Heifer International

Charity and nonprofits are a quintessential part of today’s society and it’s a social norm to donate time and money to philanthropy. Many organizations are for show, but others do some really great work. One of my favorite charities is the Heifer International Charity, as it allows people to donate animals to needy families all over the world. It’s like the saying “give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, feed him for life”. I fully believe in self-empowerment, but sometimes we all need a little boost on our way to making our lives and the world a better place.
One of my CAS projects for IB was to start a school garden (✔️) and to sell handmade recycled burlap coasters to raise money to donate animals through this organization. I decided on purchasing a baby flock of chicks, because I hope that some little girl in a country I’ve never been to can receive them and that they can transform her life just as my first flock did mine.
With valentine’s coming up, and really any celebration, you can donate animals in someone’s name so this also makes a great gift. Next time you are wondering which organization to support, add Heifer International to your list, and you will be giving a family an opportunity to change their life.

Beet Greens

A perk of having a high tunnel is that you can eat fresh produce even when there is an arctic blast!!
Here is a delicious recipe that I was inspired to make earlier:

beet greens with almonds
1 bunch of beet greens cut into strips
3 Tbsp of oil or bacon drippings
1/4 cup almonds
salt and pepper to taste

Warm the oil in a pan and add the beat greens. Cover and let steam for about 4 minutes, until they are soft but still retain their crunch and are vibrant. Add the almonds and salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!

TV Special!!

Good morning everyone! I hope everyone is having a relaxing Sunday bundled up inside drinking hot cocoa!!
As I wrote about before, Jean West Medical Digest filmed a segment on our farm in which I explained the process of raising poultry and why choosing organic products is the healthiest way to live. That segment will air again tonight on WAVE-3 (NBC) so I hope you tune in to watch! If you do, I would love to hear your thoughts on organic farming and organic lifestyle.

adventures in the snow! ❄️❄️❄️

This winter has been a very cold and wet one. While you may complain (because who doesn’t want summer?) it is important that winter acts as winter should. If it doesn’t do its job, then the bug problems and tick infestations will be horrendous come summer (no one wants that) and the water reserves will dry up leading to brown grass an parched earth. So actually this winter is just what we need.
Anyways, the chickens find it amusing too… Below are some photos of them frolicking about.

Unfortunately, the cold and shorter days means that I don’t have many eggs….
Summer:

Versus winter

2014 = The Year of the Family Farm

2014 = The Year of the Family Farm

Here is a shout out to the millions of family farms all over the world, the backbone of food systems world wide. 2014 has been declared the International Year of Family Farming so make it part of your New Year’s Resolution to support local farms in your areas. To do this, join a CSA (community supported agriculture), shop weekly at local farmers’ markets, and look for signs highlighting local farms at stores like Whole Foods and Earth Fare. Without our farmers we would not have food on our table, so make sure to thank them by supporting them with your conscientious purchases. Happy 2014!

Inspection: ✅

As a part of our food safety plan, FOWL is required to undergo surprise inspections to guarantee that we adhere to strict food safety measures. We passed with flying colors; the inspector even remarked that our eggs were some of the nicest quality he has ever seen!!!
Look for our fresh pullet eggs coming this spring (a rarity)

Turnips

Sometimes, somehow a few seeds get in a part of the garden that they weren’t intended to be in. And then they grow and they look unidentifiable but you still let them grow. And then one day you decide to pull them out because it’s time to replant for the fall garden. And you discover luscious, crunchy, gigantic turnips

Yes that’s my dog for comparison.

Your Thanksgiving Bird

Order your premium heritage certified organic soy free turkey today!! They are almost all sold out so don’t miss out on this delicious opportunity!

Fresh air activates the appetite

Toast a thick slice of your favorite hearty bread (for me it’s my mama’s). Add thinly sliced cheese while it’s still warm, the last of the summer basil, and leftover steak from your organic cows. Bon Appetit!

Preserving Peppers

Close your eyes and imagine a beautiful cottage situated in the mountains of Italy… Hanging from wooden beams are braided garlic and onions, bouquets of drying herbs, and peppers handing on a string.
Sometimes we can’t exactly escape to our imaginations but we can find inspiration within them:


Here are the last of Freedom Run Farm’s beautiful and delicious heirloom peppers drying in our kitchen, waiting to be used in hearty winter dishes, to remind us of the summers that are yet to come.