Chicama Run Family Farm

Joe and I have been talking over the last few weeks.  We love what we do - we are amazed at how it has grown.... but then we get back to asking ourselves "Why did we start this farm?"

Answer (besides our usual "to get away from people"): To provide great products to people and for our family.

Nothing huge there - nothing profound - nothing about making a million dollars..... just to show people it can be done and to do it ourselves.

We both believe our minds have gotten away from that over the last year.  With an increase in new customers - we are always striving to please everyone.  Well, though we will always strive for that - we are getting back to basics.

Now you will see me offering classes for free (huh? what's that?)  We will work on some demonstrations for everyone to see and provide more education and hopefully talks.  I've learned a lot in 6 years - which does not make me an expert by any means - but I might know something you don't - and I'm sure you know something I don't!

Believe it or not, we might tell you we are sold out of something as we make life manageable.  We never aimed for this to be a "big business" with tons of employees - but a FAMILY FARM.  We do the work ourselves, the best we can and go from there.

We LIKE being able to offer our products as we do think they are the best out there (since we eat and drink everything we sell we have to like it - if ever in doubt, ask us about the nitrate-free hot dogs we got once and will never do again)

Our mission is not only to farm and provide food for our family (gotta say it's nice being able to walk down to the freezer because I need ground beef for tonight's dinner).... but to educate as we learn and share our experiences with you.

My garage might become more like a store front - but it's to be able to provide you with products we believe in completely and have tried ourselves.  You might get a different review from each one of us (not everyone loves everything - and all my kids will tell you their favorite steak is the Delmonico).... but with 6 of us, someone is bound not to be thrilled with something.  Yet everyone HAS to try new things :)

Keep on the look out for more down to earth business and a slower pace (at least perceived).

So I tried to start on Friday - and I failed.  Seriously, I went half the day and was done with it.  But, being determined to give this a go... I restarted on Saturday.

I had a bad migraine very early in the morning so was up from 2-4am then finally fell asleep only to re-wake up at 5:30 to get ready for the market.  Made it through the market on only water as I was still a little fuzzy headed.

Came home had a strawberry smoothie, more water and a small piece of bread just to help with the still there headache.

Had a normal dinner (smoked ham steaks, steamed broccoli, cauliflower & strawberries).  More water and passed out at 8:30pm.  Yeah I was tired.

Woke up this morning and started with water and now a strawberry smoothie.  Different from yesterdays as I used coconut milk in it and an egg.

Since I'm heading out today I figured I would need a little more "stuff" in it to keep me going.  I'll be taking water with me and maybe have a salad for lunch.

I have figured that with the detox - you just make it easier for your own system to digest food in whatever way you need to.

My daughter (studying to be a nurse) said her teacher told them detoxing wasn't good for you.  I would retort with asking how having yogurt with sugary substances that are low fat and full of chemicals a "good lunch" for so many women?  Having real food makes such a difference!

After 2 weeks of rushing around and working on the farm - it's time to seriously detox.  I personally ate so much garbage in the last couple of weeks, I'm a little ashamed (but not so much I feel bad I ate 2 pieces of cake!).

Starting today I am detoxing.  A friend put that buzz word back in my ear a few weeks ago when she was going to do a 7-day detox (need to find out how she did when I see her this weekend).

So I'm making a tea to help flush some of these toxins out of my body, drinking a lot of water and eating lighter foods and drink smoothies a lot this weekend.

What triggered this?  Swollen feet and I'm tired constantly.  For the past few days, by the end of the day, I have no ankles.  It doesn't even take that long actually as I look at my feet right now.

I'm not going to follow anyone else's set plan - I've honestly never found one that I liked.  So I'm making it up as I go.

First off - lots of water!!  This will naturally help flush everything out of my system.

Second - Swelling Relief Tea from Bulk Herb Store - this again will help with the swelling and flushing out toxins

Third - Berry Smoothies or even "berry sorbet" which is just frozen berries through a blender or with a hand-blender

Fourth - Detox+ again from Bulk Herb Store.  I've actually had this for awhile and last time I used it, it was amazing how much was pulled from my body.  I know this because of the way I immediately felt!  Well, I backed off it quickly and now am determined to follow it through.

Fifth - Light dinners.  It's hot out so I'm thinking of stuff like that anyways.  I'm going to try to go with a Primal diet for dinners - gotta have some fat and some meat :) of course salads.

My plan is to take it 3-days at a time.  When 3-days is done.....see where I'm at..... then aim for another 3-days..... then see where I am at and continue if needed.

In the meantime I need to start my kombucha tea back up.  Over the last 2 weeks I "forgot" about it and now it tastes awful so I will be almost starting completely over.  This will give me something else to add for a drink which will help fix and restore all that gut flora everyone talks about.  Until I get it back to where I will drink it (it really tastes nasty now) - I will be taking a probiotic.

We can damage our bodies pretty quickly just by life happening.  The key I am finding out is seeing that your body has had enough and take the time to fix it.

It's funny how life works all the time.  I always just shake my head.

This weeks multiple head-shaking events:

#1 A goat who didn't even LOOK pregnant gave birth to 3 babies (all are healthy) - she was skinny as a rail to the point I just looked at her and didn't think she was going to give birth this year at all!

# 2 Of course as we get ready for the Loudoun Spring Farm Tour this weekend, we have a lot to get done and as I need to run out of the house, another goat is giving birth making me 30 minutes late...

Sunday, I got the privilege of learning how to castrate a pig!  Again, you never know what to expect around here..... the way it happened.... a new customer came up who was a long time older farmer.  Apparently, Joe talked to him and found out he used to have a large hog farm and had to castrate pigs all the time and would be thrilled to show me how!  I know, it doesn't take much to thrill me - but I loved learning how easy this is to do since I will have to do it more often as we have more pigs.

Off to continue getting ready for the farm tour this weekend!

A lot of people look at farmers markets as a quick set up because of the tents and the lack of a "store front."  Quite a few have evolved to accepting credit cards and using a cash register even since we started (honestly the first year we were at 2 I never saw a cash register!).

So what does it take to get to market day?

I'll go with us.......

Thursday afternoon/evening - we butcher the chickens.  This past week Joe & I butchered 31 birds.

Friday - load up the trailer.  Pick out the meats that we want to sell this week and what will fit in the freezers.  Load up the eggs (note that we have been washing eggs every day during the week so we don't have to do it all on Friday).

Saturday - Wake up early to do the morning chores before I leave at 6:45.  In order to get there - I need to be milking the cows by 5.

The market opens from 8-12 now.  So at 12, we load everything back into the trailer, drive home, unload everything that didn't sell and continue selling here at the farm.

Now all of this stuff is in addition to the normal every day farm routine.

* Wake at 6 (though I'm trying to do a 5am thing to milk the cows earlier - I'm not doing too great at that yet)
* Kids wake up and take care of their 4-H animals and/or let the chickens out before they get ready for school.
* 1st kid to the bus at 7 (other kids are starting to come back out of their rooms around 7:30)
* 7:45/7:50 - rest of the kids are out the door to the bus
* 8am - hey I think I would like breakfast!!  Maybe an extra cup of coffee!!  Answer emails and go over the rest of the schedule for the day.
* Things never go as planned - such as this morning - I was milking until 9am - I was tired last night and just couldn't get up at 5!
*  Print invoices - see where we are with milk etc. (ie paperwork)
*  Make deliveries if needed or other errands
* 12-2 lunch, more paperwork, emails etc
* 2-6 afternoon chores, milking, gathering eggs, making dinner, things like that
* 6-??  Depending on the week, we usually have 1-3 meetings to attend for 4-H, or other appointments in the afternoon for the kids.  We try and have family time - which sometimes gets mixed in with dinner and TV (catching up on American Idol together)

Now these are just every day standard things...... many things can and do go wrong (or right depending on how you look at it!).... babies being born (this can screw up my entire schedule).... an animal going down due to illness or eating something they weren't supposed to (again - my schedule can get screwed up)..... the ever present "MOM - I need this TOMORROW and I FORGOT!!" (that one doesn't happen often as I have now told my kids "tough" enough times for it to have sunk in :).... fence breaking......picking up the meat from the butcher.... hauling animals to the butcher.... all these things can really change the schedule.

There is NO typical day.  My calendar is color coded and if it isn't on there - it doesn't exist in my world - and all my kids can tell you.... don't mess with Mom's World :)