Seasons Change

After a kind Facebook comment about Ben that said, "She's beautiful", I had the motivation I needed to start cutting.

Can you believe how big he looks?

This little guy is about ready to walk-- maybe he's taken one or two steps.

We are outside often these days.

It's Fall here.

We're enjoying the beautiful, crispness in the air.

Our chickens are laying more and more eggs.

We're swinging.

We're cleaning.

We're trying to prepare for winter.

We may be getting a couple piglets that we'll butcher in February.

So, I'm looking at things like rubber flooring to put over our wood, heated water buckets, and making sure our stalls are pig-proof.

The cows are sweet and growing.  

I love cows.  (Seriously, love them.)

I love animals.

Do you realize how often people say some form of "how can you raise animals to eat" to me?  Often. 

This is usually followed up with "I could never do that."

I said the same thing to my farming friends when we first started.

I'm changing!!

I realize that I very well could be creating a negative experience for my children.  Because, we absolutely 100% love these animals we are going to eat.

Having animals has already changed us.

I saw veal at the store the other night and thought- Chuck and Tbone would be veal already if it weren't for us.  

I'm glad they're going to be steak.

I used to worry about eating an egg from a local farm.

I thought I wanted my eggs- germ free from the grocery store.

After raising chickens and seeing and tasting and knowing how healthy my own eggs are, I'm actually a bit disgusted to feed my kids store bought eggs.

You can tell healthy eggs by how hard the egg shell is to crack.

Our egg shells are tough, twice as thick as store bought eggs.

Our eggs are freshly laid eggs-- they are firm in the bowl not spread out and watery.

Our eggs are bright.  It's like eating wheat bread eggs vs white bread store eggs.

Our chickens are loved.

I almost feel like I'm becoming an animal feminist-- or a child labor/cow activist.  

What's happening to me?

Who is this person?

I guess if you have to eat animals raised on a feed lot, I understand.  I'm grateful there is enough food to feed people.  But, I'm eating store bought meat less and less.  I love local farms and local meat.  I'm so lucky I get to experience life and death with my children.  I feel this way of eating is more healthy and ethical than the way most people eat who question my ethics.

Instead of apologizing that my children will be sad when they eat a hamburger that used to be our baby cow--

I am actually proud that my children will FEEL the reality that they are eating a beloved creature who, because of us, was able to live a beautiful life.

I love these animals.

I love that we are working for our food.

I love the cycle of life.

I love feeding my children healthy food.

I love feeding healthy food to my animals so that it comes back as healthy food to my children.  

I have always dreamed of this life and I feel dang lucky that we get to experience it for this pocket of time.

I love that my kids get to work hard every day.

We absolutely have no idea what we're doing and I suppose that is a big part of the fun.

This is absolutely my favorite time of year!!

Welcome back Fall!!!