reality farm life
ducklings being raised for future layers and the boys for harvesting
This season so far, on LTD Farm, has exceeded every dream I was hoping to manifest out here. I have a core of wonderfully supportive, and involved customers. I care for a whole bunch of amazing animals who are thriving and providing all kinds of goodness. My retail accounts are selling lots of duck eggs and spreading the duck-egg-love all throughout the Twin Cities. And the new farm!!!!! I can’t even explain how exciting this is, beyond my wildest expectations. To have more space for my “kids” will be so wonderful. To have more space to grow the farm sustainably is something I have been aspiring towards, but unable to do with out a really seriously dedicated and sincere partner. I am beyond grateful to have Andrew come into my life, and for us to grow a life together. Not to mention our abilities to strive towards self-sufficiency, which is something I just drool over the concept of!
- more beautious ducklings
turkeys before the storm
my summer turkeys, I love them so...
they are often referred to as "not so bright" but i find turkeys to be very inquisitive, interactive and intuitive.
this is what is growing in the hoophouse, where the pigs were back in April!!! All seeds that sprouted from their leftovers!
the squash plants will not be contained!
the "baby" turkeys, so inqusitive. still undercover of the hoophouse til they are a bit bigger and less likely to be carried off by predators.
what a regal dude, how I adore turkeys
haha!! hello!
the pigs, and in the foreground you can see where they tilled up my lawn and I have a wheat patch sprouting up!!!
how the piggles adore eating!
But this has been a very hard, intense year. I won’t lie and say it has all been a piece of cake. There have been some tragedys, some sad partings with animals who had to be put down or died of their own. Very Humbling. I have never worked harder in my life. Being responsible for so many lives is SO insanely heavy. It gets me out of bed early, keeps me up late. This is a way of life, not a way to get rich or just laze about in the sun. There is SO much work to do, always……but it is the best, most rewarding work ever. Having your hands involved with every aspect of farming is ridiculously satisfying. I imagine it is similar for parents of human children. Pure and utter exhaustion, but the rewards are immeasureable, and impossible to put into words.
first turkey harvested in 2010, note the lovely shade tree being used as a plucking station! 20 lbs of bird in three months is quite a marvel of nature.
plucking from above! pictures taken by one of my customer's kids! she was amazing to be a witness and absorber of all that we took part in.
upon evisceration, we admire all the organs that grew the turkey from the inside out. This is the caul fat, which not only holds the intestines together, but has all the veins that bring the nutrients, to the body from the intestinal tract. Amazing.
life is so magnificent, we are all blessed to witness it in all it's forms.
Kitty skillfully butchering up her turkey, in order to make kebobs, burgers, roasted on the bone breast meat, etc....
Did my brother get a major haircut? I LOVE it!
And I can’t wait to meet you, Khaiti!
Gianna! I look forward to meeting you as well lady, thanks for getting in touch! Andrew cut that hair off as an airconditioner- I like it alot!