Well tonite I did the last routine meat chicken feeding! What a relief! Tomorrow night the chickens will all be loaded into the stock trailer for the night in preparation for the trip to Lancaster Tuesday morning.
Good news! The natural chicken cold medicene has definitely helped my girls (Laying Hens!) Not near as much sneezing and watery eyes. Whoo hoo!
I am so thankful for the much needed rain that has fallen on our farm the last couple of days. Hopefully the grass will begin to green back up and start growing again :-)
Tomorrow starts off with a fun activity...yours truly will be talking on the radio with my friends Sandi Curd, and Rachel West and Thor Bahrman! (99.5 KDCountry and T107 at 9:00) We are kicking off an awesome Farmers Market Program that will allow EBT participants to receive $10 extra farmers market dollars when they spend $10 at every market they attend. We are already doubling the value of all WIC and Sr Farmers Market Vouchers! This helps so many people in so many ways. I just wish more people would take advantage of it.
I REALLY need to get back on my horse!
Good evening friends!
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Friday, June 27, 2014
Back To Work
Hello friends!
Today was my first real day back to work and it was a doozy! I spent the better part of yesterday getting the splints removed from my nose. Boy was that not a fun process but it was quick and the relief was immediate. I won't elaborate any further here :-)
Ya'll are probably getting tired of hearing about chickens but they seem to be taking up a good bit of my efforts lately. Many of my chickens have colds :-( So what is a chicken cold like you might ask? Well, it is much like a human cold...they sneeze, have runny noses, puffy eyes, and make these gurgley noises like they need to blow their noses!!!! I wish I was kidding but I'm not. I am trying to treat them with a natural remedy that is in no way harmful, but if I can't get it under control I might have to resort to antibiotics. I won't use antibiotics on the meat chickens. If I do have to go this route on the laying hens I will of course be withholding the eggs the required amount of time. I really don't want to do this but I hate it that my girls aren't feeling good :-( Of course they aren't laying good right now because they don't feel good and that is really not good! I'll keep you posted!
Tonite John and Bryce went to the Knox County Farmers Market for the second week and although John thought the crowd was much less than last week sales were actually better! That could be due in part to the fact that I am fully stocked up on beef items right now :-) I suggest that everyone stock up on their favorite cuts! We will continue going to the Knox County market on Thursdays!
I attended my monthly Whitley County Cattlemen's Association meeting tonite. There was a representative there from the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association. It was a thought provoking meeting for sure. The national beef industry as a whole is struggling to regain their market share of meat sales. Let's face it, beef really got a bad wrap a few years back and it is my job as a Cattleman to help regain public trust and correctly educate the buyers as to the merits of beef. I am actually working through a national program online to become a Master of Beef Advocacy. Where I struggle is that I choose to provide beef that is very unconventionally raised and fills the needs of a niche market that I truly believe in. That doesn't mean that I think beef raised in more conventional ways is all bad. I am working to come to terms with all this. Actually I am even wondering if I can really help the beef industry (in my small, local way) more than they or I realize. I am planning on calling the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association soon to discuss this!
The horse shoer was here today putting new shoes on Sender, Twister and Blue! This happens every 6 weeks. They are ready to go and I need to be riding more!
If I don't post tomorrow I will be at the Whitley County Farmers Market on Saturday morning at the extension office in Goldbug!
Happy farming!
Today was my first real day back to work and it was a doozy! I spent the better part of yesterday getting the splints removed from my nose. Boy was that not a fun process but it was quick and the relief was immediate. I won't elaborate any further here :-)
Ya'll are probably getting tired of hearing about chickens but they seem to be taking up a good bit of my efforts lately. Many of my chickens have colds :-( So what is a chicken cold like you might ask? Well, it is much like a human cold...they sneeze, have runny noses, puffy eyes, and make these gurgley noises like they need to blow their noses!!!! I wish I was kidding but I'm not. I am trying to treat them with a natural remedy that is in no way harmful, but if I can't get it under control I might have to resort to antibiotics. I won't use antibiotics on the meat chickens. If I do have to go this route on the laying hens I will of course be withholding the eggs the required amount of time. I really don't want to do this but I hate it that my girls aren't feeling good :-( Of course they aren't laying good right now because they don't feel good and that is really not good! I'll keep you posted!
Tonite John and Bryce went to the Knox County Farmers Market for the second week and although John thought the crowd was much less than last week sales were actually better! That could be due in part to the fact that I am fully stocked up on beef items right now :-) I suggest that everyone stock up on their favorite cuts! We will continue going to the Knox County market on Thursdays!
I attended my monthly Whitley County Cattlemen's Association meeting tonite. There was a representative there from the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association. It was a thought provoking meeting for sure. The national beef industry as a whole is struggling to regain their market share of meat sales. Let's face it, beef really got a bad wrap a few years back and it is my job as a Cattleman to help regain public trust and correctly educate the buyers as to the merits of beef. I am actually working through a national program online to become a Master of Beef Advocacy. Where I struggle is that I choose to provide beef that is very unconventionally raised and fills the needs of a niche market that I truly believe in. That doesn't mean that I think beef raised in more conventional ways is all bad. I am working to come to terms with all this. Actually I am even wondering if I can really help the beef industry (in my small, local way) more than they or I realize. I am planning on calling the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association soon to discuss this!
The horse shoer was here today putting new shoes on Sender, Twister and Blue! This happens every 6 weeks. They are ready to go and I need to be riding more!
If I don't post tomorrow I will be at the Whitley County Farmers Market on Saturday morning at the extension office in Goldbug!
Happy farming!
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Chicken Countdown....
It's only one week....that's seven days...until the meat chickens go to be processed! Can you tell that I am looking forward to it?! This chicken adventure has been much tougher than I thought it would be, but I am planning to prevail! WE WILL HAVE CHICKEN FOR SALE AT THE WHITLEY COUNTY FARMERS MARKET IN CORBIN ON TUESDAY, JULY 8th!!!!
Jane left tonite and I was sure sad to see her go :-). Not only is she the BEST sister in the whole world, she is also the hardest worker that I know. She kept all my chores done all week which is no easy task and I feel so caught up right now that I am almost scared to go outside and mess things up! I am truly blessed to have her! She will be returning next Monday night so she can help load the chickens and should be with me at the market in Corbin on Tuesday :-). Then we are actually leaving Wednesday to go on a small vacation to visit some family in South Carolina!
So...John is planning on taking the trailer to the Barbourville Farmers Market again this Thursday night. He and Bryce did well there last Thursday :-). I can't go because I have a Whitley County Cattlemens Meeting to attend. Then I plan on being back at the Goldbug market on Saturday morning. Then Corbin on Tuesday night!
I hope everyone comes out and gets their USDA CERTIFIED GRASS FED BEEF for the holiday! I am picking up a steer tomorrow so I will be fully stocked up on all cuts!
And did I mention the chicken.....
Jane left tonite and I was sure sad to see her go :-). Not only is she the BEST sister in the whole world, she is also the hardest worker that I know. She kept all my chores done all week which is no easy task and I feel so caught up right now that I am almost scared to go outside and mess things up! I am truly blessed to have her! She will be returning next Monday night so she can help load the chickens and should be with me at the market in Corbin on Tuesday :-). Then we are actually leaving Wednesday to go on a small vacation to visit some family in South Carolina!
So...John is planning on taking the trailer to the Barbourville Farmers Market again this Thursday night. He and Bryce did well there last Thursday :-). I can't go because I have a Whitley County Cattlemens Meeting to attend. Then I plan on being back at the Goldbug market on Saturday morning. Then Corbin on Tuesday night!
I hope everyone comes out and gets their USDA CERTIFIED GRASS FED BEEF for the holiday! I am picking up a steer tomorrow so I will be fully stocked up on all cuts!
And did I mention the chicken.....
Monday, June 23, 2014
It's Almost Chicken Time!!!!
The meat chickens are now 10 weeks old and I just made an appointment with the processor!!!! They will be going away next Tuesday morning!!!! I am so ready for this to happen. There has been a HUGE learning curve with these birds. I will take them to the processor on Tuesday morning and pick them up the following Monday morning.
MEAT CHICKEN WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT THE WHITLEY COUNTY FARMERS MARKET IN CORBIN ON TUESDAY, JULY 8TH!!!!!
Sunday, June 22, 2014
True Partner
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Surprise Surprise SURPRISE!
A couple of weeks ago one of my Light Brahma hens disappeared. I decided she had been a midnite snack for a predator :-( however I was pleasantly surprised when John found her sitting on a nest under a tractor! We had to use the tractor so after marking the eggs so I would know which ones they were I just shoved them under one of my other hens in the chicken coop that has been determined to be broody. Well, this little one hatched!!!!! It's actually the first baby chick to be hatched at Moonlight Farm! Whoo hoo!!!!
Friday, June 20, 2014
Farmers Markets
The Farmers Markets are in full swing now! Moonlight Farm beef and pork can be be found regularly at the Whitley County Farmers Market on Saturday mornings at the extension office from 8-12. I am also selling in downtown Corbin on Tuesday nights from 5-8! In Corbin I am offering my famous Walking Tacos made with delicious grassfed ground beef for dinner! Come check it out!
Although I wasn't able to go, John and Bryce made their first solo Farmers Market run last night for the grand opening of the Barbourville Farmers Market! There were lots of folks who showed up for this event and sales were good so I expect we will be going back. Maybe even offering the Walking Tacos?????!!!!! The Barbourville market is on Thursday evenings from 5-9.
My chickens are running a tad late, but should be available within a couple of weeks!
I sure do appreciate all my regular customers and look forward to meeting lots of new customers in the coming weeks!
Although I wasn't able to go, John and Bryce made their first solo Farmers Market run last night for the grand opening of the Barbourville Farmers Market! There were lots of folks who showed up for this event and sales were good so I expect we will be going back. Maybe even offering the Walking Tacos?????!!!!! The Barbourville market is on Thursday evenings from 5-9.
My chickens are running a tad late, but should be available within a couple of weeks!
I sure do appreciate all my regular customers and look forward to meeting lots of new customers in the coming weeks!
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