Back to normal......Or can it?

So now that the holidays are over things can go back to normal. Or can it?

Winter time is hard on cattle farmers and even harder with the rising cost of EVERYTHING! With the crazy weather we have had the past few weeks is hard on livestock. Some people don’t realize that the weather going from warm to cold to warm and back to cold is very hard on animals. Lucky enough our animals have faired well this winter.

Seeing the snow on the ground in the mornings makes it hard to get motivated to bundle up and go feed, them the thought of busting ice is even worse. But they depend on us rain, snow, sleet or shine to feed, water and throw some hay. It is a labor of love

I did not grow up on a farm and never dreamed I would be a cattle farmer, but I will say this I would never want to give it up. From the cold, cold winter days to the heat of the summer sun I enjoy every bit of it.

If you every get the chance to own, work or just visit a farm I highly recommend you do so. It’s a way of life some don’t understand and that’s alright. But to a farmer of any kind it’s the only way of life.

So back to normal…..nah. Farmers do not use that word. Nothing is normal when you own a farm with livestock.

Hope you have a MOO of a day!

How it started

I am no means a blogger of any kind but, with that being said I do however like to tell my story of how I got started selling my meats.

I always knew I wanted to raise cattle on my farm. I was that person who went and bought a cow before I even had fencing up. HA I had my calf on a leash for a few months before we built our fence. I would walk him everyday to get him some exercise. My neighbors thought I was crazy and they were right I was crazy for cows. I would have every cow if I could.

So over the years our herd grew. The more our herd grew the more I wanted to be a full time farmer. Even threw the harshest of winters and hotties dog days of summer I knew I wanted to be a full time farmer. But I never really knew how.

Every day I would get up and get ready for work thinking how can I quite my job and stay home and be a full time farmer. Then days turned to years and still I would think how can I make money being a full time farmer.

In 2019 I walked into our local nursery (as I have done many many times over the years) to but some flowers. I was standing at the counter writing a check to pay when the owner saw my farm name on my check and asked what we raise. I say I raise angus cattle. He asked if I sell my meat, well yes I do. We had sold some halves over the years but nothing to really make money. He then asked if I ever set up at farmers markets. Well we all the answer to that question. He proceed to tell me that their meat vendor was retiring and if I would be interested, in pure excitement I said yes. I left there thinking what did I just agree to. I told my husband when I got home and he too thought I was crazy. I thought how hard could this be.

Boy was I wrong. I spent the whole winter of 2019-2020 researching and learning all I could about being a vendor and then I just went for it. Purchased my trailer and freezers. Was all set and ready to go , then oh then covid hit. I could not get my license because everything was shut down. All this time and money I just could not give up now.

Well finally in July I was able get those license and off to market I went. I made my husband (Tim) go with me because I was a nervous wreck. It took a few trips to market before people got to know and trust us and it took off from there.

In Oct of 2021 my dream came true, I got to quite my job and be a full time farmer. Winter is still cold and summer is still hot but I do what I love and I love what I do.

Oh the wonderful people we have meet and the friends we have gained has just been wonderful. We are coming into are third summer of market and still enjoy every moment of it.

If I had to give any advice it would be to follow your dreams. It may take a hot min to get there but go for it. Life is to short and you only have one, so live it, dream it and go for it.

Have a blessed day

Back to the Table

Summer has came to a end and fall has begun. Lots of work has to be done around the farm to get ready for winter months, but the animals are enjoying the cooler weather and less flies. Hey bales have already found their spot in the barn.

This time of year I find myself making big pots of homemade soups in my insta pot I use a lot of our stew meat for theses soups and the few left over vegetables from our garden. Nothing better then fresh ingredients.

But I must confess our favorite pot of soup is white chicken chili. I usually have to double if not triple the batch. When my kid’s friend’s find out I am brewing a pot they want to come and eat. And of course I let them. Nothing makes me feel better then watching a group full of people enjoying my cooking. So without further a due I will share my families favorite soup with you so you can sit back and watch your family devour your best pot of soup.

4-Bonless, skinless chicken cooked and chopped (use fresh chicken if you can)

1 tsp lemon pepper

2 tsp cumin

1 clove garlic

1 cup onion

1- 8oz can shoepeg corn (undrained) can use white corn

2- 4oz can of green chilis (undrained)

2-3 tbls lime juice

2- 14oz can of white or great northern beans (undrained)

2 cans chicken broth

1 can mexi corn

Cook chicken then chop

Add everything in pot

Cook med heat for 45 mins

Simmer on low till ready to eat

Serve with cheese (of your choice)

salsa

sour cream

tortilla chips

Be prepared to have to double the batch

Your family will love you for it.

Have a wonder full week and see you next time for some more favorite family recipes.

Back to the Table

Things are going well on the farm. The meat business has taken off and doing well despite the covid-19 going around.

We have added chickens to the farm and selling eggs like crazy. And I tell ya they are full entertainment.

What little eggs I get to keep for myself make the best cakes. Nothing better then a farm fresh free range egg for baking or just frying up for breakfast. The goal for next year is to sell chicken meat at the farmers market along with our pasture raised meat.

We set up every Sat at the farmers market and are enjoying every second of it. It’s been a lot of hard work to get all this started but it’s been well worth it.

Please drop us an email and let us know what’s going on with you. Would love to hear about your farming or maybe just about growing good food in your garden.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Back to the Table

Your probably like me busy and tired. Finding it hard to put a healthy home cooked meal on the table. Well I can’t cook it for you (ha) but I can at least provide you with a tool to get started. Well at least a pound of hamburger anyway.

Gonna start with blog with a Sloppy Joe recipe my family loves. I ditched the can of manwhich and bought a can of Chicken Gumpo Soup. Yep. you read that right. The beauty of this recipe is there is no right or wrong so that being said lets get to cookin’.

Pound of hamburger cooked, drained

Diced onion (cooked with hamburger)

One can of Chicken Gumpo Soup

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 Cup Ketchup

1/4 Cup Mustard

Mix Well

(add more ketchup and mustard as needed)

If you choose to make more then one pound of hamburger, it’s one can of Chicken Gumpo Soup Per pound of hamburger.

Please leave me some comments below and let me know what you and your family think about it.

Hope to hear from you soon.