evolution of a farm booth

I was looking at some old photos and started to see a trend of bigger to smaller. More to Less. Lots of product to little... and vice versa as the year unfolds. It never stays the same.  It might be because of the sheer enormity of time and space constraints, on what it takes to get to a market to sell my wares with what is going on at the farm. births. deaths. kids. I really don't think people truly understand how much work it is to go mobile, set up shop, work it, have items, and then break it all down at the end of the day.  In the beginning, all I had were a few eggs, some milk, and soap. As the years continue I've added, honey, kefir, art bags, wreaths, feta in jars, milking demonstrations, kids, chicks, hens,  etc.

This is how it started and has progressed in the last 5 years.....
I started out with one table, no shade, and brought a goat to keep me company. Note: bring doe's not bucklings as they pee on people too much. Pierce here should have been in a pen but he behaved on leash.

Then of course the booth would get bigger. I would bring animals to show off. And goats to milk. and the trailer to haul them in. And pens to set them up in... And I would bring hens and roosters. And would do my darndest to make him crow. He never did. But he loved to make a mess.

I like to go to events where I can set up right where parked. That is awesome. They do that up North. Not so much down here. Then you just pack up and leave, rather then haul in haul out. need a cart. drag. carry. Back breaking. Leave the coolers in the truck and you're golden.

I would have 5-6 hours of market time. So, i can't just milk one goat. I would bring 3 or 4 so that I could milk them once an hour. Educate. And show people just how cool it is to get fresh milk.

Sometimes my tables are just filled with stuff to sell. Sometimes not even my own. Books for sale that the author sent me. Soaps from friends. Honey. Wax.  You name it, I'll try to help friends out and sell it.

At times even co-sharing a tent with a fellow friend and soap maker. It rained this particular day and made things interesting. The last thing needed is water when selling soap. And if goats in tow? oh wow.... Where to put them when a down pour starts. One year luckily they had a car port and i needed some help but we made it to the carport before the lightening started. I lost all product that day.

It's difficult to move the goats for the day. They need water (their water from home yes, prima donnas) feed, hay, then all the milking equipment, and pails, buckets, hand sanitizers and clean up material for when the day is over and goat pellets are everywhere. They need shade, or another tent. Which entails more set up and weights for when its windy. The pen below is hog panels cut up and just clips keeping it in place.

If really lucky my neighbors come help me. Patty (pictured below). She is a grandma now. Guess what she likes to do on weekends.

If feeling a bit radical, I'll have milk and cheese tastings. Add to the list plates and disposal items.. But to get all that to a market -- needs coolers. Lots of them.  Heavy, bulky, filled with ice well packed milk so it would stay cold.

If there is no milk to bring then selling art cards, note cards, wreaths, hand bags, soap, honey, eggs. Things that are not as perishable as milk and cheese.

This is when the booth is at its best. When fresh eggs, cheese, kefir, honey, and milk are in bounty. And rarely all at the same time. Things change as the season and lactation and weather changes. Timing is critical and you can't always know what mother nature has in mind. The chickens went on strike last year right at the height of milk production. What the heck?

Each time I go to an event the booth changes. Love that ! Its go with the flow of what is available. Yes, a business but not one that has same product each time.

And of course... when I can bring kids the products in booth gets smaller. kids are just like the full size does, they need lots of stuff to take them off the farm for the day. Bottles, nipples. extra milk. coolers. feed. hay. Bringing kids bring lots of people to the booth. But harder to sell when you're making sure the kids are happy. note to self: have a #delilahsdairy sign for picture taking and tagging you later. I love to see photos that people took when visiting the booth.

This  of course is my favorite set up. Everything fits in one trunk. No milk or cheese to bring. Set up in 10 minutes. break down easy. and we're off. Of course, its also my favorite since its only 3 hours, at another farm, with good food and drink. #swanktable events. ( check them out www.swankspecialtyproduce.com)

Going to market is exhausting. Truly. Back breaking. It does take a full day to get the farm back in order. Me to recover.  Animals thrive on routine. Take them out of their element, and all sorts of things can happen. Milk production gets thrown off when you milk them middle of the day. Boy, can they get cranky, they are always milked at 8 am. Plus, the 2 or 3 days before an event,  you're washing and cleaning, trimming hooves, shaving udders,  so that people see the best representation of your animals. If they are sick you can't bring them, too thin? etc.  I sit there the morning of event, look over all and see who is happy, mad, looks awful, looks off, looks great, loving, not interested, cranky, then choose based on who gets along with whom, not all goats get along and in tight quarters? omygosh.

Yeah! this last photo is my favorite. :)

Feta? From Goats?

I love making Feta. And yes!  from Goat's milk. Any cheese can be made from goat milk. Traditional Feta is made with sheep milk.  I read somewhere it shouldn't be called Feta since it is from goat. How about Feta-da!

It's not a difficult cheese to make. Takes about 3 hours in the kitchen and about 3 more hours thru the week. Mostly, it's me waiting for the enzymes to do their magic or the rennet wait time. Draining takes about 5-9 hours. And the curing of it by salting, and draining additional whey takes about 4 days. Then I stick in the fridge to cure. Finally, it goes into a jar with oil and herbs.

look at size of cheese at beginning to drain and size after 8 hours below cut.

I like to baby my Feta. Its right there in a air tight tupperware right by the coffee, every time I go in to get a cup of joe, I re-salt and drain out more whey. I will do this 4 times or more on the first day. Subsequent days: 3 times or down to 2 by day 3 or 4. This is the key,  drain that whey out constantly and at some points coat with salt again.

2 gallons of milk yield this much Feta.

Cut up in 3 inch sized cubes to cure.

When the Feta starts to harden and there is little to no whey draining in the tupperware, I then put in the fridge. I will check it again the next day, just in case more whey came out. If by the 4th day your Feta is still rubbery feeling- its' a dud batch. You can keep trying to salt and pull out the whey but you are increasing the chance of mold starting. If you see mold? Chickens get a treat! I like it hard to the point of crumbly. But not crumbled. That is what old fashioned true European Feta is like. Once it goes into the oils (or brine) it needs to stay that way.

Timely, but so worth it.

I use a modified Mary Jane Toth " Goat's Produce Too" recipe.
Yes, so many books and I go back to the simplest and my first recipe book when needed. It works. And when I try a new recipe from another book and something doesn't work out? I know its because the book is lacking a critical step. Goat's Produce Too has never failed me.

I like the Strong Feta recipe. I have tried a few different cultures in the past. Each one is good for a certain taste you're trying to achieve. Since mine is strong and salty and aged long, I go with cultures that add to that pungent flavor I want.  I want my Feta strong! When messing around with the different cultures it's first a good idea to know how your Feta sets up. I made it the same way over and over before I started messing around with various cultures.

Every batch though will be different. That is the beauty of small production. I'm never going to sell something that I don't absolutely love, but there are times when one batch is tangy-ier (is that a word?) and some batches are harder and crumblier.  One batch had a hint of something. Only I could taste it way back at the roof of my mouth but it was there and slight. And I liked it. And guess what? I can't figure out what It was.  Oh well. That's the fun of it. If you want consistent always the same, never different -then store bought is for you. Me? I'll stick with Feta-da.

 Rosemary, Thyme, Olive and Sunflower oil Feta.

NO TO MINTO

Last chance is coming up.

OCTOBER 29

No to Minto day.

Right now the Minto Application for increase to Density and Intensity under the Agriculture Enclave Statute is up in Tallahassee. 

We've been fighting ! The Commissioner's aren't listening.

5000 petitions signed and delivered saying NO TO MINTO.

http://www.notominto.com

ALERTS of  Palm Beach County

Acreage / Loxahatchee Engaged Residents Taking a Stand.

http://www.alertsofpbc.com/index.html 

Past blog posts written: 

http://jojosfarmlife.blogspot.com/2013/10/overdevelopment-of-palm-beach.html

http://jojosfarmlife.blogspot.com/2014/02/its-not-done-deal-minto.html

I hope that people understand that once Minto gets any increase asked for this will open the door for all the other large tracts of land out here looking to do the same. It will be a nightmare to live out here for the traffic, loss of quality of life. We will be no different then Davie when Weston came and built a city out in the middle of rural.

Please Tallahassee Say NO to Minto!

Articles or opinion pieces of interest to read:
Please read thru these articles. 1000 friends of Florida link 
has all the names and numbers of people in the State 
reviewing this application.

http://www.1000friendsofflorida.org/minto-west/

http://www.priceofsprawl.com/blog/2014/08/21/minto-west-sprawling-into-the-everglades-spirals-taxpayer-deficits-3/

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/opinion/commentary-the-fight-to-save-rural-palm-beach-coun/nhF6d/

http://gotowncrier.com/2014/09/letter-why-did-the-bcc-side-with-the-developer/

http://gotowncrier.com/2014/09/letter-a-sad-day-for-palm-beach-county/

http://gotowncrier.com/2014/09/letter-let-them-eat-cake/

It's NOT a done deal minto.

I really wish Minto would stop touting their 6500 like its a done deal.  IT'S NOT.

They are approved for 2996 homes and 235,000 commercial development. I still think that is too much and not conducive to our area. People don't understand we have 2 more giant acres (5000 acres, and 5000 acres for Avenir and GL homes on top of this 3500 acres Minto owns).

We've been working and rallying. Getting petitions signed. Creating a Website. Banners. Magnets. Brochures. Flyers. Word of mouth. Grass roots at its finest.... Friends are working their tush's off.

This post really struck me today.... It's not from me or even to me, but a friends observation, that I too witnessed for just a minute while there at the rally today. My truck is now the notomintomobile.

I want you to read it. IT's NOT A DONE DEAL ... MINTO IS NOT A DONE DEAL. THEY DO NOT HAVE THE APPROVAL TO BUILD WHAT THEY WANT.

We were setting up the tent when a woman and her daughter came up to us. They introduced themselves and the woman said her daughter would like to know if she could join us for awhile. She had brought poster paper and markers to make her sign. She asked what to write and I told her it was her sign and she could put anything she wanted. She knelt on the sidewalk, made her sign, and stood with her Mom by the side of the road! She was telling us about her love of horses and horseback riding. I took a picture of a little girl who felt so deeply about something that she wanted to be a part of it and I took her picture so she could show her friends.

SAVE THE ACREAGE!!

This isn't our job and we aren't professionals. Most of us had never met before. We are just husbands, wives, parents, and grandparents who heard that a developer had bought a piece of property that came with a land use of 2996 homes and had applied to the county commission to change the land use in order to build 6500 homes and 1.4 million square feet of commercial. We started chatting about it and decided to actually do more than chat on a fb page. This isn't a social organization - we haven't had the time to even learn each other's kids names or much about each other except our deep commitment against overdevelopment. Each member's schedule is filled with family schedules also but are dedicated to seeing this through. Activities like this rally are helping us form friendships - these are really great people! Almost 200 petitions were signed today in four hours and many more petitions were taken for family member to sign and return at the meeting on Wed. Not one person I spoke to had heard about the meeting, but took the flyer I had printed about it and said they would drop by to vote. I am sunburned, windburned, my arches and back hurt, and I am sooo happy! Every car that stopped told us why they stopped to sign against 6500 and sooo many people thanked us. Some asked to join in the activities. I have never been prouder to call The Acreage my home

ARE YOU LISTENING Palm Beach County COMMISSIONERS?
ARE YOU LISTENING Governor Rick Scott?
more importantly,  ARE YOU LISTENING minto?

200 petitions in 4 hours.... We have another 800 plus signed as well. 

STOP the crap. STOP insisting we need more commercial and more homes. STOP implying that you can help us with drainage. or horse trails. or whatever nonsense. When we know you can't.. STOP IT> We don't want it. You will ruin the Acreage. We don't want a 1.4 million square feet of commercial. For those that can't visualize? The mall at Wellington Green is only 1.2 million.. :(

GRASS ROOTS!!! People might not be able to attend the commission meetings. But the overwhelming support we're receiving by all who are starting to understand that this IS NOT A DONE DEAL!!!!!

For more information please go to www.notominto.com

Farm Fresh Eggs

We have been selling eggs as a business add-on to the dairy, for about 4 years. I've been raising them for fun and myself for decades.  Our hens are from various breeds. Mostly heritage breeds, though I do have a few leghorns remaining from my very first hens. Dominiques, Langshan, Black Astralorp, Jersey Giant, Auracauna's, Americana's, Rhode Island Red, Copper Black Marans, Buff Orphington's. They're all so different that it makes caring for them so cool. I love the variety in their personalities, what they lay, and the breed standards. 

One of the things that is different among them is their eggs- The colors, size, and sometimes how many they lay in a week. Some will lay once a day. Some once every 3 days. Whatever they do is fine with me. We don't force it. In the heat of summer they ALL lay less. When they molt they don't lay at all. In really crappy weather they also decrease. When they get broody, another decrease. When introducing new chickens or stressed, they have 'off' days just like the rest of us. It's not a business where one can say we will always have X number available daily. Daily it changes. That's the beauty of it. It's real. IF i was selling for production only I'd have leghorns. But then what fun is that?



There are 40 laying hens. 10 more on their way to start laying. 10 of the 40 are over 3 years old, they don't lay every day. They only lay consistently in their youth. The window of them laying everyday is about 2 years. They start laying at 5 months. Some of the rare breeds 7 or 8 months. I've still not seen an egg from my 6 month old Buff's or Copper Maran's. Oh well.

All hens are truly free range. We don't lock them up at night. Thatcher, my GR. Pyrenees keeps them all safe. He's out there right now barking at something. He sleeps with the goats, the hens roost in the barn eaves above, or in their coop, door open.  Because they aren't locked up they truly are free range. I do feed them in the mornings- an egg layer mash. Its high in calcium. Other then that its what they find thru the day. Winter months there is less forage, therefore less eggs. Summer months they're fed less and forage more. Sometimes i give them their shells back to them. They get treats periodically. They are little dinosaurs. They will eat anything!

Eggs are gathered in the mornings at 8 am and then again 8 pm. I try to pick them up before the crows come and steal them. If I get to the eggs before the crows, an easy 2 dozen a day... If the egg is too big for the crow to carry off they eat it right there. They are brazen. 40 hens does not equal 40 eggs. I've never collected in one day more then 30 eggs. And that is a rarity. It's just one of those things about the heritage breeds.


Once collected they're brought into the house and put straight into the cartons. Eggs are not washed. There is a natural coating the hen puts on the egg called the 'bloom' or its also called the 'cuticle'. It will keep out the moisture and any bacteria. This is why I will not wash eggs. They stay fresh longer if you don't. Once washed they must be put in the fridge. And the countdown begins. An egg not washed can last a month on the counter. A washed egg in the fridge starts going bad within a week or two.  Don't wash the eggs till you are ready to use. And there is no need to refrigerate. It's your option. But this is how they leave here. Once in the fridge they can sweat when taken out. Wash immediately.

COLORS

Hens lay all types of colors, and sized eggs. They can range from giant grade A sized to small brown. I've found that the yolk is always the same size. Sometimes the color of the yolk changes from hen to hen, and breed to breed. I'm not convinced that what you feed is why they're so orange in color. I think its within the breed, health, age, and then what they eat. I don't feed any yellow foods, like corn, cornmeal, or anything that would create this increase in color. Its all the hen. The Americana hen I have here lays beautiful blue/green eggs, her yolks are consistently less orange then for example my buff colored hens who lay buff colored shells. They all forage the same. Eat the same. I think its genetic. 

You might also notice the egg yolk will sit tight in the 'egg white' when first cracked. Another sign its a fresh newly laid egg.

The shell of the egg comes in all kinds of colors. Brown, white, yellow, buff, brown, speckled, blue, green, pink, olive, army green. It really is amazing what each breed can do. There is no difference in quality based on the outside color of the egg. The shell is thicker then store bought. In the beginning I had a bit of a learning curve to crack them a bit harder, and not end up having to scramble them all the time.

It is always, recommended to crack each egg in a bowl before putting all together. There are hens that are new and learning to lay, older that don't lay much. There are roosters on the property. All eggs are collected daily but reality is mistakes can happen. Oddities do happen.  And there just might be one day, you'll crack an odd one....This is real. Its life. Because they are so fresh sometimes people think the chalazae is an embryo. Its the rope that holds the yolk. It will disappear at day 2. If you find this fuzzy opaque string  coming from the yolk,  it means that egg was that mornings or yesterdays lay. The embryo will not start to form in any fertilized egg for at least 2 days under consistent 90˚ temperatures. But oddities have and do happen. Crack eggs in a separate bowl.

Egg cartons can get expensive. Always save and return cartons. Paper only. The styrofoam type cartons are undesirable for the environment. They don't break down easy. For markets they can't be used. If they have writing on it, can't be used.

The best thing about all this is raising them. I love each one though don't name them all any longer. Only the ones that sneak in the house and decide they would rather be house pets. Like these three below.

A good article to read more about not refrigerating eggs:
http://io9.com/americans-why-do-you-keep-refrigerating-your-eggs-1465309529

Good site that shows the egg parts:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/birds/info/chicken/egg.shtml

OVERDEVELOPMENT of Palm Beach

Our area is changing so fast that my head is spinning. 
The only way I know how to fight back is thru design.

Vavrus property sold and is now called 'Avenir'. They want to develop in the Northern portion of Palm Beach on Northlake Blvd (right next door to me).

Callery Judge Grove property sold to Minto. They want to not only develop but change it to higher density then previously allowed. From 2996 homes to 6500 homes plus stadium, college, hotel,  1.5 million in commercial, industrial.. No mention of keeping it rural to fit the area.

GL Homes property way out West of me (Hamlin and 180th)  is another giant tract of land sitting empty.

Lion Country Safari is developing part of their land to homes. :(

Slugget Property (Corner of Southern and S. Pratt Whitney) got their increase in zoning so now a big box store can come in and shopping plaza.

Palm Beach Aggregates (Highland Dunes)  on Southern Blvd.- the property that put some of our county comissioners in jail. Now got their zoning request approved just recently.  Again, no mention of rural. They want to also put townhomes, and zero lot line homes out here in the middle of nowhere. I found this comical. They rezoned after the corruption back to AG and saved 1.5 million in taxes for the last few years. They should have had to start the process over again. The county let them pick up where they left off.

We now have 3 gas stations out here. The county promised NO GAS STATIONS because we sit on such precious land and all of us are on wells.  One gas station is 12 bays. :( Another in our Publix plaza is a joke. and One more being built at the Winn Dixie Plaza.

Seminole Pratt Whitney road is widening to 4 lanes. They want to widen Persimmon and 60th to hit SPW. And ultimately Okeechobee (going right thru peoples homes) to connect at 20 mile bend on Southern.

We just fought them to not put in an easement directly behind my house for the Mecca Property just recently sold to the SFWMD. Where a Water Utilities station is and where they want access to our private roads to drive thru. 18 wheelers- chemical trucks. non residential access. ITID voted Unanimously NO and they're doing it anyways.

I'm aghast. Pissed off. Upset is too tame. They're going to kill this area if we all don't come together and fight this. I mean ALL of Palm Beach County.  I can't fight this alone. We the residents can't fight this alone. If you love it out here as much as I do. If you appreciate what I do and enjoy it when you visit. I need your help too! Because this is IT.

And here is the thing. We aren't against them doing what is right. Taking the land for what is allowed on it and developing to meet the surrounding area. To keep it rural. Allow horses, and livestock. And to not overdevelop. This is not what is happening. They are going after more density. Increasing the intensity of the land uses,  and they're winning.

Callery Judge grove property is a perfect example, it started out with being allowed 410 homes on it. Its now up to 2996 homes plus 200,000 sq ft of commercial... They want MORE> 6500 homes. 1.5 million in commercial, a stadium, a college, a hotel... WTF? They keep going in front of the County Commissioners and they keep giving them what they want. We're screaming NO and they're NOT LISTENING!!

Once gone its gone forever. Once paved, game over. My little life, slice of heaven, your access to real food, fresh, healthy, will end. I can't compete with homeowners that want paved roads, light, noise, traffic, and don't want to be near people that have livestock. The way it is out here is dieing and its not a slow death.

Please Palm Beach we need you to voice your concern too! Help us stop them from overdeveloping the Western Communities.

Here are the three BIG developments and the tracts of land they want to develop.