Broiler Workshop

Hey folks,

It's been a while since I put anything on here. Well, I wanted to share about something I've put together and see if anyone out there might be interested in a hands-on workshop I'm doing. Further details below.

PASTURED BROILER PRODUCTION:  A-Z  

Come be a part of the first ever hands on broiler production workshop taught by Polyface's Apprentice Manager Eric Barth.  Get the encouragement you need and hands on exposure to overcome the intimidation of raising broilers.  Drawing from more then 5 1/2 years of teaching experience, Eric will walk you through the basics: chick brooding, Polyface style field shelter construction, proper ergonomics of shelter moving, processing, profit margins and much more!

Workshop details:

~Date: Sept. 10, 2016 

~This is a full one day event from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., rain or shine.

~Breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided!

~$200 per person

~20 person limit

Interested? Email Eric Barth at happyfarmer@polyfacefarms.com by August 27th with questions or to reserve your spot.

Disclaimer:

This event is being held at Polyface Inc., but does not include speaking time from, or interaction with Joel or Daniel Salatin.

Eric Barth came from the Chicago suburbs to Polyface in October of 2010.  After completing his 12 month apprenticeship Eric has stayed on as apprentice manager and assists with day to day operations of the farm.  He has had the opportunity to teach more than 50 interns and apprentices as well as numerous farm visitors through Polyface events.  Eric is excited to be part of the mission of Polyface and looks forward to passing on his knowledge and skills through this workshop!

Our Own Little Shed

This spring I decided to build a shed to help with our storage needs.  After looking at the cost of pre-fabricated models, I decided it would be cheaper and an enjoyable experience to buy the materials and build it myself.  It was a fun project for Leanna and I to work on together.

Building materials all ready to go!

I decided to go with an 8x12 ft. floor plan mounted on pressure treated 4x6's.  The runners will allow me to move it if I ever need to.

First wall up!

Not quite a barn raising, but it satisfied my construction desires.

Putting moisture wrap around it to help keep things dry inside.

Putting on the siding boards.

A good friend, Jonathan K., helped put the roofing sheets up.

Painting trim.

The shed in all its beauty!  We used plexiglass to make the windows and hope to get some window boxes made next spring!    I am pretty proud of it and learned a lot in the process. 

On The Air Again!

For those of you who thought I fell off the face of the earth, I am back!  Yes, the last nine months have been very full, but very very good.  Leanna and I enjoyed our first Christmas together as well as our first trip to Chicago as a married couple.  My family had a beautiful reception for us with close friends and family during our stay in IL.

Us!

Intense game of Dutch Blitz

We had fun pulling people on a tube behind my old snowmobile

The family table. 

 The cold months passed with not too much excitement.  We were kept busy with feeding and caring for the animals while enjoying the occasional snow fall.  It even got cold enough to enable us to have a week of ice skating!

 February found us putting out maple syrup taps for my fourth season here in Virginia. With putting 22 gallon of syrup in jars we felt like we could make the jump and sell syrup in the farm store as a specialty item.  The syrup sold quickly and we have plans of selling more next year.

I used food grade 50 gallon barrels (a gift from a friend) this year to collect sap instead of coolers, which made it a lot easier!

My new evaporator set up, a retro fitted fuel barrel with a stove pipe.

Finishing off the syrup on a gas burner outside to cut down on heat and steam in the house. :)

The finished product!

A cute couple in front of a sugar shack at a local maple syrup festival. :)

Mr and Mrs. Barth!!!

Well, it has been quite a while since I last posted. Must be married life is keeping me busy! To get everyone up to date I will start out by telling you that Leanna and I got married on October 26, 2013.  It was a beautiful day in Staunton Virginia.  The fall colors were so amazing!  What a fun celebration it was with so many friends and family making the effort to come.  For our honeymoon, Leanna and I were blessed to spend a week down in Tennessee where we enjoyed a cute little cabin in the mountains with all God's creation around us.

Settling into married life has been so much fun.  Leanna has done a wonderful job turning our little apartment on the farm into a home.  Coming in after a good day of farm work to a wife and a delicious dinner is almost to much!!! :)   We are both so grateful for how the Lord has brought us together and want to thank all of you who have been part of our lives.

It is hard to express in pictures all that has gone on the last couple of weeks, but I will try.

  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Last picture with their single son!  Thank you Mom and Dad for helping to bring me to this point in life.

All ten of us siblings!

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For our wedding party, Leanna had her three sisters and I had three of my brothers.  It was a sharp looking group!

Current and former Polyface family,  Thanks for being a part of our lives. We love you all!!

The cake my sister made was beautiful...........

...........And feeding it to each other was just as attractive!

Yes......this is one of our favorite pictures. :)

As farmers we wanted to use my truck as the get-away vehicle.

My license plate says, "IM FARMN" so the truck "decorators" had to make an adjustment.

Off To The Honeymoon!

Although 4-wheeling is a normal occurrence at the farm we decided to enjoy some mountain trails with a guide. 

Beautiful colors......and smiles... :)

I WAS golfing :)

We had a cool ride on a rail mounted bobsled that was almost a mile long down a mountain!

Coming down the track powered by gravity alone.  The sleds were restricted to a maximum of 25mph and also had handbrakes.

Our honeymoon hideaway! 

S'mores, inside style. 

Golf? Can a farmer do it?!

Well, I tried. The other weekend I joined a group of guys from church for my first ever golf outing!
It was a fun and crazy time, laughing at each other and cheering everyone on. I found out that the game is not as easy as it looks. :)

A great time was had by all, even if my team came in last.

warming up on the putting green.

Who says there's only one use for a golf club....!

We are here........and we need to get to there.

Yes, I had fun.  ........How do I look!?

Ben, getting ready to take his shot.

Aaalllmost made it!

It was a beautiful day and a wonderful course,....ha, ha,  like I know golf courses. :)