HERE WE ARE!!!!

WE'RE BACK!!!! Who seems to drop off the face of the earth and then resurface two years later? WE DO!!! And so much has happened in the mean time. New babies, now mommas, more beehives, more honey, more chickens, more eggs,  raised bed planting in the greenhouses, less weeds, lots of visitors to the farm, becoming our steady patrons. Expanded products, new helpers, Facebook (where most of our updated information is posted) and sadly no more u-pick, or CSA. All that the farm produces will be available for purchase in the market. Information and updates will be posted to keep all who read in the know about the everyday activities on the farm. This is going to be a spectacular season. Looking forward to meeting new and seeing old friends. The farmstead market opened this past week to a flurry of dedicated customers, as they rushed the market in order to get their favorite farm fresh goods. In the blog posts that follow different items from the market will be featured, some old favorites and the introduction of some new ones. Its great to be back in the groove, from our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

A NEW BEGINNING!!!!

Whoever said that " all good things must come to and end" did not know very many farmers! Just when it seems that life is taking a detour and the trek is slower due to potholes and dead ends, a superhighway opens and a new destination is charted. With the Farmer retiring from the fire station and acquiring a fishing boat, his leisurely days are pretty well a given. With the promise that he will contribute the absolute necessities concerning his farming skills, if and when needed, he has been given carte blanche to occasional absences from the farm. Thank goodness his favorite fishing lake is only ten minutes from the back door. Meanwhile back at the farm, the farmers wife has a new helper. Maggie has arrived! Equipped with her overalls and boots, she has breathed new life into the every day list of chores and responsibilities necessary to keep the ever-turning wheels of a farm rolling along. She came from a goat dairy background so she was prepared to jump in with both feet planted firmly on the ground.  Her enthusiasm to learn of all of the elements that make up  R and C Dairy has proved to be a delight. Her excitement for small experiences and discoveries has given us a new perspective on what a treasure we have in the ownership of our farm. Even though we are consolidating the gardening and crops to a smaller area, will still plan to produce sufficient produce to do the CSA this year as well as a variety of items in the market. We will still provide honey, beef, soaps and sundries, baked goods, preserves, and of course a broad assortment of our freeze dried foods. And seasonal produce from our fields and orchard.  Our opening date will be Easter Weekend, Friday March 25. Our hours will be the same Noon until 4:00 PM. We should have the beginnings of our goat milk supply. The first couple of weeks most likely will be limited, but as the does continue to freshen, the supply will increase. Many have inquired about the u-pick strawberries. Depending upon the crop, we will determine if there will be enough for u-pick. We planted a much lesser amount this past fall, as we were unsure of our help situation.  We may only have enough to sell in the market. We will post that information on this blog, and on our facebook page.  We are excited to be back, will keep all updated on the farm happenings. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

Freeze dried home made chocolate ice cream puffs......also strawberry, banana, vanilla, yum!!!!!

AND THE RAIN FINALLY CAME, THEN CAME AGAIN!!!

Grateful for the abundant rain, we took the downpours in stride. The animals found shelter, the equipment was housed in the new equipment shed, the fields just drank it all in, with the huge cracks and crannies closing up. As Fall is well under way, preparations are being made to prepare for cold weather and the short days of winter. The strawberries have been planted for the next season, the garlic is going into the ground this week, the Spring milkers are being reintroduced to their favorite Lothario, the fall milkers are producing lots of good goat milk to supply the increasing demand. It is time to start thinking about the holidays, and market preparations for all of the goodies. The pantry provisions are increasing in the market with additional freeze dried and dehydrated foods. Soups in a jar, herb and spice mixes, fruit leather, ice cream puffs made from homemade ice cream, yogurt drops, everything granola, are some of the offerings. Will have raw honey, and some in jars with the honeycomb. Our honey, citrus ginger tea mix will be in the cooler this week and watch for a new beverage called "Shrubs". It is a doozy!  The pecan trees are loaded, just waiting for a snap of cold weather and some big wind. The Farmer is adjusting to his retirement from the Fire Station and the Farmers Wife is looking feverishly for him a job. She has already sent him to Arkansas to visit friends, bought him a boat to send him to the lake to fish, volunteered his services at a nursing home, arranged for him to chaperone any field trips at the school, and is open to hiring him out to do odd jobs ( he is extremely handy!) Just give her a call....... oh you may have to wait a day or two, the rain knocked out the phone line at the farm, and the phone company is none too speedy. MARKET HOURS: FRIDAY AND SATURDAY  from noon until 4:00 PM. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!!

THE CLOSING OF A CHAPTER!!!

Alas, all good things must come to an end, and in the farming business it usually means someone is moving on. In this case, the Farmers Son is going to the city for an opportunity to expand his horizons. To the farm it means the crops and animals will be without one of their most attentive caregivers for the last eight years. He will still be coming to help some evenings and an occasional weekend, but the steady 6:00 in the morning milk hand will be tending to others needs. The ultimate decision to revise the farm milk program was more of a natural process than an immediate snap judgment. For the time being, the cow milk supply will be greatly reduced, as most of the cows are moving to greener pastures, to an up and coming raw milk dairy farm, in all places, Farmersville, Tx. It was very hard for the Farmers Wife to part with her dear friends, but in determining what two people who are reaching their golden years can maintain on a busy farm, the cows became the victims of their owners declining energy and increasing years. For the time being a couple of the most cherished will remain on the farm giving what milk they can, when they can, seasonally supplying the market with a few gallons each week. All cow milk will be by reservation, so call ahead for availability. The goat milk is another story altogether. The goat herd is flourishing, the milk flowing abundantly at this time. Breeding season has started for the coming milk year, anticipating a good prolific year. The Farmer and his Wife are able to tend to the goats without additional help, so the farm will continue to provide goat milk interrupted. There will still be produce, honey, meat, eggs, as well as all of the pantry items in the market..... and plenty of goat milk products. If by chance we come upon the perfect helper, who cannot live through a day without milking a cow or two, we will most assuredly consider expanding the cow herd again. Tears have been shed, good buys have been said, and a huge thank you to the best herd of jersey milk cows on the face of the earth.  MARKET HOURS: Friday and Saturday from noon until 4 PM. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

WE ARE ALL STILL HERE!!!

Watched the blood moon eclipse and was mesmerized by the beauty of the giant orb fading out and then back in. The sky was clear, being in the country, with only natures night sounds breaking the silence, it was an experience that will be remembered for a lifetime. And as the world did not come to an end, a lifetime that will be a bit longer. The nights are cooling just enough for the tomatoes to start to produce, the pears and apples have all been picked from the trees, and the days are filled with canning, dehydrating and freeze drying. The strawberry plants for next spring will be here in a couple of weeks, so hopefully we will get a little rain to ease the plowing. The animals are loving the cooler weather. Watching the calves and goats frolic in the early morning and early evening, confirms that they can function at a much faster pace when it is not sweltering outside. The Farmer has been cutting the last cutting of hay for the season. The girls will be kept fat and happy. The market will be open this weekend Friday and Saturday from noon until 4:00 PM. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

FALL SCREAMS..... FARMERS MARKETS!!!!!!!

 The crisp, cool mornings are so delightful, it makes baking and canning so much more comfortable. There will be sour dough bread in the market this weekend, as well as a wide assortment of fruit breads. Just a reminder that our e mail address has changed. If an order was sent to our old address, it is floating out there in the cloud somewhere and it will not find its way to us. Our new address randcdairy@hotmail.com will get your message to the right source. There will be some fall produce, the tomato vines are loaded with green tomatoes and the squash are blooming. If by chance the world ends on Sunday, hopefully we will meet on the other side, and thank you to all those that helped support our efforts to be farmers. If not, see you next week! Our market hours are Friday and Saturday from noon until 4:00 PM. ( and yes, we have plenty of goat milk at this time). From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!