A lot of people have met my husband Joe over the last year.  He's been amazing with stepping up to do my job plus his own here at the farm (and yes, he has a real full-time stressful job as well).  Most people had never met him or even seen him before - I told you he existed!!

Here's the thing - I do not believe everything that comes at me - especially now and days.  I'm skeptical about everything - herbs, essential oils, vitamins.... you name it, I can find a way to be a skeptic.  Of course, if I believe in it, I am one to jump in with both feet first (and I may not look around before I do it).

This is something that comes up a lot these days, doesn't it?  Every time I go out, I see "Buy Local" stickers on the back of cars and all this wonderful stuff that should make me (as a farmer) warm and fuzzy.

However, are you really supporting local?

A couple of years ago (I think), I wrote about what local actually means to people.  This is up for debate, and I really don't want to start one here because it does mean a lot of different things to different people.

I am not a person who only buys LOCAL.  In other words - I buy from PA, MD, & WV.  Local in my personal opinion is from people in LOUDOUN COUNTY.

WHY?  Because, you buy from people in LOUDOUN (my county), the money goes back into THIS COUNTY!

Personally - I pay taxes here, I send my kids to school here (ok well 2 stay home but you get the idea), I shop here, and this is where I plan to stay for awhile.  I want to see good things come to one of the richest counties in the nation.  Period.

When I buy from another farmer from another state or even another county in this state, I am helping support THEIR county - not mine.  See where I'm at with this?

Yes, I know you can save some money with out of state/out of area co-ops that deliver and all that jazz.  But where is that money going to?  Someone recently mentioned that our egg prices are high ($4.50/dozen - and I haven't raised the price in over a year - even though feed prices have gone up..... but watch for one at the farmer's market - just because of the extra fees for selling there)...  most people in the area are selling their eggs for $5+ - I don't think we are expensive.  Yes, I saw them when we visited PA for $2.50/dozen... but I couldn't see the chickens.  If they were delivered to me - I wouldn't know anything about the farm really except what someone else told me.  That would make me nervous.

I won't discourage anyone from buying from a local farmer's market at all!!  It's super convenient to have all the vendors in one place and as a busy person, I get it.  But maybe think about some of the other things you shop for and see if they CAN be gotten in Loudoun County (or whatever county you live in).  Or maybe select a Loudoun County farmer over someone else, even if the price is a little higher.  Trust me, we KNOW all about the taxes in the county - we pay them just like you do and so a lot of time our prices MIGHT be a little higher to compensate for those evil taxes that keep popping up demanding to be paid ;)

Off my really short soap box now ;)

I'm sorry I'm a slow blogger - maybe I'll try and make up for it - maybe not. 

So it looks like spring is here to stay (at least for awhile).  So much for the Almanac stating that it would be a winter to remember!  Though I miss the whole snuggle up inside the house and watch movies and play video games scene - I love the sunshine and the open windows spring brings.

Well, most of you know that with 6 kids in the house - it can get a little hectic.  We have been thrilled about so many of our wonderful customers coming out and buying the items the kids are making! The fudge, banana bread, artisan bread, cinnamon rolls, tea drinks and everything else the seem to come up with seems to be a hit.

This week though, I got a bonus :)  As the parents, we ask our children on Wednesdays who is making what.... I was told - thus I send out the email to everyone letting them know what will be available.  Friday comes around and it's very stressful (4+ hours with many people trying to help a goat give birth and it didn't work out - long story and very depressing so I'm not going into it at this point - maybe another day but not now).... 1 of the children who has said they would make something has now been invited to a friend's house to spend the night and we said "yes".....  well now I have advertised something as being here which apparently wouldn't be here unless I get up and make it!

5:45am Saturday morning - I'm up making cookies and rice treats..... no big deal honestly since these are things I have made before and know the recipes almost by heart.

My cookies SOLD :)

So - every Monday, Joe goes through and tallies everything the kids sell, takes out expenses, and puts their money in envelopes for them and hangs them on the wall for them to find (conveniently right around the chore chart!).

I GOT MY 1st EVER ENVELOPE!  Yep - me and my $13 are going far :)  I have to admit, it made me smile and laugh as I really was not expecting one - or payment of any sort for that matter - but the thought was there and greatly appreciated.

Hopefully though, it will be up to the kids to be making everything for the weekends - as much as I loved my little envelope - I would have rather slept a little longer!

I saw a post the other day with Pumpkin Chili and had it in my mind the last few days that I needed to have it.  Yesterday was freezing cold and just a wonderful lazy day so it was perfect.  I didn't bookmark the recipe I saw before - so I searched up for Paleo Pumpkin Chili and went from there.

http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/foodslideshow/pumpkin-chicken-chili-2/ is the one I came up with - of course I hardly ever follow the directions so instead I'll say that this is the one I chose to use as the guideline.

My family dubbed it a hit.  Personally I'll be making a couple changes again.

Pumpkin Chicken Chili

OCTOBER 6, 2011 BY CIVILIZEDCAVEMAN 30 COMMENTS

Here is a great Pumpkin Chicken Chili recipe that isn’t too spicy but hits that perfect warming spot that we all love on cold Fall Days.  Enjoy 

Servings: 8-10

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 40 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs ground beef
• 1 can Pumpkin Puree
• 2 Cups Bell Pepper, Diced (Color of your choice)
• 2 Cups of Sweet Onion, Diced
• 3 cans of chopped green chiles
• 2 Cup Chicken Stock
• 1 Cup White Wine (Optional)
• 28 Ounces crushed tomatoes
• 12 Ounces Tomato paste
• 1 Cloves of Garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp Chili Powder
• 2 Tbsp Cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp Nutmeg
• 1 Tsp Ground Coriander
• Sea Salt to taste (I just ground in about 1-2 tsp)
• 2 Tbsp Lard or Coconut Oil

Process:

1. Heat the lard in a 5qt Dutch Oven over medium heat
2. Saute your onions until lightly browned, then add your bell peppers, jalapenos, and garlic and saute for another 5 minutes
3. Add in your ground beef 1-2 lbs at a time browning as you go.
4. Add in your chicken stock, white wine, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, spices & salt, and simmer for 20 minutes
5. Stir in your pumpkin cook for an additional 5 minutes
6. Reduce heat to low and let sit until ready to serve or serve immediately

I finished putting it together around 12-1 and served at 5.  Next time I will do diced tomatoes instead of the crushed tomatoes as it is a little soupy for my taste.

The pumpkin adds a sweet flavor to the chili which I think everyone enjoyed.  As someone who usually adds in brown sugar, this was a different way to go it (especially going paleo means no sugar)

Now, I topped it off with a chipolte mayo.  (Mix 1 cup of mayo with 1-2 chipolte chilis in adobo sauce depending on how spicy you want it)  This added a spice that I liked to the chili.... I also made a bunch of this because we used it on sandwiches the other night and I have now decided it is a must have in my kitchen (it even goes with steak!)

This is actually a a very common question that people ask me - especially with so many kids in the house!

First my New Year's resolution (or actually New Years just gave me an excuse to do this) is to give a true Paleo diet a try for 30 days.  I start this weekend with 100% paleo for myself.  This means no dairy for 30 days, no caffeine, and no cheating :)  I'm pretty sure I can do this one since I did the Atkin's diet for 3 years without a problem.  However, now I need to think about my kids.

Dinner will be paleo - but with a twist.  If appropriate, I will add in rice for them.  If the recipe wouldn't work with rice then I'll just make bigger helpings.

We have cereal in the house.  Sometimes I wish we didn't - but we do and I live with that.  I don't see that leaving our home.  I also have Mac & Cheese.... this is something I will eventually just make on rare occasions and I'll do homemade vs the box brands.  We have bread in the house because a favorite meal/snack for everyone in the house is a peanut butter & honey sandwich.

We all do the best we can with the food choices in the house.  The idea is to make the best choices and have healthy choices available instead of garbage.

Snack ideas:
Popcorn - make this healthy with coconut oil and sea salt
Fresh veggies
Nut mixes (minus peanuts if you are going to go paleo!)
Jerky (believe it or not this isn't difficult to make!)
Fresh fruit (apples, oranges etc)

Dinner ideas/hints:
Lots of veggies and salads!  Make this most of your plate
meat (grass-fed of course is always best!! May I recommend ours?)

Breakfast is actually the toughest for me as this is where the cereal comes in so I will be working on some things the kids can take with them and eat.  I've done eggs and things like that - however, I'm not always up in time to make everything for them so sometimes I slip.  I'll probably work on some muffins.

Lunch - well I did the bento boxes the first part of the year - and I will probably start doing it again.  The kids eat garbage at school and they all dislike it a lot!  Plus, even with the regular lunch they are left hungry.  So I need to rework this one back in.

Things I always cook with:
Butter (the real stuff - not margarine which is just icky!)
Lard
Salt

Drinks to have on hand:
Kombucha tea - kids do like it!
Water Kefir made into a "soda" with a real fruit juice or similar - my new one will be with tart cherry!
Milk (raw)
Water - ours is from a well so we don't have fluoride and other stuff in it - if you don't have this then look into filters for your water.  All my kids have stainless steel water bottles - these are NOT allowed in schools though so kids don't sneak stuff that's not allowed in - bummer but true.

Hope this guides some of you a little of things you want to do and would like to feed your family!

as you start to be the one behind the computer.....

Last night and this morning I got to milk the cows.  Shocker I know - but my oldest girls were at friends' homes for the New Years Eve "stuff" and we gave our employee the evening and morning off.  The process is no big deal at all - kinda like riding a bike - you just go and do it.  But the thing you forget is the enjoyment in it.

No, it's not action packed or even remotely exciting.  However, it is a bonding, relaxing experience.  Joe likes the mornings because it's quiet and peaceful.  This partly true while you are milking the cows - only partly.

The cows are easy to get in the barn - they actually established their own line up of who goes first (you should hear how fussy they get if we alter this!!).  The vacuum pump is not quiet at all and neither are the rest of the animals once they wake up and see you.  Once you get started milking the first cow (Penny, our black & white Jersey) though (we do 1 at a time), the rest of the animals in the barn get fed and it quiets down dramatically.  Everyone is fed and then it's time for cow #2 (Snickers - the darker brown Jersey) - and she is never happy about you wanting to clean her udder.  She's quiet content once the pump is on her, but before that you really need to watch out because she can and will kick you!  Now that she's "hooked up" everyone else can get clean water.  By the time water is distributed, there are a few extra minutes before Snickers is finished but it doesn't take long and now it's time for cow #3 (Brenda - our first cow).  Brenda runs into the stanchion to be milked and is really easy to handle.  During her time though, we can sit back and just enjoy the time.  All of this happens in about 40-45 minutes (amazing huh?).

It's easy to forget these moments when you are behind the computer and doing paperwork.

I walk back to the house where Joe waits drinking coffee and first thing he asks me is if I enjoy being a dairy farmer to which I laugh and state that I wouldn't have gotten the cows if I didn't LIKE them.  But it is a different thing as a dairy farmer at our level (the whopping 3 cows - probably 4 in the spring) really connects with the animals.  We know their personalities, their attitudes/temperaments, and issues.  This doesn't happen with chickens at all - sometimes with goats but not as often.

It's just different - and in a good way.