Tis The Season... !

Merry Christmas ! We are finally getting over being so sick...the kid's have been great though it all. Ryan and Mark arrived safely home from Virginia, and they had a great time looking at farms.

Pretty much the minute the guys left for the airport, 2 of the kids got really sick. 9 throw ups within 24 hours. This is how it works, you know. Then Emily got sick. I knew it was just a matter of time before I had it. That all of the Lysol in the world couldn't stop it. Then I got it SOOOO much worse then the kids. Today is my first day back to kind of normal. We've been out of commission here for awhile. A long while, to be exact.

Mark has had his hands very full taking care of us, plus getting ready for Christmas. I really hope he escapes whatever it is that we had. Which would be unusual, but a girl can hope !

Happy Birthday, Grammy Sue !

We love you !

School

This is a candid shot of Daniel and Emily doing school. They love to do it ! The best time at our house is when all 4 kids are around the table doing school.

Mark and Ryan left at 5 AM to go to the airport to PA/MD/VA for a farm convention. The farm conference is in PA, but they are flying into BWI and then will drive to PA. 2 days later, they drive back and trek around VA. Hopefully they will have time to see my brothers in MD/VA !

Farm School

That's what I'm calling it, anyway. Plans were finalized today for Mark to go to a 2 day seminar in Pennsylvania Dec. 4th and 5th. The course will teach about the business/financial aspects of farming. Grass fed farming, not regular farming. Better than organic. They also teach about rotational grazing, which types of animals to add and when, all the aspects of farming that we need to learn about to form our business model. Ryan is going to go too, and is very excited about this trip with his dad.

Then, Mark and Ryan will drive to Virginia and tour Joel Salatin's farm, and look at land. They'll leave here on Dec. 3rd, and return on Dec. 9th. Fun !!! I can't wait to hear what they find out !!!

Kindergarten !

Emily and Daniel have started Kindergarten ! My sweet children who move as one... Life is fun for this dynamic duo ! They are excited that they are actually doing school like their older brothers.

Happy Birthday !

Happy Birthday, Ryan! We now have a teenager ! Ryan is as tall (or taller) than I am, and his feet are bigger than my husbands. Yikes ! Since everyone still isn't feeling great, we ordered pizza, had cake and watched a movie. I'll be so glad when everyone is back to normal again. 13 years old....Wow !

What does Heritage mean ?

Heritage, in terms of animals and produce, means rare and old breeds/plants. The kind your grandparents grew up eating. They do best on pasture, and produce rich, tender and juicy flavors. Studies have shown that meat raised on grass is higher in omega-3 oils, are rich in vitamins and minerals, and contains less fat and cholesterol. Grassfed beef is also higher in cancer fighting Conjugated Linoleic Acid, Beta Carotene, and Vitamin E. Consider this : "within the past 15 years, 190 breeds of farm animals have gone extinct worldwide, and there are currently 1,500 others at risk of becoming extinct. In the past 5 years alone, 60 breeds of cattle, goats, pigs, horses and poultry have become extinct."
Why ? The answer is mass production. Nutrition and taste has been forfeited for profit.