Welcome to Our Newsletter

GREETINGS FROM THE SMILING COW FARM! This is our first patron newsletter. We hope it will encourage communication as well as be a source for learning about the hows and whys of life on the farm. We extend warm wishes to you following the Christmas and New Year holidays and we hope your memories are rewarding.

Highlights

FIRST, WE WANT TO INFORM YOU ABOUT SOME EXCITING NEW PLANS FOR 2025. Our cousin and good friends Ben and Esther Beiler and their 1-year-old daughter have moved to the farm in a mobile home. They are likewise dedicated to raising clean, nutrient-dense foods. They will be raising the grassfed lamb and pastured chicken, and doing some custom chicken processing. They’ll also be growing a large variety of heirloom produce. Look forward to fresh produce in the winter from their greenhouse production!

WE ARE NOW WORKING WITH A FARMER, BOB SULLIVAN, FROM COPPER HORSE FARM, WHO GROWS ANCIENT, OPEN-POLLINATED VARIETIES OF GRAIN - ORGANICALLY! Ancient grains, versus modern hybrids, contain many times more nutrients, including micro-nutrients. All our pigs, meat chickens, laying hens, and turkeys will now be supplemented with Bob’s ancient grains. So look for ancient wheat flour and cornmeal in our market directly from Copper Horse Farm. And look forward to eating pork, chicken, and eggs superior in taste and nutrition to any you have ever eaten.

Please note

All the meats we have raised and sold so far have been raised without the use of vaccines, antibiotics, synthetic wormers, artificial growth hormones, soy, or GMOs. However, we believe with the ancient grains that our pork, chicken, turkey, and eggs will be even better.

WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO HOSTING EDUCATIONAL FARM TOURS - HAYRIDES! - ON SELECT DAYS THROUGH THE SUMMER. These will give a much wider perspective of the farm terrain than can be seen from the market situated in the valley.

oMNIVORES VS. herbivores

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY OUR PIGS, CHICKENS, AND TURKEYS ARE FED GRAIN - BUT THE DAIRY COWS, BEEF, AND LAMB ARE NOT? Here’s why: omnivores, like pigs, chickens, and turkeys, need vegetation that includes seedheads (grain) and meat (insects) in addition to their pastured diet. On the other hand, herbivores, like dairy cattle, beef, and lamb, need only vegetation in their diet.

An ideal diet for herbivores consists of a wide diversity of grasses, legumes, and forbs (also referred to as weeds). Forbs contain the most nutrition of all plants. This is why our pastures might not look as pretty and nicely-mowed as some. We like to see a lot of forbs in our pasture. :-)

A Big thank you

ISN’T THIS ALL VERY EXCITING! IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR CUSTOMERS. We offer a heartfelt Thank You to each and every one of you for helping us reach our goals, one step at a time. We also want to thank God, our Creator, for giving us the privilege of being stewards of his wonderful creation. Indeed his creation is lovingly, preciously made. We do ourselves well when we keep these gifts in our minds and hearts. 

Looking at 2025 and beyond, our goal remains to continuously provide the community with clean, humanely raised food, upholding the highest standards for nutrition. If you enjoy our food we encourage you to spread the word to family and friends. If you have concerns or comments, don’t hesitate to let us know. We are human — we need to be told sometimes. :-)

THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT - WE HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON. WISHING YOU ALL A BLESSED AND HEALTHY 2025.

Your farmer friends,

The Esh Family at The Smiling Cow Farm