Mother's Day on the Farm

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May 13, 2021

We sure have baby fever here around the farm and how fitting it is with Mother's Day on the horizon! The baby chickens arrived first, and are enjoying their time among the pastures. We were a bit nervous to welcome them to the farm during a misty, cold, rainy day. Whenever an animal changes their environment, you want it to match as much as possible to the previous location to prevent shock and disruption in their quality of life. The baby chicks were used to a warm and dry barn. Luckily, our new chicken tractors kept the grasses below the tarps dry, and trapped in the warm air from the ground and sun to promote a warm, dry climate for them. We did lose a couple chicks to hawks throughout their first days, but our farm dog Tig will help chase the predators away sporadically.

Our mama sows are busy birthing some pretty healthy litters in the fields. A good group of piglets born would average between 12-15 per mamma. The best sows are the ones who have given birth 1-2 times prior, and tend to keep a nice consistent weight in the fields. Another promising attribute for a mama sow is their protective instincts. If they grunt at us, chase, or give us problems within the first week of giving birth whenever we are around their young, it is a good sign that they will protect the piglets at all costs from predators like coyotes, raccoons and foxes. Here is a video showing you a 15 piglet litter, and a mamma sow's grunt: https://youtu.be/AZF9ImCKYls

The final group of mamma's to showcase this week is our cows. This group of cattle have been enjoying the new Spring pastures since last week, and found them to be the perfect place to give birth. The first was one of our pure-bred Scottish Highlands. This is the second calf she has birthed, and she is doing a great job feeding and protecting it. The second was an Angus-cross. Do you notice her horns? One was injured when she was young, which caused it to grow differently than normal. It causes her no harm, and she's adapted to it. Her little calf is thriving as well.

Happy Mother's Day from all of us at the farm!

When Life Gives You Turkey...

We are picking up our latest creation from the farm’s bounty today. Real nourishing bone broth made from our pastured turkeys. This broth is made by simmering turkey backs and turkey feet with a medley of local vegetables. We are left with turkey backs after breaking down the whole carcass into pieces like wings, legs, breasts, and thighs. Our farm relies on utilizing the whole animal in order to maintain sustainability. Turkey backs and feet are generally used to create healthy bone broths, or can also be used to fuel a raw dogfood diet. The strong hands that crafted this broth are from our friends and long-time wholesale partners at Sauce and Bread Kitchen. Why bone broth? Not all broth is created the same, and it starts with what goes into the pot. When you simmer bones slowly over time, especially joints, feet, and connective tissue, you begin to draw out the deeper nutrients that aren’t found in a quick stock. Collagen, gelatin, minerals; the kind of nourishment that comes from using the whole animal, the way it was traditionally done. You’ll notice the difference right away. A true bone broth has body to it. When chilled, it gels. That’s a sign of the natural collagen that supports joints, skin, and overall recovery, especially this time of year as we come out of winter. But just as important as how it’s made is where it comes from. Our turkeys are raised outdoors, on pasture, moving, foraging, living the way they’re meant to. That life translates into stronger bones, healthier fat composition, and ultimately a broth that carries more depth; both in flavor and in nourishment. Compare that to most grocery store broths, where the source is often unknown, the cooking process is shortened, and the final product is diluted to hit a price point. It serves a purpose, but it’s not the same. This is slower. More intentional. Made from animals you know, raised on a farm you trust. Something you can sip on its own, or use as a base to bring real flavor and nourishment into your meals.

Mother's Day on the Farm

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