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May Farm Current Events

Howdy all ,

Over the last few weeks, a lot of new and exciting things have been happening here at the farm! Our cute little chicks have grown quite a bit and our recently arrived piglets are growing in to bigger, older babies. We also have a new non-livestock addition to Windy Acres, Cocoa Jo, the mutt farm hound. Animals aren’t the only happenings, pasture irrigation is up and running thanks to the help we received on work day. We want to send a big thank-you to all who contributed their time and energy, we could not have done it without such loving support from our “family” of  friends and herd share members. For those of you who couldn’t make the work day extravaganza no need for regret, our annual gathering, Family Dairy Day, is Saturday June 9th. Come on down and have a blast! Enjoy another day of fun and festivities here at the farm. At Windy Acres Dairy there’s never a dull moment – from milk to butter and all there is in between. Please feel free to call anytime with questions, there’s always a warm welcome here at Windy Acres!

 

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New up-comings at the farm

Dear New and Existing Herd Share Members,

Many new and exciting developments are soon to  occur  here on the farm. In the coming weeks the farm will begin to receive new baby chicks as well as many piglets. In current developments, the farm is seeking out any individuals who are interested in and have experience in the process of cheese making, as currently we are in need of a cheese maker. Every day new life arises on the farm weather it be a morning moo from a newborn calves to a breakfast bah from playful baby lambs. There’s never a dull moment to be had on here at Windy Acres Dairy Farm.  Visitors are always welcome, please call ahead or  just come on down if you would like a tour of the farm.

Our contact info is 541 447 5389.

sunshiny day

The beauty of winters end and spring beginning

Our tool and helper for a good cows feed

The clam before the storm

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Newsletter Winter 2016

winter 2016 newsletter

Click image for bigger version

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Farm To Table 2015 Photos

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

Getting Ready_2

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

Billie Joel

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

Cow costumes, parking shuttle_cr

….. and their tractor taxi”:

Tractor Taxi_2The entrance to the farm with exhibits, booths, book signing and a food & beverage table set-up on the front lawn:

Entrance

A band played:

Band on Front Lawn

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

Tent set-up

Tables were set:

Tables set

Wine is poured as the violinists and keyboardist entertain:

Wine serving_2

A tasty salmon treat awaited the diners:

Cornets in wooden bench holder - Peggy

Guests were seated:

Full Tables

Salads were assembled in the “kitchen”:

Lynn making salad - apple cider reduction drizzle_cr

Lamb (from the farm!) next served:

Lamb Main Course Plate_cr

And enjoyed:

Head table

Desserts are decorated:

Lynn, Gordon and mom plating desserts_cr

Lawn Seating ticket holders join the diners:

Lawn Seating folks_cr

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

Billie, Gordon & I on stage 1

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

Pete speaking onstage_cr

Joel delights the crowd:

Joel speaking onstage_8

Then signs books:

Joel signing books_cr

And gets a hug from a fan:

Joel Hugging_cr

We look forward to our next event, stay tuned!

Windy Acres T-shirt_cr

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

 

 

 

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Weston A Price Conference 2012

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!

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Sprouted fodder coming soon to Windy Acres!

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

A hole was dug with the help of a neighbors backhoe.

An old shipping container was purchased and brought to the farm, sparking the interest of a few pigs.

The container will be placed in the excavated hole. This will provide insulation during the cold, winter months.

A friend with a forklift moves the container towards to its final resting place.

Yet another friend of Windy Acres provides a crane to lift and then lower the container.

Poodle, lower left, gives this new addition to the farm a sniff. Is this my new doghouse?

Burying begins.

Burying almost completed!

Concrete has been poured to ensure secure travel down the ramp to the container doors.

A “green room” is to be built on top. This will allow more growing space and also shelter while harvesting the fodder and loading it for transfer to the animals. Here’s the wood awaiting installation on the cinder block walls.

A water source and electricity have also been installed. Stay tuned!

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Welcome to the Windy Acres Dairy blog!

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!

 

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