September 2010

Fall is finally here. It took a long time for the weather to cool off but the last week has been very pleasant AND we had a half inch of rain last week. The rain doesn't fix the dry weather but it helps. A recent conversation heard before it rained:

Andi: So, you think it's going to rain?

Kurt: Probably. (wait a beat) And if we're lucky it'll happen before I die.

First job of a farmer is to be an optimist - good to know Kurt has this one covered.

We finished the farmers' market season last weekend at Coldwater. We really enjoyed being in Coldwater this summer - it gave us a chance to tell local people about what we are doing and visit with neighbors. We look forward to making plans for next spring.

A quick farmers' market story. For those of you who don't know, Anna has been potty training this summer. There is a bathroom available near the park but it's a block away - a long walk for an urgent 2-year old. Soooo . . . . we've been packing the potty. Anna thinks she's hot stuff climbing into the back of the suburban to use her little potty - I'm not so sure but this was my best solution.

Anna's pretty comfortable in the car. She and I have done quite a bit of traveling this month - football games, meat deliveries, doctor's appointments, etc.

Our suburban isn't pretty - we bought it used last summer - but it is serviceable (I can haul meat, kids, meat & kids) and it is paid for (I admit, we're Dave Ramsey fans and intend to make our debt free phone call in the next 6 months). Kurt and I were on our way to Woodward to celebrate our 13th anniversary and we got to watch the odometer turn over 200,000 miles. We'd taken back roads part way so Kurt could scope out a tractor route. I made Kurt slow down and then stop and take a picture - hey, we're on a budget and are always looking for cheap entertainment. Don't know if I can get the picture off my phone but I have proof. Wonder if we'll see 300,000?

I need your help - especially those of you who like to cook. I have many, many cups of cooked chicken meat (either from leftovers or from cooking cooking carcasses after cutting them up). Any great recipes out there - something to use this chicken up? I've got chicken and noodles under control, going to try a pot pie, enjoying chicken tacos and fajitas. Any other ideas to mix it up?

Speaking of chickens, Kurt wants me to mention the great help we've had this summer and how varied they've been. The list includes: our pastor, my good friend and her son, several college students (one we didn't even know, she just came with a friend), a high school kid or two, a newspaper editor (ok, from our local paper), another mom friend and her 3 boys (who had the best time!), Kurt's folks, our girls. . . . And it seems like every time we get worried about help (ok, I worry, Kurt's an optimist, remember), someone new offers to pitch in. With all the good help, our freezers are well stocked and we've decided to offer and end of the season special. If you buy 4 chickens, cut up or whole, we'll give you a grass-fed chuck roast for free.

You have one more opportunity to purchase fresh chicken on October 9. We also have chickens in the freezer and are now offering cut up chickens. I had enough people asking me if we cut up chickens, I decided it was time to give it a shot. I'm getting faster (yes, I time myself) and my pieces are getting prettier (no metric to measure my improvement here). We're now offering several options:

*4 thighs at $3/pound

*4 drumsticks at $4/pound

*4 wings at $4/pound

*2 boneless, skinless breasts at $8/pound

*1 chicken cut into 8 pieces at $5/pound

*back/bones for stock at $1.50/pound

The turkeys are getting a new shelter today. Kurt has cleaned the back porch off enough times (they like to roost there), that he's (finally) ready to find a plan B. I think he's talked the girls into helping him herd them in at night. Allison was a very willing volunteer - she's quickly becoming our chief turkey wrangler. The turkeys have taken to hanging out in the plum thickets over 1/4 mile from the house - I think the grasshoppers are pretty thick there. Last night, I helped Allison get them across the road and then she herded almost 30 turkeys 1/4 mile through the hay field to the yard. We have more turkeys than this but they think they're chickens and tend to hang out near the hen house instead. We're still taking reservations for turkeys if you're interested.

Our layers set a new farm record last week - 63 eggs in one day. Possibly more. The pullets (young layers) are still hiding eggs in the pasture. Farm fresh eggs beat anything you can find in the store.

Kurt is getting ready to take steers to the processor in a few weeks. We've given a deadline of October 5 if you'd like to reserve a 1/4, 1/2 or whole so we can finalize our plans with the processor. For pricing information, see our FAQ's page. We'll have our freezers stocked if there's anything you need through the winter. However, 1/4's won't be available again until spring when there's green grass.

Hogs are getting closer to being ready to process. Since we purchased 3 different sizes of pigs, they'll be ready at different times. We have a few different purchasing options available: 1/2 ($120 + processing) or a whole ($240 + processing), a pork bundle ($100 for various cuts, see our price page) or by the cut (also on our price page). Pork will be a learning experience this fall - hoping we don't add many more chapters to the book on what NOT to do.

We're getting to enjoy some of the pork soon. Kurt turned 40 last month and in a few weeks we're going to celebrate with a pig roast. Originally, we were going to go old school and dig a pit. However, it's been so dry and Kurt would just soon not burn up our pastures so his brother is bringing a large smoker. I'm planning on leftovers for awhile!

We had an opportunity to participate in a tasting party in Pratt last week. It went really well and we enjoyed the chance to visit with people concerned about the quality of their food and how it's raised.

I'm sooo excited - I got a new book in the mail - The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer by Joel Salatin. I've read several of his other books - some are specific "how to" books about poultry or farming and others are just good reads. If you haven't heard of Salatin, do a quick search. When Anna was tiny, Kurt and I had the opportunity to participate in a 2-day workshop where he was the featured speaker. Truly an amazing speaker and thinker.

About to experiment a little this afternoon. We are out of ground beef (again!) and our family will need some before our beef is ready in November. We do have some extra round steak though AND my mother-in-law just happens to have an old fashioned meat grinder in her basement. Do you see where I'm headed? Yep, going to try grinding some fajita strips into ground beef - might be a little lean for a hamburger patty but should work well for dishes that use ground beef. I'll let you know how it goes.

One more mini-commercial. We are in the process of putting together a couple of Christmas samples for $35-$40 that could make a great gift!

Family updates:

Anna has become her daddy's "lil' buddy" since her sisters started school Once or twice a week, Anna goes out to help Kurt, either going for parts, driving the tractor or her favorite, checking cattle.

Natalie has become quite the social butterfly since school has started. Any time we're out and about, someone is saying "Hi Natalie!" Her take on situations is also interesting. Recently, she asked me "Am I getting on your nerds (nerves)?" To which I could only laugh - even though she was!

Allison brought home a recorder on Monday and knows 2 notes. Today, she'll learn a song that uses both! She's very excited (involved in music in several ways) but she has to practice outside or in her room so she doesn't get on my "nerds."

Kurt is halfway through the football season. The team's record is 1-3 but boy can you see the players grow as a team and as young men.

And me, mostly, I've worked this month to keep the balls in the air - farm, business, kids, family, husband, laundry, meals . . . .and only managed to drop 1 or 2 of the balls.

Allison: Mom, why didn't you take me to Bible study yesterday (yesterday being a day we processed chickens, had gymnastics and a football game).

Me: I forgot. . .

Yep, every day provides new opportunities for this recovering perfectionist to remember she's human.

Andi

August 2010

Finally, a break from the blistering heat. It's still plenty warm but there's definitely a difference between 108 degrees and 95. Our broilers can sure tell a difference as well. There was a two week period where we lost over 40 chickens to the heat. Kurt worked so hard to keep them comfortable - hauled water 4-6 times a day, wet the ground down to cool it off, spread them out to more pens - and they just couldn't handle the heat. Next year, we'll plan a little differently and try to avoid having full grown birds the last few weeks of July and the first of August. We may not always have summers this hot and dry but it's always hottest during those few weeks of the summer.

Our layers are doing well though. They're just a hardier breed - the Rhode Island Reds can handle temperatures from 20 degrees to 108. Now our egg production dropped off some those few weeks but they weren't dying from heat stroke. Our young layers, the pullets, are just starting to lay. Kurt finds 4-5 peewee sized eggs a day. I expect their production to just explode any day now. It doesn't take them long to go from small eggs to a larger egg. If they produce more pullet eggs than we can use, we'll sell 18 pullet eggs for the price of a dozen larger eggs.

Speaking of eggs, I'm sure by now you've seen at least one news story about the enormous egg recall. I'm not going to get on my soapbox today but cheap food is not always good (or safe) food. I'm still working on this lesson - not always easy for my frugal mind to remember.

I'm so excited. Coldwater is starting a farmers market (by the way, does anyone know the proper punctuation of farmers in farmers market? Where's the apostrophe go?). We've been open the last three Saturdays and it's been a great success in my book. There's been 3-5 vendors each week and good patronage. We'll be open until the end of September and then re-evaluate for next season.

August has been busy with getting everyone back in the school routine. Natalie and Allison started back the 11th and Natalie, who is now a kindergartner, wanted everyone to know that she is now riding the bus too - a big yellow one by the way, not just a suburban. Anna is always very sad to see her sisters get on the bus. "I ride with Sissy, too?!" And then she's off. As much as she's missed her sisters, I think Anna has enjoyed getting to play at home all by herself. Kurt is also getting in the school routine - he's the assistant high school football coach again this year and has to be in Coldwater by 4. His work day is cut a little short but he's really enjoying the coaching. We're all very excited about the first football game this weekend. After all cooler temperatures can't be too far behind the start of the season, right?

Several of you submitted great ideas for our "Name the hot dog contest." Dale Dogs showed up many times and my personal favorite was The Beefinator - but that was more because Kurt does a really bad Schwarzenegger impersonation and has for a very long time. After much deliberation though we have decided on . . . drum roll please . . . The Hot Diggity Dog, courtesy of Kurt's sister, Jill. And, if my memory serves me right, her daughter came up with the name of our monthly newsletter - very creative branch of the fam. Now, we need to work on how to get 2 pounds of the Hot Diggity Dogs to Arizona - I know that it's legal to ship them though, they have the magic seal of the USDA and can therefore cross state lines.

A big shout out to Ed and Judy Colson. They were gracious hosts of a Tips and Tastes party in Olathe. We're gearing up to do another party in a few weeks in Pratt.

A couple of product updates:

*I will be in Wichita on Thursday, September 3rd and my brother-in-law will be hauling meat to Olathe this weekend if there's anything you need.

*We still have chickens available September 3, September 17 and October 8th. If you're interested, let me know. Remember if you purchase chicken after October 8th, it will be $3.50/pound since we have to arrange to store it.

*We're starting to take reservations for turkeys. Let me know if you'd like one for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

*We have processing dates for beef and pork in October. If you're interested in purchasing a 1/4, 1/2 or whole, please let me know. For pricing info see our FAQ's page or contact me.

*Kurt turned 40 this month. Ok, that's not a product update but it's certainly noteworthy. We're planning a pig roast in October to celebrate.

Thankfully we had a nice 3-inch rain a couple weeks ago. However, it didn't last long with 100 degree days and 20 mph winds. We could always use more moisture.

Our kittens keep growing and the girls have enjoyed petting and playing with them. Two weeks ago, Natalie was trying to get "her kitten" (they've all claimed and named one) to eat out of her hand. We were processing chickens and not fully tuned in with what Natalie was doing. By the time we were done, she had put out enough cat food to feed all 6 cats (2 adults and 4 kittens) for 2-3 days!

The turkeys have been fun to watch this summer. At 6 weeks, they're ranging several hundred yards from the house. They love the grasshoppers and will fight over one - actually it looks more like an unorganized rugby match. A turkey will set it's grasshopper down (not sure why). Another turkey will grab it and run - hmm, not a whole lot unlike my own kids and their toys. I knew the girls had some turkey in them! Kurt isn't putting any feed out for them (the turkeys, not the girls) and they're getting everything they need from the grass and the hoppers. We've loaned a few turkeys out to my in-laws to help with grasshopper control in their yard. Definitely ordering some turkeys early next year to help keep the hoppers in check!

Some excitement last week. Kurt had planned to take 10 steers to the sale barn on Wednesday. Had them all penned and ready for a neighbor to haul them - except he forgot to shut a gate. The neighbor needed to get on up to Dodge so Kurt said he'd haul his own after he got them recaught. Kurt even came to the house and offered to take Anna with him. Off they go and off I head to town to run a few errands. Not 3 minutes later, I get an intense call from Kurt: "get my pick-up and meet me at Mom & Dad's." The latch pin on the trailer broke and Kurt had two steers get loose on the road. Thankfully, Kurt wasn't going very fast, he noticed heads sticking out of the trailer right away and they were still close to home. Kurt unloaded the rest of the cattle in the corrals (not sure how long we'd be), Anna hung out with Grandma, and Kurt and I were off - I was sure for great adventure. Thankfully, the 2 steers were easy to find and were less than a mile from the corrals. I don't think they could have been any more agreeable - 15 minutes and the 2 steers were caught and penned. My only job was to drive the pick-up when Kurt got out to walk them the rest of the way on foot - not quite the adventure I had pictured but that's not always bad. Kurt decided he still had time to get to Dodge (sans Anna, of course). He got the pin fixed (at least long enough to last to Dodge). Started to load the cattle again when. . . he noticed a rotten floor board in the trailer. Another problem that could have been much worse than it was. So. . . instead of getting lots done that morning or evening getting cattle hauled to town, Kurt spent most of the day repairing the decrepit trailer

At this point in his proofreading, Kurt argued with the word decrepit.

"It's not a decrepit trailer. I just had to fix the catch pin, two floor boards, the . . . "

"Exactly. I think I'll stand by my word choice."

The next day, Kurt and Anna took the cattle to Pratt without incidence in the much improved trailer.

Family updates:

*Kurt - we've already talked about him - big events this month were his birthday and football. He spends his day trying to keep our operation as low budget as possible by repairing things like trailers and building chicken waterers.

*Allison has enjoyed going back to school where she gets a small respite from her loving sisters.

*Natalie is the new kindergarten fashionista. She is in charge of picking out clothes for the next day - some interesting combos, including but not limited to a full length red, velvet-like peasant skirt paired with her "new" black Hannah Montana shirt, with tennis shoes so she can "run fast at recess."

*Anna has enjoyed gymnastics again and assures me she no longer needs my help. She is also making significant process in the potty training department. She has told me though in no uncertain terms more than once that she is "NOT a big girl. I your baby. Goo goo gah gah."

*I have begun to enjoy the routine that the start of the school year brings and have several projects I hope to get done. Having one at home with me is very different than 2 - not better, just different.

One more point of interest and I'll call it good for this month. Dale Family Farms has officially become an LLC (limited liability company).

Hope you're able to enjoy the cooler temps that September usually brings.

July 2010 edtion - and it's on time!

"Are we there yet?"

"I can see a mountain! Oh, maybe that's just a hill."

I'm writing as we head to New Mexico for a few days to cool off and regroup. I'm pretty sure Allison is the only daughter who has been to the mountains and she was too little to remember it. Everyone is very excited.

Let me tell you getting ready to be gone for even a few days is probably more work on the farm than staying home. Kurt's been working from sun-up to sun-down to finish projects and get everything lined up for our absence.

From the backseat in two part harmony: "Grandma got run over by a reindeer . . ."
Gotta love the MP3 player and my daughters' ability to entertain themselves. In addition to singing, they also played tag (one was in the middle seat and one was in the back) and had a Cheeto sword fight.

Anyway, the laundry is done, the house is clean (sort of), the yard is mowed (again, sort of), everything is well watered and my in-laws and our neighbor are ready to chore for us - a huge blessing. We had planned on traveling earlier in the summer before all the livestock started showing up. Plans fell through though and we're very thankful for the help.

Random thought. Again from the backseat: "When we get to the cabin, can we do shadow puppets?" It's hard to write AND be mom in the car.

We've got all ages of chickens on the farm right now. We'll process our first group this Friday and they are all spoken for. Our next group will be processed on August 12th-ish and there are still some available if you'd like to reserve yours. You're welcome to come out and help or watch. If you're interested in participating, give me a holler.

We have a few miracle chickens this summer. A week ago Wednesday, Kurt moved 100 chicks from the brooder to the pasture. On Saturday, he went to get something out of the empty brooder and found 3 chicks! He has no idea where they could have hid or how on earth they survived 3 days without feed or water. They don't seem any worse for wear though.

Our pigs are growing and have been interesting to watch. They love the weeds and mow them down pretty efficiently. They also enjoy the decimated corn from the garden and pineapple tops I take out.

After 24 hours in the mountains . . . we have enjoyed temperatures in the 60's and 70's, a few small showers, hours of just hanging out and only a few fights over who sat in what chair first.

Turkeys should be coming the first of the week. They're coming a few months too late to help control the grasshoppers though. We have decided next year we will order a few turkeys early in the summer and use them for pest control.

We have hamburger again! We appreciate your patience as we waited to restock our freezers.

It has turned very dry in our part of the state. I'm sure the 100+ degree days and wind hasn't helped at all. We were fortunate to get a half inch of rain about a week ago but have missed several of the other rains that have come through the county.

Hard to believe that school will be starting in just a few weeks. Natalie and Allison will be going this year and the house will be quiet during the days with just Anna and I here. Oh wait, what am I thinking, it won't be quiet - or calm or boring - with Anna around.

I will be in Wichita on Tuesday, July 27th if there's something you'd like me to bring. Then, the Tillbergs are coming out to help with chickens on the 30th. If you're in the Lindsborg/McPherson area and need something, let me know. Jennifer said she'd be happy to haul something back. AND, we'll be in Olathe on August 13th and 14th for another Tips and Tastes party. If you'd like to place an order, we'll bring it with us. We're excited about doing another tasting party - it seems to be the best way to visit with new customers.

One of the reasons we're on vacation this week is because we survived the county fair last week. This is Allison's 3rd year in 4-H but her first year showing livestock. There is a much bigger time investment involved with taking livestock than with just showing a few photographs. She and Kurt spent the better part of 3 days at the fair grounds caring for the goats, Chicken and Fizzy. Mostly, I left goat care to Kurt and Allison. However, one afternoon I went to check on Allison. We'd intended to pick her up and head straight to the pool to cool off. Somehow though, I ended up holding a goat's lead rope (a first), scooping goat poop (another first although I've had lots of recent training while potty training Anna) and two little girls in swimsuits repeatedly asking me "Can we swim yet?" Later that same day, I ended up helping Allison wash a goat - another first. I assure you it wasn't part of my plan at all but she was tired, soaked and the goat would NOT cooperate. What's a momma to do? Fizzy and Chicken were well scrubbed and both ended up earning blue ribbons.

That night, Allison and 3 friends participated in the Barnyard Olympics - an event surely devised by rural people with a strange sense of humor. Allison's team (3 soon-to-be-fourth-graders and a 4-year-old) had to haul water in a leaky bucket over a hot wire, rope a fake steer, move bales, feed a bucket calf and eat 2 hot dogs. Allison's team wasn't the fastest but had a great time.

The next night, Natalie got to have her fun at the fair dance. A band from Satanta played (it was so nice to have live music) and Natalie danced and danced. Then all of a sudden, someone flipped a switch and she was too tired to move.

New Mexico update: I am Pat Benetar. As if there was any doubt. Our "cabin" has a Playstation 2 equipped with Guitar Hero. This is a novelty for us - we don't own any gaming systems. I think I know why now - I could get addicted pretty easily - in fact, I might already be. . . Allison's goal is to get through a song without getting booed off the stage. Mine is to play and not have Kurt laugh at me - Anna and Nat cheer for me. "Go momma!" My rockin' husband (who plays guitar) smokes us all.

Farmers market update: We will be in Greensburg a few more times this summer. I need to sit down with a calendar when we get home. This summer seems busier and it's just harder to make the trip up and back. There's starting to be a conversation about hosting a market in Comanche County next year and we would love to help make that happen. I've also been approached by a gentleman at Dolci and Joe's in Wichita about coming to the market they are hosting on Sunday afternoons. I need a little more information but we'll keep you posted.

Goal met: Allison just finished "School's Out" by Alice Cooper on Guitar Hero. By the end of our trip she had mastered the song. If only there was Piano Hero.

One more quick reminder about our "Friend of the Farm" loyalty program. If you purchase $500 in product in 2010, we'll give you a 5% discount on ONE order in 2011. Purchase $1000 in 2010 and we'll give you a 5% discount on 2 orders in 2011.

Take care!

Andi

P.S. One final NM story. On our second night in the cabin, we had some night visitors - 2 bears! We think a momma and her cub. They played with the cooler and knocked over the grill. The girls walked a fine line between curious and terrified.

Welcome to July. I'm still recovering from Kurt's recent absence and am still trying to catch up. There was a time (many years ago) when summer was a time to relax and catch up. I'm pretty sure those days are over now that we have kids and chickens. Now, I'm plotting and planning for September when I can resume my short naps and catch up (about 2 years worth of scrap booking).

At the beginning of June, the girls and I began attending the farmers market in Greensburg. We've had to take the last few weeks off - Natalie was sick one Saturday and there was a t-ball tournament last week (wouldn't have missed that for anything). Looking forward to being back this week.

A big thank you to everyone who has been so understanding as we've waited to restock our hamburger. We're still learning how to manage inventory. I'm headed to McPherson this week to pick up several hundred pounds of hamburger - let me know if you need some. Please note our hamburger is now $4.00/pound.

At the beginning of the month, Kurt and several of our neighbors worked our calves. Kurt worked much harder that day than I did but Natalie and I did our part and made sure the men were well fed and watered.

The pullets are now in their new house (the Egg Sled II) and they have adjusted nicely. The chickens range during the day and we shut them up at night to protect them from predation. Currently, there are 125 young pullets that should start laying in mid to late September. Our older layers are still doing a good job although they have dropped off a little with the 100+ degree weather. Can't blame them, I don't want to do much in the heat either.

In addition to the laying hens, broilers keep showing up. Currently, we have 250 broilers on the farm - another 100 just showed up today. They were kind of a surprise, I'm embarrassed to say. I knew we had more chicks coming but I was pretty sure we had another week. I'll watch the calendar a little more closely the rest of the summer. Our first processing date will be July 30th. We still have some broilers available for that date but they're starting to go fast. Our next dates will be mid-August and the end of August. If you'd like some reserved, please let me know.

Dale Family Farms is engaged in a new learning experience. About 2 weeks ago, Kurt, Natalie and Anna went to pick up our 12 pigs. They're different sizes so we can stagger processing. We've enjoyed watching them. Pigs are very curious and love weeds. Now that the pigs are comfortable in their pen, Kurt has opened up an area in the trees. They love the weeds and we're hoping they'll take care of some of the underbrush and elm sprouts. This fall we hope to use them as mini plows in the garden before we mulch it for the winter.

Last week, several of the animals went on a short field trip to church. It was Vacation Bible School week and the leaders wanted a small petting zoo. We took Allison's 2 goats, the bucket calf, and 2 chickens plus a neighbor took in a horse for rides. The kids loved interacting with the animals and the bucket calf came home with a very full belly - Kurt let several of the kids feed it that morning.

Our garden is starting to produce - not quite what I planned but we're starting to bring veggies in for meals. I learned a lot about onions, lettuce and potatoes and hope to have a better crop next year. My zucchini plants are huge but not very many zucchini yet. Beans, okra, corn, pumpkins and cantaloupe will keep up hopping in a few weeks. And the tomatoes, oh the tomatoes. In a week or so, I'll be elbow deep in canning. I planted 30 some plants this year - expecting them to produce like they have in the past. What I didn't figure into the equation was my tending to them this spring. I've never cared for my tomatoes like this - there's never been the time in the past. Hmmm . . . . probably a life lesson there - the better we care for something, the more it thrives. Regardless of how well they've produced, the vegetables from our garden taste so much better than what I buy in the store. This was so true for the 7 strawberries we harvested. They were small but incredibly sweet. I hope to have a real strawberry patch in a few years. Any good tips out there?

As I write, we are headed to our last baseball game of the season (whew). Both Allison and Natalie have played ball this summer. Allison - coach pitch and Natalie t-ball. They have both really enjoyed it but with 4 games (2 nights a week) and a couple of practices a week, I'm ready for a regular meal at the table in the evenings. (Update: Allison's team won - they went 9-1 for the season - and won the league championship game. Sorry, just had to toot her horn a little.)

Last week, Kurt went to football camp with the high school football team (he's the assistant coach). They went to Northwest Missouri State (NE of Kansas City) and other than some minor, ok, major car troubles with our suburban (we're very thankful for the good friend who helped out), they had a good weekend. However, while Kurt was gone, I worked hard. Not only was I in charge of the kids and ballgames, etc., I also got to chore for Kurt. He assured me it never takes him more that an hour total a day to take care of chores around the farm (watering and feeding the livestock). Ok, there's a few variables he forgot to take into account: 1)he knows what he's doing since this is part of his routine, 2)while I can pick up Anna, Natalie or Allison, it's NOT the same as lifting and emptying a 50#bag of feed, 3) he gets to do chores unencumbered - i.e. without children helping or hollering for his help, and 4) did I say, he knows what he's doing. For the most part we fared pretty well, if you don't take into account the rogue snake under the brooder, the pick-up that I was planning on using that was unavailable and the very short nights I had. Thankfully, a good friend of mine came down to help out and proved to be invaluable at diffusing panic - mostly when I discovered the 5 FOOT LONG SNAKE. Most importantly, she was another adult and provided backup and sanity when I most needed it - everyone needs a friend like this.

This week we're starting to prepare for the fair which begins in a little over a week. Allison will be showing her goats and entering photographs and muffins. Natalie is gone to my mom's so we'll visit this weekend and then make some plans.

We are also starting to prepare for another Tips and Tastes part in August in the Olathe area. It's such a good opportunity to visit with customers and give them a chance to sample our products.

Quick family updates:

Allison: She's recovering from a busy month. Two camps, one visit to Grandma Billie's and baseball. She's looking forward to sleeping in a few mornings this month.

Natalie: Had a great time playing t-ball and doing gymnastics. However, when asked if she will play t-ball next year, Natalie will tell you, "probably not - my back gets too sweaty in ready position."

Anna: She also enjoyed gymnastics. I never enrolled the bigger girls in anything this young but Anna was copying everything Natalie was doing. I thought we'd try the 6 sessions this summer and see what happened. Anna and her sisters have been playing gymnastics in the basement - it keeps the floor picked up. Other big news for Anna - she's almost (I use that word expectantly) potty trained.

Kurt: He's been busy with livestock, hay and football. We're looking forward to cooler evenings (hopefully) where we can sit and visit on the porch again.

Me: Most of my time this month has been spent making sure everyone is packed for ballgames, camp or other adventures as well as making sure everyone arrives at said activities on time. Ok, that might be a slight exaggeration and it's been time well spent. I have managed to read a few books.

Hope your July isn't a scorcher.

Andi

Find us on Facebook at Dale Family Farms.

May 2010

School will be out tomorrow and this has been the most relaxing May that I can ever remember. While it's been a full month, I haven't been trying to juggle all of this and school. Consequently, I think the reduced stress has improved my allergies AND I've been able to enjoy more time outdoors.

Our garden has benefited from this extra time. This is the first time ever that everything has been in the ground before the end of school and I enjoyed doing it - I wasn't working against the clock, trying to get it all done in a few afternoons. While there's still weeding to be done (I have employed our daughters to help), I think this is the best the garden has ever looked. I'll keep you posted on the production. Hopefully, we'll have enough surpluses to take some to the Farmers' Market at Greensburg. I got the details last week and we'll be in Greensburg on Saturday mornings from 9-12 starting June 5th. Look us up if you're around.

Our first batch of broilers is due to arrive in about 2 weeks and we'll have chickens available on/around July 30, August 13 and 20, September 3 and 17 and October 1. If you want chicken this summer, please reserve yours now. I've started organizing our orders and we have about 1/4 of our 2010 production reserved. Just send me an email and let me know how many and on what date. I'll call you the week before they're ready and give you a definite day and pick up time. If you've been on our price page (http://dalefamilyfarms.com/PriceList.html), you may have noticed that our frozen chicken is $.50/pound higher than fresh chicken. This applies to any chicken we have in the freezer after our last processing date in October. It helps cover our expense for storing and handling the meat. Questions, let me know.

If you've been on our site, you may have also notice that we are currently out of hamburger. We have processing dates set up for mid-June and should have hamburger available again in early July. In the meantime, we have been substituting patties for hamburger (at hamburger price). If allowed to thaw thoroughly, we have found the patties to be a reasonable substitute. Also, please note that starting June 1, our hamburger price will go up to $4/pound.

Please keep Barbara and Greg Peterson in your thoughts and prayers. They are the owners/operators of McInteer's in Minneola, the processor that we use in this part of the state. Last week, they had a devastating fire in their facility and are trying to sort through the remains. They have been excellent to work with and I'm afraid we'll have to find another processor out here.

We have been fortunate to get about an inch of rain over the last week or so. Now, if the wind just wouldn't dry it out again! It's always good to see green grass and water in the creek. By August, it may be gone.

I'll be making a connection with someone in the Olathe area (still working on the details) on Friday. I will also be through Greensburg, Pratt, McPherson, Lindsborg and Wichita if there's anything you need.

Our transition to farm family is almost complete. The girls think shoes are optional when running around in the yard. Baths are becoming more and more necessary as the layers of dirt build up faster. They are also becoming comfortable with animals of all shapes and sizes. This weekend was the spring livestock show at the fair grounds. Our girls wandered through the barn with all kinds of animals around. When I first found Allison, she was helping a classmate wash her steer - an animal probably 10-12 times her size. Allison was there to show her goats, Chicken and Fizzy. Natalie was there to socialize. (Side note: I'm writing this while sitting at the kitchen counter. Natalie is trying to fit her head through the hole made by my arm and the counter and Anna is peering over my other shoulder.) The life of a show goat is much different than I anticipated. Chicken and Fizzy were clipped, scrubbed, and blow dried in preparation for the big show. Allison did a great job for her first time in the show ring. There were lots of girls her age with goats and the goats were not too unruly - hers just weren't exactly what the judge thought a great goat should look like.

On Wednesday, Kurt and I will be attending a workshop in Dodge City put on by the Kansas Rural Center. We hope to learn a lot and will have some time to visit with other people doing what we're doing.

Our egg numbers are finally back up - about 3 dozen a day. Our hens have lived in several places and it seems like every time we move them to fresh grass, they start hiding eggs. So. . . .the day after Kurt moves them, we have started leaving them in the hen house until mid morning after most of them have laid. This seems to have solved our problem. We've decide to be proactive with our next flock of layers. We move the young pullets from the brooder directly to our second hen house.

The next week or so will be a busy one. Kurt has 250 acres of hay to bale, a hog pen to build and some other field work to finish. Hopefully, rain will slow him down a little!

Quick family updates:

Allison: She finished 3rd grade today and has a full summer planned. A couple of camps, designated pitch and several rec activities.

Natalie is also done with school and will start Kindergarten next year. She's looking forward to summer gymnastics and being old enough to also participate in rec activities.

Anna is tickled to have her big sisters round and continues to be a great mimic. She's happiest when she can wander, barefoot in the backyard.

Kurt and I are mourning the end of our favorite show, "24." Pretty sure we'll have plenty to keep us busy this summer.

Blessings!

Andi

April 2010

Apparently the March edition of the Cattle Rattle was never meant to be. Easily in April, I kept thinking it would get done. . . . now, it's the end of the month and time to write April's update. The last two months have been full ones.

At the end of February, the whole family headed to Yankton, SD - just north of the Nebraska border. We went for The Grassfed Exchange. Friday was full of panel discussions, Friday night was a banquet with grass-fed beef and Alan Nation spoke (the editor of The Stockman Grassfarmer and one of our favorites) and Saturday was a cattle sale. Kurt enjoyed the discussions and the girls loved the pool at the hotel - I think we swam 4 times in 2 days! Allison's favorite by far though was the cattle sale. She had tears because we were going to leave early. By the time we finally did leave, she was able to estimate the weight of the cattle within 100 pounds or so - may be a useful skill at some point.

The next weekend found Anna, Kurt and I in Olathe hosting a Tips and Tastes party. Kurt's brother and his family were wonderful hosts and we had a great turnout - don't think I've ever cooked for 34 before! I am continually humbled by our family and friends' willingness to support our young business.

There are several reasons we have been so busy the last few months. One of them has been my involvement with the high school forensics team. In a two week period, I went out 5 times with the kids. They've had a great season and are preparing to go to State Competition this Saturday.

We've also been busy getting the garden going - we're almost done - only pumpkins and watermelons left to plant. This is the first time EVER I've had the garden up and growing before Mother's Day. The girls were so excited yesterday to see a baby head of broccoli - they'll enjoy watching it grow. Now, if I can just keep the goats, the chickens and Anna out!

Speaking of goats, two wethers (named Fizzy and Chicken) have come to live at the farm. They're Allison's 4-H project and Kurt's pasture experiment. Allison has been great with them and can get them to eat out of her hand. I've also been proud of how brave Natalie has been - going in to the pen without an adult. My understanding is that it's not "if goats get out but when." Last night, we had our first goat escape. Kurt and Allison had expanded the goat pen so they would have more room to roam and be able to munch on the young elm trees that are sprouting everywhere. Fizzy decided to check out the hot wire and instead of jumping back, he leaped forward through the wires. Thankfully Kurt and Allison were close and very patient. Getting Fizzy quickly became a family endeavor. Anna finished her supper and didn't fuss. Natalie and I held Yeller - far away from the excitement. He was dying to go help but in his enthusiasm, he probably would have chased Fizzy to town. Allison got Fizzy to follow the can of food until he was safely back in the pen.

Chicks have also shown up on the farm. They're still cute but at almost 2 weeks, they've moved past adorable. We have 100 Rhode Island Reds and 25 Aracuanas in the brooder and expect them to start laying around mid-September - before the others start to molt and quit laying. The layers are pretty hardy and and even the chicks have handled swings in spring temperatures well. We're excited to be selling eggs at the local cafe and hope to double our production in the fall.

Our first broilers are due to arrive the first part of June. We won't have fresh chicken until July but we're pretty sure it will be worth the wait. Turkeys won't be too far behind them.

One more note on the layers. Currently, our layers have taken to laying eggs wherever it seems to be convenient - the dog house, by the mailbox, the mulch pile, by the garden on the ground. . . We will work harder to train this next batch better - we don't enjoy our daily egg hunts!

It is definitely greening up! We've had almost 2 inches of rain over the last week and it's so good to see plants growing. Guess we'll have to start mowing - hmm. . . .am I will to get sheep to take care of that?

The cattle are also enjoying the green grass. It's always fun to watch the calves play and Kurt has excitement trying to tag the new babies. Sometimes the momma cows aren't real interested in letting ANYTHING near their babies. When the girls drive pasture with Kurt, they're often in charge of getting the ear tagger ready. Then, they proceed to cheer for the momma if she gets a little protective - poor Kurt!

The spring flush has also been good for our steers. Kurt recently took 4 steers to the processor - two were over 1400 pounds, one was around 1300 pounds and one was closer to 1100. Contrary to what conventional agriculture may say, cattle can get fat on grass. Kurt calculated their rate of gain somewhere just under 2 pounds per day. We were also very pleased with their hanging weights - 60-65% of the liveweight. this translates to a great deal (more meat) for our customers who are buying quarters/halves. By the way, we have a quarter and a half still available in McPherson and a quarter and a a half available at Minneola. If you (or someone you know) is interested, please contact us ASAP. They will be ready in just a few weeks and we won't have quarters and halves available again until fall.

With all the rain and green around, Kurt decided it was time to clean up a few piles of bush and trees left over from ice storms and the tornado. Not quite all gone but it sure looks better!

Kurt wanted me to share that his parents will both celebrate their 80th birthdays this spring. Both are still very active on the farm!

Several of you already know but the farm has had a facebook page for the last few months. Once or twice a week, we try to share updates. We'd love for you to become a fan!

I almost forgot, quick kid update:

Allison is busy with 4-H and school. Shes looking forward to this summer.

Natalie is almost done with preschool and is very excited about kindergarten round up. She is finishing up gymnastics until summer and is almost ready for their performance.

Anna is truly a little shadow - following her sisters everywhere - sometimes to their chagrin. Maybe by next month , we can share that's she completely potty trained.

Hope you and your families are able to enjoy this great spring weather.

Andi

February 2010 Editon

Wow - another month gone - one more month closer to Spring! We've had a lot of cold, snowy weather this winter and I'm ready for sunshine and green grass. The moisture we've had should help guarantee the green grass and I'll just have to trust that the sunshine will come.

Now that I've complained about the weather, we're about to head some place colder. On Thursday, we're headed to Yankton, South Dakota - the whole family, 8 hours away. Not quite sure what we were thinking but it should be an adventure. We do have a reason for going - the Grass Fed Exchange (http://www.grassfedexchange.com/). Kurt is really interested in meeting with several of the buyers and potentially finding a market for many of our steers. Kurt couldn't find anyone else that could go with him, so I volunteered and as we began to plan, we decided we just couldn't ask his folks to babysit 2 weekends in a row. So. . . everyone is going, of course. Allison has the organizer's permission to sit in on the meetings if she's interested (she will even get her own name tag) and we'll all go to the cattle sale on Saturday - country folk are pretty easily entertained. We'll see new country and there's a great pool at the motel so we'll be in heaven. I'll let you know how it goes.

Today, I went to McPherson to pick up meat. We have bratwurst available again and beef jerky for the first time - it's great! The girls enjoyed it for "dessert" tonight - Kurt was so proud. Let us know if you want to try some.

A quick reminder if you've bought sirloin in the last 4-5 months. Our butcher included some cuts with a large bone or excessive fat. If you think you've received one of these, please let me know and we'll make it right. Likewise, we'll be substituting other steaks for sirloin in the grilling sampler and steak sampler until we process again.

I think we must be crazy, certifiable for sure. Not only did we plan our trip to South Dakota last week, we also ordered poultry for the 2010 season - are you ready for this? 125 layers, 550 broilers and 50 turkeys! We've had a great response and are trying to keep up with demand. We will have chickens available on or around July 30, August 13, August 20, September 3, September 17, and October 1 and turkeys will be ready the week of Thanksgiving. If you're interested, please start thinking about reserving yours. We're starting our broilers later this year so that we can avoid big temperature swings. We found last year that the chicks we started in April just didn't thrive like the ones later in the season.

Kurt's finding out that I'm becoming an integral part of this operation. Most of my work is either done at the computer or behind the wheel of the Suburban shuttling him, meat or parts back and forth. However, about 3 weeks ago, I got to play vet tech - ok, maybe I've inflated my role just a little. I'll let you decide. Kurt had a heifer calf that had been bloating - usually a sign of GI problems. He'd been watching her for a day or so and thought she was better. Kurt was going to be off the farm most of the day doing some custom work and asked me to check on her. First, I had to find #964 out in the pasture with the rest of the cattle. To be honest, all of the calves were on a small alfalfa patch just across the road from the house so I didn't have to look too hard. However, I did have to get out of the Suburban and walk north down the fence line. Ol' 964 was pretty easy to find - she was off all by herself - and even to my untrained eyes, the bloat was pretty obvious. I called Kurt to give him an update and he changed his plans to come and take her over to the vet and get her checked out. I'm pretty sure I saved her life that day.

Then, a few days later, I got to help move cattle across the road. Actually, Natalie and I have helped several times this month but mostly we just park in the road and turn on our flashers so nobody comes roaring down the road and into the middle of the herd. Pretty tough job. Anyway, back to the story. Natalie, Anna and I were supposed to do our regular job of watching for cars while Kurt and Allison were leading the momma cows from one pasture to the other - this gets a little dicey because for about 45 seconds they are out in the open - no fence, nothing to keep them from moseying on down the road. Kurt and Allison got in the pickup to lead them to fresh pasture and Kurt called them with the pickup horn. Most of them listened but there were about 20 that were still enjoying their breakfast and didn't want to go. Andi to the rescue! Anna and Natalie held down the fort in the Suburban (for those of you that are safety conscious, I took the keys and there's hardly ever cars on our road). I knew that I wasn't brave enough to come up behind the cows on foot and get them moving but I could drive the pickup to lead them while Kurt walked behind them. One small problem, my legs are about 2 inches too short and I got stuck on the barbed wire fence trying to get to the pickup - thankfully it wasn't hot but one of the barbs got stuck in my jeans - my NEW jeans. My pride was hurt as Kurt had to come to MY rescue . . . Cowgirls don't pout though so I hopped in the driver's seat and away we went. I started honking the horn to lead the last few cows while Kurt walked behind them. However, we had to move fast enough so the cows already in the new pasture didn't come back when they heard the horn. What a conundrum! I'm not sure what happened the next few minutes. I know all the cows ended up in the right pasture with the gate shut, Anna and Natalie were playing contentedly in the Suburban, I only killed the pickup twice and swore once and I never got yelled at by Kurt. All in all a successful operation.

Dale Family Farms now has a page on Facebook. Become a fan if you want updates on what's happening on the farm. Comments and thoughts are welcome as we learn how to use this type of media.

Start planning ahead - we're taking orders for wholes, halves and quarters of beef. Check out www.dalefamilyfarms.com/FAQs.html for more information on how these are priced.

We'll be in Greensburg, Pratt and Wichita on March 5 if there's anything you need. We'll be on our way to Olathe. My brother-in-law is hosting a Tips and Tastes party. Looking forward to a good time.

Kurt took several of our calves to the sale barn last week and for the first time in a long time, he was really pleased with how they sold. He said he could tell a real difference between our cattle and those raised in a dry lot - ours looked healthier and had a shinier coat. Natalie got to go with him and was a peach.

Legos and games have been the big focus of the girls' time lately. They have all built wonderful creations and have stretched their imaginations and mine. Even Anna like to put pieces together and declare it's a house just like her sisters.

I'm not sure what the following story says about Kurt and I - either we are really comfortable with each other or we're just too practical to be romantics. :) For Christmas, the girls and I got Kurt a Timberwolf hoodie - just like he asked for. And Kurt, he went out on a limb and bought me a coat. Now before you start swooning ladies, you need to know that this is not the first time Kurt bought me a coat. The first one he almost bought was an engagement gift and the second was a first Christmas gift. Anyway, this Christmas, Kurt bought me a work coat - a very warm, very brown work coat. Probably so I could go out with him and move cattle. However this month, we both ended up with a problem. Kurt tried on his new sweatshirt (it wasn't quite ready on time for Christmas) and it was just a little small to put more layers on underneath. I did what any frugal wife would do, I volunteered to wear it. About the same time, Kurt was getting ready to go out in the cold to feed the chickens one morning (a job I'm not tough enough for) and the "blankety-blank" zipper broke on his Carhart coat. Andi to the rescue again. I let Kurt wear My new work coat - it was a little big on me. By the end of the day, he had already got grease on it and so I let Kurt keep the coat. . . hmmm . . . what does this say about us as a couple?

Next time I write, I'm sure it will be spring and we'll all be in a better mood.

Take care

Andi