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

Environment

Environment

The world is huge

and I'm so small sitting here

Now multiple me by a billion

This is what I fear

If everyone was me

The world would be so wrong

There would be no pure water

No birds to sing a song

So now I make a pledge

to keep this world clean

to reduce, reuse, recycle

to respect all I've seen

Sitting here I may be small

but what I do

will make a difference to all

Kyra Hebron

Michelle handed me this tonite when I sat down for dinner. Kyra (our oldest, 5th grade) writes down          poems all the time and some are good. But this one struck home. It seems that she was actually listening to me all these years behind all those blank stares. I'm so proud of her,as proud as a father could be.

Just the other night I learned the story of the hummingbird and this poem reminded me of that. Great job Kyra, love Dad

Apple Cider Slushie...

Have you ever had Apple Cider?  The other day we got crazy and made it even better....really is that possible?  We made Apple Cider Slushie....oh my word...it is heaven.  It took several tries and many laughs with my brother-in-law Richard and sister-in-law Annette...Jorja and I thought it was out of this world --- so much that even when you had a head ache from too much cold you had to drink more.

We came home and had to make it for the other kids...when we made it at the farm we used plain H20 ice with cider -- and Aunt Annette used her new Christmas smoothie/slushie blender! When I came home I immediatly made apple cider ice cubes...

once those were ready --- a couple of hours...I put the ice cubes in a regular blender and about 2 cups of apple cider...doing it one cup at a time to get the right consistency.  Here are the results!

Happy Cider Slushie drinking Jorja May

Happy Apple Cider drinking Cyrus and

After drinking too much...sometimes you just need to dance...

Jorja is starting an Apple Cider Slushie dance (another day...hence the clothes change)!

If only it were warmer out...but really I don't need a reason to drink something that tastes out of this world and shhh-- don't tell the kids.... it is good for you to drink!

I have two trays of frozen cubes, waiting for the kids to get off of the bus!

Have a great day!

Michelle and my dancing star....Jorja May

Growing Together, Feeding our Community

The Next 4 Saturdays at 7:00 you can join us at FREE Movies about Feeding our Community.....

Saturday March 6th 7:00 pm-- Fresh! New Thinking about what we're Eating (I could watch this movie over and over...it represents everything we feel as farmers)

Where:
First Unitarian Church
101 East North Shore Dr.
South Bend, IN 46617

Film web site: http://www.freshthemovie.com/

Location web site: http://firstunitarian.us/


Please share the information with your friends and family... you will meet people like you who care to make a difference in their family and community.

(Thank you for Jessica Clark, a member of Purple Porch Coop member for making the graphic and her hubby Tim Bayer for organizing the movies)

It is being put on by the Coop we sell at on Wednesdays....we (Family Farms Coop) are hosting the one at Little Flower Church.  Come have great conversations with great people.

Enjoy the warm weather...it is nice and muddy at the farm....perfect for our PIGS and kids!

Michelle

2nd Annual International Raw Milk Symposium– Claiming Your Rights

2nd Annual International Raw Milk Symposium– Claiming Your Rights....thought I would share this in case you missed the news and you live near Wisconsin:


BIG NEWS: 2nd Annual International Raw Milk Symposium– Claiming Your Rights

Now is the Time to Register!

Augie is most pleased to report that the Journal and the Alliance for Raw Milk Internationale (ARMi) has been named as an official Partner for this international symposium.

If you love your raw milk and your freedom to acquire it and drink it, then “Claiming Consumer Rights” is the conference for you. And, if you are a dairy farmer interested in the herdshare arrangements and legal sales of raw milk, the 2nd Annual International Raw Milk Symposium is the one conference of the year that is a must attend for education, training and networking– and one wonderful time. You will be surrounded by the key moovers and shakers of the industry with an agenda to set in motion major changes in North America to increase the availability of nature’s perfect food: clean, natural raw milk! This is all brought to you by Farm-to-Consumer Foundation.

Have a great day... and drink Raw Milk if you have some!

Michelle