Farmstead Feed: Jill shares the latest from the Farmstead Desk
Little’s Fate: even a used up boar is useful
What do you do with a mature boar pig? ("Boar" meaning an intact, fully functional male as opposed to the breed of pig.) We have met people who claim they taste good, but our experience has been that they have a smell and taste that...
You can farm! Order your custom raised chickens today!
Reserve Your Chickens Today!Michigan Farm Baker's Green Acres, Raises Pasture Raised Chickens for the Community, as their virtual farmer.Anyone can farm! You may not have enough space or the ability to raise your own chickens or Thanksgiving turkey, but you can be a...
Farming for Fun and Profit: a farmer’s winter thoughts
It's been a while since we've posted, but the farm continues to be busy. The winter is quieter, more of a maintenance time, a reflective time. So, is farming worth it? Is it for fun, or for profit? Hopefully the answer is "both." Mark talks in this...
Homestead Hog Harvest
Farming is a very seasonal operation. While that seems like an obvious statement, I wonder if that's so. Are fresh tomatoes or strawberries ever not available at the grocery store? Does the milk change flavors or creaminess as winter melts to summer? Is the meat...
Fall pigs: why now is the time to get your hog!
Way back when, long ago, in the mists of time, the folks who homesteaded the land had hogs. Fat hogs. Hardy hogs. Hogs that didn't need a lot of pampering and could live off the land. Even in the fall, going into winter, there were no...
Learn to take your hog from field to freezer -Harvest time!
Learn to take your hog from field to freezer -Harvest time! We are busy making plans for the two hog harvest classes, possibly three, we have on the schedule so far this year. October 20-22: Come help us harvest Shady Grove Farm's hogs in Michigan's beautiful Upper...
Integrity Matters: know or learn to be your farmer
"Trust is the combination of intelligence and integrity." "Husbandry, which is not replaceable by science, nevertheless uses science, and corrects it too. It is the more comprehensive discipline. To reduce husbandry to science, in practice, is to transform...
Lard FAQ: What you asked about fat
Lard FAQ: Everything you wanted to know about pork fat/lard. "What is lard?" "Where does lard come from?" "Are lard and tallow the same thing?" You ask great questions! Here's the quick answers: What is Lard? Lard comes from pork fat. The fat can come from the back,...
Soup for Supper: Using fresh veggies and thoughts on eating
"Fresh" is the definition of summer when it comes to food! Seasonal eating is a very healthy way to live as it keeps you eating fresh food, helps you tune in to what nature is doing around you, and encourages you to contribute to the local economy. We've...
Building a BBQ: turning a lemon into a hog roaster
Building a BBQ - Turning a Lemon Into a Hog RoasterBuilding a BBQ -Great ideas don't always work as planned on the homestead. Mark's biochar building learning curve produced a failed burner, but left him with raw materials for a new BBQ! We've BBQ'd our share of...
Hay and Philosophy: Thoughts on Homesteading and Farming
Hay and Philosophy: Thoughts on Homesteading and Farming Mark's been busy making hay the last week and a half. We finally got some consistent warm and dry weather to be able to bale hay. Most farmers around us chop it while it's green and press it into huge piles....
Spicy Chicken Rub: spice up that grilled chicken!
Spicy Chicken Rub: spice up that grilled chicken! This past week we harvested most of this batch of chickens from the field. The nutrients from the green grass make all the difference in the chicken. We've had a lot of rain this summer and the grass is very rich. ...
Oven-baked Chicken Chimichangas
Oven-Baked Chicken Chimichangas This recipe for Chicken Chimichangas was a big hit with the Baker family! It calls for chicken breast, but is a great way to use leftover chicken, as well. For superb flavor and to up the health quotient, consider making your own...
Pasture (Grass) plus Chickens: goodness to share
Last night was a idyllic summer evening: warm, just a little humid from the day and the threatening clouds, rosy colored sky. The chickens on the pasture (real, actual grass) were resting, waiting for their dinner. These chickens are content. They have room...
Bone broth healthy breakfast: broth and egg in a cup
Everyone keeps talking about "bone broth!" So, we've been asked "What is bone broth?" Bone broth is the product of animal bones simmered in water for a length of time. The simmering over time pulls the nutrients out of the bones and cartilage. Once strained, the...
“Is chicken butchering fun?” Find out from this Northern Michigan poultry processor
"Do you like butchering chickens?" We get asked this question fairly often through the summer. The answer, in a nutshell, is "NO." So, why do we do it? I made a quick video recently asking the kids that question: https://youtu.be/uss_i0eRYwU The simple answer is...
Chicken Pierre
Chicken Pierre Turn simple chicken legs into a meal that is taste-approved by family and a bit more elegant than a casserole. 8 pieces Chicken drumsticks, thighs, or legsBreading Mix1/4 c. millet flour ((can substitute regular flour))1/2 tsp. salt1 dash ground...
Mexican Chicken with Jalapeno Popper Sauce
We asked for recipe ideas on Facebook recently and got a great response. So many yummy ways to prepare chicken breast! Here's one that really caught our attention--mostly because the recipe got posted. We thought we'd share it with you. Need ideas for a quick...
