Up At Five.......

I probably had you thinking, "Rolling out of bed at 5am", by the title that I chose. No, not this time. What is really up at five is a new hoop house. We have recently completed the construction of the fifth hoop house on the farm.  Number 5 is the same size as hoop houses 3&4 but we added some special features to accommodate the housing of pigs for the winter. Because it's the nature of pigs to dig into the ground, Joel and Daniel came up with a design to eliminate the big holes that they can create. The design consists of having three foot wide slabs of concrete running down the length of the structure with ten inch gaps between the slabs. We then cover the entire floor of the hoop house with wood chips which fill in the gaps and builds up to 8"+ of deep bedding for the pigs. The cool thing about the ten inch spaces is that the pigs can't dig through them and in the spring we can scoop out the old bedding and plant vegetables in the rows, with the three foot wide slabs keeping down the weeds!!!! It's awesome! We also put a heavy wire mesh along the sides of the hoop house so the pigs won't tear the plastic cover. We were thankful to have extra help for this project which came from the many "check-outs" that worked on the farm for two day periods in early January.  "Check-Outs" are the folks that  applied for summer intern positions and that the Salatins invited to come out for a working interview.  It was fun to meet so many great people who were interested in sustainable agriculture. I look forward to the crew we will have this summer. 

We're getting ready to pull the plastic tarp over the hoop structure.

Here you see the deep bedding of wood chips the pigs will enjoy.

Building the forms before the next section of cement is poured.

The final product! We have four groups of pigs in the hoop house.

I though I would just throw this one in because it is a cute pig photo

Christmas Fun and New Year begun!

I returned on January 2nd after spending time with family and friends over the Christmas Holiday.  It was a fun and very refreshing couple of weeks.

A few of the things I enjoyed were spending time with grandparents and other relatives, visiting with former landscape clients, and a great day of skiing with some of my siblings and friends.  I also toured a non-profit organization in Milwaukee, WI called Growing Power.

The founder of Growing Power, Will Allen, has pioneered a revolutionary movement of urban/inner city agriculture. It was amazing to see the variety of ways Mr. Allen grows food in small spaces. The main farm is only about three acres but has multiple green/hoop houses on site which shelter a thriving population of chickens, turkeys, goats, tilapia, honey bees, seasonal produce, micro greens, and millions of worms. His work is inspirational.

I also got to see Dan, a special friend that moved from Polyface back to his home state of WI. Dan is now the chef at a restaurant in downtown Milwaukee, called, "Rosie's on Water"......anyone hungry? You won't be disappointed!

Dad, my sister Anna, and I

My brother, Jonathan, next to one of the hydroponic systems at Growing Power

Dan in Rosie's kitchen on the day before his grand opening

A very decorated house near our neighborhood.

All of us!

2011 has gone by too fast. Looking back, I am so thankful for the many blessings from God over the years. To find myself in a full-time management position at Polyface Farm is something I could never have imagined a couple of years ago, ... but God did!  I look forward with anticipation to experiencing more of  the love and grace of Jesus working in my life in the coming months.

May this New Year bring much exciting growth in your life!

I Got One!!

I finally was able to get my first deer on Saturday evening.  In keeping with the Salatin family tradition we went hunting on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving.  We had done two deer drives during the day but I wasn't able to take a shot. So Daniel and I drove to one of the rental farms to hunt for the evening. I shot the deer a little after four o'clock so I had some time to find it before dark.  Daniel also got two deer so he was pretty pleased as well.  It turned out to be a successful day.  Fun was had by all.

Here are a couple of pictures taken with my phone.

My first deer!

Processing the harvest.

Everyone getting "geared up" for the deer drives.

A Change of Seasons

First snow!

        My, time has sure gone by quickly these last couple of weeks!  It seems like just yesterday that the leaves were starting to turn colors and now most have fallen.  Why, we've even had our first snow!

        On the farm I have been staying very busy getting things ready for winter.  Here are some of the highlights.  All the laying hens have been put into hoop houses to protect them from the cold and the rabbits have joined the chickens (in their own cages of course.) We have begun to consolidate the herds of cattle from various locations and move them to their winter pasture.  A 5th hoop house is in the process of being constructed and will be used to house pigs this winter. Due to freezing water lines the pigs can't be kept on the mountain and are brought down to the barns till spring.
     
        One of the new fall activities for me since coming to Virgina has been deer hunting!  Last year was my first time trying the age-old sport of matching your cleverness with that of a wild animal. Unfortunately, I didn't get anything but a coyote last season. No, I didn't eat it, but it was fun to keep the pelt. This year I'm hoping to secure my first deer.  I'll let you know when I do.


        Most of all, the fall season wouldn't be complete without a time to pause and give thanks for all the blessings God has given us. There are so many things that run through my mind when I consider how I have been blessed this year ...  healthy food and good friends to share it with, my family, safety on the farm this summer, a loving church family of which I am now a new member, fresh air, beautiful land, and the privelege to learn some of life's most important skills alongside an amazing family........the list could go on. But most importantly I am thankful for the Lord Jesus Christ, who calls me His son and has made me a member of His family!  

May you all have a very thankful Thanksgiving weekend!

Bringing pigs down from the mountain.

Another sunrise.

Going once, Going twice,......Sold!

Earlier in the fall I had the chance to go along with others from the farm to see the local cattle stockyard. We have been buying some of our feeder calves from the stockyard this fall so it was neat to actually see Daniel do the bidding/buying stuff

I was amazed at how the stockyard is able to keep track of the different groups of cattle throughout the sale process.  A farmer might bring in a group of 20 calves that could be graded into 20 separate categories and be bought by 20 different people and the farmer is able to get the money each calve brought. It is pretty wild if you ask me.

Buying cattle from an auction is quite an art. It was fun to watch Daniel and the other guys "go at it". Each one had their own unique way of letting the auctioneer know they would take the bid. I was able to sit with Daniel for awhile and learn about some of the things he was looking for in the animals.

beautiful sunrise on the mountain, Just thought I would throw this photo in the post

My Forty Friends

Recently Joel and Daniel decided it was time for me to put into practice some of the things I have been learning.  So they have given me the responsibility of 40 head of cattle.  I am really excited about this new job! 

We are grazing the herd on a two-day rotation pattern on some rental property down the road.  Every two days I go over and move the herd into their new section of pasture. Then I take up the portable fence that is no longer in use from their old section and I set it up for the next move, ahead of the herd.  I also move their water tank when necessary and make sure the mineral box stays full.  

It has been a learning experience to calculate the new sections of pasture.  I am giving the herd about an acre for two days.  One day I made their section a little too small,  oops!  They were hungry and ready to move when I pulled up at chore time.  It is kind of like having your dinner two hours late.....not a happy camper!  Thankfully they forgave me and started chomping on the fresh "salad bar" as soon as they got to it.

Enjoy life, and don't let the weeds get in your way!

Staying On!

I find it hard to believe that it has been one year since I came to Polyface. Everything has gone so fast! It seems like just yesterday that I rolled into a farm full of animals and new faces. Now, everyone here feels like family and I am attentive to the creatures that have been put under my care. I have learned a lot and have been very thankful to have the opportunity to work at Polyface.

As the year progressed I had a growing desire to stay involved after my apprenticeship was over, but I wasn't sure how it would work out. I knew that the Lord would direct me as I put my trust in Him and I was excited to see how he would open doors.

About two months ago Daniel Salatin shared his desire to have me stay on as full time staff, functioning as  apprentice manager. To say the least, I was pretty excited as we continued to discuss the possibilities. After some time thinking and praying about it and talking with family, I had peace this was an open door God wanted me to walk through. So I will be staying in Swoope for another year!

My responsibilities will fluctuate as the seasons change, but I will mainly be assisting Daniel with the day to day logistics of the farm and the other rental properties. I will also work closely with next year's summer interns.

I look forward to what I will be learning with this new opportunity. I am very thankful for the  family and friends that pray for and support me. A special thanks to my Polyface family for your encouragement, support and patience over this past year.  It means a lot to me! 

Hope everyone has had a great summer and are looking forward to a bountiful and beautiful fall!