Black Swamp Local Food & Farm Co-op

I just joined the Black Swamp Local Food & Farm Co-op!  Shopping opens May 13th, with our first pick up May 22nd.  We're a work in progress!  Check us out when you have time!  http://blackswamplocalfood.org/

Rabbits for Easter

Do you need a rabbit for your Easter dinner?  I have 7 ready for the freezer, at only $4/lb.  If you need a recipe, I posted my family's recipe for Hasenpfeffer here.  It's super easy and tasty, but takes 2 days to marinate the rabbit, so plan ahead!  Call or email for your very own rabbit!  WildVitality at Gmail dot com!

Meats and Eggs

As I watch these Cornish Rock chicks growing by leaps and bounds, I realize that I don't know how many of these little darlings to raise.  I would hate for someone to miss out on chickens, rabbits, ducks, turkeys or eggs because I didn't raise enough.  If you would like to pre-order meats and eggs, or give me an idea of how many birds you will need for your freezer, that would be great!  

I will happily accept deposits, which while helpful, are not strictly necessary unless you are pre-ordering a lot.  Deposit money will go toward critter feed and building tractors to keep them safe from predators out in the pasture.

Poultry is free ranged or tractored on pasture and fed fermented feed and garden goodies to maximize flavor and nutrition.  Rabbits are fed a high quality commercial pellet and garden goodies.  

Rabbits are available throughout the year.  Meat chickens will be available the beginning of May, and again in the fall.  Turkeys will be available in time for Thanksgiving.  Ducks will be available 8 weeks after I pick up some chicks, which I will do as soon as someone places an order.  Eggs are available throughout the year, although I will happily increase my flock if there is more demand for eggs than my girls can currently address.  

Rabbit - $4/lb

Chicken - $12 each

Turkey - $2.50/lb

Duck - price TBD

Eggs - 3/dozen

Thanks again for your support!

March on the Homestead

Hi everyone!  Thank you for your interest in my little Homestead!   

Despite the snowstorm, spring is definitely here on the homestead.  The lilacs are budding, daffodils are coming up, and my critters are active!  I hope spring is finding you warm, well-fed and ready to spend more time outside as we are blessed with more nice days.

Most of my seeds for the garden are ordered, although I still need a few herbs and my seed potatoes.  I'm starting seeds this weekend.  Planning the garden expansion is so much fun!

My hens are laying again, and I've expanded the flock with some pretty black stars, rhode island reds and isa browns.  I'm planning on hatching out some of their eggs next month for fall eggs.  Eggs are $3/dozen, and the yolks are beautiful!

I've started my first batch of meat chickens.  These chicks are adorable, and fast growing.  To maximize taste and nutrition, I'm feeding fermented feeds and will move them out onto pasture soon.  They'll be ready for your belly or your freezer mid-May.

Turkey poults will arrive April 14th!  I've ordered some heritage crosses, as well as a couple of broad breasted and a pair of Sweetgrass turkeys.  Most of those turkeys will be available as Thanksgiving approaches.   The broad breasteds will be ready mid summer, and I'm hoping to keep those pretty Sweetgrass turkeys as breeding stock.

I have limited rabbit availability, and will continue to have rabbits available all year.  Right now I have 4 rabbits available.  Rabbits are $4/lb farm processed, and weigh between 3 1/2 and 4#.

I still have a few CSA shares available.  Please let me know if you are interested in a share, so I can plan the garden accordingly.  

Thank you for taking the time to read, and for your support!  Enjoy the spring!

Turkeys!

The pace of the Homestead is accelerating as spring nears.  This week I ordered both heritage and broad breasted turkey poults to raise on pasture.  They arrive in April, and I'm so excited!

I hope you're breaking out of your winter funk if you were so affected.  If you need some help, I'll be bringing some Blues Beater tea to All Things Food in Defiance early next week.

2013 CSA shares now available for purchase!

I am pleased to offer a limited number of CSA shares for the 2013 season.  The garden expansion is plowed, and I'm happily browsing seed catalogs and planning the spring garden.  

2013 CSA shares run from mid-May through mid-October, and can be picked up at the Defiance Farmers market on either Thursday or Saturday.   CSA members also enjoy a discount on all Wild Vitality services and remedies, in addition to early payment incentives.

• Family Shares ~ 1 bushel/week ~ $600
• Couple Shares ~ 2/3 bushel/week ~ $400
• Single Shares ~ 1/3 bushel/week ~ $200

All vegetables and herbs are grown using organic standards, although I am not certified. I plan my garden to encourage pollinators and beneficial insects.  My preference is for heirloom vegetables, which I enjoy for their beauty and unbeatable flavor!

Share boxes will be lighter in the spring and heaviest during peak harvest in late summer.  Boxes will contain selections from 4 categories ~ classics, roots, leafies and herbs.  

If you sign up before I order my seeds, you have the opportunity to request any favorite heirloom varieties available through Seed Savers Exchange.  

By purchasing a CSA share for the 2013 season, you are directly helping me to survive my first winter on the homestead.  Your share dollars will be spent on seeds and tilling for the 2013 garden along with basic expenses like electricity and critter feed.  I am profoundly grateful for your support.  As a thank you for signing up, I am offering several sign up gifts.  

1. CSA members receive a discount on all Wild Vitality services and herbal remedies.
2. One Free Reiki session per CSA share
3. 2013 CSA members have the opportunity to request their favorite heirloom varieties if their share is purchased before I order seeds.

I am also offering several early payment incentives on top of your signing gifts.

• Payment in full before January 1, 2013 entitles you to one free Reiki session per month from January 2013 until June 2013.  This is a $240 value.  
• Payment in full before February 1, 2013 entitles you to 4 free Reiki sessions between February 2013 and June 2013.  This is a $160 value
• Payment in full before March 1, 2013 entitles you to 2 free Flower Essence Consultations, a $60 value

I will also be offering egg shares, ala cart meats (rabbit, chicken, turkey), cut flower shares, herbal shares and value added shares if there is interest.

Thank you again for your interest!  Please let me know if you are interested in a share, as I am only offering 6 shares this year.

Heather Luttrell is a Certified Clinical Herbalist, Nutritionist and Reiki Practitioner, also trained in Maya Spiritual Bathing.  Heather weaves the path of a Healer into her Adventures in Self-Sufficiency as she practices mindful, compassionate animal husbandry and land stewardship.  Heather raises rabbits and chickens on her Homestead, in addition to tending a large organic market garden which provides All Things Food and the Defiance Farmers Market with fresh produce such as greens, herbs, root vegetables, melons and squash.  Heather is pleased to offer private consultations as well as CSA share opportunities for the 2013 season.  

 

Soups for the Soul October 17th $15