• The sign in the window….

    …announces that the Merry Moo in Flint Hill, Virginia now carries Thistle Hill beef and pork.  Well, only hamburger right now, but we think it’s worth driving to Flint Hill for and a more complete line of products will be there soon. We’re proud to be affiliated with Gail Reardon and her quality store.  She not only carries local meat and poultry from a number of sources, but she also has wonderful fresh fish twice a week and a terrific inventory of gourmet food items.  And there’s also an gallery in back displaying the works of local artists.  Another reason to visit: continuous wine tastings. Of course, we’ll continue with our…

  • How Monsanto does it….

    The Big Ag company that doesn’t miss a trick.  Generally, Monsanto buys its friends in government with campaign contributions and its friends in the ag colleges with grants to study problems that may or may not exist. But here’s a first…they’re establishing a “chair” at the University of Illinois communications school to teach budding journalists to love chemical agriculture. http://www.4-traders.com/MONSANTO-COMPANY-13589/news/Monsanto-Company-Monsanto-Commits-$250-000-to-University-of-Illinois-Ag-Communications-Program-14308443/

  • A rude welcome….

    …but a necessary one.  Our nine new arrivals had their check-ups at Rose Hill Veterinary Services yesterday.  Here one of the British bull calves—“Churchill“—stands more or less stoically as Dr. Derek Vandrey uses a wire saw to remove his horns.  That green paint on his ear is where he’s just been tatooed.  Working with Derek is veterinary student Camille Lewandowski. After the horns are off, Derek uses a hot iron to cauterize the site both to stop the bleeding and limit the possibility of infection.  We used to do this here at the farm but now prefer the environment at the clinic.  So does Churchill.  He’s had a local anesthetic…

  • It’s my blog….

    …and I’ll post what I want to (with apologies to Leslie Gore) *.  As threatened, here is great-grandson Rowan’s first birthday party.  And his first Deere.  At least this one we can afford. A busy day today with the new calves: tattoo-ing, dehorning, and moving to their new pastures and getting acquainted with their new herd mates. *  unless Wooz says take it down.

  • Just a tease…

     We’re just back from North Carolina where we picked up nine young heifers and bulls…probably the largest infusion of genetics into our herd since we began.  Five of the calves, including this one, are English Devon that we own in partnership.  The others are daughters and sons of the famed Rotokawa 688 and a few of those are line bred. It was a great experience, sorting through our calves with partner Bill Walker, and selecting which would head to South Carolina and which to Virginia.  DeKalb Wells and his family did a wonderful job raising these unique youngsters from embryos and we thank them. Wooz and I also want to…

  • Coulda saved some money….

    Great-grandson Rowan’s first birthday is coming up and we bought him one of those little John Deere tractors that he can scoot around in.  Turns out animals are better than toys…at least according to the scientists. Kids learn more playing with animals, even spiders and snakes.  Won’t his mom just love helping him unwrap a snake! http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_124588.html Thanks to Dr. Sue Beal, for this link and solving all our gift-giving problems.

  • The father of the “real food” movement….

    Wendell Berry truly is a legend in his own time.  This Kentucky farmer, writer and philospher has been thinking and writing about our land…and our food…longer than anyone I know.  It’s easy to be misled by his gentle nature, as this New York Times writer was, but Berry is a fighter who pulls no punches when the occasion demands. But first, the introductory article: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/04/25-1 Before you leave the article, click on the “good reads” link for a compendium of Berry’s writing.  Or just click here: http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/8567.Wendell_Berry Here’s a quote to give you the flavor.  Again, I recommend you read the several pages of excerpts from his writing. “Whether we and our…