Farm Journal
The pix was taken late afternoon yesterday as the storm was kinda rolling in ... it looks like a lot of chickens but when they see me they all run toward me ... no worry NOT out of love for their farmer but for that bucket of grains I was carrying ... !!!
Our piglets are now 1 week old and doing well.
On day 2, we were able to move the second Mom back into a secured area. It was epic and took several hours for a few hundred yards. We would give Mom a little bit of food, move the babies a few feet but as soon as we would grab a baby, the little punk would scream like you wonder how such a little thing can make such a noise !!!
Mom reacting immediately, us looking innocent !!! Once she calmed down starting all over again ... It was not a fast move but even protective the mom was never aggressive ...
The big Mama was too far away to be moved but on Friday I came with a grand idea to move them and it did not work at all, the difference was this Mom was super aggressive when protecting the babies so everybody is still out there.
Both group have access to a pond and the babies already go roll in the mud ...
Here a few pictures, they are so much bigger and at least double in weight.
The second group, 6 days old ...
The first group, 6 days old ...
Mama having diner ...
We got 14 piglets in 24h!!!
Thank you to The Alys Gazette for featuring our great partnership with Kevin Korman, chef de cuisine at Caliza Restaurant.
http://slaughtergroup.com/files/5514/0422/3872/Alys-Gazette-Spring2014-TwinOaks.pdf
Thank you for supporting a better way to produce healthy and wholesome food.
Twin Oaks Farm - USDA Certified Organic - Bonifay FL 32425
www.twinoaksfarm.net - www.facebook/twinoaksfarm
From All of us here at the farm, we wish you ....
Please forward this email to your email list and help us spread the word about Real Food.
Thank you for supporting a better way to produce healthy and wholesome food.
Twin Oaks Farm - USDA Certified Organic - Bonifay FL 32425
www.twinoaksfarm.net - www.facebook/twinoaksfarm
This week I got my new bees through the mail !!!
I had all my hives ready to go. Here is the box of bees called a nuc, it comes with a queen and is ready to be installed in their new hive.
Once I open the box, I quickly remove a smaller box with the queen in it and close it back ...
The white part in the box is sugar ....
On the side of the box, you find a small plug that need to be removed, once the queen box and the bees will be in the hive, the bees will eat through the sugar and free the queen ....
The next step is to staple the queen box into the hive. It will stay there for a few days and once the queen is out it can be removed.
Then I needed it to get the bees into the hive, it is fairly easy, just you get thousands of bees buzzing around ... A good time to test your self control !!!
I just turn the box upside down and shake the bees out ...
I put an empty box on top of the frames to funnel the bees.
Et voila ... I leave the box in front of the hive for any of the bees still in to join.
Close up ... my pictures are not fantastic on this post, but I take them in full sun with a veil and smoke and bees ....
#1 Eggs
I was already really happy to score 5 eggs (exemplary) on the Cornucopia Institute Organic Egg Scorecard but we are the #1 on the list !!!!
… I am eggstatic ….
We are now officially THE best eggs !!!
The Cornucopia Institute Organic Egg Scorecard rates farms and companies that market private-label or name-brand organic “shell” eggs based on 22 criteria that are important to the organic consumers.
The scorecard showcases ethical farms and their brands, and exposes factory farm producers and brands in grocery store cooler’s that threaten to take over organic livestock agriculture. Non organic or “natural” do not make the list as they are just conventional eggs.
For me this #1 spot is the result of years of hard work, refusing to cut corner, going through the expense of feeding my chickens the best organic mix of real grains, rejecting cheap alternative like soy.
Over the years I was able to improve our practice increasing our chickens well being and safety … and you know how the saying goes :
Happy Chickens = Happy Eggs …
and tonight we can add Happy Farmer …
Thank you to All of you that have purchases our eggs over the years now let’s do a little bragging about them and spread the good news …
Here is the link to the Cornucopia Institute Organic Egg Scorecard:
http://www.cornucopia.org/organic-egg-scorecard/
Thank you for supporting a better way to produce healthy and wholesome food.
Twin Oaks Farm - USDA Certified Organic - Bonifay FL 32425
www.twinoaksfarm.net - www.facebook/twinoaksfarm
Chocolates and Diamonds are nice ...
but you did it already ....
Let's do SCRUMPTIOUS this year ...
and innovate by offering some of our
Strawberry Preserves !!!
Check out our e-commerce
http://www.twinoaksfarm.net/store/preserves-chutneys-and-more
and pick from:
our classic Strawberry Preserve
add a little bite with our Strawberry - Rhubarb
go for delicious Fig - Strawberry
or totally decadent Strawberry - Pinot Noir
sweet Strawberry Butter
We will wrap it nicely for you and add a card to it ...
All our preserves are made right here at the farm the old fashioned way using only organic and/or local ingredients.
Please forward this email to your email list and help us spread the word about Real Food.
Thank you for supporting a better way to produce healthy and wholesome food.
Twin Oaks Farm - USDA Certified Organic - Bonifay FL 32425
www.twinoaksfarm.net - www.facebook/twinoaksfarm