Emma's Family Farm Update Dec. 30, 2010

Hello from Our snowy Farm in Windsor:
Snow and wind earlier this week left us under a rather drifty blanket;
some drifts were as tall as Rose by Tuesday morning. As You can
imagine, digging out while also tending the animals was quite a chore
but we're plowed out and ready for action! We welcome visitors to the
Farm in any season and, if you come now, bring your sleds or even
snowshoes and skis!
Our last visit to Portland for 2010 will happen New Year's Eve. We'll
be out front at The Public Market House, 28 Monument Square from
approximately 11 AM until 4 PM. Throughout December, Portland sales
have been growing for us so we're planning our 2011 schedule. In 2011
we'll begin on January 14; we hope to be there 2 weeks each month
while our inventory of products lasts. Currently we're bringing
chickens, beef and pork products + fresh eggs and garlic. We hope
you'll stop by tomorrow, if only to say "Happy New Year!"
We're seeking other marketing outlets for 2011 because You have asked
us to and We must continue to grow to make ourselves sustainable. The
balance between actual work on the Farm and marketing keeps us busy.
Your product preferences help steer our Farm toward "the Prosperous
Zone."
Its time to say "Happy New Year, 2011" and realize that another year
has slipped by. We hope your year was fruitful and that you ate fine
food throughout 2010. Although things don't ever seem to go quite as
planned, we're feeling happy for all that went well and trying to
untangle any messes we've made as we progress toward the New Year.
Messes? Oh yes, we've had a few, some of our own making and others not
within our control. Mother Nature offers us challenges that we must
work with and sometimes we win --- Other times? We make the best of
it!
Venting is one of our (bad or good) habits here on the Farm. Its usual
method is yelling in frustration; very few neighbors to hear and it
doesn't hurt anything unless somebody's ears are too close. Well this
time, we're frustrated about a problem that many farmers have tackled.
It seems to happen more now that many farmers, like us, are direct
marketing and wholesaling. We wrote a blog entry and circulatd it a
bit for comments from farmers, retailers and consumers. We have
received many responses both on and off the blog. We did not write it
as a plea for help, but as a vent and a "heads up". Maybe you'd like
to view it at:
http://emmasfamilyfarm.posterous.com/supporting-a-pig-commitment
What do You eat on New Year's Day? Here's something we read yesterday
about pork traditions around the world on January 1.
"Chickens move backwards as they scratch the ground to get their food.
Cows stand still. But pigs move forward as they root around to get a
meal. So the legend goes that if you eat pork on New Year's Day,
you'll move forward in the New Year.
Worldwide, the pig is a symbol of progress. The ancient Celtics
considered pork to be the food of the Gods. Swedes, Austrians,
Germans, Spaniards, and Hungarians start their new year off with pork.
In the United States, the Pennsylvania Dutch have been serving pork on
the first day of the new year for centuries. In the hope of
prosperity, some Americans combine vegetables with pork, like
sauerkraut or collard greens, because those veggies can be green and
leafy, like money. New Englanders team pork with sauerkraut to
guarantee luck and prosperity. In some southern states, cooks will
pair pork and collard greens on the first day of a new year for good
luck. They'll also serve up black eyed peas with their ham. The black
eyed pea is considered another New Years staple, because the legume is
shaped like a coin and eating them means you may be in for some
money." This piece, part of a press release from Animal Welfare
Approved caught our fancy because it contains some information about
worldwide traditions and beliefs. And, naturally, we'd love it if you
ate some of Our pastured pork on New Year's Day, or any time, for that
matter. Animal Welfare Approved is a certifying organization for
family farms raising meats, eggs and dairy. They, in our opinion, have
the most valid certification system in the country for humane
standards. We hope to have the time to fill out an app, get an audit,
and certify our Farm with Animal Welfare Approved in 2011.
We use many outlets that are available for communication because
different colleagues, friends and customers use their favorite tools
to communicate with us. Each one is effective, or amusing, in its own
special way and each one offers another outlet for discussion. We hope
you'll join us if you use or explore any of these sites on the Web:
General Farm Listing at Local Harvest updated as needed:
http://tinyurl.com/emmas-localharvest
Day to Day Farm updates and random musings and links on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/thehoads
Many Farm pictures, comments and responses on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Windsor-ME/Emmas-Family-Farm/118705158157752
And our Farm blog; , We'll let you know that these Emails You receive
are also posted there, along with occasional random musings and Farm
news:
http://emmasfamilyfarm.posterous.com/
Hoping you'll forward this to a friend in Maine and
Wishing You all the best in 2011!
Helen, Steve and Rose Hoad
Emma's Family Farm
135 Windsor Neck Road
Windsor, Maine 04363
207.445.2141