At our farm planning meetings, we always make a list – on the left side we write out all our achievements for the year and on the right side, we list all our disappointments.
It takes a few hours for us to compile and color code them with all the solutions and strategies. And a little while longer to figure out how they play into the action plan for the next year.
This isn’t one of those things that gets tucked away in some drawer never to be seen again – it gets posted on the white board in our office and stays front and center in our lives all year, reminding us on a daily basis, of the most important lessons we’ve learned along the way and inspires us to do better.
I’d bore you to death if I shared the whole list with you tonight, especially because some of our achievements we’ve included are actually the most mundane things in the world like having weekly meetings – I mean, who knew these could be so important to keeping our sanity?
But I wanted to share our top 3 biggest achievements from the last year. And then maybe I’ll get the courage to share the biggest disappointments next week.
1. No calls to the vet
Not once in the last year have we needed to request a visit from the vet and still have never needed to treat any of our organic pigs with an antibiotic! I think this is unheard of for farms of our size, especially since our pigs are bred and born here on the farm, which increases the likelihood for potential complications. The fact that our animals are this healthy is a true reflection of our farming practices, the work we do with rotational grazing, and how well we’re tending to the pastures – our collective life source. We’re so proud of this!
2. The Farm Store is the place to be
We’ve done the research and know that doing farmer’s markets or offering shipping would increase our costs of production and end up making our products more costly. Continuing on the path we’re on and having the Farm Store be the one and only place we share our food helps us maintain the quality of the food we grow (half way defrosted meat is no bueno) and keeps our operating expenses lower. This enables us to charge you the lowest possible price for the foods we grow and also means you and your family get to come out and see the farm in action, which I know means a lot to you too. It’s a win-win-win!
3. This farm doesn’t just grow food, it makes an impact
We’re proud of the awesome food that we grow. But we’re equally proud of the other opportunities that have manifested as a result of the farm – like the hundreds (maybe thousands?) of pounds of food that have been donated to folks living hungry in Rochester. And the important conversations we’ve been invited to have on news stations, podcasts and printed publications on topics like organic food labeling, humane animal husbandry, and avoiding food waste. This Farm is making a difference and expanding its impact every year and this is amazing.
What are some of your biggest achievements this year? None of the farm’s would be possible without you! So thanks for being here, supporting our mission, and making this farm all that it is.
Your Farmers,
Jenney & Greg
PS – It’s going to be gorgeous on Sunday and we can’t wait to see you at Farm Store. Order ahead through our online store HERE.
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