Week #48 - Raising supper

There is no end of debate both online and off about the ethics of raising animals for food. Our approach has been to listen to all sides and decide based on what seems right for our family and business with a view to a sustainable approach for our earth.

We are blessed with space and time to raise animals in a manner that provides them with a good life, an ethical death and a modest impact on the world.  I appreciate that not all will agree but it is a choice that we feel good about. As we choose to include meat in our diets, it feels right that we should take responsibility to nurture the animal kindly with affection, sunshine and natural food sources. In return, we are blessed with food that is free of chemicals and has a superior taste and nutrition.

If we were not able to raise our food in such a way and we had to rely on commercially raised animals produced in factory like settings, I may make different choices about how we eat. 

Of course we all have a choice to seek out and purchase food from local producers who take the same type of care and concern with their animals. I encourage everyone to get to know where and how your food is raised whether its animal or vegetable. Get to know your farmer, producer, baker, butcher and small business owner and ask questions and visit farms. What you put in your mouth is important! Be aware, informed and engaged! 

Food with a face, a plate, and a taste...

I heard this great line at the Direct Farm Marketing Conference this weekend in Gimli and its been on my mind ever since. It really resonated with me. A mission statement of sorts... after all that is what we are after on the farm.

Our business is food but more than that, its about relationships. We want to form a relationship with our customers, that is important to us and we think it is important to our customers. Likewise, we encourage people to find out where their food comes from, how it is grown and who and what is involved.

We first got involved in growing our own food because we wanted our children to be raised in an environment where their relationship with food (and their environment) was healthy and intimate. And of course... tasty!

I find it curious when I meet someone who would rather not "know" their food. They prefer the anonymity of picking up their meat and produce at the grocery store. Is this changing? How will this change the way we interact with food.... our farmer.... our world.

Farm Share?



Supper - totally produced on farm. Yum!



So as we begin to gear up again for the next season of CSA (weekly vegetable boxes - for pre-paid customers) - we've been discussing this idea of farm share and whether there is a market/interest/need for a more global look at purchasing shares of what a (and more specifically our) farm produces.

In a CSA, customers purchase a share (or half share) of what the garden produces for 12 weeks. However, we produce stuff year round and often sell these to the same customers that are involved in our CSA.

Would it make sense to have a year round share program? Offer all the farm produces all year round. Meat, vegetables, eggs, (perhaps cheese).... We would have to have some set description and commitment for a certain variety or production but I'm finding it an interesting idea to ponder.... Anyone else have some thoughts?