Monthly Archives: March 2010

Driving back from doing my egg deliveries in the Twin Cities today, I was confronted with a grotesque billboard from mc-donalds, saying just this: “PLEASED TO MEAT YOU”. I feel so grossed out to even have seen it. And if they have anything to do with you meeting your meat, I hope it has done it’s job. That’s why I am here, doing this. Small scale agriculture will change the world, although slowly, one person at a time. Connecting with small farmers is the best way to combat the factory farm world that is trying to take over. Come out and actually meet your meat, see the way it lives and what it eats, how the animals are treated and cared for.

the baby turkeys, growing fast and furious for a 4th of July feast!

Meat is a personal thing, very personal. For me especially after being a vegan for many years. I want to connect directly with customers wanting that connection to the animals they are going to consume. Thank you to all of you that have so far!

roxy is kind of a hog for scratches and attention

sauteed yams, purple potatoes, onions and delicious grits melded with my homemade feta

Look for the cutest 6 pack of duck eggs, now on the shelf at the Seward Co-op, straight from my own farm!

the little beauties, set for delivery

Seward is close to my heart, as I worked there for six years. I spent time in the deli, then moved into the grocery dept., then took on the Merchandising Manager position. What a great job I had there. After I moved to the country, I couldn’t feel good about commuting, so I resigned. Little did I know I’d be making some very important choices to start farming, and following my dreams. It is a thrill to walk into Seward’s backroom with a delivery of my eggs, now being a farmer, bringing my products into a very grateful retail outlet. And I love to see my old co-workers so much! What a great group of people, what a great community.

My duck eggs are also featured on the daily-changing menu at the Heartland Restaurant in St. Paul. Lenny Russo makes some KILLER combinations, featuring almost all local ingredients.You can check out his nightly menu here: (duck eggs are often only available on the wine bar menu)

Heartland Restaurant

Mr. Lenny Russo has been very kind, appreciative and welcoming to me with my new farm business. And he has a great sense of humor as well. He loves my eggs, and I love working with such a topnotch establishment. Here’s a sampling of duck egg “concepts” he has introduced to the community through his restaurant, featuring MY own duck eggs!…..hand rolled Duck egg fettucine, Duck egg pot du creme, duck egg baked with house cured heritage pork bacon and fried green tomatoes, duck egg flan, even a rich duck egg salad dressing…I am honored!

Out here, my plan is to innoculate the sandy soil with lots of good poop. The best way to do this is to actually have animals out on the soil and earth, not crammed into a barn, and not hauling in truck loads of manure…just putting animals onto the land. Where they belong, where they are happiest!

Roxy and matilda, my pig-a-tillers

The two piglets added to the farm yesterday will help by turning all that soil and compost and hay into wonderully rich land. They are like a rototiller, their little bulldozer snouts move earth like it is water! After a couple weeks inside the hoophouse, they will start their work on the grassland that is my front yard. I’ll move their pen every couple of days, after they have really dug up the soil and then they will be super happy pigs. Despite the cold weather nowadays, they snuggle deep in the hay at night, and then greet me with grunts and squeaks when I bring goodies each morning and night. Such a thrill to be able to work with such lovely animals!

Rudi's twin girls decided to snuggle up in one of the turkey's nest boxes!

I think of all the animals making their life here with me. Turkeys, ducks, goats, pigs, dogs, chickens….we all work in a symbiotic realtionship. It is a beautiful, lovely thing.

The 3 babies born earlier in the month, getting SO big already! Wondering about the elf ears? Well, their mommas are LaMancha dairy goats, who have a dominant trait to not form an outer ear, and their poppa has long ears, so here we go! I didn't chop those ears off, just so no one is worried!

Today my friend Andrew and I went to pick up two piglets. They rode in the back of the subaru, in a dog carrier.

     

me and roxy, she's about 45 lbs.... for now!

matilda and roxy, my pigs!

How happy I am to finally get some hogs.