

Meanwhile, another crew is getting The Farmstead ready for its Saturday. The fresh produce comes out of the coolers, freezers are checked and stocked, we choose what we're going to sample for the day, and finish setting the stage for a long day and night of people coming through the doors.

This is still such a new venture for us, but it is an extension of what we've been doing at the markets for years. Open up a freezer, talk about the different cuts inside, explain how the animal was raised, how we'd cook it, and help someone figure out what to put on their table. Except now, instead of packing it all up at the end of the afternoon, we get to leave it there and do it all again real soon.

And, we get to meet a whole new group of people. Some of you have been buying from us for years and are walking through The Farmstead doors for the first time. Others see our sign along M-51, stop in to see what we're all about, and are meeting our farm for the first time. That's been one of my favorite parts of watching this new adventure unfold.

Back here at the farm, Saturdays have a different pace. We've learned to plan most of our pasture management and significant animal moves during the week while our full crew is here. That leaves one or two of us on Saturdays to handle the daily chores; feeding, cleaning waterers, checking animals and tending to whatever needs attention that day. Because regardless of what day the calendar says it is, every animal still needs to eat.

And right here on the farm, our house has its own Saturday happening too. This morning, homemade pancakes were topped with chocolate chips and fresh blueberries. Then we made our way outside to feed the barn cats, beloved dog, and clean up the yard after a whole week of free-range, mostly unsupervised, farm-kid shenanigans. There's usually plenty of evidence left behind.

Right outside our house, The Meat Shed has people coming and going all day. We see cars pull in while we're outside doing our own Saturday things. Some of you are making a quick stop for eggs or a few things for dinner, others are filling a whole bag with goodness from the farm. You pull in, shop the freezers, check yourselves out and head back out the driveway.

And right next to the small shop is the warehouse, which might be the quietest part of the farm today. We'll start packing all of your home shipping orders on Monday, filling boxes and getting them ready to head across the country. We won't get to see those customers face-to-face, but we'll see your names come across the packing lists and send a little piece of our farm your way. But for now, the warehouse rests.

That's a Saturday around here.

Farmers markets happening across two states. The Farmstead bustling in Dowagiac, MI. Animals being cared for in the pastures. People coming and going from The Meat Shed. Kids running around the farm. And one quiet warehouse waiting for Monday morning.

But woven through all of it are people.

People who woke up and came to see us under a blue tent. People who walked into The Farmstead. People who drove down our farm driveway and stopped at The Meat Shed. And people we'll never see in person, but who trust us to pack a box of food and send it to their doorstep.

That's a pretty incredible thing when I stop and think about it.

Wherever you find us, just know you have a pile of people here who are so grateful for every single interaction and act of support for this family farm. You make a difference for the land, the animals, and us.

And we hope, in our own little way, the food we raise and the work we do makes a difference for you, too.

Cheers to the weekend!!

Renee & All of us at Jake's Country Meats

Real Food. Rooted Living.