Asparagus...

We had our first 6 pounds last week for sale at Purple Porch Coop... I can't believe I got so excited about it... of course I don't get any for our personal use... but it was exciting to sell it to our great customers!  Hopefully more this week... we will see!

This means every week we might have more surprises...Spring is here - perhaps someone should tell Mother Nature!

Have a great week!

Michelle
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Here is my favorite Asparagus Recipe:

Roast Asparagus with Shaved Parmesan (from Weight Watchers)

1 1/2 pound(s) asparagus, tough stems snapped off
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground, or to taste
1 oz Parmesan cheese, aged-variety such as Parmigiano Reggiano, at room temperature

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Spread asparagus in a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet; drizzle with oil. Roast, shaking pan once or twice during cooking, until asparagus is fork-tender, about 10 to 15 minutes (varies greatly depending on thickness of spears).

Remove from oven and arrange asparagus on a serving plate; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using a paring knife or microplane, cut paper-thin slices of cheese and arrange over asparagus. Yields 1/4 of asparagus and cheese per serving.

And remember it has to be easy if it is my favorite. :)

Easter, Eggs, Piggies, and hiking on the farm...

We spent Easter at the farm...with my brother-in-law (Richard) and sister-in-law (Annette)!!!  What a beautiful day at the farm.  I wanted to share the pictures so you can see where your food comes from and who the special people are that raise and love it!

On our way to do chores...we found mama and babies had gone wild...

Apparently they wanted to take a walk for the day, so this is Cyrus leading the herd with a bag of bread!

Then Jorja May, Kyra and I went on a nature walk....

It is very pretty on my father-in-laws farm!

And of course they get to drive the mule!

On to chicken chores....which was pretty neat since it was Easter and we were finding eggs everywhere...

We hit the mother load here... and they are clean!

This is Kyra and Jorja May carefully picking up the eggs --- I broke two, they broke none!

Those eggs are from these pretty chickens!  We believe the more you talk to them, the more eggs they will give you!

This chicken wasn't done laying yet.  They do like their privacy, one was pacing beside it waiting for it to be free!

Daddy and his girls checking on his chickens!

Jackson getting feed for the pigs...he now is able to do the pig chores all by himself -- well maybe with a little help from Jorja May.

This is our free bird...

This is Jorja May after finding out we were having Pork Tenderloin for Easter Dinner!

Chris and his brother Richard solving the worlds problems...or trying to figure out how they are going to feed the world with our healthy food! (Gideon is in the back ground taking it all in)

We hope you had a wonderful Easter or Passover and enjoyed time with your family...because in the end that is what is really important!

Love,

Michelle and Family

Spring Chicks are in the house...

Every year we try to get the kids chicks around Easter -- the only reason we are comfortable getting them is because they go to the farm when they are ready.  They get 2 each and then later on Daddy gets 400.  Sounds fair?  Well the 400 don't make it in the house.  The great thing is we get to enjoy them in the house and then take them to the farm when they are bigger.  I have even extended the favor to a couple friends...they get chicks for their kids and then they give them back when they are ready to go to the farm.  It makes me happy to share in the fun, while they don't have the stress of what to do with them when they are older.

These are pullet Chickens

These are the brown eggs that people buy from us that will come from these chicks in 16 to 20 weeks.

This is Kyra with one of her chicks....even though we have hundreds of chickens at the farm, there is nothing like having chicks chirping in your living room (in a box) for a couple weeks.

This is Jorja's pick...she just wasn't ready to hold it yet!

This is one of Cyrus'  - look how excited he is..

This is one of Jacksons!

We appreciate that we have this opportunity to have these animals in our lives...so every chance we get we like to share the experience, so yesterday Jorja May and I took 3 chicks into our kids elementary school to share with the kids. In Jackson's class they sat in a circle and asked many questions. I was so proud of Jackson and how he answered them. It proved that he has been listening to his dad and grandpa.

Then we went to Cyrus' kindergarten class, even took eggs in to show the different sizes we get... from the first egg - pullet to a jumbo jumbo egg that doesn't even fit into our cartons. The kids light up when they see us coming. We even had one egg from our Ameraucana Chicken that lays Easter colored eggs.

This is Cyrus showing his classmates.... I love how proud he gets.

These are Easter eggs --- and what the Chickens look like!

We stopped at a couple classes to show other kids....and if you pick up orders at our house, I will be sure to show you. 

We truly wish everyone a wonderful Easter...and we truly appreciate all of our family, friends and customers!

Love,

Michelle & Family