Chicama Run Family Farm

Well this past month overwhelmed has seemed to the word of the day - everyday. I had surgery as many of you know - and because of that for the past 6 weeks I haven't been able to lift anything which on a farm isn't easy.

We've gotten through it pretty well (though Joe is totally sick of chickens and eggs at the moment) and are looking forward.

The question recently arose of "why we moved here." Understand - we owned a computer store for 12 years - having our own business isn't anything new to us. But, this work is a lot harder as it is constant, we can't really just LEAVE it.

So I believe our garden will be a little smaller this year as we can't really compete with a lot of the "big boys" out there. I'd love to scale back - but I'm just not sure what we will do or how we will do it. Our customers (love you all) want more and as always on a consistant basis. Ok - eggs we can handle - but can we do the meat? We aren't sure to be honest with you. But we plan on keeping it up. We'll see what we will do and how far we get.

Overall though we have to remember WHY we moved here. It wasn't to start a business - it was for our family. And then the question arises - are we living the way we wanted to when we moved here? And I honestly can't answer that right now....... get back to me in February when I get a break again.....

What a beautiful day to get stuff done! This is great since we are opening up the farm tomorrow for the first of the "season." So much needs to be done...

As many know I had abdominal surgery a few weeks ago and I thank everyone for their well wishes! Poor Joe has had to deal with me getting grumpy from sitting around and being frustrated to dealing with 2 kids who are done with school (which thank goodness they start again on Monday!) and with rainy weather were stuck inside.

So I have about 2-3 more weeks of not lifting anything which is awful. Gotta say it sounds great to sit and relax for 2 weeks - but it gets very boring! Then no lifting!! Whew - on a farm no lifting is a serious hardship. It's very frustrating as well. I will sit and look at something that NEEDS to be moved (like off my kitchen counter) and I need to wait for someone else to get it.... UGH!!

Well with this wonderful weather comes some cool things.... so far 2 of the Nigerian Goats have given birth - 2 more to go. 2 were "ooops" babies which means the sneaky goat got in with our Boer buck and he got her preg. Good thing it wasn't one of the registered girls - then I'd be upset!

Well off to spend some time outside!

So I'm into bread at the moment. What's better than the smell of fresh bread in the house? I'm not a huge bread EATER - but my new recipes are changing my mind. They aren't sweet - just yummy! I'm working on making a superior sourdough artisan bread and today a whole wheat bread.

We'll see - but chances are you all will see some of my new breads for sale if I can get the recipe "just right."

Alexis went out and took these pictures this morning - SUCH CUTE LITTLE ONES!!

It's always exciting and busy starting this time of year - for some reason the weather kicks us into high gear. It's like all of a sudden - WOOSH - we need to do stuff. Of course the goal of the winter was to get all this done - but we enjoyed the winter huddled in the house doing house-hold "stuff" that would never get done in the spring.

The biggest thing people get on us about is ordering beef. We love you all doing this - and it's always a work in progress what the BEST way to do it is. I think this year we are doing well with how we are doing it. The difference is that I am personally going over cut sheets with people. So it will add the personal touch to it and also I can walk everyone through what is sometimes an overwhelming process. Of course I am still lost sometimes at what I want and I have YET to find a cut sheet from any butcher I actually like so I work it out myself :)

Of course people are used to our stuff selling out - so orders are already coming in - within hours of posting that it was available we had or first 1/2 steer sold. EXCITING!!!

A customer emailed me this morning and I actually read the entire story. It makes me angry - especially since I have a lot of people confront me with the cost of our food (especially eggs lately). Yes - it's higher - but do you know who and what is going on at the farm your eggs are from?

http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2009/03/politics-of-the-plate-the-price-of-tomatoes?currentPage=1

I'd love some comments on this article and opinions. Either way.

Who can resist such cute furballs?? Now understand.... I sent Jacob and Alexis out to take pictures and told them I needed to know which are girls and which are boys..... you get the idea from the pictures :)