Here we are with Dr. Grandin!

There is a lot to love about winter when you are a farmer. The down-time, cooler weather or needed physical rest are great, but one of our favorite aspects of wintertime is the opportunity to learn from other farmers at conferences. Every year we attend at least two conferences for grass farmers, the Vermont Grazing Conference in Farilee, VT and the Winter Green-Up Conference in Latham, NY.

Both conferences were great and always get us back into planning mode. This year I was a amazed at how much we have learned over the past six years and left both conferences with a renewed confidence in what we are doing and how much knowledge we have acquired with only the fuel of passion for this lifestyle.

At the Vermont Grazing Conference Chris and I were able to once again see Dr. Temple Grandin.  There are few people who are able to invoke such intense respect and awe like Dr. Grandin.  Grandin is unique in her field (animal behavior) in that she does her job with a major handicap...autism.  The amazing thing about Temple though is that her autism has proven to be the opposite of a handicap, a true gift.

Temple's battle with certain aspects of her disease have led her to important discoveries in animal behavior, most noteworthy being the importance of being in tune with animals' senses.

Temple spoke to us first about livestock handling facilities and their design which she has had a significant influence on industry-wide.  She illustrated how animals see the world, what frightens them and keeps them calm, and how to humanely ease the handling and eventual slaughter of animals.

Later in the day Temple spoke to us about animal behavior and humane treatment to animals.  At the end of her talk Chris and I were able to ask her a few key questions about working with our herd of cattle and our bull.  Chris even got Temple to flash us a broad and genuine smile, not an easy feat!

We are so grateful to have had the chance to see Dr. Grandin again, she is truly inspirational.  Most of all we are thankful for all of the important contributions Dr. Grandin has made worldwide in animal science and the humane treatment to animals.

Caitlin

One item that was on our to do list when the new year arrived was to join the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund. With all of the recent assaults on small farms, raw milk, and food sovereignty we decided it was time to show our support for a brave and necessary organization.

We first heard about the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund from Joel Salatin while hearing him speak at a conference last year. If you know our farm at all, you know that we put a great deal of confidence in Joel and his opinions about farming and life. Now Joel is not one to endorse many products or try to sell anything (other than his farm products, books and farming methods of course) so when he said that it was worthy becoming a member of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, we listened.

The fund is a non-profit organization whose clear mission is to (quoted from the fund's website):

• Protect the constitutional right of the nation’s family farms to provide processed and unprocessed farm foods directly to consumers through any legal means.

• Protect the constitutional right of consumers to obtain unprocessed and processed farm foods directly from family farms.

• Protect the nation’s family farms from harassment by federal, state, and local government interference with food production and on-farm food processing.

Now since we process poultry on the farm and sell directly to you our customers, we felt it necessary and dutiful to join this year.

Family farms should continue to be an integral part of our great nation's food system and it seems that more and more, small farms are struggling just to make it.  Keeping the playing field even between large and small farms, letting consumers decide whether or not they want to consume raw milk or farm-processed poultry, and keeping our rural landscapes dotted with farms is so important to our future.

You too can join the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund as a consumer member and support small farms and your right to buy foods directly from your farmers.

And on a lighter note...check out this funny clip about local food!

Caitlin

our best holiday gift was Sam's orchid bloom!

Welcome 2012!  Here on the farm we like to think about all of the positive things that have happened over the course of the year.  We learned so much in 2011 and will no doubt learn so much more this year.  We had our ups and downs, ins and outs but all in all we had a great year.

Some of the highlights of the year were raising lambs for the first time (and completely on grass!), truly pasturing our pigs which meant that they had full access to all of the fields and all of the goodies out there, having eight new calves fathered by our Devon bull for the first time, and learning to manage employees as young entrepreneurs. 

We opened up our farm store in 2011 and have enjoyed the constant contact with our customers and the luxury of having the products to sell right here on the farm. We held over a dozen farm tours this season to school groups and the public and learned what works for each age group.  The inn and farm hosted the Feast on This film festival which was a great success and brought awareness to many about the importance of our local food system. 

Chris and I have a couple of farm conferences to attend this month and we always come back from them with fresh ideas and a renewed perspective on exactly what we are striving for on the farm.  The cold air will clear the mind for 2012 farm planning and before we know it it will be spring again and the animals will be grazing once more.

Since the holidays both fell on Saturdays, our farm store was closed the past two weeks.  We are open again this Saturday and can't wait to see you.  We just got pork back and we will have lamb in two weeks.

Happy 2012!

Caitlin

For me this time of year brings with it a feeling of tranquility. I love the chill in the air and the darkness which always make me want to come in and spend time with my loved ones.  The cold and the darkness although difficult at times, brings us together unlike the sunny summer months when we use every last bit of daylight to work. Our bodies need a rest but then there is the holiday rush...

The holidays shouldn't be about stress and if we can, we should try to give back to each other and the earth.  This is the part that I stress about.  How can we satisfy our love of giving and receiving gifts, eating, traveling and sending cards when trying so hard to tread lightly on the earth?

Some simple things we can do to green up our holidays are shopping locally, sending fewer cards or going digital, including locally raised ingredients in our holiday meals, making gifts from natural or found items, choosing gifts with less packaging, buying used items or upcycled items instead of new, giving a gift of an animal from Heifer International, giving gifts that disappear like food, or an experience such as a museum pass or tickets to a performance. 

When we are all done with our festivities we can compost our trees or have them chipped (here on the farm the goats eat them like candy!), reuse or recycle our wrapping paper and boxes and finally we could all take some time to go through all of our clothing and other posessions and donate what we don't need or no longer use. 

Whew, that's quite a list but looking at it makes me feel just a bit better.  If we all do just a little to make the holidays more sustainable we'll be better off tomorrow and hopefully a little less stressed!

If you are thinking about giving a gift of farm fresh food or a night away, we have gift certificates available at our farm store and there are inn gift certificates available at the Inn at Valley Farms.

Happy holidays and thank you all for your continued support of the farm and inn!!

Caitlin

First of all we'd like to thank all of our loyal customers for supporting the farm and sharing so many great food stories!  We have loved hearing about your family feasts and are honored to have been a part of them.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner here on the farm.  We cooked up two heritage turkeys and the majority of the side dishes were made from ingredients either grown on the farm or locally.  What a wonderful sense of accomplishment  it is to reap the rewards of this beutiful harvest.

Now onto chicken.  We raised quite a few chickens this season so the freezers are stocked and we will continue to have frozen chickens for sale through the winter.  Since we raised so many, we have the luxury of enjoying one of these delectable birds once a week or so.  After eating the meat we always make a stock with the carcass that we either use right away or freeze.  Often times we add some chicken feet to the stock pot which adds a layer of delicious gelatin purpoted to be excellent for our joint health.

Lately I've been trying to branch out from my typical roast chicken which is always great but getting a bit boring for me to prepare. I recalled once making a fricassee which the family (including the little ones) absolutely loved.  So I searched for a fricassee recipe that would be sure to incorporate at least some veggies other than onion.  I came across a recipe for fricassee with artichokes and fennel and had to try it. The recipe comes to us from Martha Stewart but I changed it up a bit not only to make it a little less messy but a little less time consuming as well. 

First you take a whole chicken and cut it into ten or so pieces making sure to save the carcass for stock.  Brown the pieces on all sides in a bit of oil of your choice (I used olive and sunflower oils plus a smidge of ghee). Slice a red onion and a fennel bulb and add to pan.  Add one 15 ounce can of artichoke hearts minus the water and one cup of chicken stock. Add salt and pepper put the top on and let simmer on the stovetop for about 30 minutes, check frequently. After the liquid has cooked down take the top off and let it cook down some more until it produces a creamy sauce. Serve immediately, garnish with fennel fronds (and save the rest of the fennel stalks and fronds to add to your stock for a delicious, robust flavor).

Our kids loved this meal and what I thought would be enough for us to eat for lunch the following day was gobbled up that night!  If you try the recipe let us know how it goes...we hope you like it as much as we did!

Caitlin

Black Friday or the day after Thanksgiving has been, for years now, termed the "busiest shopping day of the year."  The term has many origins but the most important one to businesses is moving from the "red" into the "black" or turning a profit. Over the past ten years we have seen an increased number of large national chains advertising earlier and earlier for "Black Friday Savings."  Along with all the hype often comes violence and for many people, a feeling of obligation to shop on this day. It doesn't have to be this way.

So why "Plaid Friday" you ask? The spirit of Plaid Friday is supporting the unique diversity of local businesses, and bringing community back to our shopping experience, hence the use of plaid and not simply one color.  So if you must shop on the day after Thanksgiving, make it local.  Support our local businesses and our local economy.  Holiday shopping should be fun!

Both the Inn at Valley Farms and Walpole Valley Farms are hubs for the Plaid Friday event.  Our farm store will be open from 10am - 3pm and we will have all of our delectable farm products including gift certificates to our farm store and maple syrup made with sap from maples on the farm.

We will be offering hot samples of some of our farm products and the first five people to come to the store will receive a certificate for a free farm tour! We'll be ready to snap your picture if you come sporting your plaid attire in support of the event.

Caitlin

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and now is the time to start thinking about preparations for the year's most important meal.  The star of the meal has been and always will be the turkey.  Our phone has been ringing off the hook this week as we prepare for our annual turkey pickup on the farm.  I guess more and more folks are learning about the differences between a pasture-raised turkey and a conventional one! 

If you are looking for a succulent, flavorful, humanely and sustainably raised Thanksgiving turkey, a pasture-raised one is the way to go.  The demand for pasture-raised and heritage breed turkeys has skyrocketed in the past few years due to the increased awareness of shopping locally and preserving old animal breeds. We are happy to be raising them on the farm as they always give us a good chuckle when they gobble at us in unison.

Once you try a pasture-raised turkey you may never go back!  The copious amounts of grass, bugs, and worms that the turkeys consume really comes through in the flavor of the bird.  The heritage turkeys have more dark meat and are quite a bit smaller than a standard white turkey but the flavor is to die for.

If you did not reserve your turkey this year we still have a few!  We will be selling both heritage and white broad-breasted turkeys at the Stonewall Farm Fare this Saturday starting at 9 am.  The turkeys will go fast so be sure to get there early!

This Thanksgiving please enjoy your families, friends and the amazing food that we are all thankful for this time of year.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Caitlin

Love is in the air when the Big Love Mexican Diner, a mobile Mexican food establishment, drives into town. Owners Rachel and Dan Kusch just love what they are doing and love supporting local food.  Their business of cooking up healthy, local, fresh food that is easy to eat, quick to assemble, and mobile to boot has become incredibly popular.

Chris's parents came across the purple Mercedes van emblazoned with the Big Love logo while traveling in the Lakes Region. They ordered their food and while waiting, got into a great conversation with one of the owners about Walpole Valley Farms.  Before we knew it Dan and Rachel had put in an order for pasture-raised chickens!  We are thrilled the mobile diner is using our chickens and so happy to see the initiative Rachel and Dan take to keep our food as local as possible.

What a great opportunity to be part of such an innovative and forward-thinking business. Selling our chickens to neighbors like Dan and Rachel speaks volumes to what we, along with so many others, are trying to achieve with the sustainable practices of our farm. We are confident that our chickens we lovingly raise will be lovingly cooked up by Rachel and Dan (watch a great video clip here) who will in turn, spread the message about the importance of  loving local food.

Unfortunately the Big Love van won't be spotted in the Monadnock Region anytime soon but when in the Lakes Region you'll find mouth watering Mexican food in Plymouth, Meredith, Moultonborough, and Sandwich.

Caitlin

The time had finally come for us to better service our customers' needs so this summer we set to work on the old milk room in the dairy barn. The mammoth, stainless steel bulk tank was removed, revealing the perfect space for a little farm store.  

After a paint job and a little TLC, we opened our farm store doors onthe 22nd of October. With hours two days a week, we weren't sure what sort of traffic we would get but on our first day we had people waiting at the door at 10 am when we opened!  We were so excited to see all of our customers and chat about the happenings on the farm, local food, and the coming winter.

For us, having a connection to our customers and having the opportunity to talk face to face about our products is so important.  We are glad that our new farm store has become not only a place to buy wholesome pasture-raised meats but also a place where we can talk about our passion...the farm.  Farming is hard work but connecting with all of you and seeing the upswell of interest in the kind of farming that is good to the earth and to the soul is well worth it!

You'll find us at the farm store Wednesdays from 3-6 and Saturdays from 10-3.

Thank you all for your continued support!!

Caitlin

First of all we'd like to put in a word for all of people in our area who have lost property and crops due to the extensive flooding in our area this past weekend.  As farmers, our hearts are going out to those who had stranded livestock, flooding, and tree damage. 

The other day our five-year-old Sam went to the garden and brought in some carrots.  He placed them in the sink and proceeded to remove the tops and wash them clean of earth.  He looked at me and said "Mom, we have to save these for winter so we'll have something to eat."  I looked back at him and smiled feeling a deep appreciation for the sheer fact that at five, he knows that we should be putting our fresh food by so we will have something wholesome to eat when the cold weather sets in.

Of course he has seen us do this and has helped his grandmother pick and freeze berries, we've made jam and the whole nine yards but to hear him really make the connection made me feel so good. Our kids know where their food comes from (for the most part) and it makes a big difference in the way it feels when it comes to the table.  It is so refreshing to be able to say that "this steak came from one of our cows" or "thanks for helping me pick the green beans, aren't they yummy?!"

This connection to our food is so important and knowing your farmer and where your food comes from helps strengthen that connection. There are some things that we don't produce ourselves that we buy locally such as cheese, corn, bread, and milk.  It is so nice to hear the kids say "Mom, can I have some of Bill's milk?" There is a face behind the white liquid that our son Henry can't get enough of. We know what the cows at Flying Cloud Dairy look like, what they eat, and above all,we know the farmer.

We want our customers to know us like we know our farmers.  We deal with a lot of other farmers such as our grain grower.  We know him, trust him and see him on a regular basis.  We have relationships with our customers too.  We take the time to talk to them and ask how their lives are going.  We invite our customers into the fields and often times, into our house.  We hope that when people sit down to a chicken dinner or a barbeque, they are thinking of the animals and people behind their meal.  There is nothing like knowing the history of exactly what the cow you are eating was eating before it was on your table.  When you know your farmer, you can ask these questions.  So we hope that you will come get to know us and get to know your other farmers so we can all strengthen our connection to the food and to the land together.

Caitlin

June always brings us so much beauty and fragrance.  The verdant pastures are bursting with life and the field roses' intoxicatingly sweet smell reminds us to savor each month and each day.

The farm has been an exciting place to be lately! Thus far there have been four calves born over the past 8 days.  It is such a thrill to find a wobbly-legged calf suckling for the first time in the tall grass.  The heifers who have not yet calved are looking quite eager to move things along as they hobble through the field, udders swollen.

So this year to add to the excitement (and the work) we have decided to add lambs to the mix.  We bought ten lambs from Vermont Shepherd with the intention of grazing them behind the cows and before the chickens.  Multi-species grazing can be a huge benefit to our pastures and adds a "stackable enterprise" to our farm so we are not just a beef farm or just a chicken farm.

Cows and sheep prefer different forage, the cows preferring the grasses and the sheep preferring the forbs or broad-leafed plants and weeds.  Although sheep love grasses as well, they will tend to eat many of the plants that the cows have left behind. 

Grazing the chickens in the same general area as the cows and sheep helps to keep the fly larvae down thus keeping the farm cleaner and the animals happier.  Cows and sheep don't share the same parasites so having the sheep follow the cows is a great way to keep sheep parasites down since the cows will eat the sheep larvae before the sheep get onto that area. Oh and I almost forgot the pigs!  Our pastured heritage breed pigs have been roaming freely throughout this system and are doing a great job eating some of the undesireable vegetation on the farm.

In the photo above you can see the lambs surrounded by electrified netting, the chicken tractors containing our poulet rouge chickens, followed by the cattle. If you have not had the opportunity to visit the farm and are interested in learning more about multi-species grazing come to one of our farm tours on the first Saturday of every month at 10am or make an appointment for a private tour.  We love to have visitors on the farm!

Caitlin

Ah farmers' markets...the time has finally arrived!  The fresh greens, the colors and fragrances of spring flowers, burgers cooking on the grill, children frolicking, happy shoppers with bags filled with fresh, local food; it is a time we have all been waiting for.

The winter sure is long here in Northern New England so these first few weeks of the growing season are a much anticipated time.  This past week the Walpole Farmers' Market was brimming with fresh greens, hanging plants, meat, cheese, artisan bread, soap, handcrafted cutting boards, pottery, fiddle music by John Specker, and so much more!  We are lucky here in Walpole to have so many talented artisans and farmers to showcase on our town common.

We have a table at the market on most Fridays where we sell our pastured eggs, grass-fed beef, patured poultry, pastured pork, and occasionally plants and vegetables.  In addition to the market you can always buy our farm fresh products directly from us right here on the farm!

So make a point to head down to the Walpole Farmers' Market to say hello, listen to some music, meet up with friends, and shop for amazing local produce, meat, cheese, bread, and crafts.

See you at the market!

Caitlin

Turkeys enjoying the great outdoors!

I can't tell you how many people have said "well, why do you pasteurize your chickens?" and I have had to chuckle and explain that no we do not pasteurize the chickens but we do pasture them.

So what exactly does pastured poultry mean?  Popularized by farmer Joel Salatin, pasturing poultry means that the birds are raised on pasture either in portable pens often referred to as chicken tractors or in a large area fenced in with electrified poultry netting.  In a typical pasture-based system the birds are moved to fresh pasture frequently.  Some pastured poultry producers let their birds roam freely around their property. 

Why pasture poultry?  Besides fresh air, sunshine and exercise, poultry need animal protein and the living grasses they consume in a pasture based system add flavor and nutrition to their meat and eggs.  As omnivores, the insects, grubs and worms that supplement a grain and grass diet make for a much healthier animal.  The meat and eggs from pastured birds also boast a much higher level of Omega-3 fatty acids purported to be better for people than the high Omega-6 levels of purely grain-fed poultry.

Here on our farm our chickens are part of an intricate puzzle that when the pieces fit together, support the health and vitality of all of our animals and the fertility of the soil.  The poulet rouge meat birds that we raise live in chicken tractors and are moved daily to maximize the green material that they can consume while fertilizing the fields.  We chose to raise them in the tractors so that we can maximize the manure spread on the field and to keep out predators.

The turkeys live in a large paddock surrounded by electrified poultry netting with a shade shelter in the center.  The fence is moved to a new area every few days to allow the turkeys to forage in a fresh area and to fertilize the fields.  The laying hens also live in a large paddock surrounded by electrified netting and lay their eggs in a portable hen house which is moved to fresh pasture every few days.  None of the birds touch the same ground more than once per season helping to keep the birds healthy and vibrant.

We just moved our first batch of chickens out onto pasture.  We stayed in the field, the rain pouring down and watched them forage in their new grassy home.  Can't wait to see the yolks of the eggs once the layers are out in the pasture! 

Caitlin

I know I said that my next blog would be on pastured chickens (I will get to that...promise) but after last night's dinner I had to put it on hold.

Last week Chris got a call from local author and culinary professional Deborah Krasner.  She gives culinary tours of this area and wanted to know if we would be willing to give a tour of the farm.  She offered dinner in exchange for the private tour so naturally, assuming that the meal would be fabulous, Chris accepted.

The tour went well despite the biting early spring cold and high winds.  The group asked great food questions that left mouths watering in anticipation of the evening's meal.  After the tour, the group headed back to Deborah's bona fide chef's kitchen to cook the meal.

We arrived at Deborah's beautifully renovated barn-turned-home around eight, having made sure to arrive hungry.  It was obvious from the aromas emanating from the kitchen and the amazing collections of cookware lovingly decorating the dining room, that Deborah loves to cook.

We were met by Deborah's culinary tour group along with local farmers David and Yesenia Major of Vermont Shepherd. We sat and got to know each other over cheese (from Vermont Shepherd of course) crackers, elk pate and olives.

What was the main course you may ask?  Lamb directly from Deborah's back yard cooked with figs, a heaping platter of saffron rice and a salad of spring greens. We were all so silent as we savored the first bite that no one had to say how delicious the meal was.  The dessert was an amazing chocolate souffle rolled up like a buche de noel with cream in the middle...delicious!

Deborah's most recent book Good Meat:The Complete Guide to Sourcing and Cooking Sustainable Meat was a major topic of conversation over dinner.  As Chris and I leafed through the book we were impressed by the practical cooking and butchering instructions along with the recipes which will not only be helpful to us, but also to many of our customers who want a comprehensive meat reference.

We were so happy to have been a part of Deborah's culinary tour and loved meeting the group.  Everyone was truly appreciative of what we are doing here at Walpole Valley Farms.  We hope to see more of Deborah and her tours in the future as we continue to raise good meat.

Caitlin 

Sam peeking on the new chicks

Besides the daffodils and crocuses blooming in front of the farm house, one sure sign of spring for us here on the farm is the arrival of our first batch of broiler chicks.

The call came early this morning.  The woman on the line from the post office said "you've got quite a few babies down here."  I told her we'd be right down and I hung up the phone.  Chris and Sam quickly dressed and headed downtown to pick up 500 peeping fluff balls.

The brooder was all set up a few days ago so the chicks would have a clean, comfortable and warm home upon arrival.  Chris, Tyson (our new employee) and Sam made sure that each chick had a drink of water with a bit of organic molasses before placing them on the floor of the brooder.  The molassses gives them a little extra boost of nutrition after the long ride in the mail truck.

The chicks will stay warm under the heat lamps and in a few weeks they will be out on pasture enjoying an abundance of bugs, worms, grass and sunshine!

If you have not pre-ordered your chickens and turkeys there's still time!  Click here for our printable order form.

Look for the blog next week for an in depth description of pastured poultry and its benefits to our animals, the earth, and human health!

Caitlin

The farm has been relatively quiet lately but we know it is just the calm before the storm.  As the snow melts and the temperature rises, we are now in full planning mode for the coming season.  We had been planning on getting more pigs for this upcoming season but they were available a bit sooner than we had expected...which means we'll have fresh pork sooner!! 

About a month ago we bought eight Large Black, Berkshire cross piglets.  We put them in the loafing shed and made them a nest of hay so they can cuddle up to each other for warmth.  All eight of the piglets came to us looking so healthy and they are so fun to watch!  They run in and out of the cows' legs and seem to be having a great time in the snow and compost piles.

The Large Black is a critically endangered heritage breed as of today.  A heritage breed is a breed of animal that was revered by farmers in the past.  Since we now rely on industrial agriculture, where only specialized breeds are used, many of the non-commercially used breeds have disappeared along with precious genetic diversity. Now the term "heritage" is used to refer to such animals.

Here on our farm we are trying to bring back some of the genetic diversity that used to be commonplace on American farms. Eating these animals ensures that people will breed more of them. We need to eat them to save them! Isn't that ironic?

The Large Black breed is known as a docile, easy to keep hog that can forage for much of their nutrition on their own.  Because we are a pasture based farm, these pigs fit in perfectly to the mix. These natural foragers will take well to the woodland/pasture landscape that will be their home come spring.

Because these animals forage for much of their diet, the flavor of the meat is completely different from factory-farmed pork.  The meat is darker, meatier, and much more tender than your typical pork. Chris and I recently ate some pork chops from last season's pigs who were out on pasture and consumed copius amounts of acorns.  The meat was the best that I had ever tasted and not at all dry.  We were so amazed by the difference and can't wait to taste this year's pork!

Caitlin

About a month and a half ago we received a letter in the mail from the NH Department of Agriculture.  When we opened it and saw a brochure for this year's Farm and Forest Expo. we almost put it aside to read later.  But tucked inside the brochure was a stark white letter stating that our farm had been selected a New Hampshire Farm of Distinction for 2011!

Clearly we were excited as the award is quite an honor.  This award recognizes farms that go above and beyond in regards to the appearance of their grounds and buildings and its contribution to building a favorable image of agriculture in our state. 

With all of the work that has been put into this farm over the last twelve years, it is no surprise that someone noticed the blood, sweat and tears that has made it what it is today.  We are so lucky to live on such an amazingly beautiful farm with its historic barns and rolling hills, woodland trails and sugarbush. 

As we are a multi-generational family farm, twelve of us from all three families travelled to the awards ceremony last Friday night in Manchester. We will proudly display our sign and continue to steward the land as nature intended.  Hopefully you can come visit us sometime or even stay in the B&B and enjoy the farm for yourself!

Three other farms were also named a Farm of Distinction this year, Alyson's Orchard also right here in Walpole, Stoneridge Farm of Bradford, and Zorvino Vineyards and Winery in Sandown.

A Dozen of Our Yummy Eggs

First of all Happy New Year to everyone!  We had a quiet New Year's Eve here on the farm.  For us, the new year is always a nice time to reflect on the year, not only personally but on the farm as well. 

2010 was an amazing year!  We raised more meat chickens, more turkeys, and more beef cattle than we ever have in the past and we still ran out of meat!  The demand for local, sustainable meat and eggs is truly a testament to the strength of the food movement and we are so happy to be part of it!

Now onto the fun...

We have young laying hens that have been laying for about three months now.  We decided to keep our old layers since the demand for farm fresh eggs is also steady.   Because of all of the new chickens we have an abundance of small and medium size eggs and I have been having so much fun trying out recipes that use LOTS of eggs.

Last night I made a fritatta with 8 eggs, raw cream from Flying Cloud Dairy (amazing milk from grass-fed cows), sausage from our pastured pigs, kale from our garden, garlic from my sister-in-law's garden, and mushrooms foraged by a friend last year that I pulled out of the freezer.  The fritatta was so yummy and a great use of all of those eggs!  Kale is one of those veggies that is packed with nutrients but only tastes really good (to the boys of the house) if it is well sauteed in garlic and oil and hidden inside the meal.

Chris and the kids LOVED the fritatta and scarfed it down leaving none for the next day!   This was a great dinner but could also be a great breakfast, lunch or yummy weekend brunch.

Here's the recipe:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or your prefered oil) in an oven-proof skillet.  Sautee mushrooms, kale and garlic for about 5 minutes until soft.  Crack and beat 8 eggs into a bowl and beat in 1/2 cup of cream and a pinch of salt (we use Himalayan Crystal Salt...yum!).  Pour egg mixture over the sauteed greens, mushrooms and garlic and stir.  Let sit and cook for about 5-7 minutes and then transfer to the oven for another 8-10 minutes or until firm.  Slide onto a plate, cut, serve and enjoy!

Caitlin

Last night Chris and I had the opportunity to go and see a woman that we have been so impressed by, Temple Grandin.  You may have heard her name from the 2009 HBO biopic which has become wildly popular, but her beginnings were as an animal scientist and activist.  Temple has autism and is an autism activist spreading the word about her amazing mind and how we all need to recognize that we all think differently.  Temple's unforgettable presence and her thoughtful words last night will be sure to stick in our minds for a very long time.

Chris first became interested in Temple Grandin's work after hearing Joel Salatin explain the origins of his own cattle handiling facility in Swoope, VA.  Temple has an amazing ability to see the details that she believes that animals are seeing and are often frightened or apprehensive of. A flag flapping in the wind for example, a stream of light shining on the ground where cattle are meant to walk, or shiny objects can cause stress in an animal.  Temple has designed cattle handling facilities that reduce the stress on animals when they are being sorted or handled.  Her simplistic and common-sense plans are now being used on farms and in slaugherhouses all over the world.  Solutions to problems with the old system of cattle handling were not being seen by the average person. Temple helped us to see the changes that needed to be made to make these stressful situations calmer for the animals.

We all owe a lot to Temple Grandin for her work in this area.  I know for us in our business that the stress level during life of the animal that we are about to eat is so important. There are many studies that suggest that meat from calm animals is less tough and tastes better, not to mention that we can rest assured that the animal wasn't suffering from the stress.

Temple didn't talk too much about cattle handling facilities last night, she spoke more about autism and the hurdles that we all face when learning to accept that everyone thinks differently.  Temple is a testament to the fact that we are all capable of amazing feats and if our talents are nurtured and we are listened to, we can accomplish just about anything.

Alex Budden our first full-time intern, Summer 2010

This summer was quite a whirlwind and we could not have moved ahead like we did if it hadn't been for the enthusiastic work of our interns!  Chris had posted a listing for an intern back in the winter months and had heard from a few people but none so interesting and motivated as Alex Budden.  Alex had just graduated from Williams College and was looking for an experience on a farm before heading to Alaska to work on a fishing vessel.  The farm eneded up being the perfect place for her to land temporarily and to gain some practical and fun work experience.

Alex and Bill (our full-time employee) worked so well together, we could not have asked for a better situation in that regard.  The two of them seemed to get along beautifully and accomplished so much this summer.

Whether it was playing violin duets with our son Sam or cleaning out nesting boxes, Alex was always positive and ready for her next task.  We hope that she is having a rewarding learning experience in Alaska!

Daniel and Inbal (with Henry) spent two weeks interning on the farm this September

The day that Alex left the farm to head to Alaska, Daniel and Inbal arrived to work for two weeks as interns.  The couple were on break from college in Israel and called Chris because they wanted to have the experience of working on a farm.  Although we had had an intern all summer, the two weeks that they were willing to work ended up being a wonderful end to our busy season.

Daniel, originally from New York now living in Israel and Inbal from Israel, immediately went to work the day after arriving here and didn't stop until the day they left two weeks later!  The two of them helped Bill with all of the daily chores, moved fencing, pruned trees and so much more.

The work that Daniel and Inbal put in was so much appreciated but the knowledge that we gained about Israel was the highlight of their stay here.  The kids got to know the two of them very well and before they left they even made us the traditional Israeli dish shakshuka with ingredients from our farm. 

We were so lucky this year to have such wonderful interns.  We learned so much from all three of them and we hope that they took away some valuable knowledge from their experiences here.  The growing interest in our farm and especially from young people who have the power to change the way that we think about food is truly heartwarming.

So here we are again in late September, fresh air, cooler temperatures (thank goodness), and the smell of dried leaves and cider in the air.  This time of year is by far my favorite not only for the aromas, the harvest and the cool nights, but also for a favorite festival...Oktoberfest!  We are lucky enough here in Walpole to have an annual Oktoberfest celebration at one of the best restaurants around, The Restaurant at Burdick Chocolate.

Now you may be thinking, why is Oktoberfest in September?  Well in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, the festivities for Oktoberfest begin in September but go into the first week of October. The first Oktoberfest commemorated the wedding of crown prince Ludwig and Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen.  The event was such a success that it was decided to hold it again the following year. It continued to be such a hit that this year marks the 200th year! 

Walpole's Oktoberfest certainly does not draw the crowds of the real deal in Germany but Larry Burdick along with Chef Wesley Babb and pastry and chocolate chef Michael Klug (of Germany), have outdone themselves again. This year's Oktoberfest boasts authentic German cuisine that will knock your lederhosen off.  We are extremely excited that our very own Walpole Valley Farms Hendl or chicken will be on the menu this year!!! Quite an honor. 

SO if you have the opportunity to make it to this year's Oktoberfest don't hesitate to make a reservation.  You will be treated to an authentic German meal complete with German wine and beer pairings.  Go listen to some live Oompa music in the beer garden and enjoy the crisp, wonderful fall!  Oh and don't forget to order the chicken!! 

Caitlin

Much has happened here on the farm since I last blogged and please excuse the absence of any news.  Our 2nd annual Family Farm Day was held last weekend, August 28th and it was a huge success!  The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the atmosphere was amazing.  We had live bluegrass playing throughout the day, our own grass-fed beef burgers cooking on the grill, farm tours, a movie in the barn, an inn tour and so much more.  If you didn't make it this year, be sure to make an effort to come next year as it is a great family event.  A big thank you to all of you who made it, it was a great day!

Last night we sent a steer to slaughter at Westminster Meats (www.westminstermeats.com).  We are so happy to have a slaughterhouse right across the river, it sure makes transport a lot easier not to mention the decreased stress on the animal. We used to have to truck the animals at least an hour and a half away and now the the ride is only about ten minutes! 

Bill and Alex our assistant herd manager and intern respectively, have been hard at work keeping the fences moving and the animals rotated onto fresh pasture daily.  They have been working so hard in this heat, we are thrilled to have such dedicated help on the farm.

Before I go check out our Farm Day video that our friend Ian Kiehle put together (THANKS IAN!). You'll find the video on the left hand side of this webpage under local press and videos.  We love to show people what we are up to here on the farm so be sure to come to a farm tour before the cold weather sets in.  Our next tours are scheduled for September 4th and October 2nd.

See you at the farm!

Caitlin