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I hope you have had a restful and enjoyable Thanksgiving.
On Monday, we processed 12 turkeys and learned much during the day - another chapter in our book titled "What not to do on the farm." The turkeys were just a little bigger than we expected - ok, lots bigger than we expected - and the day became a comedy of errors as we tried to work with 25-30 pound turkeys instead of the expected 15-30 pounders. For example, we had intended on leaving all 12 birds in the chill tank for several hours. That is, until we discovered that the tank would hold at most 3 turkeys. Eventually, all the turkeys were cleaned and chilling. Several of our customers were surprised by the size as well - none so much though as Kurt's sister. She told us she wanted on of the big ones - I don't think she was expecting 29 pounds! We got a report from her later and she barely got the turkey in her oven. Next year, we'll start the turkeys a little later so they're not quite so big. Thankfully, everyone we've talked to has been very pleased with their turkeys. We're planning on doing more turkeys next year (maybe 40-50??) and we'll definitely tweak our system so that they don't all roost on the porch and I'll do some strength training before we process.
I think last month, I mentioned that we were picking up bratwurst and hot dogs. Wow! We've been very pleased with the product, quality and the response. In less than a month, we've sold out of the bratwurst and sold a bunch of hot dogs - my favorite. Because of their popularity, Kurt has scheduled another date in January to have more made. He's also considering having some beef jerky made - let us know what you thinks.
During the last month or so, our egg production hit rock bottom - maybe 6 eggs a day - from 30 hens and 60 pullets! I decided to do some research (you can find anything on-line!) and found a 1930-s publication that said mixing older layers and pullets would cause production to go down. The older hens get fat and quit laying and the younger pullets get bullied and don't get enough protein to lay. Amazing what wisdom you can find in the older literature! Next year, we'll be more careful about mixing our replacement pullets with our current layers. To solve our problem, we culled the old hens - we had several customers interested in stewing hens - they make great chicken and noodles! Anyway, within 2 weeks our egg production has gone from 6 to 20 eggs. We hope to be getting 3-4 dozen eggs a day pretty soon. We've also started getting an occasional green egg from our Araucanas. If you are an egg customer, watch for a green egg or two. We're also getting a few double yolks right now - they're more common with young hens whose reproductive systems are not fully mature.
Recently, a young friend of ours gave a report on processing chickens to his 3rd grade class. He'd helped us last summer and wanted to share what he'd learned with his classmates. Surprisingly, very few of his classmates knew where their food came from. One young man argued that his turkey for Thanksgiving didn't come from a farm - it cam from the store. Adam has become quite an ambassador for our farm and knowing where your food comes from. We hope to post his power point presentation on our web site soon.
If you're still looking for that perfect consumable, green, one size fits almost anyone gift for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list (or even your easy-to-buy-for person), consider a Dale Family Farm sampler or a smaller cut. We offer a Grilling Sampler with sirloin, hamburger, and hot dogs and a Country Comfort Sampler with a roast, soup bone, stew meat and hamburger. Both retail for $40. We're also working on a Steak Sampler.
Kurt wanted me to share that we interseeded turnips with some of our wheat this year (ok, Kurt did the interseeding. I didn't really help with this one.) Apparently, it's a good winter forage and the cattle like the turnips when they show up. We'll keep you posted.
I will be in Wichita (Pratt and Greensburg, as well) on December 6 and December 22. If you are interested in anything, please let me know. I'd be happy to bring it with me.
Allison will be making her piano debut this month in church. Piano has been good for her - it makes her think!
Natalie lost her first tooth. She hit her mouth on the couch two weeks ago - probably doing something we'd warned the girls against. The next week she just grabbed hold and yanked. She looks like such a big kid with the gap.
Anna got a big girl haircut. She wouldn't let me comb it or put it up so we went with a pixie cut. Her sister thinks she looks like a boy - I think she's sweet.
It's been nice to have Kurt home early in the evenings. Between football season being over and the time change - we have a lot of time together in the evenings.
I've enjoyed being busy with the girls and the farm - I think my official title lately has been chauffeur.
As you look forward this month to Christmas, take some to be quiet and prepare your heart for the season.
Blessings!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
October edition
Greetings! Even though the calendar might show November 2nd, this really is the October edition of the Cattle Rattle - really. Seems like every month I write that it has been a very busy month - this one really has. My guess is that November probably won't slow down either. However football is over for the year and we are looking forward to sharing supper as a family before eight.
We are done with broilers for the season. Of the many (many) lessons we learned this summer about raising meat birds, a key lesson is that mid-October is too late to be processing our last batches of chickens. The weather is just too variable. We did two batches of chickens in one week (110 total). One morning it was in the 40's and wet - it kept showering on us. The first time it started raining, Kurt's mom kept waiting for Kurt to stop - thinking that maybe we'd wait the rain out - nope, we plowed bravely on. Three days later, it was much nicer - 60 and sunny. We had great help both days and the work went quick. Let us know if you're ever interested in seeing how your food is prepared or if you're interested in helping - we're always willing to trade out a few chickens for good help. For one woman's account of processing day at the Dales', see the following link: http://dalefamilyfarms.com/chicken_butchering.pdf
Kurt weaned calves last week. The last few years, we have weaned "across the fence." This means there's a whole lot less bawling and the calves seemed to be stressed less when they can look across the hot wire and see momma. Nutritionally, they no longer need to nurse but still kind of like to know mom's around. Within a few days, the calves are ready to move on to a new pasture.
This month has been one for travel. At the beginning of the month, the girls and i drove to Matfield Green to see my mom. We made several deliveries on the way and had a great time. This weekend, we had "Dal-las fun" (Natalie made up a little song as we began talking about the trip. Those of you who know her well can picture her singing it - every time anyone said the word Dallas). Kurt's oldest nephew got married this weekend and we got to spend some time with Kurt's family. This was maybe the 2nd time since we've been married (12 years ago) that ALL 6 siblings were together in the same place at the same time. Natalie was enchanted by the bride and has decided when she grows up, she will get married and live in Dallas at the hotel we stayed in - that way all her friends can come visit her for the reasonable rate of "$11/night."
This week, I will be heading to McPherson to pick up meat. Usually, we don't want to take animals that far for processing but we're trying something different. We're going to give all beef hot dogs and bratwurst a try. Our hot dogs will be nitrate/nitrite free and will come 5 to a 1 pound package. The brats will also be all beef and will have 5 in a 1 pound package. Please let me know if you're interested in trying them out.
Success! Kurt, Allison, and Natalie herded the turkeys in to the Trap tonight. Only three weeks left until Thanksgiving and Kurt finally got tired of cleaning off porches. Bigger turkeys leave bigger messes!
Family updates:
Kurt: Without practice, he's now got three extra hours in the afternoon. There should be lots of honey-do's crossed off the list, right?
Andi: I've taken a very part-time job and am doing some consulting and tutoring for the On-Line Learning Academy at Mullinville.
Allison: She competed in the pumpkin decorating contest at school and won 2nd place - her pumpkin looks like our turkeys.
Natalie: She won 1st place in her category of the pumpkin decorating contest. Also, she has become very proficient at walking in high heels - a skill all 4 year-olds need,right? She was a bride for Halloween and had the shoes to match.
Anna: I think she gets ornerier by the day. She talks non-stop and if you stop to listen, you can often figure out what she wants - which is usually what her sisters have
We are done with broilers for the season. Of the many (many) lessons we learned this summer about raising meat birds, a key lesson is that mid-October is too late to be processing our last batches of chickens. The weather is just too variable. We did two batches of chickens in one week (110 total). One morning it was in the 40's and wet - it kept showering on us. The first time it started raining, Kurt's mom kept waiting for Kurt to stop - thinking that maybe we'd wait the rain out - nope, we plowed bravely on. Three days later, it was much nicer - 60 and sunny. We had great help both days and the work went quick. Let us know if you're ever interested in seeing how your food is prepared or if you're interested in helping - we're always willing to trade out a few chickens for good help. For one woman's account of processing day at the Dales', see the following link: http://dalefamilyfarms.com/chicken_butchering.pdf
Kurt weaned calves last week. The last few years, we have weaned "across the fence." This means there's a whole lot less bawling and the calves seemed to be stressed less when they can look across the hot wire and see momma. Nutritionally, they no longer need to nurse but still kind of like to know mom's around. Within a few days, the calves are ready to move on to a new pasture.
This month has been one for travel. At the beginning of the month, the girls and i drove to Matfield Green to see my mom. We made several deliveries on the way and had a great time. This weekend, we had "Dal-las fun" (Natalie made up a little song as we began talking about the trip. Those of you who know her well can picture her singing it - every time anyone said the word Dallas). Kurt's oldest nephew got married this weekend and we got to spend some time with Kurt's family. This was maybe the 2nd time since we've been married (12 years ago) that ALL 6 siblings were together in the same place at the same time. Natalie was enchanted by the bride and has decided when she grows up, she will get married and live in Dallas at the hotel we stayed in - that way all her friends can come visit her for the reasonable rate of "$11/night."
This week, I will be heading to McPherson to pick up meat. Usually, we don't want to take animals that far for processing but we're trying something different. We're going to give all beef hot dogs and bratwurst a try. Our hot dogs will be nitrate/nitrite free and will come 5 to a 1 pound package. The brats will also be all beef and will have 5 in a 1 pound package. Please let me know if you're interested in trying them out.
Success! Kurt, Allison, and Natalie herded the turkeys in to the Trap tonight. Only three weeks left until Thanksgiving and Kurt finally got tired of cleaning off porches. Bigger turkeys leave bigger messes!
Family updates:
Kurt: Without practice, he's now got three extra hours in the afternoon. There should be lots of honey-do's crossed off the list, right?
Andi: I've taken a very part-time job and am doing some consulting and tutoring for the On-Line Learning Academy at Mullinville.
Allison: She competed in the pumpkin decorating contest at school and won 2nd place - her pumpkin looks like our turkeys.
Natalie: She won 1st place in her category of the pumpkin decorating contest. Also, she has become very proficient at walking in high heels - a skill all 4 year-olds need,right? She was a bride for Halloween and had the shoes to match.
Anna: I think she gets ornerier by the day. She talks non-stop and if you stop to listen, you can often figure out what she wants - which is usually what her sisters have
Friday, October 9, 2009
September 2009
I’m about out of time if I want to label this Cattle Rattle the September edition. I’m not quite sure where the month has gone. The days have flown by – not any big happenings, just day-to-day busyness, I think.
Life continues to chug along on the farm as we transition from summer to fall – my favorite season. Cattle continue to graze, the last of our broilers are getting fat, fieldwork is getting finished up and the turkeys continue to wreck havoc. Several of you know we are experimenting with turkeys this fall. Currently, we have a flock of 13. They have been amazing foragers and are growing nicely. We plan to have them ready for Thanksgiving. However, the turkeys are a bit stubborn and refuse to roost in the lovely shelter Kurt prepared for them. I think last month we were still trying to herd them into the “Turkey Trap.” Well, we’ve given up and the turkeys try every night to roost on one of the porches. If we’re home at dusk, it’s no big deal, we shoo them off and they find a cozy spot in the yard. However, on the nights we are gone. . . . . oh my! Once the turkeys have really settled in, they hate to move and turkeys seem to possess the unique talent of being able to poop while they sleep and the bigger they get, the bigger the mess. This requires Kurt to spray the porch down thoroughly in the morning much to his chagrin. Needless to say, there will be no love lost between the turkeys and the Dales come Thanksgiving. Next year, we will find a better way to corral the turkeys.
One more word to the wise if you should be possessed with the urge to raise your own poultry – don’t leave any doors on your vehicles open while you run in to the house to get that one thing you forgot. Take the time to shut the doors. Really. It’s worth the few moments. Last month, it was a chicken. This month it was a turkey – twice!! I’ll let you fill in the blanks from here.
Speaking of turkeys, we’re hoping to have a few available for the holiday season. Because we’ve had predator issues on the farm and we’re new at this, we hesitate to guarantee turkeys this year. However, I’ve started a list of those who are interested in a pastured turkey and I’ll contact you a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving if we still have some. Because the turkeys will be processed on the farm, they’ll have to be picked up on the farm.
I had the privilege of participating in another Tips and Tastes party last weekend. A friend of a friend hosted and I had the opportunity to visit with several people who are very interested in how their food is raised. As we get closer to the holidays, I think we’re done hosting parties this fall but if you’re interested, we are starting to schedule events in the spring.
Our pullets (young hens) are just about ready to start laying. We hope to start finding smaller pullet eggs any day now. Our older hens are also starting to go through their first molt. In about a month, we should have a few stewing hens available for $2.00/lb. They should make amazing chicken and noodles – let me know if you’re interested.
If you get a chance, check out our website (www.dalefamilyfarms.com). We’ve added a few things over the last month or so.
Our broilers (chickens) are just about sold out for the season (many predators helped us there) but we do still have beef available. We almost always have cuts on hand and we still have some quarters, halves or wholes available this fall. Call or email for more information.
I’m starting to learn that if I have a need, it helps to put it out there and see what happens – off-hand, I can think of our suburban and a food processor that have been a result of this. As we deliver orders that are a little larger or process more chickens at a time, we are in need of ice chests/coolers like you’d take to the lake. If you have a spare around gathering dust or happen to see one at a garage sale, let me know and I’m sure we can work something out.
Real quick personal updates:
Kurt and I: We just celebrated our 12th anniversary. To let you know what kind of goofs we’ve become, Kurt and I bought the same anniversary card for each other. It’s a small town – not lots of shopping options but still . . . . We also ended up wearing almost identical shirts to church on our anniversary – maybe we’ve been working too closely together!
Kurt: Football season is almost half over and Kurt has had his ups and downs but still loving (almost) every minute of it. He’s also trying to squeeze a little farm work around practices and games.
Andi: I’ve spent too much time in the kitchen this month. So far, I’ve put up 45 quarts of applesauce and 70 pints of salsa. For the record, 1½ bushels of apples is TOO much to do in an afternoon.
Allison: She continues to fly through third grade. I can’t believe we’re almost ¼ of the way through the year. She’s also been enjoying piano lessons and 4-H.
Natalie: Princess Natalie continues to keep us in stitches. I never know what she’ll come up with next or what face she’s going to look at us with. And oh my goodness – the questions – why? How? When?
Anna: Anna is no longer a baby – she’s moved to a big girl mattress. Not a bed yet – she kept falling out. She’s on a mattress on the floor because she was dangerously close to taking a dive out of the crib. In fact, she was devising plans for climbing out with a stool. After 2 weeks, she’s finally able to stay in her room and we’re all sleeping though the night again which greatly improves my disposition in the mornings.
Take care!
Life continues to chug along on the farm as we transition from summer to fall – my favorite season. Cattle continue to graze, the last of our broilers are getting fat, fieldwork is getting finished up and the turkeys continue to wreck havoc. Several of you know we are experimenting with turkeys this fall. Currently, we have a flock of 13. They have been amazing foragers and are growing nicely. We plan to have them ready for Thanksgiving. However, the turkeys are a bit stubborn and refuse to roost in the lovely shelter Kurt prepared for them. I think last month we were still trying to herd them into the “Turkey Trap.” Well, we’ve given up and the turkeys try every night to roost on one of the porches. If we’re home at dusk, it’s no big deal, we shoo them off and they find a cozy spot in the yard. However, on the nights we are gone. . . . . oh my! Once the turkeys have really settled in, they hate to move and turkeys seem to possess the unique talent of being able to poop while they sleep and the bigger they get, the bigger the mess. This requires Kurt to spray the porch down thoroughly in the morning much to his chagrin. Needless to say, there will be no love lost between the turkeys and the Dales come Thanksgiving. Next year, we will find a better way to corral the turkeys.
One more word to the wise if you should be possessed with the urge to raise your own poultry – don’t leave any doors on your vehicles open while you run in to the house to get that one thing you forgot. Take the time to shut the doors. Really. It’s worth the few moments. Last month, it was a chicken. This month it was a turkey – twice!! I’ll let you fill in the blanks from here.
Speaking of turkeys, we’re hoping to have a few available for the holiday season. Because we’ve had predator issues on the farm and we’re new at this, we hesitate to guarantee turkeys this year. However, I’ve started a list of those who are interested in a pastured turkey and I’ll contact you a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving if we still have some. Because the turkeys will be processed on the farm, they’ll have to be picked up on the farm.
I had the privilege of participating in another Tips and Tastes party last weekend. A friend of a friend hosted and I had the opportunity to visit with several people who are very interested in how their food is raised. As we get closer to the holidays, I think we’re done hosting parties this fall but if you’re interested, we are starting to schedule events in the spring.
Our pullets (young hens) are just about ready to start laying. We hope to start finding smaller pullet eggs any day now. Our older hens are also starting to go through their first molt. In about a month, we should have a few stewing hens available for $2.00/lb. They should make amazing chicken and noodles – let me know if you’re interested.
If you get a chance, check out our website (www.dalefamilyfarms.com). We’ve added a few things over the last month or so.
Our broilers (chickens) are just about sold out for the season (many predators helped us there) but we do still have beef available. We almost always have cuts on hand and we still have some quarters, halves or wholes available this fall. Call or email for more information.
I’m starting to learn that if I have a need, it helps to put it out there and see what happens – off-hand, I can think of our suburban and a food processor that have been a result of this. As we deliver orders that are a little larger or process more chickens at a time, we are in need of ice chests/coolers like you’d take to the lake. If you have a spare around gathering dust or happen to see one at a garage sale, let me know and I’m sure we can work something out.
Real quick personal updates:
Kurt and I: We just celebrated our 12th anniversary. To let you know what kind of goofs we’ve become, Kurt and I bought the same anniversary card for each other. It’s a small town – not lots of shopping options but still . . . . We also ended up wearing almost identical shirts to church on our anniversary – maybe we’ve been working too closely together!
Kurt: Football season is almost half over and Kurt has had his ups and downs but still loving (almost) every minute of it. He’s also trying to squeeze a little farm work around practices and games.
Andi: I’ve spent too much time in the kitchen this month. So far, I’ve put up 45 quarts of applesauce and 70 pints of salsa. For the record, 1½ bushels of apples is TOO much to do in an afternoon.
Allison: She continues to fly through third grade. I can’t believe we’re almost ¼ of the way through the year. She’s also been enjoying piano lessons and 4-H.
Natalie: Princess Natalie continues to keep us in stitches. I never know what she’ll come up with next or what face she’s going to look at us with. And oh my goodness – the questions – why? How? When?
Anna: Anna is no longer a baby – she’s moved to a big girl mattress. Not a bed yet – she kept falling out. She’s on a mattress on the floor because she was dangerously close to taking a dive out of the crib. In fact, she was devising plans for climbing out with a stool. After 2 weeks, she’s finally able to stay in her room and we’re all sleeping though the night again which greatly improves my disposition in the mornings.
Take care!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
August 2009
August is almost over and school is well under way and even though I’m not in the classroom this school year, life still seems to be full and just a little busy. I keep thinking to myself “how on earth did we keep all those balls in the air last year and not go crazy?” My oldest daughter will assure you that her mom is a little less crazy this year and if she can tell a difference, we must be doing something right. (As a side note, I’ve been rereading Breathe by Keri Wyatt Kent. Consider it if you’ve been looking to slow down a little.)
Even though I’m staying home, several Dales are actively involved in school this year. Allison started 3rd grade and would be much more excited about school if it didn’t involve getting up before 8 – so like her Grandma Billie! Natalie has started her 2nd year of pre-school and thoroughly enjoys it. She always has lots to share on the ride home. And finally, Kurt has started football practice at the high school. We eat a little later but he’s enjoying the time with some boys, getting a good dose of testosterone and is looking forward to the first game.
I think in my last post, I mentioned that we were about to go camping. A word to the wise: two nights of camping with an adventurous 18-month old is about one and a half nights too many. We had a great time but the adults came home ready for a vacation.
We had 15 turkeys arrive the week we went camping. They lived in the safety of the brooder for about 3 weeks and then moved to a new home Kurt dubbed the “Turkey Trap.” However, they weren’t nearly as appreciative of Kurt’s hard work as they should have been. We left the turkeys shut in their new abode for a couple of days so they would know where home was – we’ve read in multiple places that birds have amazing homing abilities. One day last week, Kurt decided it was time for them to start foraging. Kurt let them out of the Turkey Trap and WE LOST THEM!! Thankfully, it was only temporary. However, it was quite a site to watch Kurt try multiple times to herd the turkeys that night. Apparently, they prefer sleeping under the stars. They are in and out of the Turkey Trap for food, water and shade but won’t sleep there – trust me, we’ve tried! So far, the turkeys have slept UNDER the Turkey Trap, in the dog’s spot in the yard, and on the porch. Obviously, we have lots to learn.
Turkeys are not the only poultry providing excitement (and entertainment) on the farm. Occasionally, a chicken will hop on the back of Kurt’s pickup (although this weekend, I had two hop in the front of the suburban). When he finds them, Kurt is gracious enough to let them ride home in the caker. Last Thursday, a hen hopped a ride to town when Kurt went in for football practice. He parked at the grade school and got a ride to the high school. After he left, the hen came out of hiding just after the grade school students got out for the day – those of you in education can probably see where this is heading. Several kids played chicken rodeo before our bus driver stepped in on the chicken’s behalf. Eventually, the hen made her way back to the pickup and waited for Kurt’s return. I’m pretty sure she didn’t lay for several days!
We have been blessed with some late summer rains. While it’s always dry here in August, at least it’s not brown and there’s grass for the cattle to eat.
Our last bunch of chicks arrived last week and I unloaded them all by myself. Turning into quite a hand if I do say so myself. Kurt was busy when the post office called to say the chicks were in and Allison was at school so, that left me. The chicks wiggle a little too much for me when I pick them up but I got them out of the box, their first drinks and thankfully all of them survived my handling.
Of the 150 chickens we will process in October, we only have 60 that are not spoken for. If you’re interested, please let me know. We have been amazed at the response this summer and plan to raise more broilers next summer.
Our laying hens are still doing well – just barely keeping up with demand. We have about 100 pullets that will be coming into lay in the next month. We have added a few Araucanas to our flock this year. If you’re one of our egg customers, be on the lookout for a surprise every now and then (hmm. . . .how many of you will Google Araucana to see what’s special about their eggs?)
Kurt and I spent two days in Oklahoma City last week. We attended a grazing conference – who knew there were whole conferences on grazing? This is the second year we went and it’s much more laid back then the education conferences I’m used to. We learned a lot, were encouraged even more and enjoyed the time (without kids) to plan for the future of our farm.
We’re about to finish up our first season at the farmers’ market. I’ve learned so much this summer and am already starting to think about next summer. Probably the most encouraging part of the market is the number of repeat customers we’ve had and those who have asked “what are we going to do this fall for beef when the market’s closed?”
Currently, we have cuts and ground beef available and will have quarters, halves and wholes in early October. Start cleaning out your freezer and reserve yours today.
Many of you have discovered that our grass-finished beef just tastes better than anything you can buy in the grocery store. It’s also better for you. Check out www.eatwild.com for more information on the health benefits of grass-finished beef.
Until next month,
Andi
Even though I’m staying home, several Dales are actively involved in school this year. Allison started 3rd grade and would be much more excited about school if it didn’t involve getting up before 8 – so like her Grandma Billie! Natalie has started her 2nd year of pre-school and thoroughly enjoys it. She always has lots to share on the ride home. And finally, Kurt has started football practice at the high school. We eat a little later but he’s enjoying the time with some boys, getting a good dose of testosterone and is looking forward to the first game.
I think in my last post, I mentioned that we were about to go camping. A word to the wise: two nights of camping with an adventurous 18-month old is about one and a half nights too many. We had a great time but the adults came home ready for a vacation.
We had 15 turkeys arrive the week we went camping. They lived in the safety of the brooder for about 3 weeks and then moved to a new home Kurt dubbed the “Turkey Trap.” However, they weren’t nearly as appreciative of Kurt’s hard work as they should have been. We left the turkeys shut in their new abode for a couple of days so they would know where home was – we’ve read in multiple places that birds have amazing homing abilities. One day last week, Kurt decided it was time for them to start foraging. Kurt let them out of the Turkey Trap and WE LOST THEM!! Thankfully, it was only temporary. However, it was quite a site to watch Kurt try multiple times to herd the turkeys that night. Apparently, they prefer sleeping under the stars. They are in and out of the Turkey Trap for food, water and shade but won’t sleep there – trust me, we’ve tried! So far, the turkeys have slept UNDER the Turkey Trap, in the dog’s spot in the yard, and on the porch. Obviously, we have lots to learn.
Turkeys are not the only poultry providing excitement (and entertainment) on the farm. Occasionally, a chicken will hop on the back of Kurt’s pickup (although this weekend, I had two hop in the front of the suburban). When he finds them, Kurt is gracious enough to let them ride home in the caker. Last Thursday, a hen hopped a ride to town when Kurt went in for football practice. He parked at the grade school and got a ride to the high school. After he left, the hen came out of hiding just after the grade school students got out for the day – those of you in education can probably see where this is heading. Several kids played chicken rodeo before our bus driver stepped in on the chicken’s behalf. Eventually, the hen made her way back to the pickup and waited for Kurt’s return. I’m pretty sure she didn’t lay for several days!
We have been blessed with some late summer rains. While it’s always dry here in August, at least it’s not brown and there’s grass for the cattle to eat.
Our last bunch of chicks arrived last week and I unloaded them all by myself. Turning into quite a hand if I do say so myself. Kurt was busy when the post office called to say the chicks were in and Allison was at school so, that left me. The chicks wiggle a little too much for me when I pick them up but I got them out of the box, their first drinks and thankfully all of them survived my handling.
Of the 150 chickens we will process in October, we only have 60 that are not spoken for. If you’re interested, please let me know. We have been amazed at the response this summer and plan to raise more broilers next summer.
Our laying hens are still doing well – just barely keeping up with demand. We have about 100 pullets that will be coming into lay in the next month. We have added a few Araucanas to our flock this year. If you’re one of our egg customers, be on the lookout for a surprise every now and then (hmm. . . .how many of you will Google Araucana to see what’s special about their eggs?)
Kurt and I spent two days in Oklahoma City last week. We attended a grazing conference – who knew there were whole conferences on grazing? This is the second year we went and it’s much more laid back then the education conferences I’m used to. We learned a lot, were encouraged even more and enjoyed the time (without kids) to plan for the future of our farm.
We’re about to finish up our first season at the farmers’ market. I’ve learned so much this summer and am already starting to think about next summer. Probably the most encouraging part of the market is the number of repeat customers we’ve had and those who have asked “what are we going to do this fall for beef when the market’s closed?”
Currently, we have cuts and ground beef available and will have quarters, halves and wholes in early October. Start cleaning out your freezer and reserve yours today.
Many of you have discovered that our grass-finished beef just tastes better than anything you can buy in the grocery store. It’s also better for you. Check out www.eatwild.com for more information on the health benefits of grass-finished beef.
Until next month,
Andi
Monday, July 20, 2009
July edition
What a busy month - the days just seem to fly by. As a teacher, I used to look forward to the summer for a chance to slow down a little - now as a mom, I'm anticipating the start of school with more reliable routines and earlier bedtimes.
As I write this, the fair is winding down in Comanche County. We've had a good week and participated in several activities because, to quote Natalie, "we're a 4-H family." Both Allison and Natalie submitted photographs and baked goods for exhibit, we've watched some rodeo events, and we went to the community carnival.
The big excitement this month was a fire in the tree row just east of the house on July 10. Kurt called that afternoon and asked if I could see smoke, because from his vantage point, the smoke seemed to be coming from the house. I walked out to the road and could see smoke coming from the trees. The Protection fire department was out within a few minutes and shortly after they arrived, the Coldwater fire department was called in for back up. By the time everything was under control, there were about 8 fire trucks and a tanker truck on our property. Thankfully, no people or livestock were ever in imminent danger and none of the fire fighters suffered ill effects from the heat - temperatures soared to 112 that afternoon. We're pretty sure that trees were hanging over the electric line and sparked. The fire quickly spread through the undergrowth about 100 yards through the tree row. The fire flared again at 11:30 that night and the firemen were out again. Thankfully, neighbors loaned us a spray truck on Saturday and Kurt and his dad were able to spray down trees as they started burning again. The electric co-op has also been out to trim trees so I think we're in good shape now. I often joke that moving to Protection reminds me of The Little House on The Prairie series. A friend of mine commented that afternoon, after I called back to fill her in on the details, that I needed to quit having so many Laura Ingalls Wilder moments.
On a much more positive note, the local paper ran a very nice article about Dale Family Farms in last week's edition. Somehow, I'll post a link or the article on the website when I get a copy from the author. The focus of the article was our chicken operation. The writer came out during one of processing days to see what happens and had many positive comments to share. We also had friends out to help on another processing date and they were very surprised at how low key the whole operation was. In the words of their 8-year-old son, "It wasn't frantic at all." You're always welcome to come out and see the farm, either when we're processing chickens or at any other time - we'd love to show you what we do and how your food is raised.
Our chickens are doing well. The pullets are now day ranging and love to run around and chase bugs. They should start laying in September or October. The broilers did not enjoy the heat last week and we are thinking of ways to cool them off if it heats up again. We ordered 250 chicks at the beginning of the season and only have four right now that have not been pre-sold. Because of the amazing response we've had, Kurt and I made the decision to order 100 more broilers that will be ready in October. Let me know if you're interested.
Kurt expects several head of beef to be ready in the fall. Even with the hotter days, the grazing has been good.
We have two Tips and Tastes parties (Kurt calls them "meat feasts") scheduled this fall and have room for more. We ask our hosts to provide guests interested in grass finished beef or local food, a spot to entertain and feed people, and a couple of side dishes. We provide (and prepare) samples of our chicken, eggs, ground beef, steaks and roasts. The parties give people a chance to sample our products before purchasing anything and it gives us a chance to share our farming story.
On a more personal note. . . .
*Kurt participated in football camp this month and is looking forward to the start of the season. He's the assistant football coach at the high school this fall.
*I almost have the upstairs (except Allison's room) clean and under control. That seems like a huge accomplishment for me. I'm starting to establish a few routines and that has helped. Check out http://www.flylady.net/
*Allison says the favorite part of her month has been the fair and I'll take a moment to brag and tell you the picture attached is Allison's and was the champion in her class at the county fair and was judged state fair worthy.
*Natalie is learning to swim and will WILLINGLY put her head under the water - just like the big kids.
*Anna continues to grow and change almost daily. She has also become a good little mimic - often copying her big sisters in many ways. Haven't decided if this is a good thing or not. . . .
By the time I write next month, we will have taken a short camping trip, school will have started, we will have 15 turkeys and I'm sure I won't be struggling for stories to share.
Blessings!
As I write this, the fair is winding down in Comanche County. We've had a good week and participated in several activities because, to quote Natalie, "we're a 4-H family." Both Allison and Natalie submitted photographs and baked goods for exhibit, we've watched some rodeo events, and we went to the community carnival.
The big excitement this month was a fire in the tree row just east of the house on July 10. Kurt called that afternoon and asked if I could see smoke, because from his vantage point, the smoke seemed to be coming from the house. I walked out to the road and could see smoke coming from the trees. The Protection fire department was out within a few minutes and shortly after they arrived, the Coldwater fire department was called in for back up. By the time everything was under control, there were about 8 fire trucks and a tanker truck on our property. Thankfully, no people or livestock were ever in imminent danger and none of the fire fighters suffered ill effects from the heat - temperatures soared to 112 that afternoon. We're pretty sure that trees were hanging over the electric line and sparked. The fire quickly spread through the undergrowth about 100 yards through the tree row. The fire flared again at 11:30 that night and the firemen were out again. Thankfully, neighbors loaned us a spray truck on Saturday and Kurt and his dad were able to spray down trees as they started burning again. The electric co-op has also been out to trim trees so I think we're in good shape now. I often joke that moving to Protection reminds me of The Little House on The Prairie series. A friend of mine commented that afternoon, after I called back to fill her in on the details, that I needed to quit having so many Laura Ingalls Wilder moments.
On a much more positive note, the local paper ran a very nice article about Dale Family Farms in last week's edition. Somehow, I'll post a link or the article on the website when I get a copy from the author. The focus of the article was our chicken operation. The writer came out during one of processing days to see what happens and had many positive comments to share. We also had friends out to help on another processing date and they were very surprised at how low key the whole operation was. In the words of their 8-year-old son, "It wasn't frantic at all." You're always welcome to come out and see the farm, either when we're processing chickens or at any other time - we'd love to show you what we do and how your food is raised.
Our chickens are doing well. The pullets are now day ranging and love to run around and chase bugs. They should start laying in September or October. The broilers did not enjoy the heat last week and we are thinking of ways to cool them off if it heats up again. We ordered 250 chicks at the beginning of the season and only have four right now that have not been pre-sold. Because of the amazing response we've had, Kurt and I made the decision to order 100 more broilers that will be ready in October. Let me know if you're interested.
Kurt expects several head of beef to be ready in the fall. Even with the hotter days, the grazing has been good.
We have two Tips and Tastes parties (Kurt calls them "meat feasts") scheduled this fall and have room for more. We ask our hosts to provide guests interested in grass finished beef or local food, a spot to entertain and feed people, and a couple of side dishes. We provide (and prepare) samples of our chicken, eggs, ground beef, steaks and roasts. The parties give people a chance to sample our products before purchasing anything and it gives us a chance to share our farming story.
On a more personal note. . . .
*Kurt participated in football camp this month and is looking forward to the start of the season. He's the assistant football coach at the high school this fall.
*I almost have the upstairs (except Allison's room) clean and under control. That seems like a huge accomplishment for me. I'm starting to establish a few routines and that has helped. Check out http://www.flylady.net/
*Allison says the favorite part of her month has been the fair and I'll take a moment to brag and tell you the picture attached is Allison's and was the champion in her class at the county fair and was judged state fair worthy.
*Natalie is learning to swim and will WILLINGLY put her head under the water - just like the big kids.
*Anna continues to grow and change almost daily. She has also become a good little mimic - often copying her big sisters in many ways. Haven't decided if this is a good thing or not. . . .
By the time I write next month, we will have taken a short camping trip, school will have started, we will have 15 turkeys and I'm sure I won't be struggling for stories to share.
Blessings!
Monday, June 15, 2009
June edition
Wow! What a month! I can't believe it's only been 4 weeks since the last edition of the Cattle Rattle.
Probably the biggest change at our house is my career change. People have kept asking me if I've retired from teaching - I'm not old enough for that yet! Instead, I've taken a new position at Dale Family Farms - C.M.M. For those of you unfamiliar with the lingo, that's Chief Mom and Marketer. I am now officially a stay-at-home mom and employee of Dale Family Farms and I'm loving it. However, I've yet to have my first bon-bon on the couch while watching the soaps.
Actually, I haven't had much chance to put my feet up lately,. I've been to Greensburg the last 4 weeks to attend the farmers' market. We've had a great response for as early as it is in the season and plan to be there the rest of the summer. I've had at least one helper with me every Satruday and Allison plans to bake muffins to take next week.
We also had the privlelege of hosting a second Tips and Tastes party at Kurt's sister, Cynthia's house. We had a great time, met good people and got to share dinner and our story with others. We may have a couple more parties scheduled in the fall. If you are interested in hosting, let me know.
Kurt has also been busy - often wishing for another 10 hours in a day. However, he's not sure if he would have used those hours to sleep or work. Our first cutting of hay is officially out of the field. The rains we've had helped make it a good cutting but Kurt was ready to be done baling at 2 in the morning. Calves are also worked and we were blessed to have good neighbors around to help. Another first for me - I got to feed the men that helped. I thought I had everything timed perfectly until Kurt called and siad they were running behind - by an hour! Allison even got to help this year. She was the official record keeper and got to tag a few calves all by herself.
And, we've processed our first two sets of chickens - AND the chicken plucker works! We keep getting faster and were thankful to have help both times.
Currently, we have 165 chicks in the brooder - about one third meat birds and the rest are laying -hens-to-be. We were surprised last week when the post office called and said we had chicks there. We had to do some shuffling and Allison and Natalie were great help. Allison and I moved chicks around - I am a city girl no more - and Natalie "babysat" Anna while she took a nap. After all the chicks were cozy and happy, I checked my calendar and we were supposed to get chicks - I just wrote it down the wrong day. God's still teaching me to be flexible and roll with the punches.
We will have beef quarters, halves and wholes available again in the early fall. Start thinking now if you want to place an order and need to make room in the freezer. If you enjoy cuts other than hamburger (i.e. steaks, roasts, cube steak, etc), this is a more economical route. Chickens are still available on August 7, August 22 and October 3 but they selling fast. Remember, state law requires chickens to be picked up on the farm.
I'm so glad we've started more layers even though they won't start laying until September. Our egg demand is starting to surpass our supply.
On a more personal note, the girls have had a good start to the summer even thought they assure me that we haven't been to the pool enough - the weather hasn't cooperated much but Kurt tells us the rain we've got will make the grass grow. Allison has been playing designated pitch for the first time this summer. She enjoys it and is starting to gain some confidence as a batter. Natalie thoroughly enjoyed banastics (translation: gymnastics). She loves to move and really loved the six sessions the rec commisiion sponsored. She can't wait to do more. Anna is talking up a storm - if you pay attention and know the context, her words make perfect sense. She also thinks that she needs to do everything her older sisiters are doing.
Until next month -
Probably the biggest change at our house is my career change. People have kept asking me if I've retired from teaching - I'm not old enough for that yet! Instead, I've taken a new position at Dale Family Farms - C.M.M. For those of you unfamiliar with the lingo, that's Chief Mom and Marketer. I am now officially a stay-at-home mom and employee of Dale Family Farms and I'm loving it. However, I've yet to have my first bon-bon on the couch while watching the soaps.
Actually, I haven't had much chance to put my feet up lately,. I've been to Greensburg the last 4 weeks to attend the farmers' market. We've had a great response for as early as it is in the season and plan to be there the rest of the summer. I've had at least one helper with me every Satruday and Allison plans to bake muffins to take next week.
We also had the privlelege of hosting a second Tips and Tastes party at Kurt's sister, Cynthia's house. We had a great time, met good people and got to share dinner and our story with others. We may have a couple more parties scheduled in the fall. If you are interested in hosting, let me know.
Kurt has also been busy - often wishing for another 10 hours in a day. However, he's not sure if he would have used those hours to sleep or work. Our first cutting of hay is officially out of the field. The rains we've had helped make it a good cutting but Kurt was ready to be done baling at 2 in the morning. Calves are also worked and we were blessed to have good neighbors around to help. Another first for me - I got to feed the men that helped. I thought I had everything timed perfectly until Kurt called and siad they were running behind - by an hour! Allison even got to help this year. She was the official record keeper and got to tag a few calves all by herself.
And, we've processed our first two sets of chickens - AND the chicken plucker works! We keep getting faster and were thankful to have help both times.
Currently, we have 165 chicks in the brooder - about one third meat birds and the rest are laying -hens-to-be. We were surprised last week when the post office called and said we had chicks there. We had to do some shuffling and Allison and Natalie were great help. Allison and I moved chicks around - I am a city girl no more - and Natalie "babysat" Anna while she took a nap. After all the chicks were cozy and happy, I checked my calendar and we were supposed to get chicks - I just wrote it down the wrong day. God's still teaching me to be flexible and roll with the punches.
We will have beef quarters, halves and wholes available again in the early fall. Start thinking now if you want to place an order and need to make room in the freezer. If you enjoy cuts other than hamburger (i.e. steaks, roasts, cube steak, etc), this is a more economical route. Chickens are still available on August 7, August 22 and October 3 but they selling fast. Remember, state law requires chickens to be picked up on the farm.
I'm so glad we've started more layers even though they won't start laying until September. Our egg demand is starting to surpass our supply.
On a more personal note, the girls have had a good start to the summer even thought they assure me that we haven't been to the pool enough - the weather hasn't cooperated much but Kurt tells us the rain we've got will make the grass grow. Allison has been playing designated pitch for the first time this summer. She enjoys it and is starting to gain some confidence as a batter. Natalie thoroughly enjoyed banastics (translation: gymnastics). She loves to move and really loved the six sessions the rec commisiion sponsored. She can't wait to do more. Anna is talking up a storm - if you pay attention and know the context, her words make perfect sense. She also thinks that she needs to do everything her older sisiters are doing.
Until next month -
Thursday, May 14, 2009
The end of the school year is always a busy time and this year it seems even busier – probably because I have been gone the last three weekends and the laundry fairy hasn’t made an appearance. The last few weeks have also been filled with packing. As of May 22, I will be trading textbooks and students for children and chickens. I have enjoyed teaching the last 14 years but am excited about this new adventure as a full time mom and farm hand.
With endings, also come new beginnings. On May 9th, we had our first Tips and Tastes party. Jim and Jennifer Tillberg were very gracious hosts and we shared farm fare and fellowship with several other couples. If you’re interested in hosting a Tips and Tastes party in the fall, please let me know. It’s a great time to find out more about how your food is raised and meet your farmers.
This seems to be a time for firsts. Beginning May 23rd, Dale Family Farms will be attending the Greensburg Farmers Market. After two years of looking for a farmers market that would fit with our production model and distance, we finally found a place to go. We are very thankful that they are allowing us to come and are sure that it will be a learning experience.
I think last month I wrote that we had received a huge amount of snow at the end of March. The moisture has continued and we’ve received 6-7 more inches of rain during the last month. Everything is green and growing. My husband, the optimist, assures me however that we are always two weeks away from being dry again – the hazards of living in the desert. I’ll enjoy it for now.
We still have chickens available at this time and they will be available around May 30, June 13, June 27, August 22, and October 3. If you’re interested,
please email me and reserve them. Remember because of state statues, home processed poultry must be sold ON the farm. Several people have asked if we sell cut up chickens. Not yet – I’m still learning how to cut them up and my parts don’t look very pretty yet. Possibly next season if enough people seem interested. For now, check out the YouTube video on our website showing how to cut up a chicken – it’s really not that hard.
We always have eggs available. Our hens are very faithful layers. Allison was very puzzled one evening – we collected 41 eggs from 40 hens! They’re also prone to field trips. They hitch a ride on the back of Kurt’s pick-up and once he finds them, they get to ride home in the caker.
We are still taking orders for quarters, halves and whole sides of beefs. We plan to have cuts and hamburger available for the summer as well. Check out the website for available cuts and pricing. If there’s something not listed, let us know and maybe we can add it to our list. Kurt’s also working on a beef bratwurst that we hope to have available this summer.
Now since several family members are on our mailing list, I’m going to take a minute to brag on the girls.
Allison can ride a bike! Woohoo! This has been an accomplishment several years in the making.
Natalie is no longer afraid of any farm animals. She and the dogs have made nice and are now friends. She throws grass to the chickens to “feed” them instead of running away and has even helped her dad collect eggs.
Anna’s vocabulary is expanding by the day – she’s adding words like “down,” “Grandpa,” and everybody’s favorite, “yeehaw.”
Until next month. . . .
With endings, also come new beginnings. On May 9th, we had our first Tips and Tastes party. Jim and Jennifer Tillberg were very gracious hosts and we shared farm fare and fellowship with several other couples. If you’re interested in hosting a Tips and Tastes party in the fall, please let me know. It’s a great time to find out more about how your food is raised and meet your farmers.
This seems to be a time for firsts. Beginning May 23rd, Dale Family Farms will be attending the Greensburg Farmers Market. After two years of looking for a farmers market that would fit with our production model and distance, we finally found a place to go. We are very thankful that they are allowing us to come and are sure that it will be a learning experience.
I think last month I wrote that we had received a huge amount of snow at the end of March. The moisture has continued and we’ve received 6-7 more inches of rain during the last month. Everything is green and growing. My husband, the optimist, assures me however that we are always two weeks away from being dry again – the hazards of living in the desert. I’ll enjoy it for now.
We still have chickens available at this time and they will be available around May 30, June 13, June 27, August 22, and October 3. If you’re interested,
please email me and reserve them. Remember because of state statues, home processed poultry must be sold ON the farm. Several people have asked if we sell cut up chickens. Not yet – I’m still learning how to cut them up and my parts don’t look very pretty yet. Possibly next season if enough people seem interested. For now, check out the YouTube video on our website showing how to cut up a chicken – it’s really not that hard.
We always have eggs available. Our hens are very faithful layers. Allison was very puzzled one evening – we collected 41 eggs from 40 hens! They’re also prone to field trips. They hitch a ride on the back of Kurt’s pick-up and once he finds them, they get to ride home in the caker.
We are still taking orders for quarters, halves and whole sides of beefs. We plan to have cuts and hamburger available for the summer as well. Check out the website for available cuts and pricing. If there’s something not listed, let us know and maybe we can add it to our list. Kurt’s also working on a beef bratwurst that we hope to have available this summer.
Now since several family members are on our mailing list, I’m going to take a minute to brag on the girls.
Allison can ride a bike! Woohoo! This has been an accomplishment several years in the making.
Natalie is no longer afraid of any farm animals. She and the dogs have made nice and are now friends. She throws grass to the chickens to “feed” them instead of running away and has even helped her dad collect eggs.
Anna’s vocabulary is expanding by the day – she’s adding words like “down,” “Grandpa,” and everybody’s favorite, “yeehaw.”
Until next month. . . .
Sunday, April 19, 2009
April 2009
Greetings!
As you may have noticed our update has a real name this month. A huge thank you to everyone who sent us ideas. I was amazed by the response and you had great ideas - we have very clever customers! Congratulations to Malori Clark of Phoenix, AZ. Kurt and I are very pleased with "The Cattle Rattle" but it was hard to pick. We'll be archiving our newsletters on the website thanks to my mom, the webmaster.
Moisture. Be careful what you pray for or you might end up with 30 inches of snow. Many of you know that we had a blizzard in Kansas during the last weekend in March. We had drifts almost 10 feet high in places and were homebound for about three days. I've attached a couple of pictures. Thankfully, all of our cattle survived and we only lost one laying hen to frostbite. The snow and subsequent rains have provided much needed moisture and pastures are really greening up.
New life. Sping is popping out all over. About half of our calves are on the ground and we've had very few problems - calving in April is much easier than January. The first baby was born the day AFTER the blizzard. Chicks arrived last week and are growing quickly. Two chicks even survived show and tell in the 2nd grade AND day care.
Web site. If you have a chance, check out http://www.dalefamilyfarms.com/ We've posted a few new recipes - some Dale Family favorites.
Party. We are excited to host our first Tips and Tastes party (thanks Clarisa for the name!). Good friends in Lindsborg have agreed to be our hosts in May. We're taking a Pampered Chef/Tupperware approach. We'll be sharing samples our beef and poulty and answering questions about how we're raising food on the farm. Please let us know if you're interested in finding out more about hosting your own party.
What's available? We're getting ready to butcher beef the first part of May. Please let us know if you are interested in ordering sides or quarters. We will also have chickens ready on or around May 31, June 13, June 27, July 22 and September 3. We'd be happy to reserve some for you.
We continue to be encouraged by your positive feedback about the good food we're producing.
Blessings!
As you may have noticed our update has a real name this month. A huge thank you to everyone who sent us ideas. I was amazed by the response and you had great ideas - we have very clever customers! Congratulations to Malori Clark of Phoenix, AZ. Kurt and I are very pleased with "The Cattle Rattle" but it was hard to pick. We'll be archiving our newsletters on the website thanks to my mom, the webmaster.
Moisture. Be careful what you pray for or you might end up with 30 inches of snow. Many of you know that we had a blizzard in Kansas during the last weekend in March. We had drifts almost 10 feet high in places and were homebound for about three days. I've attached a couple of pictures. Thankfully, all of our cattle survived and we only lost one laying hen to frostbite. The snow and subsequent rains have provided much needed moisture and pastures are really greening up.
New life. Sping is popping out all over. About half of our calves are on the ground and we've had very few problems - calving in April is much easier than January. The first baby was born the day AFTER the blizzard. Chicks arrived last week and are growing quickly. Two chicks even survived show and tell in the 2nd grade AND day care.
Web site. If you have a chance, check out http://www.dalefamilyfarms.com/ We've posted a few new recipes - some Dale Family favorites.
Party. We are excited to host our first Tips and Tastes party (thanks Clarisa for the name!). Good friends in Lindsborg have agreed to be our hosts in May. We're taking a Pampered Chef/Tupperware approach. We'll be sharing samples our beef and poulty and answering questions about how we're raising food on the farm. Please let us know if you're interested in finding out more about hosting your own party.
What's available? We're getting ready to butcher beef the first part of May. Please let us know if you are interested in ordering sides or quarters. We will also have chickens ready on or around May 31, June 13, June 27, July 22 and September 3. We'd be happy to reserve some for you.
We continue to be encouraged by your positive feedback about the good food we're producing.
Blessings!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
March 2009
I'm going to try my hand at a monthly newsletter - keep you up to date on what we're doing and what's coming up. If you'd prefer not to receive it, please let me know.
Spring is here! Even though we haven't had significant moisture in several months, things are trying to green up and grow. Rain soon is necessary. We have a good chance of snow this weekend and it would be welcomed.
A real farmer is created. I (Andi) am about to become a "real" farmer and home economist in May. After 14 years of teaching, I'm going to take an extended leave of absence to stay home and raise children and chickens. I'm excited about the opportunity and have even bought my first pair of REAL work boots to help Kurt outside.
Beef. We are starting to take orders for sides and quarters of beef. Meat should be ready around the first of June. Please let us know if you are interested. Currently, we have single cuts of meat available on the farm. Check out our prices per pound at http://www.dalefamilyfarms.com/
Eggs. Our layers are in full production. They are enjoying the fresh pasture and have started to leave the dogs' food alone in favor of green grass.
Poultry. We will have whole broilers available this summer and are excited about this new adventrue. If you are interested in purchasing chickens, please let us know and we will reserve some for you. Chickens must be purchased on the farm and will be available on or around May 30, June 13, June 27, July 22, September 3.
Blessings!
Andi Dale
Dale Family Farms
526 AVenue K
Protection, KS 67127
620.622.4473
thedales@unitedwireless.com
I'm going to try my hand at a monthly newsletter - keep you up to date on what we're doing and what's coming up. If you'd prefer not to receive it, please let me know.
Spring is here! Even though we haven't had significant moisture in several months, things are trying to green up and grow. Rain soon is necessary. We have a good chance of snow this weekend and it would be welcomed.
A real farmer is created. I (Andi) am about to become a "real" farmer and home economist in May. After 14 years of teaching, I'm going to take an extended leave of absence to stay home and raise children and chickens. I'm excited about the opportunity and have even bought my first pair of REAL work boots to help Kurt outside.
Beef. We are starting to take orders for sides and quarters of beef. Meat should be ready around the first of June. Please let us know if you are interested. Currently, we have single cuts of meat available on the farm. Check out our prices per pound at http://www.dalefamilyfarms.com/
Eggs. Our layers are in full production. They are enjoying the fresh pasture and have started to leave the dogs' food alone in favor of green grass.
Poultry. We will have whole broilers available this summer and are excited about this new adventrue. If you are interested in purchasing chickens, please let us know and we will reserve some for you. Chickens must be purchased on the farm and will be available on or around May 30, June 13, June 27, July 22, September 3.
Blessings!
Andi Dale
Dale Family Farms
526 AVenue K
Protection, KS 67127
620.622.4473
thedales@unitedwireless.com
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