Greg drove out to Wayne County this week and picked up the first load of hay for the season. He snagged as many bales as the old farm truck could hold, which ended up being about 60.

This is far from the 400 or so bales that we’ll need for the winter season. But I’m pleased with the start.

We worked together to stack them neatly on the second floor of the barn. And the sight of it all up there, gave me the same fuzzy feeling I get when I look into my favorite kitchen cabinet.

The one where we store all our food preserves – tomato sauce, strawberry-rhubarb jam, applesauce, and a variety of pickles, canned at their peak freshness last summer.

Now, we have preserves stored up for the animals – pasture that’s been harvested at it’s prime, sun-dried, and then conveniently packed into bales for us to distribute amongst the animals when the ground is frozen and our own pastures are sparse.

It’s times like these, that I realize that just like the gratitude you share with us for being YOUR farmers, we have enormous gratitude for OUR farmers who grow us organic grasses and grains – crops that we don’t have the infrastructure to grow ourselves, but are necessary to keep the animals healthy and strong all year round.

We happen to be the type of farmers that raise animals – really cute, Instagram-worthy animals that everyone loves to watch grow. But there are many other farmers who are just as vital to our food systems and who deserve to share the stage with us, but are in the backdrop for one reason or another.

They are there, though, quietly doing the good work. And I’m forever grateful to them all because they enable us to keep serving you the best of the best, all year round.

Your Farmers,

Jenney & Greg

PS – We have lots in the way of our organic meats available at the Farm Store this week, including plenty of pasture raised bacon and ham! Click HERE to reserve your groceries for the week.