I loved Michael Pollen's books. He so eloquently explained why we should "Meet our meat."

Some people don't want to know. He pretty much makes the point that it is irresponsible to NOT know your food.  Knowing the animals, how they live, and how they die, ensure they are being treated humanely.  You also get to make sure they aren't full of drugs.  Maybe some gratitude towards them is in order, rather than turning a blind eye or…

This is Tweedledee, a Buff Orpington. One week, we noticed we were getting fewer eggs. We didn't know she made a secret nest in a wood pile! By the time we found it, she was permanently parked on it. So we brought her food and water and waited it out. And hoped the babies wouldn't become immediate hawk food!…

Our squash look really awesome right now, with no holes in the leaves. We have lots! And several kinds. So far, we have harvested zucchini, crookneck, and large mystery squash. Now the squash bugs are coming. When I find an adult bug, I grab it, throw it on the ground, and stomp on it!…

How ironic is it that I was trying to run more miles using a method that was supposed to reduce knee pain, and then I fell and tore ligaments in that knee? No more running for me anytime soon! Although I do give a thumbs up to those shoes!!! They did make my joints feel better.

How I did it:

I was visiting the goats. They were in the woods, behind a gate that had a lot of extra fencing jimmy-rigged around the ends and all over the gate, so it was a pain in the rear to…

Look at these crazy shoes! They have NO padding or support. They fit your feet like a glove, with a thin rubber sole. They are Vibram Five Fingers.

I am learning about barefoot running. I heard about it through a friend, who knew I was having knee trouble. I had to start keeping my milage below 7 miles per run because my knees would hurt so bad. Then they started hurting after only 3, so I had to start thinking of alternatives. I didn't want to quit running. I didn't…

We love our chickens! We've had them for less than a year. We got them for their eggs and bug-eating abilities, and now we're considering some for meat. Although we eat a lot of vegetarian meals, we are currently all omnivores. When we eat meat, it's usually deer my husband hunts for in Iowa. We like chicken, but not the stuff that is in the grocery store! So I'm talking with my kids about us possibly eating some chickens we have grown ourselves. I told them that…

Growing food in the best chemical-free soil will give you the most healthful food that has more nutrients than grocery store produce. Even if you don't have time to garden on a large scale, everyone should grow a few pots of something to eat!

Our garden is in its second year. I did not expect much the first year - I thought it would take a couple years to turn that neglected, clay-filled pasture into good garden soil, especially since we were not going to bust our butts over…

Hi, I'm Francie. Welcome to my farm blog! I think I will be trying to relate how we are figuring out this farm thing as we go along. It's just a little family farm - no big deal. Of course, we try to use sustainable methods, with no chemicals. I'm sure we won't be perfect. My husband and I and our 3 daughters moved to NC in 2008. We have never lived on a farm, although my parents both grew up on farms. We…