Since we started the blog way back when, we have been using it as a blog but also as our website of sorts for the farm. One of our hopes was to get a real website up and going before too long. I'm happy to announce that Nathan has finally accomplished that task!!
In light of that, we won't be using this blog for that purpose anymore, but we'll still continue to use it for farm events or info (a more detailed look that the website may not give), recipes, health and political articles/info, etc....OH--and a little bit of family thrown in here and there.
If you come across some article, information, picture that you find interesting/helpful or a yummy recipe using our products that you would like share with all of us, please pass it along to me (by email) and we'll try to include it here for everyone to enjoy.
The website address is:
www.fairviewmeadowfarm.com
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Engine Show visitors
The visitors:
Last weekend the Lagrange Engine show was at the Fairgrounds. When something is over there, we keep a few extra eyes out for rif-raf. So... John went out to check on the cattle and noticed that they seemed flustered, worked up and were running around in circles. Then he figured out why....he noticed 2 ropes over in the fence row, one with a horse tied to it and one without. It wasn't too long after that discovery that a horse popped out of the trees and into the lane that we use to get around on the outside of the fence. The cows really went wild. What in the world is that doing there?!?! Then an Amish man came through the trees too and carefully walked up to the horse grabbing it's reins and putting it back on the rope. The cattle are not use to seeing horses so close by.
John came back up to the house to tell us the story. Of course I wanted to go out and see this for myself. So off we went.....
On the way there, we past one of the cows that was standing right by the fence so we stopped to get a profile shot. She wasn't too far from where we need to go.
Yep there's horses out there all right. Looks like they are both where they need to be this time.
A closer look at the easier to see one.
Upon coming out of the 'hole' in the tree line and into the fairgrounds, we looked back and saw this. There they were! Two guys watching the buggies and and horses while their friends went into the show. You never see Amish at the county fair but they show up for stuff like this.
Lagrange Engine Show:
It had been a while since we had been there last, so later that day we decided to go over to the show and see what they had going on over there. It does have a strong farm theme to it. Here are a few things we found....
We are not totally sure what this is but we think it might be what we would call a 'hand powered rototiller'. This looks like a lot of work!! I'm glad we use motors and gasoline now!
There were all kinds of styles of transportation around. This one cracked me up.
These chain saws look dangerous!
This is what I would call the horseless carriage. I think this guy was giving rides as I saw him drive by quite a few times (with different people in it) as we sat on a bench to watch and rest.
It was actually quite entertaining to just sit on that bench and watch to see what would come by next. Lots of vendors selling their wares so to see it all some would fire up their souped up lawn mower, golf cart, 4-wheeler, etc and shopped using that (some of the things they were riding we didn't know what they were). It was definitely different!
Last weekend the Lagrange Engine show was at the Fairgrounds. When something is over there, we keep a few extra eyes out for rif-raf. So... John went out to check on the cattle and noticed that they seemed flustered, worked up and were running around in circles. Then he figured out why....he noticed 2 ropes over in the fence row, one with a horse tied to it and one without. It wasn't too long after that discovery that a horse popped out of the trees and into the lane that we use to get around on the outside of the fence. The cows really went wild. What in the world is that doing there?!?! Then an Amish man came through the trees too and carefully walked up to the horse grabbing it's reins and putting it back on the rope. The cattle are not use to seeing horses so close by.
John came back up to the house to tell us the story. Of course I wanted to go out and see this for myself. So off we went.....
On the way there, we past one of the cows that was standing right by the fence so we stopped to get a profile shot. She wasn't too far from where we need to go.
Yep there's horses out there all right. Looks like they are both where they need to be this time.
A closer look at the easier to see one.
Upon coming out of the 'hole' in the tree line and into the fairgrounds, we looked back and saw this. There they were! Two guys watching the buggies and and horses while their friends went into the show. You never see Amish at the county fair but they show up for stuff like this.Lagrange Engine Show:
It had been a while since we had been there last, so later that day we decided to go over to the show and see what they had going on over there. It does have a strong farm theme to it. Here are a few things we found....
We are not totally sure what this is but we think it might be what we would call a 'hand powered rototiller'. This looks like a lot of work!! I'm glad we use motors and gasoline now!
There were all kinds of styles of transportation around. This one cracked me up.
These chain saws look dangerous!
This is what I would call the horseless carriage. I think this guy was giving rides as I saw him drive by quite a few times (with different people in it) as we sat on a bench to watch and rest.It was actually quite entertaining to just sit on that bench and watch to see what would come by next. Lots of vendors selling their wares so to see it all some would fire up their souped up lawn mower, golf cart, 4-wheeler, etc and shopped using that (some of the things they were riding we didn't know what they were). It was definitely different!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Relax This Weekend
Stinkers our cat (John named her that as she has skunk patterns but in reverse-under instead of over) has a very good idea!
We hope you find a good place this weekend to 'chill out' and relax, just like she did.
We hope you find a good place this weekend to 'chill out' and relax, just like she did.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Bad Lettuce
Since we are on the subject of CAFOs (feedlots), I thought this new info would fit into place here.
E. Coli on Lettuce Likely Came from Feedlot
Analysis of possible sources of the E. coli 0145 infecting romaine lettuce from an Arizona farm has been conducted by Food Safety News. One of the largest feedlots in the country is located about 20 miles from the heart of Arizona's leafy green production in the Gila and Dome valleys. Conditions in the feedlot produce huge volumes of mud, as dirt mixes with manure and water. When dry, hot, windy weather hits, the mud dries, the cattle break down clumps into dust, and the dust blows, often for many miles.
The FDA is pushing ahead with the process of establishing new leafy green safety regulations. The new requirements fail to target the core sources of the problem--sick or stressed cattle shedding E. coli 0157, and other pathogenic strains in their manure. (Acres USA Sept '10)
******
This is sad (and uncalled for) that the veggies producers lives have now become more regulated because of mismanagement 20 miles away that doesn't have anything to do with them. And the article is right that the new requirements are not addressing the real problem--feedlots. This is the same problem we'll likely have with the recent egg recalls; there is talk of pasteurizing eggs now when all that is required is better management (which will result in downsizing) and better treatment of the animals.
E. Coli on Lettuce Likely Came from Feedlot
Analysis of possible sources of the E. coli 0145 infecting romaine lettuce from an Arizona farm has been conducted by Food Safety News. One of the largest feedlots in the country is located about 20 miles from the heart of Arizona's leafy green production in the Gila and Dome valleys. Conditions in the feedlot produce huge volumes of mud, as dirt mixes with manure and water. When dry, hot, windy weather hits, the mud dries, the cattle break down clumps into dust, and the dust blows, often for many miles.
The FDA is pushing ahead with the process of establishing new leafy green safety regulations. The new requirements fail to target the core sources of the problem--sick or stressed cattle shedding E. coli 0157, and other pathogenic strains in their manure. (Acres USA Sept '10)
******
This is sad (and uncalled for) that the veggies producers lives have now become more regulated because of mismanagement 20 miles away that doesn't have anything to do with them. And the article is right that the new requirements are not addressing the real problem--feedlots. This is the same problem we'll likely have with the recent egg recalls; there is talk of pasteurizing eggs now when all that is required is better management (which will result in downsizing) and better treatment of the animals.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Death of a Lake
Death of the Lakes: The Spreading of Toxic and Infectious Wastes and Disease
By David Michael
Human illnesses and animal deaths have occurred recently from neurotoxins secreted by a heavy slime of blue and green algae floating on Ohio’s largest lake—Grand Lake St. Mary’s (Grand Lake) in Auglaize and Mercer Counties. This is a lake that has been deteriorating for decades, but especially so in the past 10 years as factory farms have sprung up all over the area, and more are being built.
A high concentration of factory farms and the application of composted manure from CAFO (confined animal feeding operations) manure and sewage treatment sludge (humanure, now called biosolids—a mixture of concentrated human excrement and industrial discharges) is spreading toxic and infectious substances on farmlands close by and in the watershed. CAFOs in the watershed area account for 3 million chickens; while sewage sludge spreading is permitted on 8800 Ohio farmlands—several close to the edge of Grand Lake.
Pollutants discharging into the lake also include fertilizer runoff (phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen (PKN) as well as some pesticides and herbicides—as is commonly known. But there is far more to the story, including heavy metals (like lead, arsenic and chromium), pharmaceuticals, neurotoxins, cancer-causers, viruses, bacteria—and just about every known chemical (60,000 some) known to man and being placed on the farmlands.
EPA and state officials know about this—as does USDA, and their partners in the big food and big agriculture corporations. Yet the smaller farmers are being accused for causing the mess, and homeowners too—while the CAFOs and spreading of sludge are being expanded rapidly though state and federally funded “green” programs and contracted out to a few individuals.
This and other similar situations occurring all around the US are coming to a head and, in sum, may be a far greater impact than the BP Gulf oil spill. The polluted farmlands may never be recovered without being excavated.
This news video on the situation does not feature a CAFO but rather a small 250-head farm using a natural treatment system as an example of the problem, rather than a superfarm. The big farms have gates and security procedures.
Make no mistake, there are increased deaths and illnesses for animals and humans living near CAFOs or lands where human waste is spread, which is well-documented. So far at the Lake, a 43-year old man may be neurologically impaired for life after washing the scum off his dog before the dog died from exposure. The man spent five days in the hospital and is now home hoping to recover. Two other dogs have died from exposure as well as innumerable fish.
The Data: High Levels of Toxins
Both CAFO wastes and sewage sludge contains these types of contaminants and EPA data shows many of these are extremely high levels.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs);
Chlorinated pesticides — DDT, dieldrin, aldrin, endrin, chlordane, heptachlor, lindane, mirex, kepone, 2,4,5-T, 2,4-D;
Chlorinated compounds such as dioxins;
Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons;
Heavy metals — arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury;
Bacteria, viruses, protozoa, parasitic worms, fungi; and
Miscellaneous — asbestos, petroleum products, industrial solvents
EPA data shows high levels of known toxic compounds in these sludge “fertilizers” and are provided in a 2009 report on 74 sewage treatment plants. It shows high levels of contaminants including Arsenic (49 ppm, parts per million), Mercury (8.3 ppm), Aluminum (57,000 ppm=6%). Fluoride (234 ppm). EPA limits on Arsenic is 75 ppm (an additive in chicken feed) and Cadmium, 85 ppm. These are the maximum levels detected on a dry-weight basis. These are so high the wastes would be classified as a hazardous waste requiring treatment– but not is it used as soil amendments.
Pharmaceuticals (Ciprofloxcine, 50 ppm—Fluoxentine 3.1 ppm (this is Prozac)—Ibupropen (119 ppm), triclocarban (44 ppm). Levels of the tricloscan , the anti-bacterial compound in hand soap, was 133 ppm. These are maximum levels on a dry-weight basis.
In addition, CAFO manure lagoons overflow into ditches at times and are affecting groundwaters., some of which feed ditches and streams. These lagoons are laden with antibiotic-resistant superbugs, virus and other bacteria multiplying rapidly during composting and field applications and many persist for a month to a year.
Spreading CAFO and sewage wastes are increasing rapidly. Federal and state funds are being used to generate a small amount of electricity from the sludge by the way of new bioreactors. This makes the sludge and its contaminants. These are called “green, clean energy programs”. The pathogenic biology of the wastes from CAFOs are not much different than those from sewage treatment plants, sans pharmaceuticals, synthetic organics. Chicken CAFOs use arsenic compounds as antibiotics in the feed, so high Arsenic levels in the manure are either spread, but has been also blended in the feed of the factory dairy cows or hogs.
Now that Grand Lake is in crisis, the Ohio governor and several state caretaker agencies are scrambling in an effort to clean up the toxic brew and circumvent a worsening health epidemic. The State has not mentioned CAFOs as being a source, only agriculture in general. But small farms are being singled out in other areas. For instance, in Lancaster PA, small Amish farmers are being targeted as a cause of the deterioration of the Chesapeake Bay 180 miles to the South. Home septic tanks and lawns (which only account for an estimated 2% of the problem) are being blamed as well. The lake’s remarkable degradation is not a result of small farming operations and suggestions to the contrary are ridiculous.
Jim Bynam wrote the Scandal of Sewage Sludge, where he states:
Research shows: 1) chemical build up in animals that may effect the first and second generation, as well as those who eat certain animal parts; 2) bacteria were found to be viable for over 70 weeks on grazing land; 3) composting cause bacterial desiccation (dry up) which only lasted until proper moisture was available; and 4) there were even problems with land filling sludge.
EPA states, “Environmental and public health risks include leachate contamination of water and soil resources, destruction of native fauna and flora, obnoxious odors, aerosol and dust generation, pathogen transmission, and other related nuisances.– The risk of transmitting disease is of major concern for the various sludge disposal practices. The direct pathways for disease transmission from sludge land filling operations include aerosols, vector transport, direct contact, groundwater and surface runoff.”
The Major Sources
Egg factories with 100,000 to 250,000 hens in huge, enclosed buildings account for 3 million egg-laying hens (3,000 animal units) in the watershed of Grand Lake. There are many more in the 25,000 to 100,000 range that do not require a CAFO permit. There may be more than 6 million hens in the the area. The map below shows the appalling extent of the most concentrated factory farms in Ohio and probably the entire US. These are only the EPA-“permitted” farms -CAFOs– with 1000 animal units or more (equivalent to 1000 cows/steers or 100,000 hens). See the heavy concentration of CAFOs in the western part of the state map and then zoom in to see the Lake. http://wwwapp.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/gis/cafo/http://wwwapp.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/gis/cafo/
The map below shows the EPA-approved land areas for the application of what is now termed Biosolids, an Orwellian-like term for human sewage treatment sludge, so named when the public did not like the humanure term. You will need to select Mercer County to view the map of the Grand Lake area. http://wwwapp.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/gis/sludge/index.php
“Green” companies have sold a “cleaner” grade of BioSolids at big box stores for a few years as a soil enhancement for homeowners and landscapers—without any labels disclosing it is 100% derived from human sewage and industrial discharge concentrates. In the Shit Show published this month in the San Francisco Bay Gazette, we see the mayor has pushed Biosolids all over the city and from homeowners, creating an uproar from experts and citizens who know what it contains.
David Kirby, author of the new book Animal Factory, recently investigated Grand Lake, and penned the piece for Huffington Post, The High Price of Cheap Meat: A Lake Dies in Ohio, said this:
“Factory farms, in addition to their insatiable demand for subsidized feed, also generate thousands of tons of animal waste each year, far more than the surrounding land can absorb. The manure — in this part of Ohio, most factory farms are either pork, or “layer” (egg) operations — is sometimes liquefied and sprayed from giant sprinklers that spew brownish-yellow water onto cropland which — too often — runs off into streams and ditches that feed into rivers and lakes, including Grand Lake St. Marys.
It is not logical to blame most of this mess on smaller, more sustainably run farms where animals are not packed in by the hundreds or thousands, and where there’s enough land to adequately absorb the waste, thus reducing the chance of nutrient runoff.
Besides, small farms have graced this area for generations on end, and the lake did not become a Petri dish for liver toxins until now. Something has changed, and that something — in my opinion — is factory farming and its excess manure. And local people know it. Local residents “say stricter regulations are needed on large farms,” the Associated Press reported, “limiting when they can apply manure to their fields and how close they can plant to streams.”
When I was researching my book Animal Factory – The Looming Threat of Industrial Pig, Dairy and Poultry Farms to Humans and the Environment – I came across this same situation wherever CAFOs had invaded: the tidewater area of North Carolina, the mega-dairy region of Yakima Valley, WA, or the “poultry belt” of Arkansas (whose big chicken growers like Tyson have been sued by the Oklahoma Attorney General for allowing nutrients from poultry waste to cross the border and pollute lakes and rivers). In each case, once pristine waters had been spoiled after the CAFOs showed up.”
________________________
David Michael is an environmental specialist and has spent his 35-year professional career in Ohio in all phases of industrial environmental controls. David is also a food health and safety advocate for naturally, unprocessed food– fresh from the farm.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Lorain County Fair
We are fast approaching the end of August which means.....it's Lorain County Fair time. It will be Aug 23-29 this year.
The LCF is considered one of the top county fairs in Ohio. Some may consider Labor Day the end of summer but I kind of think Fair is the end of summer....it can be a bittersweet time as I really like summer and don't want to see it go quite yet.
I have always like going to the fair and have fond memories it and John has liked it too....and it's a good thing because he's lived by it most of his life (he grew up next door to where we are now). Nathan has really like it too and was even on the Lorain Co Jr. Fair Board for a few years before graduating. Our farm in part (well the animal part anyway) started somewhat because of the fair (it was 4-H broiler projects) and our farm name stems from the fair, so fair time is a special event for us. We don't live over there like some others do that we know of, but we do go often.
We say our cattle (and chickens) are quite cultured as they get to experience many things that most (cattle that is) only dream of. How many cattle do you know that get to listen to live bagpipes (during the Ohio Scottish Games in June), get to watch fireworks (July 4th), listen to steam engines run and their whistles toot (LaGrange Steam Engine Club Show-Sept), watch hot air balloons sail over head (Wellington Balloon Festival-June) or hear the roar of the jet powered tractor pulls and smell fair food (LCF)? We even still have one of our original cows that took 2 trips over to the fair with Nathan for 4-H showing when she was a bit younger....which, by the way, one year she and her calf won Grand Champion in the cow/calf division.
For the most part, being by the fairgrounds hasn't been too bothersome. It is quiet most of the time. The only time it can get hairy is, of course, during fair time. The traffic on our road increases greatly (one of the entrances to the fair is just north of us off our road) and with large crowds gathering in one area, you never know what will happen. People aren't too smart sometimes.
When John was younger, he said that there was a horse running around the neighborhood and down the RR tracks after the fair--an escapee. We did see a peacock running around one time....it was after the circus had been there. A foreign fancy rooster showed up one morning too...I think someone dropped it off as a 'now unwanted fair project' and thought we'd give it a good home--thanks. And a few years ago, someone's 4-H market beef project got loose before fair started and out of the fairgrounds running all over our area and ended up jumping into our cattle pasture with our beef cattle.....guess he didn't want to be burger just yet....he never did make it back to the fair.
Quite a few years ago we found a 2 man tent in our woods in the Fall after fair--we think it was some kids who were going to tent at the fair but when they came back after setting it up, they couldn't find it anymore. But the one we still shake our heads at the most is: about 2 years ago when we got home from a camping trip the Monday fair started, we noticed from our kitchen window there was something white out back. Upon investigating, it was a big family-size tent set up by one of the fair traffic employees. I guess he didn't want to use the camping area that the fair provides and decided to use our free area instead. The kicker was that he had set it up in our cattle pasture....with cattle near by! The guy said that it was dark when he set up and in the morning noticed he was in a cattle pasture....and maybe not on fairgrounds property either. I don't know how you can not know this when he (they--we think he brought the whole family) would of had to go through cattle fencing to get there. They did moved out.
I guess we wait and see what happens this year--uneventful would be nice.
Well enough of our adventures with the fairgrounds...we hope you come out and have some good adventures of your own this coming week at our county fair. We think you will enjoy it. It looks like we will have really nice weather too.
If you'd like to know more info about the LCF schedule, costs, entertainment, location, etc, you can go to their website: http://www.loraincountyfair.com/
This year I see we are going to have a special 'guest' appearance from the Anheuser-Bush Clydesdales. I don't think I've ever known them to be at our fair before so this will be a treat. I did seem them in St Louis when my family went there one year for vacation when I was a lot younger. They are big! Check out the article about them here:
http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2010/08/13/anheuser-busch-clydesdales-coming-to-lorain-county-fair/
Lastly......
I found these cool aerial pics of the fairgrounds (at their website) that were taken during fair time. The cooler part is that you can see our farm in them too. This will give you a bird's eye view of everything close to us as some don't realize just how close to the fair we really are. When we say the fairgrounds is in our backyard...we mean it....literally.
You can click on any photo to make it larger.
A special thanks to Ken Bartlett for letting us use his aerial pics of the fairgrounds.
The back side (curved part, upper left) that's touching the trees is where our and the fair's property meet--sort of...it's in there somewhere in the trees. These woods is where our firewood and some of our maple syrup come from. Next to the trees to the right you will see a tree lined 'square' grassy area....that is our pasture.
A view from the other side. Our pasture is in the bottom right corner. The body of water you see is the Wellington Up-ground Reservoir.
A bigger pulled backed view.
The reservoir is a great place to fish....boaters allowed. It is 2.2 miles around it if you are interested in running, biking or walking around it. This is where the boys did some of their training for the 5-k that I mentioned earlier in another post.
See you at the Fair...and make sure you visit some farm animals while you're there!
The LCF is considered one of the top county fairs in Ohio. Some may consider Labor Day the end of summer but I kind of think Fair is the end of summer....it can be a bittersweet time as I really like summer and don't want to see it go quite yet.
I have always like going to the fair and have fond memories it and John has liked it too....and it's a good thing because he's lived by it most of his life (he grew up next door to where we are now). Nathan has really like it too and was even on the Lorain Co Jr. Fair Board for a few years before graduating. Our farm in part (well the animal part anyway) started somewhat because of the fair (it was 4-H broiler projects) and our farm name stems from the fair, so fair time is a special event for us. We don't live over there like some others do that we know of, but we do go often.
We say our cattle (and chickens) are quite cultured as they get to experience many things that most (cattle that is) only dream of. How many cattle do you know that get to listen to live bagpipes (during the Ohio Scottish Games in June), get to watch fireworks (July 4th), listen to steam engines run and their whistles toot (LaGrange Steam Engine Club Show-Sept), watch hot air balloons sail over head (Wellington Balloon Festival-June) or hear the roar of the jet powered tractor pulls and smell fair food (LCF)? We even still have one of our original cows that took 2 trips over to the fair with Nathan for 4-H showing when she was a bit younger....which, by the way, one year she and her calf won Grand Champion in the cow/calf division.
For the most part, being by the fairgrounds hasn't been too bothersome. It is quiet most of the time. The only time it can get hairy is, of course, during fair time. The traffic on our road increases greatly (one of the entrances to the fair is just north of us off our road) and with large crowds gathering in one area, you never know what will happen. People aren't too smart sometimes.
When John was younger, he said that there was a horse running around the neighborhood and down the RR tracks after the fair--an escapee. We did see a peacock running around one time....it was after the circus had been there. A foreign fancy rooster showed up one morning too...I think someone dropped it off as a 'now unwanted fair project' and thought we'd give it a good home--thanks. And a few years ago, someone's 4-H market beef project got loose before fair started and out of the fairgrounds running all over our area and ended up jumping into our cattle pasture with our beef cattle.....guess he didn't want to be burger just yet....he never did make it back to the fair.
Quite a few years ago we found a 2 man tent in our woods in the Fall after fair--we think it was some kids who were going to tent at the fair but when they came back after setting it up, they couldn't find it anymore. But the one we still shake our heads at the most is: about 2 years ago when we got home from a camping trip the Monday fair started, we noticed from our kitchen window there was something white out back. Upon investigating, it was a big family-size tent set up by one of the fair traffic employees. I guess he didn't want to use the camping area that the fair provides and decided to use our free area instead. The kicker was that he had set it up in our cattle pasture....with cattle near by! The guy said that it was dark when he set up and in the morning noticed he was in a cattle pasture....and maybe not on fairgrounds property either. I don't know how you can not know this when he (they--we think he brought the whole family) would of had to go through cattle fencing to get there. They did moved out.
I guess we wait and see what happens this year--uneventful would be nice.
Well enough of our adventures with the fairgrounds...we hope you come out and have some good adventures of your own this coming week at our county fair. We think you will enjoy it. It looks like we will have really nice weather too.
If you'd like to know more info about the LCF schedule, costs, entertainment, location, etc, you can go to their website: http://www.loraincountyfair.com/
This year I see we are going to have a special 'guest' appearance from the Anheuser-Bush Clydesdales. I don't think I've ever known them to be at our fair before so this will be a treat. I did seem them in St Louis when my family went there one year for vacation when I was a lot younger. They are big! Check out the article about them here:
http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2010/08/13/anheuser-busch-clydesdales-coming-to-lorain-county-fair/
Lastly......
I found these cool aerial pics of the fairgrounds (at their website) that were taken during fair time. The cooler part is that you can see our farm in them too. This will give you a bird's eye view of everything close to us as some don't realize just how close to the fair we really are. When we say the fairgrounds is in our backyard...we mean it....literally.
You can click on any photo to make it larger.
A special thanks to Ken Bartlett for letting us use his aerial pics of the fairgrounds.
The back side (curved part, upper left) that's touching the trees is where our and the fair's property meet--sort of...it's in there somewhere in the trees. These woods is where our firewood and some of our maple syrup come from. Next to the trees to the right you will see a tree lined 'square' grassy area....that is our pasture.
A view from the other side. Our pasture is in the bottom right corner. The body of water you see is the Wellington Up-ground Reservoir.
A bigger pulled backed view.The reservoir is a great place to fish....boaters allowed. It is 2.2 miles around it if you are interested in running, biking or walking around it. This is where the boys did some of their training for the 5-k that I mentioned earlier in another post.
See you at the Fair...and make sure you visit some farm animals while you're there!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Fresh Chicken Day 2010
About a week ago we had the farm's fresh chicken day(s) for 2010. These are our meat (broiler) chickens that are raised on pasture and without drugs.
I meant to, but I did not get out to see the chickens this year after going onto pasture or help with chore time at all....I think this is a first.
I thought I'd share with you what happened through some of this process.......
At first, (when I saw the picture) I thought we had a density stocking problem out there as things looked really crowded. After asking Nathan, he said that every day when he would go out to feed and move them, they would crowd to the front of the pen. The reason-- because they knew shortly that he would be moving the pen forward to new grass..... and they wanted to be ready for it. Sooo...this is basically crowding in the lunch line.
After the move..... and looking for goodies.
When chickens are aloud to live outdoors in the sunshine, move, jump and fly around like chickens are suppose to, they will have less fat, calories and cholesterol in them for you to consume. No 'couch potatoes' here!
This pic says it all! You can see the 'trail' that the pen leaves after its been moved to fresh grass. it's not trampled down grass either, it's cut short grass. They do a great job of mowing..... and fertilize while doing it. All this grass in the belly makes for a bird that is higher in omega-3s (60% of the fatty acids in grass are omega-3s), beta carotene and Vitamins A & E.
It's been estimated that only 40% of Americans consume an adequate supply of omega-3 fatty acids. Of the 60% that are low, 20% have blood levels so low it can't be detected. Switching to grass-fed/pastured raised animals is one way to restore this vital missing nutrient back into the diet.
On to chicken pick up day.......
Nathan chatting with Trish (from Oberlin). And Liz (Grafton), with little one in toe.
A table full of chickens (and some other farm items) ready for take home.
I think Doris (Oberlin) was just as excited about getting our last 50 cent tomato than she was about getting her chickens. Doris was also picking up things for Anne (Oberlin)....that was nice of her. Janet & Richard (Wellington) and Karen (Parma) wait patiently for their items.
I wanted to get more customer pics but with me getting the orders ready and ringing things up, I forgot about it most of the time until it was too late.
We would like to thank all those that supported us this year in our fresh chicken day 2010!
Raising chickens can be a lot of work but when you hear comments like:
"This is the way chicken use to (should) taste."
"They looked and tasted wonderful--nothing compares.",
it makes it worth the work to give the birds a happy, good life so you can have good, healthy food.
****
If you're just finding this and would of liked some fresh chicken, but you missed out this year, please contact us so you can be added to our spring mailing list for when ordering time begins again next year.
I meant to, but I did not get out to see the chickens this year after going onto pasture or help with chore time at all....I think this is a first.
I thought I'd share with you what happened through some of this process.......
At first, (when I saw the picture) I thought we had a density stocking problem out there as things looked really crowded. After asking Nathan, he said that every day when he would go out to feed and move them, they would crowd to the front of the pen. The reason-- because they knew shortly that he would be moving the pen forward to new grass..... and they wanted to be ready for it. Sooo...this is basically crowding in the lunch line. 
After the move..... and looking for goodies.When chickens are aloud to live outdoors in the sunshine, move, jump and fly around like chickens are suppose to, they will have less fat, calories and cholesterol in them for you to consume. No 'couch potatoes' here!
This pic says it all! You can see the 'trail' that the pen leaves after its been moved to fresh grass. it's not trampled down grass either, it's cut short grass. They do a great job of mowing..... and fertilize while doing it. All this grass in the belly makes for a bird that is higher in omega-3s (60% of the fatty acids in grass are omega-3s), beta carotene and Vitamins A & E.It's been estimated that only 40% of Americans consume an adequate supply of omega-3 fatty acids. Of the 60% that are low, 20% have blood levels so low it can't be detected. Switching to grass-fed/pastured raised animals is one way to restore this vital missing nutrient back into the diet.
On to chicken pick up day.......
Nathan chatting with Trish (from Oberlin). And Liz (Grafton), with little one in toe.
A table full of chickens (and some other farm items) ready for take home.
I think Doris (Oberlin) was just as excited about getting our last 50 cent tomato than she was about getting her chickens. Doris was also picking up things for Anne (Oberlin)....that was nice of her. Janet & Richard (Wellington) and Karen (Parma) wait patiently for their items.I wanted to get more customer pics but with me getting the orders ready and ringing things up, I forgot about it most of the time until it was too late.
We would like to thank all those that supported us this year in our fresh chicken day 2010!
Raising chickens can be a lot of work but when you hear comments like:
"This is the way chicken use to (should) taste."
"They looked and tasted wonderful--nothing compares.",
it makes it worth the work to give the birds a happy, good life so you can have good, healthy food.
****
If you're just finding this and would of liked some fresh chicken, but you missed out this year, please contact us so you can be added to our spring mailing list for when ordering time begins again next year.
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