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August 2011 Producer Notes
Cattle Tracks
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Looking for great tasting, low-fat, healthy beef? You found it in Cattle Tracks, simply organic. Cattle Tracks is tasty, tender, grass-pastured to be low-fat, and healthy as proven by testing Cattle Tracks for Omega6-Omega3 ratio and CLA. Instead of relying on a breed standards or claims made by the grassfed industry we had our beef tested. Results – outstanding!
This week we’ve grilled ranch steaks and sirloin steaks. I tried something a bit different from the usual. Marinade (couple of hours) in salt, pepper, and top with coat of honey. Loved it! The ranch steak is cut from the chuck and is a yummy little steak. KC’s – we’ve got ‘em and they are awesome! Our customers are raving about the tenderness and tastiness! With fresh peppers and onions available how about fajita meat, skirt steak, or marinated skirt steak? Cattle Tracks has these cuts and many more! Check us out – and come back to the Coop site next week because we’re picking up more beef from the processor.
Have you thought about ordering a half beef cut to your specifications to fill your freezer? Give us a call to discuss freezer capacity and cut options – eat organic, grass-pastured beef year-around – enjoy the quality. Here’s an email I received this week from a customer who recently purchased a half: We just read about your farm in Tulsa World. This reminded me to send you a quick note and let you know that we all really love your beef! We already made hamburgers, chicken-fried steaks, KC strips (excellent!), Beef Stroganoff, and beef stock. My son also made beef jerky and it's being devoured by all. We also like that the meat is very well wrapped. Thank you again and have a great summer - hopefully cooler soon.
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Shady Oaks Family Farm
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Greetings from the family farm! I sure hope you all are surviving the heat, we are certainly looking forward to fall, and we are definitely ready for winter!
I just finished reading The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I kept thinking to myself if I had a good stock of food, and could just weather it out. I would far prefer “a long winter” to “ a long summer”. I rather enjoy the cold weather.
We have been keeping busy out here on our farm. Our sweet baby has been keeping us all entertained. Our pullets have begun laying eggs! They started a bit earlier than we expected. We hope to be increasing our inventory in September so keep a look out!
HOWEVER, for the month of August our farm is taking the month off from selling eggs. We just need some R & R time and so do our hens. To be honest this heat has really been difficult. It is difficult for any of us to be working outside, and yet the work must still be done. Fence lines are being moved to provide more grazing for our animals, plus Andrew is helping a friend to put up hay. We are hoping it will provide enough hay for them and for us. So this month we will be stepping back a bit, and taking a bit of a break. We will be offering eggs again in September though!
PLEASE NOTE HOWEVER, that we are still offering goats milk, and will gladly arrange a time for anyone to come out and pick some up from us.
From all of us at Shady Oaks Family Farm
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American Heritage Family Farm
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LAMB IS BACK!! TURKEYS CUTS ARE HERE!! Our stock of beef and chicken is the best! All 100% grassfed - NO grain - and Free Ranged. Grown only like Mother Nature intended!
Check out the Lamb Kabobs cut only from the tenderloin -- how great can it get??!! A great supply of ground lamb, broth bones, and Leg o Lamb round out the lamb selection. (Don't forget some nice lamb bones for your canine friends).
We just processed a beautiful flock of Broad Breasted White Free Range Turkey (so sad to see them leave the farm -- they are so gorgeous). We have very nice rolled breasts, boneless thighs, and other cuts in the Turkey section. Turkey is not just for the holidays -- it is a healthy, nutritious, environmentally friendly meat any time of the year!
The selection of chicken is also great -- some nice stewing hens added along with numerous cuts and whole birds.
The beef selection is tremendous. Specials this month include our scrumptious healthy Hot Dogs and Brats, and check out the Minute/Cube Steaks -- priced not much more than hamburger and such a versatile cut! Our standard Fajitas are also on special -- and we have added a new item -- STEAK FAJITAS -- cut only from premium steak cuts! Bundles of 90% lean ground beef are great for stock up -- beef prices are likely to climb sharply -- so stock up at these great prices.
Try to keep cool -- and please everyone -- "wish upon a star" for rain!!
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Wagon Creek Creamery
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This month we've added several cuts from our pasture raised veal to our listing. These calves spent their whole lives alongside their mothers and had free choice milk and grass. Try veal roast, ground veal chuck or Veal K Bob meat. This will be the last pasture raised veal we will have available until we begin recovery from the excessive heat and drought. Our milk supply hit bottom this summer and we were forced to make some changes to keep the cows healthy and the business viable. We weaned a lot of calves earlier than we would have ordinarily (hence no more veal for the foreseeable future).
We have also added liquid feed and licks to the cows' diet as a supplement. They just couldn't produce milk in this heat and drought on minimal pastures and hay alone.
We will NOT be adding grain to the cows' diet as we are determined to maintain our "grass fed" distinction, but will use the supplements until we get enough rain to provide forage again. Our milk supply is improving, but still short of where we need to be, so we appreciate your patience as we navigate our way through this tough summer.
Thanks,
Barbara and Ron Crain
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Hardesty Cheese
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Hello,
Turn me over I think this side is toasted. I hope everyone is surviving the heat and able to keep your animals safe and gardens growing. The Almanac forecasts cooler weather in August. I am ready for even 90 degree temps. A little rain would be nice too. The DOA Inspector for the dairy division was in the plant this week and said some of the dairies he inspects have sold almost half of their herds because of a shortage of hay and grass, which is only going to cause a shortage of milk and higher prices. The long range looks like the prices could hit record highs. Snow will be falling soon and we will have a new topic of discussion. This month we put our big blocks back on the shelf. We have lots of cheese, so order plenty to be ready to cook when it cools off.
Order what you want, eat what you can, share the rest, we will make more.
Thank You,
The Gift Family
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Snider Farms
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Hey ya'll,
It's still hot and dry here in southwest Oklahoma. We're still praying for rain and I know it will come someday. It's been hard for both the farmers and ranchers. Some are having to sell out; it's really sad. But at least it's cool in the Peanut Barn and we're working hard to keep enough peanut butter and peanuts made. I do have some bad news, though. Like everything else, my peanuts have gone up over $.30 per pound so we are going to have to raise our prices. I hate to do it but we really have no choice if we're going to stay in business.
As always, we appreciate your business and support. With school starting up again don't forget the peanuts and peanut butter for snacks and sandwiches!
Thank you and stay cool,
Jamie & Stephanie Snider and family
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Anichini - Moore Ranch & Farm
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We still have ecologically grown Finn and Shetland lamb and some beef from our Holstein steer in this month. We do not yet have meat from our Belted Galloway available yet due to a delay in label approval. We have also unlisted onions and not added other produce this month since we may drive to The Organization for Competitive Markets conference on August 12th in Kansas City. We will fill orders on Saturday evening in preparation for delivery day.
We are also headed to Austin on August 14th for the SSARE Board meeting and returning the afternoon before delivery day. We are hoping the trip to Austin does not prove to be hazardous for our market gardens! In NW Oklahoma or in Woodward an extreme drought with excessive heat and winds persists! We have no pasture. Hay of any sort is mostly unavailable and outrageously priced! We just purchased a few bales of two year old wheat hay for $50 a bale. Most ranchers in this region sold their cattle two months ago. Since we have mostly heritage animals (Large Black Pigs; Belted Galloway cattle; Finn, Shetland, Lincoln, Icelandic sheep; and Buffalo) our animals are difficult to part with or replace! And, we are so small that we actually have relationships with our animals and farm just like we do with our customers!
Produce has not fared much better. It is a struggle to water everything daily or more frequently. It’s been hard to do much else other than spray organic pest controls and stomp/hand pick droves of grasshoppers, Blister and Japanese beetles. The birds are not keeping up with the pests anymore than we are!
Thank you to all our customers and readers! We appreciate you more than words can convey!
Kathy
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Pork & Greens
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Hello Coop friends! I don’t know about y’all, but it’s so hot up here the mosquitoes are carryin’ canteens. Hahaha! Man, what a brutal summer. This is the hottest and driest it’s been since I’ve lived here. Looking at the cup half full, maybe it will make fall seem all that more enjoyable.
At the farm, everything is pretty much burnt up, grazing just a distant memory. The pigs are doing fine, I’m just surprised they don’t wrinkle up like a raisin as much time as they spend in the wallows. Geez and Myfoot are going to have piglets around the 1st week in Sept, and both look loaded down. On a sadder note, I had to take Dottie to the sale barn, as she had just gotten too mean to deal with. I hated to part with her, but her daughter Matilda will carry the flag forward.
Just like the last few months, you may want to check our listing often, especially towards the end of the order cycle. I’m taking pigs Monday that will have stuff listed from them, most likely a day or two before the order closes. We’ve got a new product, a seasoned, Shoulder Cut BBQ. The BBQ is pre-cooked and needs to only be heated and topped with your favorite BBQ sauce. We’ll also have Brat Patties and English Banger Patties listed again as well.
Try and stay cool, and thanks again for your support of local farmers and producers!
Pork & Greens
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Cross Timbers Farm
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Greetings to all from Cross Timbers Farm.
We have two new soap recipes available to order this month. My favorite is a very lovely brick/rose tinted bar (the color comes from the natural hue of the Kaolin Clay) made with Macadamia Nut Oil, Lemon Grass and Cedar wood Essential Oils.
The kids prefer the Jojoba Oil soap with Bentonite Clay, and French Clary Sage Essential Oil. This soap is by far the most moisturizing of the two and has a light herbal scent.
We find that the clay in our soaps is cooling, seals moisture into the skin, and protects against wind and sun damage. It is very useful in drawing impurities from the skin and absorbing toxins. You’ll like the smooth, silky feel clay gives the lather of these soaps.
We truly appreciate your orders. Feeding our livestock through this heat and drought has more than doubled farm expenses and tasked our creativity in the challenge to make ends meet. You are a large part of that equation and we greatly appreciate you.
Sincerely,
Lisa Lusby and family
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Peach Crest Farm
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Greetings from sunny Stratford.
The sun has been a constant for us now since the 15th of May. Some things grow well in the heat and the rest is sorta hanging on. The 12,000 tomatoes that we had great hopes for are alive but are fruitless. Our cantaloupes are not going as strong as they usually do. The yellow squash is energized. So here we are getting ready for the fall and we would like some feedback from you, our Oklahoma eaters.
What is the most important thing we can grow for you? What do we do that you like the most?
Here is a list of what we are planning for the fall. Is there something else you would like to see available to you?
Lettuce, spring mix type
Kale, red/green
Bok Choy
Spinach, savoy or flat leafed
Arugula
Beets, red/golden
White turnips, sweet and small
broccoli raab
Collards
We are thinking it will be a delightful fall with moisture and cool breezes!!! We must have something positive to think about.
In other exciting news, we have just finished putting in a certified kitchen. Dried fruit is just around the corner as well as zucchini muffins and other goodies.
So many great things going on here in rural Oklahoma.
Pray for rain.
Susan; for
Peach Crest Farms, LLC
a farm for all seasons
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Heaven Sent Food and Fiber
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The garden is producing little in this extraordinary heat. Even heat-loving items like okra can only take so much, let alone this middle-aged gardener. We are praying for rain and cooler temperatures.
With all this heat you knitter's and crocheters will need something to do inside that will make you think of cool days and cold nights. We have just the thing! We are standing over the dye pot even in this heat to bring you the most scrumptious colors in our merino and bamboo blends. We have merino, bamboo and silk blends available. These blends provide you with the wonderful feel of wool without all the insulation. Just right for Oklahoma weather, just in time to get an early start on Christmas presents.
If you have ever wanted to learn to spin your own yarns we now have larger spindles that allow you to put up to 4oz plied skeins on, they will do long singles as well. Not seeing many options for plying and longer skein lengths we decided to make our own. They are on the fiber page!
With all the extra showers this heat brings you'll want to have an extra bar of our felted hand-made soap available. Felted alpaca fur is hypo-allergenic, mold and mildew resistant and is great for exfoliation. The soap inside is a bar of our hand-made goats milk honey oatmeal soap made with extra olive oil to condition your skin. These felted bars are reusable, when the soap is gone just cut the felt open, and slip another of our soaps inside.
Also new for this month are glycerin soaps, just gylcerin, essential oils and food coloring, nothing artificial. They smell great too.
Luckily our hens are still laying, we have lots of free-range eggs listed.
Here's to a cool August!
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Two Tomatoes Veggies
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Just want to thank our customers who bought garlic this year. Due to the extreme drought and a tornado we're finished for this year. Keeping supporting the coop as always. Please e-mail me with any suggestions that might improve my product and customer service to you. Two Tomatoes Veggies
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Sugarloaf Farms
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Happy summer fellow COOP members. We processed a few calves this week, so hopefully we have your favorite cuts of Angus beef available.
We are proud to let you know that Sugarloaf Farms is now approved as a "Certified Naturally Grown" facility. We offer quality Angus beef as well as our chicken eggs, available in 2012.
Our specials this month include sirloin steak and cube steak. Keep
up with the rain prayers, we are.
Jessica and Stan
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Cocina San Pasqual
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Pumarama is having a successful summer. We are beating the heat in accomplishing projects and have met 2 donation goals out of 4, and there are still several months left in the year. Find more info about us in the donations section. Thanks to the supporters who have donated a portion scale (something has to help them watch their weigh!!) and a riding mower now replaces our heavy walk behind.
The heat is on in our kitchen from cooking. Watch for a new batch of homemade pickles we are offering. The Pickled Beets are mild or hot and the spices we use make the best beets you will have ever eaten. The Kosher Dill Pickles have 3 flavors: no salt, mild & hot. The beets, cucumbers and dill were grown in Payne County and we use real apple cider vinegar, not the distilled from corn then colored stuff. Some people are allergic to pickles due to the corn distilled vinegar, which is not labeled well in the stores.
Happy August, happy end of summer is coming, and hope you enjoy the food you order from us. We're cooking for you!! Thanks for being our customer.
Leah & Bobby Aufill
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Oklahoma Food Coop Classifieds
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A classified ad at the Coop’s website offers members a cost effective way to reach thousands of coop members and even more people who visit our website every day. Honor a friend or family member on a special day with a “Salute” ad. Commemorate an important event. Advertise your treasures! Only $5 for one month, and $13 for 3 months. After ordering your ad, click to view your shopping cart, and then enter the text for your ad in the comments section, and be sure to click “update”. Remember this ancient advice: Those who have a thing to sell, and go and shout it in the well, are not so apt to make the dollars, as they who climb on trees and holler!
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Clear Creek Lavender
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"You need to blog about this new soap," Denise said.
"What can I say about a bar of soap?" I asked, hot from coming in from outside and grumpy about the Oklahoma summer.
"OK...bad timing on my part," she continued. "Here...take a bar, go cool off in the shower, and then get back to me."
The cool water from our well hit my skin and I immediately felt better. I picked up the soap I'd been told to try, and it felt unlike anything we'd made before. Shea butter and silk are added to the mixture along with olive and coconut oils. Of course there is lavender essential oil, but not too much because we prefer soft scents.
"Um...I've changed my mind," I said coming back downstairs. "That's one of the best soaps yet, and it certainly merits a blog post."
It's been selling like crazy at the farmer's market, and August marks its food coop debut. We have plenty, unless you all order five bars.
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Country To Town Market
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HOT?? We have WATERMELONS...Get one, ice it down. Feel the tropical breeze thru your hair, hear the surf rolling in, slice me a cold cucumber, honey... I feel cooler just typing this! That's about it for our produce selection. We have some delicious potatoes and onions, too.
Thanks so much for your support. We remind ourselves every day how fortunate we are to have such a great customer base and believe me, the sun seems a lot kinder with those thoughts in our heads.
Eat Healthy/Live Well,
Connie & Mark
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Lost City Knits
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It's been several months since I've updated the yarn listing for the Co-op but I think the knitters, crocheters and weavers will be pleased with what I was doing during the interim. I have several new yarn lines in many exciting colorways and even new patterns to share! You'll find a listing for the new Secluded Copse Shawl in the Fiber Arts Miscellaneous section.
To celebrate the excitement of the new yarns this month and a return to knitting season for many people, I'm offering a printed copy of the Monarch Shawl pattern to anyone who purchases yarn. Just put a message to me in with your order (you can do this on the page where you increase your quantity). Originally designed for one skein of 220 yards of sport weight yarn, it has also been knit using a 400 yard skein of fingering weight yarn. Both sizes are beautiful! Yarn suggestions: Lost City Knits Oklahoma Wool Tussah Silk in Fingering or Sport Weight, Lost City Knits Llama Bamboo Fingering Weight. Size 7US needle and stitch markers are advised. This is an intermediate level pattern.
Happy Knitting,
Lost City Denise
The Monarch Butterfly, Danaus plexippus, is perhaps the most famous butterfly in North America or even the world. These amazing creatures migrate northward up to 3000 miles each spring after spending their winters in Mexico or California. Great clusters of them can be seen during the migration period, entire trees can be covered with their cinnamon, orange, and gold wings providing a most amazing sight. There are many unknowns about the Monarch’s migration process because the individuals never make the full round trip. It is their children’s grandchildren that return. This shawl's pattern was influenced by the Monarch's wings. Should the completed shawl be worn by you for awhile and then passed on to a child or grandchild, well, that would seem appropriate, too.
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Southern Plains Pastures
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Folks, this is our first shot at the producer's notes, so here goes.
Many of you already know about our poultry. Our motto is kind of like the ice cream people, we eat all we can, and sell the rest! This year is turning out to be a tough one for our poultry operation. The extreme heat (113 degrees one day!) is just too much for the broilers. We are trying to keep up with demand, but fear that in future months we may run short. One note for our Tulsa area friends: We now have an established, monthly delivery run to your area, so go ahead and stock up. Since our poultry isn't delivered through the Coop's normal delivery routes, a week or so after delivery day it goes to Kierlee Shaver's house for customer pick-up. We email the day and time window for pick-up and then our friends pop over to Jenks and their poultry awaits.
A note on our beef: We now have cuts of beef in addition to our ground beef! We spent a long time taste testing to ensure that y'all would be satisfied. Folks, this grass-fed, grass-finished beef is hands down the best we've ever eaten. In addition, we had it tested by Oklahoma State University and found that the Omega6 to Omega3 ratio in our ground beef is 1.48 (the lower the better). Experts estimate that the typical American diet consists of an Omega6 to Omega3 ratio of 14 to 20, so at 1.48, our beef beats that any day of the week! Healthy beef...and yummy.
We hope you can find a way to stay cool in all this heat. Remember, with the Oklahoma state fair right around the corner, rain is sure to come!
God Bless!
Southern Plains Pastures
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The Prairie Gypsies
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Now that it is back to school, it's back to busy schedules. We have a variety of healthy, quick meals and side dishes ranging from casseroles to pizzas to salads! Of course, our delish brownies are always in big demand. We are here to make your busy life a little more convenient. We love to cook!
Debbie and B. J.
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Fisher's Produce
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Hello folks,
I hope you are all warm enough. We sure are making up for last winter! The only veggies still producing in our garden this month are okra and peppers. Get them while you can! My irrigation pond is almost empty. We are praying for rain. Without it, we don't expect to be able start our August/September planting for the fall gardening season. Our thoughts and prayers are with the many farmers and ranchers throughout the state who are in even more desperate need of water and forage for their crops and livestock.
Luke Fisher
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Cattle Tracks
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John took calves to the processor on Thursday and brought back beef, lots of beef! Check out Cattle Tracks latest inventory update for your filets, briskets, roasts, and more. Something for every occasion, every appetite – enjoy tender, grass-pastured, healthy, organic beef! You’ll be glad you did and please, come back for more! We love our customers!
SAVE THE DATE: Providing all goes as planned, 2nd Annual John’s Farm Field and Feed will be Saturday, September 24. More info, including complete agenda, will be out soon. If you attended the 1st Field and Feed you’ll want to attend the 2nd Annual – different farm location, different menu, different scenery – same family, same hospitality – LOTS OF FUN FOR EVERYONE! If this is your first opportunity to attend John’s Farm Field and Feed you’ll be in for visiting, rides, games, food, and LOTS OF FUN FOR EVERYONE! A family event on our family’s newly awarded Oklahoma Centennial Farm.
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Skyridge Farm
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This is surely a summer for the record books for unusual hard times. My plants that have survived and thrived and win the achievement under duress awards are: Greek Columnar Basil, loves the heat and sun, grows very fast, puts on a lot of growth. This is easy to do cuttings to share or bring in during in the winter. The other basils will make seed and flower and finish their life cycle. These need to be harvested and chopped and frozen into ice cubes for the winter. The mints are happy in the shade if cut back hard and allowed to regrow. It is good to do this with the oreganos and thymes also. Copper Canyon marigold is happy. It is a sagebrush Texas plant and does well in the sun and dry conditions. Lemon verbena is doing well in the shade. The scented geraniums like it to be 80 degrees for a high and 60 degrees for a low, don't we all. They will do well in a container or a garden in the shade. Check out Live Plants/Herbs/Skyridge Farm. Check out my handcrafted paper in the Paper Goods section. Thanks for your patient following. Garden in big containers in the shade till the heat breaks.
Basil-Lemon Sorbet
· 2 1/2 cups water
· 2 cups sugar
· 2 tablespoons lemon zest
· 3 tablespoons lemon juice
· 24 basil leaves
· 12 mint leaves
Directions
In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar is dissolved, about 10 minutes. Add the basil and mint and set aside to steep for 3 minutes. Strain syrup through a fine mesh sieve and set aside to cool. Transfer to the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled, then process in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's directions. Transfer to a freezer-proof container with a lid and freeze until ready to serve.
(From the Food Network Emeril LaGasse)
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Once Upon A Silver Moon
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Once Upon A Silver Moon will be at the OPERA psychic fair Aug 13th and 14th, at the India Shrine Center at 36th and Portland.
We encourage you to come out and see (and smell) our products. Admission is free and we have so many things that are not listed in any of our online shops.
We have all our incense in stock, lots of votive candles, and our little gemstone necklaces are back online.
The dream pillows have been doing really well, so we're thinking up ways to expand our herbal product line. Ideas? Let us know.
We just bought a drum of lye flakes and wow, it's way too much for us. So we're selling the surplus at $1 per pound! Please contact us to arrange for delivery. The lye purchase means just what it suggests - we'll be making soap again. We'll have some at the show and yes, we will be making the Japanese style charcoal castille soap (Samurai Soap). We've finally run through our own soap surplus and it's time to get the cauldron out and make some more.Thanks for your continued support! We always love hearing from you guys about the products.
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Crestview Farms
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Greeting everyone,
Hope you are surviving the heat. At least we are getting a little bit of a break today. We will have arugula again and the Okra has finally started to make. Maybe next month we will have green tomatoes! Keep your fingers crossed.
Order while these things last.
Thank you all for being our customers.
Many Happy returns,
Susan
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Earth Elements Market & Bakery
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It has been an interesting summer, building the new kitchen in downtown OKC and then coming home to the farm and spending the weekends canning. Last weekend, with the help of three courageous ladies (finding canning help in 100 degree heat is a bit of a challenge) we braved the heat and processed 345 pounds of tasty paste tomatoes grown chemical free just outside of Tahlequah, OK. Our day started with a reasonably cool morning and ended 13 hours later with hallelujahs for turning off the burners on the stove and running for the water trough we use as a cool pool. The experience was a great reminder of where we come from and how preserving food brings people together. It was a satisfying day seeing all our hard work in beautiful jars, knowing we preserved a bit of summer. We hope you enjoy these wonderful canned tomatoes.
As we grow closer to the completion of the downtown Entrepreneurs' Kitchen, my excitement grows at the prospect of canning in air conditioning. : ) We are in the final stages, waiting for inspections and setting equipment. If you are interested in starting a food business or know someone who is, check out our website at earthelementskitchen.com. We are accepting applications and eager to work with new and existing food businesses.
Stay cool and run for the water trough as often as you can,
April and the Earth Elements Crew
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Renricks Farm and Garden
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August is a great month and is our Buy One Get One Month. I know that we are all feeling challenged by the heat and drought. We planted a large hibicus bed last week and it is looking good. Rain is just around the corner. This is a month of important dates:
Aug 5th is the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Lucille Ball. I love Lucy put a smile on everyone for decades and is still shown on many stations. Aug. 2nd is the birthday of our oldest, Matthew and the first of our 4 children. But most importantly August 28 is our 35th Anniversary.
In celebration of August and our anniversary, it is BOGO month. Buy one plant and you will get one. As long as stock is available you will receive two of the same plant. We might have to substitute.
There are some very positive things about the 38 days of 100 degree weather with no rain.
1. There are absolutely no mosquitoes or ticks
2. I don't have to mow the lawn.
3. It tests the metal of the plants and gardeners
4. It makes you appreciate the Indian Summer, cooler weather.
5. It makes you thankful for the simple things: A glass of ice water; Ice cream; Sweet Tea; Watermelons;
showers; deodorant; more time to shop on line and on the Oklahoma Food Coop etc...
6. Increase in fishing bait (grasshoppers)
7. Increase use of humor as a relief from the heat. (One of my friends posted a wall messages " It was so hot that...) The comments and original message put a grin on a lot of faces.
8. The wonderful perfume of rain
9. Just the thought of dancing in the rain or even walking in the rain would be fun
10. It brings us back to earth (we are not in command) and onto our knees in prayer. Of course be careful what you pray for. My prayer for patience provided me with more opportunities to practice patience which is what I needed but not necessarily wanted.
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Anichini - Moore Ranch & Farm
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In August we are able to offer our Ecologically Grown Finn and Shetland Lamb and Beef from a Holstein raised by our one Jersey Cow's calf that were fed pasture and hay, also raised ecologically. It is also a great opportunity to stock up, since with our ongoing extreme drought and excessive heat we may have to sell most of our animals. There is no pasture or hay available locally. We will endeavor to keep our Large Black Pigs and a few Belted Galloway, hard to find heritage animals. We are still waiting to be notified that we may pick up our three Belted Galloway beeves from the processor, and apologize to everyone for the delay!
We have a great opportunity to learn a lot more about agriculture policy issues from experts and how they are effecting smaller individually owned ranchers and farmers. We couldn't pass up the one day Organization for Competitive Markets conference in Kansas City on the 12th. The speakers and issues are too important to miss! To see their agenda, see www.competitivemarkets.com. We will drive home immediately after the conference to assemble your meat orders and list their weights and attend to our farm.
On Sunday we head to Austin for a SSARE AC (S. Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Administrative Council) board meeting. SSARE has a terrific educational website and blog and grant opportunities for producers/educators too! We plan to be at the Op Center on delivery day about 8am. For more details about our farm and activities this month, please go to our website (www.anichinimoore.com) and click on our blog.
Thank you for being our customers! We most appreciate your business and interest in our farm and food!
Kathy
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Shepherd's Cross
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The sheep fold at Shepherd's Cross is a dry and weary land during this drought. We are very fortunate to still have pasture for the sheep, and enough hay put up for the year. We are grateful! This month we have listed many new colors of carded wool batts. Here is a picture of one of them. These batts are great for wet felting, needle felting, or a variety of other fiber projects. Our farm's specialty is 100% natural frugal, functional, farmstead fiber. This pumpkin orange reminds me of the promise of cool fall weather. Blessings from the fold.
Shepherding the Flock,
Dr. Diane Dickinson
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