Ode to Jack and the turnip
It looks like this late turnip crop is going to be a good one thanks to cool temperatures and adequate rain fall. I may even have some little ones ready in honor of Halloween this year, too, even...
View ArticleReflections on 2014 and fleshing hides
Another year in animal husbandry I use this annual reflection to track our record of animal husbandry since we began raising a few hens for a personal egg supply in 2007. Those few hens turned into...
View ArticleEwe lambs for sale
This spring’s lamb crop is ready for harvest (for the ram lambs) and for sale as breeding stock (for the ewe lambs). Various retail cuts are available, along with some lean lamb sausage. Some folks...
View ArticleAnnual Farm Reflections
Reflections on another year of food and farming I like to take time to reflect on the general state of things as one year ends and another begins. Other than a few minor details I like where I am. I...
View ArticleSwallows glean in flight
Swallow Rail was the name my Dad gave the farm over twenty years ago. He wanted it to be relevant, reflecting the spatial and natural qualities of his 18 acres in Western Shelby County. His...
View ArticleFall breeding, fall lambing and a new fall menu at 502 Smokehouse!
The weather is cool and crisp as we prepare for fall lambing on the farm. I have 8 ewes due next week. We have also sorted another group of yearling and 2-year old ewes for fall breeding. They...
View ArticleGood books on food and farming for 2017
You can now find us on Instagram @SwallowRailFarm Yes, I have a reading season, and each year the season gets a little longer as I reject television and radio more and more. The current state of our...
View ArticleCuring onions and potatoes
We harvested some fantastic looking “Red Candy Apple’ purple onions a few weeks ago and it is now time to start digging some ‘Yukon Gold’ potatoes and garlic over the weekend; I...
View ArticleWood chips & soil fertility
I grew up being warned about using fresh wood products as mulch or soil amendments because, in theory, as the wood broke down it would tie up valuable nitrogen, stealing it away from the plants. More...
View ArticleTomato 101
“Tomato 101” is for beginners and advanced gardeners alike, although I suspect there will be more first-time vegetable gardeners this year due to our isolation at home. There are many assumptions...
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