Goats are funny animals.   They get into trouble and I swear they know what annoys you, but you have to love that the crazy creatures have a unique family connection.  It is precious to watch them as they are inclined to hang out with their mom, or sister or best friend.   

Tink and her sister, Wendy are always lounging together in the pasture, and it makes me giggle every time I see them hang together in a herd of 40 animals, so I had to snap this picture to share.   These sisters have a special place in my heart.  The twins were the first born in the early spring of ’07, when Michael was working day and night building the dairy barn, I was living 2 hours away, and Homestead Farms was just an idea that was just beginning to form.  Wendy and Tink were the first of many baby goats I would get to meet, name, and of course feed…4 times a day.

Although farming is hard and monotonous work, it’s these simple daily farm observations that remind me why I love my farm girl life.  When I first met Tink and Wendy I had no idea what kind of career I was getting into, but it is the joy those girls gave me that attracted me farming.  In days that are so fast paced, it is humbling to be reminded by four legged friends to call your sister and “hang out.”

Tink on the Left, Wendy on the Right

 I was out running errands and stopped to get a drink.  (Yes, I stopped at one of those places and yes, I ordered one of those high fructose corn syrup filled drinks-I have my flaws) Waiting for more order, I saw a kitty walking along the side walk in front of my truck.  Looking a little closer I realized the kitty looked extremely familiar. It was Homestead Farms’ newest form of pest control, Daisy the Kitty. 

The cute little booger had climbed up in my truck, taken a nice little ride and hopped out at the next stop. A little embarrassed and humored I got out, swept up Daisy, and had to quickly explain to the staring Sonic girls that it was just my farm cat that had hitched a ride here. …Just another day in the life.

8…You drop everything if you hear we have bacon.

7…You pray that our production will stay up so that you can have milk in the winter.

6…You get excited when you see a carton of eggs in the store fridge.

5…You think nothing of your kids talking about playing with buttons, snickers and pumpkin.

4…You refuse to buy a watermelon or cantaloupe from a grocery store.

3…You have to allow an extra 30 minutes for your shopping trip because your kids don’t want to leave.

2…Your family considers Scout as one of their pets.

1…You schedule your carwashes around your trips out the farm.

WE HAVE SOME BIG NEWS!!!! We got our bumpy, muddy entrance paved with asphalt. Come check it out!

Last Thursday we found ourselves sitting in the beautiful Texas Senate Chambers in the capitol, for the Family Land Heritage Ceremony.   Michael and his sister, Mindy Looper (the amazing jam and pickle maker) were awarded the century farm award, which honors that the land that is now Homestead Farms has been in their family since 1889.  Out of 91 family farms, our Homestead Farms was the only farm to be honored in Tarrant County, let alone with in Ft. Worth city limits.

The award and ceremony was hosted by the Texas Department of Agriculture, and the Commissioner of Agriculture, Todd Staples.   As our Tarrant County farm was announced, Commissioner Todd Staples said to Michael, “Wow, that must have been hard to hold on to!” We hope that this certificate will help as our farm grows along with the big bad city.

It was so neat to be surrounded by other remarkably healthy and happy farmers, who have and will face the same struggles as us on a daily basis.  Farmer Michael always says, “Farming isn’t a job or a career.  It’s a way of life.” This couldn’t have been more evident on Thursday.   I am so proud of Michael and Mindy for researching their heritage and they even found out that originally the land was granted to an officer who fought in the Texas revolution.   As we celebrated the past 120 years, we couldn’t help but to wonder what our farm will be like when it receives the 150 year award, or even the 200 year award.

Is it just me or was May both the longest and shortest month ever?  I unfortunately took a short sabbatical from the farm to finish up and celebrate graduating with a bachelors of science from Texas Woman’s University.  While the good news is that I am officially smart, (according to American education standards) I sure missed the daily farm life and grew tired of my desk and computer.  If nothing else, I grew to appreciate my farmgirl life even more, and I think that farmer Michael might even appreciate all his farmgirl does around the farm a little more, because he had to pick up my slack.

I don’t even know where to start with all the “free time” I am going to have.  I am so lucky to be able to jump right into a full time job that I am so passionate about and I have so many plans for!  Just the top of my list are; clean up the jungle our green house has become, plan a volunteer day, and organize a few kids programs.   Michael and I got a short little vacation to celebrate my graduation and we are both now rested and ready to dive into summer (and all that summer entails on a farm) head first!  We sure appreciate everyone’s patience as I was missing in action from Homestead Farms, but beware; I am now employed and armed as a full time farmgirl!

It sounds cheesy, but no matter how you turn the tables, you have to admit all life forms, have always and will always rely on the gardens of this earth.  As Homestead Farms is busy plowing fields, starting seeds, and spreading compost, this farmgirl has a challenge for you: Start your own garden.  Weather it is a potted basil plant or a half acre of tomatoes, try growing something edible this spring and summer.  

Beyond the fact that you might end up with some amazing fruits and/or veggies, here is why I am such a fan of gardening:  It’s good for you! You might find out your yogalates class has nothing on hoeing and weeding, or that a little dirt and vitamin D is good for your complexion.  I have always thought the number one diet should be the garden diet, as it gets you out moving and sweating and your start to really think about where your food comes from and excited to make healthy food choices.

It’s good for your soul! What’s more comforting then surrounding yourself with simple unadulterated life?  Nothing warms my heart like seeing those little seeds turn into sprouts or finding my first fruit.  I might be 23 going on 60, but I would much rather get lost in the monotony of pulling weeds than sitting at a desk staring at a computer.

And most important, you may end up appreciating your food more!  As you deal with pesty worms, gambling on the weather, and overtaking weeds I hope you can empathize with your local farmers!  If you start pondering of the cost of seeds, all your hard work, and inevitable losses, you will understand why good food is more expensive then junk.  The more I learn about growing and raising food the more I am willing to pay for quality food.

 So, whether you have been growing tomatoes since before I was born, or you are going to have to Google ”gardening”  before you get started, give it a try and tell me how your garden grows!

On our first date Farmer Michael told me that he planned start a goat dairy, and I was thought he was a crazy man (but a cute and charming crazy man, hence date two.)  I would have never believed you if you told me that same goat dairy would be the basis of our business and that I would be managing people fighting over the “white gold.”  No, no one has really thrown any punches but seems as if lately my main job priority has been to ration out our goat milk to customers who are begging for our product that seems to remedy digestion problems and allergies, and add nutritional value to their diets.

On the other hand, how encouraging is it that our business provides such a sought after and special quality product that people just can’t get enough of?  Selling out of an odd twist on an American household staple is totally worth any stress.  There is such a huge demand for quality, local and healthy dairy products that I am glad the crazy boy followed his gut. 

We are honored to be your goat milk supplier and appreciate your patience during the production roller coaster.  Agriculture lesson of the day: Goats are seasonal breeders and therefore, they are seasonal producers. For ya’ll city folks the translation is; goats breed in the fall, 5 months later have babies and unfortunately we don’t get have milk without having babies first.

I love walking out to the barn and finding little baby goats looking up at me. Not only do the babies tug on my maternal heart strings, but I also know more babies means more milk- which means more happy families!   The good news is that currently enough of our mama goats have had babies that we are finally caught up on our waiting list and even have enough extra milk to make cheese.

 There is so much to say about raw goat milk politically, agriculturally, nutritionally, and financially you will be hearing much more from me about our main commodity in the future.

We had a customer come in the other day, pick up a pound of ground beef and ask me, “What is so special about this?” Stifling at first a giggle, and then a rage of anger, I continued to tell him the benefits of our all natural, antibiotic, hormone and chemical free, 100% grass fed beef. 

But this question got me thinking, why is Homestead Farms so special?  Of course, like we all do, I thought of the perfect response an hour later, “ME.” I know exactly what cow that pound of ground beef came from.  I know what day I helped Michael load her in the trailer and took her to Weatherford to be processed.  I know the owner of Hamilton’s meat company that would have unloaded, butchered and processed the beef. And I know what I was wearing when I helped Michael unload the boxes back into the freezer. Try asking a Wal-Mart employee for those answers. 

I have spent the last couple weeks mulling over how I wanted to start this blog. Originally it was just going to be a marketing tool to announce updates, events and products.  But as I consider what makes Homestead Farms special, I have discovered it is important we know not only where their food came from, but WHO our food comes from. 

Why me?  Well that’s simple. Farmer Michael might be the brains and numbers man of the operation, but I am your emotion and words girl.  If you have ever gotten an e-mail from us in a complete sentence, you can bet it was from me.   Beyond the fact that I can use a noun, verb and period properly, I sometimes have more in common with the average Keller house wife then I do with my own husband. Michael was born wearing wranglers and boots, holding a sweet tea and was brought home to a house on the family farmstead. I, on the other hand, was not.

I grew up in a picture perfect house in a clean, concrete surrounded, Southlake neighborhood.  My parents sent me to an expensive private college, outfitted in Nordstrom’s clothes, with the thought that my silly love for horses in high school would be the last they would see of a “farm” in my life.  Neither they nor I would have ever guessed a few short years later, I would marry a farmer, live down a muddy gravel road, call a 50 year-old rodeo team meeting hall my home, permanently have goat poop on my jeans and revolve my social life around my “chores.”  So here’s my confession; I am new at this farm girl stuff, and I think you will enjoy seeing the Homestead Farms lifestyle from my suburb girl’s point of view.  

I know not everyone can (or wants to) be a farmer, but many of you want to know more about our lifestyle,  and I’m hoping this blog can be a ten minute escape from the city traffic, sea of roof tops, and busy schedule.  I want this to be a way for my family, passion and life (Homestead Farms) to deliver information in the form of raw truth to you.