New Years Intentions On The Farm

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January 1, 2024

At the turn of the year, society can’t help but reminisce on the days of the past calendar year, while declaring new goals for the future. It seems natural now; however, I am unsure when this became the societal norm. I think the entire process can feel dreadful at times - but helpful too.

Last year, I challenged myself to choose one word to focus on for the year instead of specific goals, and my word was Rest. What should rest mean to me physically, emotionally, and spiritually?

As a mom of four kids under 10 years old, to feel restful seemed impossible. I also reference other words such as lazy or unproductive whenever I thought of rest. Can that change for me?

I want rest. I want rest for my heart, my thoughts, and my body. So here I am waiting to feel it. Whenever I find myself at rest, my thoughts tell me there is something that should be done. I look at the messy house, the pile of paperwork at my desk, the beautiful landscape of the farm, the flow of unread emails, or the world of social media that is constantly changing. My thoughts motivate me to get up and move, or discourage me to sit in my thoughts. I either stop resting, or rest in disdain.

I have always lived inside my wandering mind, since I was a little girl. My thoughts swirl, dreaming day or night, and stories play in the background as I walk through life. However, as I grow older, those stories gradually turn to worries without much notice. I ponder a problem until a solution is found, yet I spend more time pondering than solving problems. The actual problems don’t wake me up in the middle of the night, but wondering how to solve them does.

God tells me in Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Ok God, let’s do it.

Every night I intentionally cast my cares to God. I speak to Him, recognizing that I don’t know the solution, but I do know that He does. And after those daily thoughts are spoken, my mind is able to rest, and a full night of sleep became routine. After a full night of sleep for my body and mind, the less yearning of rest felt needed during the day.

How beautiful this treacherous journey through life can be -one small word, one big impact. Moving into 2024, what is the new word? It took almost a month for me to find the right one.

This year, I choose, walk.

I won’t be going anywhere fast, but I’ll be in motion.

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.

New Years Intentions On The Farm

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