Category Archives: Uncategorized

The farm was in fine shape, many volunteers helped get Windy Acres Dairy ready for the day:

Billie welcomes Joel and gives him the first tour of the farm:

Guests were shuttled from the parking area by our “cow chauffeurs”….:

….. and their tractor taxi”:

The entrance to the farm with exhibits, booths, book signing and a food & beverage table set-up on the front lawn:

A band played:

The tent was up and ready to shade our guests on the back lawn:

Tables were set:

Wine is poured as the violinists and keyboardist entertain:

A tasty salmon treat awaited the diners:

Guests were seated:

Salads were assembled in the “kitchen”:

Lamb (from the farm!) next served:

And enjoyed:

Desserts are decorated:

Lawn Seating ticket holders join the diners:

Billie introduces the kitchen crew – Lynn Wright, Gordon Benzer, Jeff Roop-Bierens and Anna Witham:

Pete Kennedy of the Farm-To-Consumer Legal Defense Fund speaks first:

Joel delights the crowd:

Then signs books:

And gets a hug from a fan:

We look forward to our next event, stay tuned!

Photos courtesy of Brian Anderspoon, Derek Schroeder and Peggy Carpenter.

Billie and I just returned from the WAPF annual conference last weekend in Santa Clara. This was my fourth conference and Billie’s second. If you have yet to attend one, I suggest you save your pennies and plan to travel to Atlanta next November. I consider the conference a recharge of my batteries after a summer of gardening, a joyful reunion with friends old and new,  a time to learn from world-renowned experts in health and nutrition, and to simply rejoice being amongst so many fellow travelers on the road to optimal health.

There are many interesting exhibitors of food, cooking products, health and beauty items and groups dedicated to food and farming. I always come home with Farm-To-Consumer Legal Defense Fund T-shirts (buy 3 get 1 free),  fabulous food (Ikura, or wild salmon roe, at a big discount from Vital Choice) and a book or two (the newly published, “The Art of Fermentation” signed by author and conference presenter, Sandor Katz). Attendees receive many coupons for internet and phone orders: how about 25% off all Green Pasture products including their combo fermented cod liver oil/high-vitamin butter oil? WooHoo!

I especially enjoy the annual Monday Farm Tour, an all-day trip to three local farms, including lunch. Billie and I saw beef being rotationaly grazed on grass, pigs enjoying their “pigness” rooting around in the woods, and a very clever mobile milking parlor with attached clean room created in a standard stock trailer. To be welcomed to farms such as these and hear the stories of their beginnings, struggles and successes is always inspirational to me. The farmers and ranchers show such pleasure in welcoming us and in answering our many questions. We are generous with our enthusiasm for their practices which bring wholesome, humanely-raised food to our tables. I salute them all!

To top all this off, the 2012 conference brought an incredible gift to my mother who attended for the very first time. Every year Dave Wetzel, owner of Green Pasture Products, donates a trip for two to Alaska as a raffle prize, ticket sales benefiting the Farm-To-Consumer Legal Defense Fund. As usual, I bought five raffle tickets for $20 and so did my mom. Guess what? My mom won and she is taking me with her to Alaska next summer! We plan to fish for halibut and salmon, visit Denali National Park and generally eat as much wild Alaskan seafood as possible. I can’t wait!

See you next year in Atlanta!

Jeffrey Pinley, with friend, has been the driving force in getting a sprouted fodder system established at the farm. It was Lisa Fairman who first suggested that this innovative method be used at Windy Acres to provide fresh, green, rapidly growing “grass” to the animals.

A quick Google search of “sprouting fodder systems” shows the diverse ways these systems are built and work. From pre-made and fully-automated production facilities to more modest home builts, they grow high-quality livestock feed for a relatively low price. With droughts becoming more widespread and the cost of quality hay and off-farm feed endlessly increasing, farms around the world are beginning to adopt these systems.

Sustainable, practical, low-water usage and virtually no waste, in 7 or 8 days one pound of seed can grow indoors to more than seven pounds of  lush, green 8″ to 10″ tall grass. Many different seeds, cereal grains and even legumes can be sprouted. When fully grown, the roots become intertwined to form a mat making harvesting easy. Just roll it up and haul it to the pasture. In the winter months the cows are going to love having something green to eat!

How it looks at Windy Acres

Hello to all who find their way to Windy Acres Dairy! My name is Lynn Wright. I am a first-time blogger however a long-time raw milk drinker. When the dairy’s new web site went up, Billie asked me if I would do the blog. I figured I could learn a new trick or two all while promoting and supporting this wonderful and diverse farm. My husband and I have been herd share members for five years and not a day goes by we don’t have a product of Windy Acres Dairy Farm, of our herd, on our table. Billie loves what she does and to teach what she knows. I enjoy sharing what I have come to understand about raw dairy, its safety and health benefits. I have been interested in nutrition since my early teens and have been cooking professionally for over 30 years. I hope you enjoy the posts!