Maker's Long Acres

Can you introduce yourself, your family and share a bit about your background?  My name is Kayla. I grew up in a regular suburban neighborhood with no knowledge about sustainable farming or anything of the sort. I only had horses and dogs! However, after a few years into adulthood, I realized things needed to change. I decided I wanted to work towards producing as much of my own food as possible.  Can you tell us about your business? I take great pride in the quality of my goat milk! We are licensed for human consumption via the state of Idaho - Permit Number RGM216! I test my girls annually and they are negative for CAE, CL, Johnes, Brucellosis, and Tuberculosis. I hand milk, so there is never any contact with plastic. We feed a non gmo, no soy, no corn, etc. dairy grain along with alfalfa and fruits/veggies for treats. No chemicals for these girls! Our milk is clean and great tasting.  What inspired you to pursue this path?   I will try to make a very l...

My name is Ariel Sandford.   I have always loved animals.  I grew up spending summers on my grandfather’s farm and he taught me so many skills I use today.  I have been involved with 4H as a kid and as an adult leader.  I have worked with many species in many capacities.  I have been a dog groomer, dog breeder, cowgirl and raised animals to put food on our family’s table.   Selkirk Farmsitting Services LLC offers everything from full-service stay on the farm/home care to what we call feed and go services.  We offer some other services such as stall cleaning, limited grooming and garden care while on site.  We are available year-round, insured and have multiple references.  We cover most of Bonner County but are open to longer distances depending on the need.   Our farm & pet sitting business started while I was working for Wood’s Hay and Grain and a customer came in and asked if we knew anyone who could pet...

Today's blog features Sun Blesses Farms! Read here what owner Dustin had to say! I’m Dustin Hutchinson, a recovering tradesman, father, and sales associate for Sun Blessed Farms in Hayden, Idaho. My son, Nick Hutchinson, and I previously owned D.W. Hutchinson, Builders, Ltd., and Kiss of Kolor Painting in Renton, Washington (don’t hate, we’re refugees, not missionaries!). My son, Nick Hutchinson, and I have since partnered with Mykal Taylor, the founder of Sun Blessed Farms, idahofreezedry.com , StoreCDA.com , and the non-profit Mana Wildfire Logistics. We have been tasked with raising awareness of freeze drying at home as a way for everyone to protect themselves from food instability, save money, and make money! We sell HarvestRight freeze dryers, and HarvestRight accessories, freeze dried snacks, pantry items like soups, and jams, and on StoreCDA.com we offer gear for “prepping” and self defense. Our store and shop are located in Hayden, Idaho where we warehouse ...

  Can you introduce yourself, and your family and share a bit about your background?    We're  Hannah Rosenberg and Stephanie Palmer, best friends that homestead with our families. We met a few years ago at a  farmers'  market, and our families quickly became friends.    We both wanted to find a way to work off our land, have more time with our kids, and homestead full time. We quickly realized we could do that together if we combined our efforts. Together we raise dairy goats, bees, and pigs and have gardens full of flowers and herbs.      Can you tell us about your business?    Our soap company has just  opened  for business. Our website is brand new, and we just started taking orders this week. Yay! We have a simple vision; handcrafting cold processed soap made of natural ingredients from the land. Our goal is to source most of these ingredients from our homesteads.      ...

As we savored the first bite of our wagyu steak, we were just so pleased with how delicious it was.  It waa tender and juicy, melting in our mouths with each bite. But this post isn't about beef at all... So often on a farm, we are spread different directions, many emotions trying to crowd into one space. And that moment was no exception.  As we relished the taste of this hard earned meat and the joy of accomplishment, our hearts were also heavy and  mucky at the same time. We couldn't help but think about our dear friend Gerry Tucker, who had passed away before he could taste this cow, and the fruits of our labor. Gerry had been with us from the beginning of this crazy farm life, offering his unwavering support and encouragement whatever we dove into. But as we embarked on our journey to acquire the wagyu heifer he was exceedingly thrilled. Gerry's generosity knew no bounds. He had offered to pre-buy the meat at a ridiculous amount over fair market value, just to ensure ...

DEBUNKING THE MYTH:  Yes! Cornish-cross chickens CAN live longer and healthier lives... It's a common belief that Cornish Cross chickens' legs will break or their hearts "explode" if they live longer than 8-12 weeks. However, this is simply not true. In fact, with proper care and a nutritious diet, these birds can live much longer and still be healthy and happy. As evidence, here's a photos of our own Cornish Cross chickens that are almost a year old (the white ones).  Little FarmHer Rayeuk keeps them around because through a summer of raising and teaching butcher classes she happened to get attached to two of the feisty ones that refused to be caught. They are still walking around just fine and enjoying their free-range lifestyle. In fact, they are thriving on a diet of high-quality feed we give them made up of "spent mash grains" from local breweries, whatever thatcan scratch up around the farm, fresh water, and plenty of space to move arou...

What a great group we had at the class! And we just love when the farm is filled with friendly folks!  We would like to say it went off without a hitch, but that just isn't the case.  Nothing if seems on the farm ever goes exact and butchering can be the same. But thats okay because that only helps empower folks because they can see it happens. And that it's all okay, you deal with things, you handle them and you get it done.  And what got done? Ten families learned how they can put meat in the freezer and on the table and now have the confidence they need to undertake it.  And the hog we slaughtered? He is going to our Papa Tim.  We love this, providing food to people love -especially those who are going to utilize it and truly honor that life.  And Papa? He plans to make sausages, bacon, hams and even head cheese to share with the people he loves.   And you know this, this right here is the stuff guys. The real, the raw and little bit of what th...