Poking that great big, slobbering, fat, lazy, Brown bear

Thanks everyone for all the great comments. What a range of opinions, all the way from "Are you nuts ? Why don't you just SHUT UP before they drag you away Godfather Style?" to the more supportive "You are more saintly than Joan of Arc,  and it is wasn't so warm up there, I'd stand right next to you on that pile of ridiculous governmental rules and regs books you are burning."

Ok, I paraphrased a bit, but still your comments were great craic, if you think arguing about the higher-ups is fun---and I do. I think the best comment was this (Thank you Carolyn)

  One should absolutely NOT have to be frightened to do things like sell/advertise milk under cover of night just to avoid having the imbibes funded by our tax dollars from destroying your farm and family because of an asinine “law”.

To me THAT is the crux of the matter. Yes, I could be quiet and take advantage of them ignoring me, while continuing to advertise our raw milk, (perhaps in Morse code after the sun goes down) but WHY should I be so afraid of MY government? We elected them. They are supposed to be working for us, with us, not using fear tactics to get us to behave. I have asked repeatedly for information yet still no response. While some of my followers feel I have been overly aggressive, I feel I have been rather lax.

I have yet to write to my representatives, I was trying to give the folks in the Department of Agriculutre and Illinois Department of Public Health  time to respond and I beleive over 6weeks is time enough. So, again I move ahead, chipping away in Shawshank Redemption Style, in hopes of making the tunnel a little bigger for the next person who chooses to crawl out of it.

And in regards to Michael Schmidt's struggle in Canada. His raw milk issues are huge and long standing. So much more complicated than ours. Theirs laws are different than ours and my little battle here over just ONE aspect, the ability to advertise our raw milk sales, just can't be compared to Michael's. Other than he and I are both fighting for the absolute right to make a living from our farm products, we are chalk and cheese. He is however, my own hero in regards to what he is willing to sacrifice for his own freedoms. I too am literally willing to go to jail over this. I doubt very much it will ever come to that, the headlines too damaging. "Local Yaya goes to jail for advertising her farms raw milk in the Livingston County Shopping News" Film at 11.

My point is, this is not about just raw milk. Our standing up for the right to run ads in the paper, put signs up in town, post on blogs, publish articles in magazines, is about my right to make a living as a farmer without some every-two-weeks-paid-salary-with-my-tax-money uninformant telling me that I cannot tell you

RAW MILK FOR SALE $5 a GALLON

bring your own container to

South Pork Ranch LLC

32796 E 750 N. Rd

Chatsworth, Illinois

815-635-3414

Thank You Graze

Well you know me, if there is a soapbox I will stand on it, an opinion needed; I will give one. Like all things it goes back to parochial school. (Ha, you thought I was going to say Kevin Bacon didn't you?) If Sister Mary Gerard hadn't asked me what color the bathroom should be painted when I was in first grade, I might've grown up thinking the world could get by without my opinion. But she did, so here I am.

My raw milk battle continues, although I seem to be fighting it all alone . No I'm not talking about you people, or our customers, or the general public.  I am talking about our fearless leaders who do not want to play with me.

To date I have had no response from any of my emails,advertisements,letters, or phone calls regarding the statute prohibiting raw milk advertising in Illinois. I started this campaign on October 24, over a month ago. My how times flies when you are the one asking questions of THEM.

So I notched it up another level.

I contacted Joel McNair editor of Graze magazine   http://www.grazeonline.com/  and pitched an idea about doing a raw milk update as it related to our farm in Illinois specifically, and the rest of the country in general. Joel had published another article of mine a few months ago and had encouraged me to write for him on a regular basis. I was thrilled that he was interested in this follow-up article " A Raw Deal : You can sell it;  Just don't tell it."

My article summarizes much of what I've been talking about on this blog the last several weeks but still, I am small town enough to think it may draw the attention of the higher ups who might, maybe, please with cream-on-top, be able to tell me WHY this farmer cannot advertise one of our farm products?  I am also small town enough to be excited to see our issues published in a national magazine.

Will I still be excited when IDPH notices and comes knocking, calling, asking to be invited in for a civil conversation about raw milk over a plate full of cookies? Yeah, I think I will be. But at the rate Illinois is moving in regards  to my questions I think I may have a little time to prepare for their visit.

How long exactly does it take for hell to freeze over?

One Stethoscope Free Year

I cannot believe it has been one whole year (plus a few days) since I left the magical, mystery tour of nursing. One complete year with no outside job income. One total year filled with nights of  nail biting, tossing  and turning wondering if invoices we've sent out will be returned with payment checks BEFORE the mortgage is due. One whole year of hoping that my health insurance premiums would get paid before I was trampled by a 700 pound Red Wattle Boar. (Yes I know I could have a less risky job than farming but even knitters stab themselves sometimes, don't they? )

It was also an entire year of not having my arse chewed out by a physician, because  I notified him about a mistake HE  had made in a patent's chart that if followed would have caused drastic harm. One entire year of not having to worry about being sued by a drug addict who went home AMA but still thought I was obligated to send him on his way with a prescription for HEROIN.   A total year of not working a 14 hour night shift, sleeping for two hours the next day and then trying to act somewhat civil during family events the next day. A complete year of not having to reposition a  400 pound patient side to side with the assistance of  only one very tiny nurses aide because we were short staffed and the institution I worked for was too cheap to buy the appropriate equipment to make it easier.

Sadly though, it was a year without working side-by-side with some of the best professionals I have ever known . . Another year without sitting in a circle at 2 AM  in the nurses station talking about family issues, spouse issues, off the rocker teenagers,  deaths in the family, crazy mother-in-laws (present company included)  and the most recent data confirming that night shift nurses always died of terrible diseases much sooner than the rest of the population.  Nothing will replace those special times when I worked with my colleagues on particularly difficult cases, such as helping a mother deal with the impending death of a newborn, watching the family matriarch  leave the building before her beloved children could make it to her bedside, or  helping a 30-year-old deal with the diagnosis of terminal cancer.

 Stepping back from it all and looking at it through a different mirror , . I really do miss the times that I was allowed to practice real nursing. I ache for those moments in hospice when my autonomy and the trust of the hospice physicians, allowed me to provide excellent symptom control .  The decade I spent in hospice was outstanding.   The  following decade I spent after that, working night shift in a tiny little community hospital with nurses and nurse aides  I would trust my life with in a second, was equally outstanding. 

So why did I leave? The reasons are complicated and yet simple as 3.14   It was time. With 36 years in health care (11 as a nurses aide and 25 as an RN) I was ready to move closer to our farm world. Why should my husband have all the manure laden fun? I also wanted to write novels, lots and lots of novels.

So here I am,7/8 of the way through my first book and  sweating it out in between hog sales, raw milk ads, beef locker appointments and the occasional free lance article. We were very spolied in the past. If we needed unbudgeted tractor repairs or a new livestock waterer or even better, a trip to County Clare, I just agreed to work an extra shift. Oh sure, there are plenty of "extra shifts" here on South Pork Ranch but the pay has a tendency to DECREASE with each addtional hour worked. Farming is funny that way.

No, I do not regret it. When I left I was needed by other family members and had I been working off farm, I never would have been able to help the way I wanted to. In addition, my body is now adapting to its healthier lifestyle. Without trying I have lost 25# this year. No more staying up all night eating everything in sight and in reach just to stay awake.  No more wondering if I would be able to stay alert enough to make it make it home without rolling over in a ditch, unfortunately, a common occurance to night shift workers.  I do not miss arrogant physicians who still think it is accetable to throw charts  at nurses or family members who mistake hospitals for five-star hotels. I do not miss the risk and liability which every nurse has to deal with when they are expected to do so much with so little. . I do not miss administration who are rarely seen from Friday noon until Monday at 10 AM.(This does not apply to great administrators like C.M. and never will)

But I do miss working with true professionals , my colleagues, the best nurses, nurse aides,  supervisors, unit secretaries, and yes even  a few rare physicians, in the world.

They know who they are.



Raw Milk Update,

You know what they say,   No News is …. No one taking the time to return my phone calls, e-mails or letters , but never fear, I carry on. I recently wrote another article for Graze magazine, 
http://www.grazeonline.com/  which will be published in about a week. In it, I talk about raw milk issues I have been addressing on this blog and my lack of success in getting answers. I keep hoping that the more public I take this issue the more likely my requests will be answered.



In the meantime.  our ads for raw milk continued to run and we continue to get new customers every week .. and that is indeed, good news.

Locally Made Best in Trade

I was grumpy yesterday. I blame the weather, all cool and rainy and dark. Like Fall or something. I had so much to do at home but didn't want to go back after being in Pontiac all day. I was missing Ireland. I was tired. I was being a big baby about life

So I stopped at my favorite antique store, The Antique Shoppe, in Fairbury.  I always feel better just walking around in there. The owner Kathy Kuperschmid was having her Christmas Open House. Now keep in mind, I don't do open houses. They usually have all these...uh...people there. Now don't get me wrong, I generally like people, in fact we even have a few people in our own family but as I already said once but you probably weren't listening...I was grumpy yesterday.

But I like Kathy, and her store, so I went in. Now you should know, even though her store was gorgeous I am not going to talk about that here. You can see how beautiful it was on her Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Antique-Shoppe/128705130483402

Instead I am going to talk about the rarity of customer service. Kathy's staff made sure I found the snacks (Like I needed help to find food. So cute) And they made certain, without being obnoxious, that I found any items I was looking for. Then they were super organized at the checkout counter with one person adding up my purchases while another wrapped them.

And lets  just talk about that wrapping shall we? I did not spend all of last months milk money, I was quite frugal I believe, selecting a few shimmery, silvery ornaments. (Yes, I am part crow, Your should see my nest. No, on second thought you should not)

But Kathy's staff wrapped each of my items as if I'd spent a million bucks, with care and soft paper.

THEN she gave me 20%off  my highest price item. Not the lowest price like so many Mall Rats do but 20% off the highest item. I used that towards a scarf I bought. One that will not be worn in manure land. No, I am not showing you the scarf  'cause you'll want it and you'll call me and email me and who needs that? Just got to Kathy's store and get one yourselves you big bottom feeders you.
http://mylifemyheartmyshoppe.blogspot.com/

As if all that wasn't enough, Kathy sticks a card in my bag for another 20% off any item the next time I come. So, I left feeling all special and giggly as I now had a pretty package to carry and glittery,shiny things to decorate my home with.

Just a good reminder about WHY I shop local more and more and more. Because shop owners like Kathy and her husband Daton (who by the way manages the Local Ace Hardware where I buy all my Lye for soap making) go to the effort to make you feel like you matter. As if they really are glad you came into their store that day.

I hope Keith and I do the same for our customers. If not, tell us. I can't promise I'll be putting bows on your packages of bacon but I can certainly remember to smile more and I feel a 20% off day coming real soon. Stay posted. Now go out there and SHOP LOCAL this Christmas season!

Raw Milk Update

The Bloomington/Normal Pantagraph started running our ad for raw milk last Friday. We have had a few extra calls from interested future customers. The Kankakee Journal will not run our ad and will not tell me why. I'm still waiting for an answer from a supervisor. I have not yet heard back from Mr Bill Beaty at the Illinois Department of Public Health regarding Raw milk laws in Illinois. Our customers have done very well with our increase to $5 a gallon for our raw milk effective Nov. 1 and one customer today spent $90 for milk and meat and gave me $120. He would not accept his change telling me it was in support of all that we do and fight for. Amazed and humbled I was. Grumpy mood all gone. You People...are the best.

Gimpy Von Piglet and Raw Milk Update

Its looks easy we know. You build a fence, electrify it, build a shed and fill with bedding, feed them, water them and if you're lucky after about 6 months you will have this

Thick, tasty, slabs of heaven on earth AKA bacon. Doesn't look like that stuff from the local supermarket does it ? Primarily because it comes from an animal who spends its entire life OUTSIDE with dirt under its feet and sky overhead. Our hogs have shelter if they want to go in it but often, even in winter they will nap outside all huddled together. The lovely fat above comes from being fed organic raw milk every day. The meatier parts come from pasture grass, organic hay and organic grain.

Its wonderful when a plan comes together.

Then, sometimes plans go in another direction. For example, our sow Spot farrowed a lovely litter but one baby had a deformed  leg. One of her back legs was bent at a severe right angle leaving the bottom third of her leg completely contracted and immobile. We figured the little girl wouldn't make it and decided to "watch her." We thought we would probably need to euthanize her.

So we "watched her" as I said. We "watched her"  nurse right along side her siblings fighting for a good teat as well as the others. We "watched her" tumble into the mud hole and pull herself out with her other three very strong legs. We "watched her" follow her siblings around the pasture and then we "watched her" sneak under the electric fence and into the garden dragging her bum leg behind her. And we "watched her" run like the wind, OK limp real fast like Forrest Gump in his leg braces when I stood on the porch and yelled at them "BAD PIGS!" and clapping my hands, making them run out of my flower beds and back to their mama

Piglet with bad leg is the one facing away from camera. She's a little shy

It is our hope that her other three legs will be able to support her weight as she grows to market size which will be about 250 pounds live weight. If we feel she is is pain (poor appetite, declining body condition, inability to run like a fool all over the yard with her BAD PIG siblings) then we'll use her as a roaster hog. In the meantime she seems to be enjoying her wild ride here at South Pork Ranch. I've even been thinking about having Keith rig up our old donkey cart to work as her fourth leg. But then I'd get all attached and instead of just tossing the cat out of our bed at night...we'll you get the picture.

Raw Milk Advertising in Illinois Continued

Started with return call to NASDA and asked again for the actual answers given by Illinois representatives in the recent NASDA raw milk survey sent to all the states last spring.

http://www.nasda.org/cms/7197/9060/31040/31050.aspx

The woman who answered the phone said, Its all on our web site now" after we discovered yesterday it was not.  The specific questions in the NASDA survey were:

    

1. Is the sale of raw milk for direct human consumption legal in your state?
2. Do your state laws or regulations expressly prohibit animal share raw milk operations?
3. Do your state laws or regulations authorize raw milk sales only on the farm?
4. Are raw milk sales at retail stores or markets, separate from the farm, legal in your state?
5. Does your state have any microbial standards for raw milk sold to the consumer? If yes, please specify.
6. Is sampling for compliance with the above standard(s) conducted at the farm bulk tank, or at the final
package/bottle?
7. Are there any county or local government bans on raw milk sales in your state?
8. Approximately how many producers of milk to be sold raw are operating in your state?
9. What has changed regarding the regulation of raw milk since the 2008 survey?

So I checked. Still not there. Only the SUMMARY of the survey results is posted on NASDA's site.I asked again for Bob the contact name she gave me yesterday. He was "not available." I asked her to have him contact me but when I asked if she still had my contact info she admitted "Not anymore"

Gave her my contact info again.

Called Illinois Dept of Agriculture as I was told yesterday by Steve Divencenzo (Dept of Food Drugs and Dairies) he would email me the actual answers to the 9 questions and he had not yet. Got his voice mail. Left detailed message.

At end of day I did get an email from NASDA from intern Shellie Dalluge who told me I should call Illinois Dept of Agriculture and talk to William Beaty the division chief for Food, Drugs and Dairy. I will start with him tomorrow.

So there you have it. I just have one question. "How did the state of Illinois respond to the 9 questions in the raw milk survey sent to all 50 states by NASDA this past summer?"  To date I have made 4 phone calls , talking with 2 individuals, have left two voice mails and received 1 email but none of that has resulted in an answer to the question.

Stay tuned.

Annual Hay Rack Ride and Raw Milk Issues continued

Every year we have a hay rack ride. A great excuse to bundle up, slow down, eat treats and hang with family.This year we were very short on adult females as daughter and both daughter-in-laws were all working. That's what you get when you all work in heath care, a weekend schedule.

So with lots of drinks and snacks and blankets on board we headed out to the wilds of rural Chatsworth

Giggling girls probably had the best time

But young men and little boys enjoyed the ever popular and oh so high tech rock-scissors-paper game

Youngest son Kyle and our youngest grandson Wes
(son of daughter Raven, the night shift nurse)

The highlight of the ride is always tricking someone into getting off the wagon and then leaving them behind

Oldest son Colton demonstrates that turning 30 has not affected his ability
to chase a speeding hay wagon one bit. Puff-Huff-Puff-Puff

Getting family, especially MEN to pose for pics is always fun. You would think they would learn to just  pose and smile as the more they argue the longer it takes. You would think. Getting blogger to work so I can load photos in less than one hour each would be nice too. You would think. Therefore end of family hay rack ride photos you lucky people you.

Raw Milk Advertising in Illinois Continued

Michael Schmidt is on day 25 of his hunger strike. So, as promised, today was was Monday and I started making phone calls. This time around I am working from the top down. My reasoning being when I reach someone on the local level who tells me an untruth I will have the date and source and individuals name at the top levels to back me up. Well, its a theory anyway.

I started with NASDA, an organization brand new to me I am sad to admit. But then again the layers of  US government are so deep its hard to know what you know and what you don't know. NASDA is The National State Department of Agriculture, not to be confused with the plain old Department of Agriculture. NASDA's mission is

"to represent the state departments of agriculture in the development, implementation, and communication of sound public policy and programs which support and promote the American agricultural industry, while protecting consumers and the environment."

Apparently in July 2011 NASDA sent a Raw Milk survey to every state in the US. The survey had 9 very interesting questions which each state then returned to NASDA. The summarized results were published but I wanted to specifically see the exact responses made by Illinois and I wanted to see the individuals name who answered the survey. NASDA's web site would not allow me to open the survey in its entirety. So I called NASDA. A very nice woman felt confident I could indeed see the results but was unable to do so herself when she got on NASDA's web site.

She gave me a contact name, Bob,  to call "tomorrow." And I will.

Next I called the Illinois Department of Agriculture to see if I could get the answers to the raw milk survey which they gave to NASDA, from that direction. Several transfers got me to Steve who was pleasant but stated it would take him a little time to find those answers his department sent to NASDA. He said he would email them to me "tomorrow."

Stay tuned as I work my way through the US law layers looking for answers to my questions about why its illegal to advertise raw milk sales and how, pray tell, might I go about changing that law?  Something tells me I am going to discover so much more on this little road trip of mine then I bargained for.

Raw Milk Advertising in Illinois Day 4

Michael Schmidt is on day 24 of his hunger strike http://thebovine.wordpress.com/ and I am on Day 4 of my resolve to change the law in Illinois which prohibits the dairy farmer from advertising that he has raw milk for sale. Special thanks to The Bovine Blog for re posting my blog done yesterday. http://thebovine.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/midwest-mid-life-farm-wife-blogger-asks-do-you-know-michael/ Communication regarding these issues is begging to snowball, hopefully it will be with enough force to cause Canada's Premier Dalton McGuinty to take notice.

Tomorrow I will begin making my phone calls to government officials in Illinois as I move towards my promise of changing the raw milk advertising law. Hopefully it will go better than Max Kane's recent attempts. You don't know Max ? Another raw milk warrior you need to meet. Watch him here as he tries to get the FDA to act in a logical manner.

http://youtu.be/F8KfB7005UY

Take a (Raw Milk) Stand

I've been thinking about Michael Schmidt's heart.  http://thebovine.wordpress.com/

Nothing except water for the last 23 days is seriously dangerous. Our hearts are made of muscle which are stimulated with the most awesomely unique electrical system in the universe. This system depends on the correct balance of electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and calcium. When the balance is out of whack...heart attacks can happen.

Now you know why I am worried about Michael's heart.

Its very easy for any of us to ask, "Is this really worth it?" referring to Michael's self imposed hunger strike in order to get an audience with Canadian Prime Minister Dalton McGuinty to discuss the  raw milk issues he is battling. "Why would anyone risk their life over raw milk?"  I have asked myself the same question, and discovered the battle is about so much more than a glass of white liquid that has never been pasteurized or homogenized.

The battle is about our freedoms and more frighteningly so, our willingness to allow these freedoms to be taken from us one by one without resistance. No wonder the Canadian government, OUR GOVERNMENT continues to remove freedoms, too many to mention in one tiny Midlife Farmwife blog, day after day after day...very few of us are brave enough, motivated enough to say anything, let alone take action.

Instead, we mumble "No big deal" or "It doesn't really affect me" and whoosh there it goes, another freedom, a right, a way of life, a liberty, is stolen right from under our Payless Lose More feet. Not only have we become inattentive we have become lazy, slovenly and lethargic.

Tomorrow is Monday and my phone calls to those in higher offices will begin regarding the Illinois law that prohibits the advertising of our raw milk. While waiting for the offices of Higher-Ups to open , I focused my efforts today on Michael's plight involving myself even more  and I invite you to join me. You don't have to be a farmer, or a raw milk drinker but if are ready to take back the freedoms we were born with then do something. Join a local tea party, get acquainted with your representatives and if you want to specifically help Michael with his (OUR) raw milk issues please follow this link  http://www.cheeseslave.com/2011/10/22/end-the-hunger-strike-10-ways-to-support-raw-dairy-farmer-michael-schmidt/#comments and take 10 actions RIGHT NOW.

Before Michael's heart gives out.

P.S. Our farm South Pork Ranch is offering FREE RAW MILK (up to one gallon per person) For any of you who wish to join me in the 24 hr raw milk fast scheduled to take place Tuesday Oct. 24 as a show of continued solidarity for Michael Schmidt. All you have to do is come to our farm that morning with your own container. CHEERS!



Raw Milk Advertising in Illinois Day 2

First I must comment on yesterdays blog comments. Outstanding. Seems I have hit a nerve in regards to the right of a farmer to grow and sell AND ADVERTISE his own products, and in the case of this writer, raw milk. Keith and I have talked often about this issue and are ready to move forward with our own little battle here in the Midwest. This morning we posted signs, for the first time in 17 years, about the price of our raw milk. We posted the signs on our own property, in the milk house where customers come to fill their own containers and in our farm store where they can buy containers but cannot buy pre-filled milk bottles.

"You tell them Anastasia"
"No,  Lucinda, you tell them"
"OK we'll both tell them "
"RAW MILK for sale $5 a gallon !"

In case this is your first visit to my blog...This is Michael Schmidt's 21st day without food as he fights for individual freedom in food choice. This will be umpteenth post on raw milk laws in Illinois but only my second post since making the commitment to take action towards changing a law related to advertising raw milk sales.

Read more about Michaels struggles http://thebovine.wordpress.com/

To understand more about the changes I am proposing its important to understand the law as it stands in Illinois today. So many farmers as well as consumers in general believe it is illegal to sell raw milk in Illinois. It is not.

Raw milk builds muscles

I started with the web site for the Illinois General Assembly and went to the section that deals specifically with Grade A Pasteurized Milk and Milk Products Act. The link for that section is
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1580&ChapterID=35   Be warned, it is lengthy and in my opinion confusing and as you wade through it, should you choose to lose precious moments of your life you will never get back, you might notice that direct off the farms sales is indeed mentioned...but oh so quietly. I highlighted it for you.

410 ILCS 635/8) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 2208)
Sec. 8. After the effective date of this Act, no person shall sell or distribute, offer to sell or distribute any milk or milk product for human use or consumption unless such milk or milk product has been pasteurized and has been produced and processed in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the Department.
The term "sell or distribute for use or consumption" means to sell or distribute to a person for human use or consumption and not for processing or resale in any form.
The pasteurization requirement of this Section shall not be applicable to milk produced in accordance with Department rules and regulations if sold or distributed on the premises of the dairy farm.
(Source: P.A. 83‑102.)


Note again, in the entire section of The Grade A Pasteurized Milk and Milk Products Act there is no mention of how the consumer can buy the milk from the farmer (with their own container) or the part about No Advertising which is the bone I am here to expose, pick apart and attempt to change. That is deeply hidden somewhere else which I'll share tomorrow.

On Monday I will start with the phone calls and letters to my representatives. Stay turned and buckle your seat belts.

Buckwheat ? Dat You ?

Why yes it is, Buckwheat honey is spilling all over the place hear on South Pork Ranch. I wasn't home while the Midlife Farm-man (see, it doesn't rhyme, that is why I won't use it again) and the GK's harvested some long awaited for Buckwheat honey, the tall darkly sweet stranger of the honey world.

I love this years crop, its all mysterious looking and because it is deemed "rare" I covet it all the more. Seems farmers don't plant buckwheat as a green cover crop like they used to so bees have no way to utilize the flower they love the most. But one of our hives is just 1/3 of a mile from our neighbors buckwheat field so strange dark stuff...WELCOME.

I was surprised at how much the Gk's liked it as it does have a distinct flavor. I do believe though when it comes to kids, anything they are involved in cooking, baking, milking, harvesting makes all the difference in what they will eat, or at least try.

Ignorant glut that I am,  I was unaware that buckwheat honey is full of fabulous things such as antioxidants, even more than oranges and strawberries. It has also been used recently in several controlled trials as a cough suppressant in children under the age of 6. Seems is soothes irritated bronchial tissue and its viscosity makes it last longer than over the counter syrups. With none of the side effects of dextramorphan. often prescribed for annoying coughs, physicians are now encouraging moms to keep RAW buckwheat honey in their cupboards. Always check with your MD before giving any honey to a child under the age of 1. Opinions vary

My very favorite Buckwheat

This purple- black queen bee is also full of vitamins and minerals which make it healthier to slather on your wee ones pancakes and french toast then the average corn syrup concoctions. It will last forever in your cabinets and if it gets cold and crystallizes just plop it in some hot water. Buckwheat honey can be hard to find and expensive but you'll be happy to know we have a limited supply here right now in our farm store. Same price as our regular honey cause the bees told us it was no extra trouble really. The supply is limited as the GK's consumed a fair amount while "assisting" with the bottling process.

Good help...hard to find.


P.S. Please do send me hate email about my choice of google pics. Some of my very best friends wore afros in the 70's , myself included.

Wanted: Something less

So, our farm has been listed with our realtor for a little over a week. A few days ago he brought 5 of his agents out here so Keith and I could do a walk and talk with them.
http://home.lyonssullivanrealty.com/listings.asp

We spent a little time touring the house but spent the most time outside. Afterwards I asked what any old HGTV groupie would ask. "So, what can we improve upon before you start showing ?"

Long pause.

Finally, Mr. Lyons himself, the firms first owner said. "I have no idea. I'm totally overwhelmed."
He was referring to all the parts of our business, the organic meat business (grocery stores, restaurants, private customers), the farm store, the raw milk business,my new soap making business,  the livestock we raise, the certified organic land, the house...

He was referring to our lives. Yeah, we're a little overwhelmed too. Especially when its 106 outside. True temperature. Not heat index, but actually heat of 106F. But, pity us not as we chose this life and now we are choosing something more manageable. A small home . Maybe one like this

Other than needing a porch, preferably wrap-a-round, this looks good to me. But Keith thought we might need a couple hundred more square feet for family visits. So we went back to one of my favorite blogs (Walter Jeffries) and his Tiny Cottage. Just 252 square feet for a family of 5. http://flashweb.com/blog/2010/12/tiny-cottage-at-three-years.html.

I spent several hours the other night reading every post Walter wrote about his tiny cottage and decided...he was nuts.

Nuts in a good way. Nuts in the way of making less be so much more when you are organized and creative. Nuts in how he made a curved CONCRETE roof without once dropping any of it on his kids heads.

 Keith however was still thinking he needed a tad more space. Apparently being cooped up with me in tinyland frightened him. So today he and ,I along with sister Mary and husband Dave toured the Anti-Tiny-Cottage when we looked at modular homes, those built in factories and delivered to your home site. http://www.homewayhomes.com/build/photoalbum.html

We thought them to be efficient, attractive and cookie cutter. Well made for the $115 sq foot price tag but not what we had in mind. Still it gave me some great ideas about space allocation and showers ! One home had this cool dual shower that could be entered from either side. I will replace the plastic wall the model home had, with the colored bottle wall Walter has in his Tiny Cottage !

Yes. Its fun to dream.

But in the meantime the temperature has plummeted to 100 and I best go water a few husbands...I mean chickens.

Wishy Washy Wednesday

Yes, I am so aware this is Thursday. However, I decided last week I would post pics about soap on Wednesdays and I took the pictures yesterday on Wednesday so it counts.

Yes, I'm a little testy. I just learned I am not an "artisan soaper." No, no one was brave enough to tell me this to my face. I figured it out myself. I am a member of MENSA for dummies you know. We go by the nickname of Mummies.

I have been soaping for almost 8 months. I have finally decided on a very good hard bar which is not too drying and just the right amount of moisturizing. I have also decided on essential oils rather than fragrance oils. I have committed myself to all natural colors. You know brown from bats wings and green from cow tank algae. My problem is putting it all together into one beautiful bar.

I read all the other soap blogs I can. I spy on all the FlickR soap pics. I drool over the really big soap folk like Cocobong. So much so that I start to thinking I AM COCOBONG. For example she posted this awesome bar this week . Isn't it gorgeous ?

I knew I could do it. After all what does she have that I don't have beside talent and about 20 more years soap experience than I do. (She started soaping at age 8). Come on,  how hard can an inlay be ?
So I gave it my best shot.

Hard to tell the two apart is it not ? Besides the moon in the upper right hand corner I even inlaid a CELTIC circle. Two inlays for the price of one. (Like anyone would buy this piece of baby-puke-yellow-with-poor-excuses-for-art-piece-of-ear-wax-crap-disguised-as-soap). I did not have the same colors as Cocobong but I thought I would do a purple soap with white inlays. My brilliant idea for natural purple was pureed beets. As you can see not all the beet pieces were liquefied and the gel process made my white moon turn a lovely inside of a rotten banana brown.

BUT, after two days the bar is nice and hard and smells so pretty. Not enough to save it from the basement though. All my bad soaps go down there to the husbands shower. As long as it lathers he's keen on it . Good thing'cause this lovely wife of his has been lathering at the mouth ever since she unmolded this bar of soap that even maximum security prisoners would think too ugly to use.

I even tried photographing it with our lovely evening sunset in the background

Made a world of difference did it not ?  It did not.

So you don't lose complete trust in mys soaping skills, I also made some Lavender soap. No coloring and just a few lavender pieces in the top layer...

Which of course turned brown with the gel process. Will I ever learn ? It seems unlikely.

I did save the day with a different farm product of ours. Keith and U of I grad student Sasha harvested honey and bottled 27 pints. My photos of this were easier on the eye.

I used that white foam board trick. Sweet huh ?

Support your local farmer...BUY SOMETHING

This may come as a bit of a surprise to some of you (those who are reading this blog for the very first time) but you should know; I'm opinionated.

I take no responsibility for this personality flaw. My father was opinionated and my mother was opinionated. My fathers father was opinionated and my mothers father was a rotten guy who never valued his family or cared to provide for them. HIS opinion never mattered. But I regress.

You could say I was  blessed in the opinion department. You could but I wouldn't. A few weeks ago The Renegade Farmer agreed to print my opinion on a regular basis. But of course they don't really know me and they still have plenty of time to change their minds.

Don't bother clicking on the picture as I can't get the link
to work that way. Just one more personal impairment on my part.
I am adept at making soap out of pig fat though.

In the meantime, I am grateful for this writing opportunity. If interested in reading this weeks article just click here http://therenegadefarmer.com/   There is a spot for comments at the end of my article if you feel so inclined.

Many thanks.

Goodbye Cruel World

No worries. Not that serious. But we are saying goodbye. Not to blogging, heaven forbid. Nope. We are saying goodbye...to our farm.

WHAT ?!?!?

Its true Mon Ami, my mostest bestest man person and I have decided that things are going so well, too well in fact and we want off the Gravy Train. Oh don't be so shocked. It's not like we're planning to move to CHINA or something. Confused ? Join the pub. I'll let that soak in a minute while you gaze upon a related picture.

Shall we continue ?

OK then. Here's the rest of the story. Last week I was mowing the Never ending lawn and I realized I did not want to keep mowing the Never ending lawn. Like the big rig mama I am, I shut 'er down, walked over to Keith who was feeding hogs and said, "I'm done." He knew I was not talking about the Never rending lawn. He said, now pay attention as this is the really cool part, "Me too."

That's how the really big decisions get made here on South Pork Ranch LLC. We headed to the kitchen table where we talked quite a long time. For those of you with lives of your own I'll summarize. If you do not have a life of your own please send me $29.95 cash or check and I'll send you the entire transcript.

The big summary:
     Farm business going very well. New customers every day
     Keith and I working 80-100 hrs each , EACH week
     Can not keep up with the work. Need to hire full time employees
     We are working harder and harder and enjoying it less and less
     Instead...we want to homestead.

No, not the I have a turkey in my backyard therefore I homestead kind of homestead. We mean buy a few acres, build a tiny house, build a huge garden, raise a few animals and support ourselves DEBT FREE. We want to live off of say $5000 a year (to buy stuff like coffee)  which we would acquire through small on farm jobs like free lance writing, sales of a few head of livestock each year and dare I say it ? Soap making. We will barter for items we cannot make ourselves. We are going to sell or give away approximately 75% of our possessions in order to make this move. Are you starting to get the picture ?  We want to live off the land baby !
Our "one day" is here and now.

See that ? Way out there on the horizon ? It's our future.

But first things  first. We must put our farm, our house, our certified organic dairy, beef and pork business up for sale. We've already interviewed one realtor and we have already had one phone call from a gentlemen wanting to see the place next week. We have also seen one piece of prospective property to purchase. ONE is not a lonely number. (Quick, which sappy 70's rock band sang that tune? First one to tell me by commenting on this blog gets a FREE South Pork Ranch T-shirt. Soon to be a collectors item.) We are moving ahead and we need your help.

This is a map

Here is how. If you are a current customer of ours and you want to have these same products available to you in the future please keep buying from us. We want to sell the house, farm and business as a whole turn key certified organic operation; livestock, buildings, equipment, customer contacts and all. Prospective buyers will want to see our books, (but they can't have Angela's Ashes, its too dear) our income statements, budgets etc...They will also want to see customers coming and going. So please keep coming and going.

We will keep you up to date as this evolves. Until actual sale time it will be business as usual. This could take years . If you see us out and about please don't hesitate to ask us about our plans to sell the farm. Its not a secret.

Not anymore :)

But if you refer back to some of my posts and look a little closer you mind find that I had been leaving a few clues. http://midlifefarmwife.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-man-john.html

P.S. This is what we are hoping to buy. 5-10 acres. Part wooded, part pasture. A creek or pond would be fab. Old buildings OK but not required. Old house OK but not required. Water, electric and gas lines not needed. Secluded area off the beaten track would be ideal. No lawns need apply. MUST BE within 40 miles of Pontiac, Illinois. The GK's are far to excited about all of this to leave them behind. Wish us luck. We're going to need it.

P.S.S. As soon as all the figures are figured and the attorney gets together with the accountant and the realtor, I'll tell you all our farm and the asking price. Maybe one of you followers would like to relocate to the Prairie State. Hmmmmmm?

Breaking News

I wanted to wait until after my birthday for this very major announcement. Oh yeah, you WISH the announcement had to do with my quitting my blog.You're out of luck Chuck,better make a new plan, Stan, because I am doing exactly the opposite.

I'm expanding.

Yup, more of me, more of the time. Lord help YOU. For many months I have been feeling pulled towards doing more with my cyber time. By "more" I mean something of more value. For the last two years I have been all over the blog boogie board. A little bit of family, a little bit of farm, a little bit of grand kid talk, a little political (THERE ! Another grand band name. Little Political How do I do that ?!") and lately more than a little about soap, of all things.

 By the way last night I made a horrible batch of brown soap so I rebatched it, added superfat and great blue colors and new smell and now it is the most fabulous midnight blue soap bar that I will call NIGHT SHIFT in honor of all the night shift workers in all the world especially my friends at Gibson Area Hospital, my daughter Raven, son Colton,  and my newest night nurse stalker, John  in North Wales . Wait ! You got it wrong. He's not a stalker of night nurses, he is a night nurse who stalks my blog as I do his, But I digress.

Air  R  E ?

Oh yeah. My new blogs.

This one, the Midlife FarmKook will remain right here. But the focus will be slightly right of center. I will speak of the usual family and daily farm life stuff. The real great farm life stuff. The fun stuff. Stuff that makes my heart SING. OK you get it.

Farmer Keith and GK Wes ,window shopping
in Chicago after making pork deliveries last week.

Blog number two, already up and running but in a very secret way until now, is called The Seanachai's Daughter. I started it several months ago in a different  "venue" (I hate that word, weddings used to held at the VFW club house, now they are held in "Venues," what a load of donkey ripeness.) I'm using WordPress to produce it. That blog will focus on my fledgling writing including excerpts from my Novel in Progress, some poetry (you said it I didn't) and short stories. You can visit my new blog here: http://seanachaidaughter.wordpress.com/

Blog number three will be made public very soon. It is at this moment unnamed but its focus will be strong and clear; farmer rights and struggles in a time of government suffocation. I am a renegade farmer and I have reached my boiling point. Farm after farm after farm has been being raided, shut down, and destroyed over ridiculous things like the sales of raw milk and yogurt. Other champions have risen to this calling and its now my turn to put up or shut up. This new blog will focus specifically on events occurring here in Central Illinois to champion farmers and generally on actions being taken nationally. Congressman Ron Paul has gone out on a political limb through his support of raw milk sales and he needs farmer support in this work.

So there you have it. Announcement over. Please go back to your regular programming, but don't forget to come back. Put it on a Post-It Note.  Works for me...sometimes.

Something is a little "off"

Every year it happens. The earth revolves around the sun. I know because Sister Viola taught me this in second grade. As the earth does this, Spring becomes a reality. With spring comes warmer weather, at least that's what happens here in the Midwest. You goofballs living near a place called Iron Creek Lake in South Dakota are still dealing with snow and therefore cannot relate. You will probably feel better if you just stop reading now, grab another blanket and put another piece of furniture on the fire. You must be out of wood logs by now.

With this warmer weather (and rain if you are blessed) comes the wild phenomenon known as pasture growth. Yeah man, I'm talking about grass. Green green grass.

Cows eat grass, at least those lucky enough not to be living their whole life on a concrete feed lot. That green green grass is converted to milk, and spring milk tastes different than winter milk. Every year, one or two of our new milk customers, the ones who have only been drinking winter milk, that which comes after the cow eats dry hay all winter, will react with a little shock and awe.

Some will say "Uh, I hate to say anything but your milk tastes a little funny."
And we will say, "Does it taste bad?'
They will say "No, just funny, sort of  "off"  I guess"
And we will say, "Is it fresh ?"
They will say, "Yes, I just bought it this morning."
And we will then tell them all about grassy milk vs hay-ey milk. (Put down your keyboards spelling Nazi's I know what I am doing.)

We tell them to look at this way. When a mother nurses her baby, her milk will often reflect or taste like, what she has recently eaten. A meal heavy in onions and baby might turn away and dial Rent-a-Breast  for their next meal. This is the reason why Docs advise nursing moms against consuming strong drugs, alcohol and even caffeine.

It is the same way with cows, which is why their milk tastes different in the spring when suddenly they are consuming a very different diet than they were a few weeks ago. Soon that new taste will be just as familiar as the winter tasting milk. To ensure your milk is safe to drink though, you should follow some basic rules, winter and summer.

1. Be sure you obtain your milk from a reputable dairy. The tank room should look and smell clean
2. ASK your farmer how he milks his cows, how he cleans their udders, how he cleans the pipe system and the bulk tank.
3. Ask him about any milk testing he does, ask to SEE his milk test results.
4. Check the temperature gauge on his bulk tank. It should be 42 degrees or lower.

Now be sure to do YOUR part to keep your milk healthy and nutritional

1. Always wash your hands before collecting milk in your container.
2. Make sure your milk bottles and lids/caps are VERY clean. Wash them with hot soapy water and then a 1:10 bleach water solution. The hotter the bleach water the better. Rinse and dry well.
3. Transport your milk in an ice chest with ice packs. Keep your milk COLD.
4. Educate yourself about raw milk . One excellent resource is Raw Milk Production Handbook by Tim Wightman. Available through http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/

Now go pour yourself a tall cold one.

Who let the hogs out ? Woof woof woof woof woof.

   We have been blessed with some great  visitors this week and more to come tomorrow. On Tuesday, in addition to our reliable and hardworking intern Aaron, we had a PhD Candidate from U of I, Sasha, come for a chat and a tour. Of all the topics in all the gin joints in all the world, he chooses "Rare Swine Breed Conservation" for his thesis. How fun for us to drone on and on about the Red Wattle to someone who actually wanted to hear about it, instead of to our family who only pretends to want to hear about them...again. Sasha even asked if he could back some time and WORK with us. Heck YES, Mr. PhD . I knew we would like him when he pulled a pair of official Muck boots from his car. We liked him even more when he called our Red Wattles the " Maytag of Livestock" referring to the fact that they rarely get sick.

Keith (with beard) telling Sasha (with beard)
about the gentleness of our
Red Wattle Boar, Mad Max



Keith SHOWING  Sasha how gentle our Gentle Giant really is.



Today, two women from Washington (as in Illinois) came  to tour the farm and before leaving not only did they buy meat from our store and raw milk but they also ordered a whole hog and a 1/2  beef. Thank you. Thank you very much.

This afternoon, the well traveled and ambitious Matt and his cool mom came to check out the Red Wattle feeder pigs we had for sale. They are newbie homesteaders from the Lemont area. They asked fantastic, well thought out questions and reminded us why it is we do what we do. We often forget, that is why people need to remind us. If these two take 1/10 as good care of our pigs as they do their chickens, those pigs will be a couple of  deliriously happy porkers. There, I did it again ! Another great name for a rock band just pulled out of thin air. Really, how do I do it ?

Tomorrow, another student writing a paper about the relationships between farmers and their land, is coming for another interview. Traveling all the way from Massachusetts you might wonder how she found our little farmette. Well, she's actually a local, from Chenoa. Small town girl goes to big city college in order to write a paper about a small town farm. We'll looking forward to meeting her.

Tomorrow afternoon, we'll embark on an all new adventure. A woman from Wisconsin is bringing her Red Wattle gilt "Barbara" to meet up with  (code for  "meet up with" ) our Red Wattle Boa,r Mad Max. Hmmm, I wonder if she would mind if I called her "Babs" ? Yeah, you're right. I should probably wait until after the official breeding event before I get all casual with her. If she and Mad Max don't hit it off right away we have made accommodations for Miss B to spend a few nights. Keith and Aaron cleaned out one of the barn stalls on Tuesday and it is looking mighty cozy in there  what with the chandelier  (Yes Kristy, its yours) and the bottle of  wine cooling in the waterer. Yes, I am aware candles are more romantic but HELLO ! Its a barn, with straw.  You People.

Raw Law

Raw milk evolves into raw ice cream with a little help
from farmer  Keith and the Kitchen Aid mixer

A year ago Keith and I decided to cease selling our milk to Foremost Farms after a decade long relationship with them. This decision came about right about the time they told us they would stop BUYING our milk from us if we continued to sell small amounts of raw milk  directly off our farm. Coincidence ? Hardly. If you would like to see the whole story click here  http://midlifefarmwife.blogspot.com/2010/04/rest-of-story.html

Hard to believe it has been a year. So much has happened. Our income from Foremost Farms disappeared overnight, as did quite a bit of our anxiety in regards to our raw milk sales. Many of our fellow dairy farming friends expressed concern for us. We were surprised by the number of them who were misinformed about the raw milk laws of Illinois. Some thought we would go to jail or be "shut down." These fears are not unfounded in light of the goofy actions happening across our country due in great part to legislation that is outdated and not based on research. To date it is still legal to sell raw milk in Illinois as long as the consumer brings their own container to the dairy farm. Sadly the law states we cannot advertise that we sell raw milk.( For a list of the current raw milk laws in each state go here http://www.realmilk.com/milk-laws-1.html )

Frustrating.   Beyond frustrating. How is it that one law says YES you can sell raw milk while the another law says NO, you may not advertise.?  And one more question still unanswered, what is the definition of  "advertise ".  The restriction flys in direct opposition (in my opinion) to THIS law I came across recently

505 ILCS 70/0.01) (from Ch. 5, par. 90z)

Sec. 0.01. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Farm Products Marketing Act.

(Source: P.A. 86‑1324.)

(505 ILCS 70/1) (from Ch. 5, par. 91)

Sec. 1. Every farmer, fruit and vine grower, and gardener, shall have an undisputed right to sell the produce of his farm, orchard, vineyard and garden in any place or market where such articles are usually sold, and in any quantity he may think proper, without paying any state, county or city tax, or license, for doing so, any law, city or town ordinance to the contrary notwithstanding: Provided, that the corporate authorities of any such city, town or village may prohibit the obstruction of its streets, alleys and public places for any such purpose: And, provided further, that nothing in this Act shall be so construed as to authorize the sale of spirituous, vinous or malt liquors, contrary to laws which now are or hereafter may be in force prohibiting the sale thereof.

(Source: P.A. 84‑1308.)

So lets see, I ,the farmer,  have the right to sell the produce from my farm but I don't have the right to advertise that I am selling it other than word of mouth. WHY ? How is it my neighbor can put a sign in his front yard advertising his free-range eggs, his pumpkins, her apples and berries ? How can you tell me that I cannot advertise one of our farm products from which we make a living. ?

I find these laws related to raw milk in Illinois to be  illogical and inconsistent.  It is past time that someone in Illinois took on the challenge of  getting these laws changed.

Anyone ? Anyone ?

Oh OK. I'll start walking the talk, but I could use some new athletic shoes (size 10 W)  if anyone is in the mood to donate to the cause.

Who is sustaining who ? or is it whom ?

 

Hey !  Yes you. See that wooden box over there ? The one right next to you with the word  "SOAP" on it ? Yes, that's the one. Kick it over my way would you ? Hey, not so hard !  OK then, let...me...just step...up here...umphhh...groan...THERE. I'm up and ready to go. Cute suit huh ?

In case you are new to this blog, well first I apologize, and second many thanks, but you  may not realize that I have  just mounted my soap box which means an opinion is coming. There is still time to bail if you click on that little "X" in the right hand corner of your screen. Otherwise you'll have to read on and endure.

Farming is full of trendy terms right now. Organic, beyond organic, local, all natural, grass-fed, free-range and of course sustainable. I've ranted before about the the organic label with its correct and incorrect use and its likely I will come back to it but today's word is "sustainable."
We've used it to describe our own farm for some time now and it is  used frequently by other farmers we know and even some non-farmer types which is odd but true. I recently read an insurance companies ad that referred to itself as sustainable. Truthfully, I have found the term confusing so I've done some research. The definition (from several agricultural sources ) is this:

A method of agriculture that attempts to ensure the profitability of farms while preserving the environment.

Funny. In my peacock sized brain, I thought "sustainable" meant simply the ability to support ones farm without outside financial assistance, Which is why I have felt so guilty, yes guilty for so many years because our farm was surviving due in large part to the income I brought in as a nurse. My husband, who was the one doing the majority of the farm work up until my "retirement"  from nursing 5 months ago, would be the first to agree, as would our tax man.

But in looking at that definition above, in no way does it imply that the financial resources a farm requires to operate must come from the farm alone. Once again I created my own definition and was incorrect.  (cue the song "You're so Vain" here) Or am I ? In the first three words , "A Method of Agriculture" suggests that it is in agriculture alone we can ensure profitability. But what if in those early years the products you produce, grow and hopefully sell are not enough to meet expenses ? Are you "less sustainable" as a farmer if you require additional non-direct-farm income in order to make the hay payment or buy the grinder needed to mix your own hog feed or heaven forbid, you accept assistance from government programs such as NRCS ?  

Moving on to the next section of "attempting to ensure the profitability of farms," I have to wonder about that word "attempt."  Pretty weak isn't it ?  Down right wishy washy in my opinion. Like, "OK, I'll attempt to be profitable but you can't blame me if corn prices go to high. "  Granted one farmer is not able to control all grain prices but that same one farmer can decide how he will deal with those circumstances on his /her own farm. Perhaps the pastured hogs will get less corn and  more of the other sources of less costly protein such as soy bean hulls , hay or raw milk if one has access to a nearby dairy and the means to transport the milk. Options.  We all have enough options to allow us to accomplish a task instead of  just "attempting" to accomplish it.  Attempt, such a defeatist word. No wonder farmers feel so low sometimes.   

And now "Profitability."  Our farm has never been hugely profitable yet bills were paid and some luxuries were allowed.  My salary covered all the household expenses and then bought the things the farm needed that the farm could not pay for. We drove used vehicles and Keith's farm equipment was even more used. In the 18 years we have been married we have purchased just two brand new pieces of farm equipment. One Kubota tractor and one livestock trailer which was paid for with grant funds from the ever generous Frontera Farmers foundation. These are not complaints. These are facts. But when our methods didn't work we changed them. Sometimes the changes  were BRILLIANT (like selling whole hog carcasses directly to the back alley of fine restaurants ) while other times the changes we made failed worse than  those changes barked about by that hotshot politician from Chicago.

And in light of all that we decided the best way to become more sustainable and more profitable was for me to leave a job that paid financially very well but had taken me to a dead end spiritually. So here we are trying, "attempting" every day to be independently sustainable. Will we make it ?  Only Mud, Sweat and Tears will tell. If we mange to support our farm with no outside income are we "more" sustainable than those farmers who still must farm all day and perhaps work all night in a factory or all day for perhaps another farmer and then working a second shift on their own land ? Whose wives must teach or cook or nurse or God willing , write, to bring in more income ? I think not. Farming is hell and heaven all mixed into one wet and cold, warm and sunny day and in my opinion, again, if you are still getting out of bed each day thinking about how you can make your farm just a little bit better than it was the day before, you are indeed "sustainable"

And if all that is not enough, the definition of sustainable goes on to require preservation of the environment. Again, very subjective. How WE  choose to preserve the environment (through the very stringent standards of the National Organic Program) may not be the same way YOU choose to preserve the environment. To some gardeners a little bit of Round Up to control weeds is acceptable while to others it is frowned upon or even to others may be illegal to use on their farms.

Regardless of the buzz word you type on your farm products label YOU are accountable to that customer. who buys your product. Say what you mean and mean what you say verbally and in writing. But please think hard about what you put on those labels and be willing to defend with pride the words you have chosen to identify the farm you represent. Honesty and integrity are still the best buzz words of all.