Hello and welcome to the February 2025 newsletter for Laughing Duck Farm! I hope you all stayed happy and warm during January. Both things can be such a challenge in January. In this part of the country it is dark and frequently bitterly cold. This can really do a number on both your physical and mental health. If you have been struggling with either, please know that you are not alone, and things are about to get much better. We are now through the darkest part of the year. The increase in daylight is starting to be noticeable, and soon the temperatures will gradually rise. I am the odd sort of person that enjoys anticipation more than actually doing things, so spring is my absolute most favorite time of year, and spring is on its way!
On the Farm
I believe in the last newsletter I told you about Dani. Dani is my new cow that I bought because, well, because I didn’t plan well and we were out of milk. My other cow, Honey, dried up and her calf, Flower isn’t due to have a baby until August. August is a long time to wait so I decided to buy Dani. She was due to have her calf on January 16th. She did not have her calf on January 16th. She did not even look a little bit ready to have a calf on January 16th. It turns out that this was okay because things took a turn for the sub-zero. That calf was a whole lot safer inside of Dani than it would have been on the outside. It is now a bit warmer and Dani is looking much more likely to have a baby in the near future. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had it in the next week or so.
Otherwise the farm is pretty quiet right now. I just recently planted my onions and leeks and have them under grow lights. They have not sprouted yet, but they shouldn’t take long. I also have some micro dwarf tomatoes under those grow lights. They are a type of tomato where the plants only get at most six inches tall and they make cherry size tomatoes. They are just starting to flower so maybe in a month or so I will have cherry tomatoes. This is an experiment because I can’t stand the way store bought tomatoes taste. As the saying goes, they taste like disappointment. I am hoping these indoor type tomatoes will at least taste a little better.
In the Store
There isn’t much new in the store right now. We do now carry hemp hearts and mayocoba beans, which some people have asked for. We also recently put up a sign on the highway near our house. This will help those of you who take highway 63 know which road to turn on to get here. It has also helped us advertise to local people who didn’t know we were here. I’ll be honest, I worry a lot about social interactions. It’s not something I’m naturally good at, so I always expect the worst. I honestly did not expect the local people to be very receptive to what we are doing, but I have been delighted to have the opposite experience! Everyone I have talked to has been very encouraging and positive. My confidence is starting to rise!
I have also been thinking about making changes to what we offer. I have already altered some of the meat offerings. I did not have any round steaks cut this year because they are a lesser quality cut and just don’t sell. I also opted for fewer roasts. Both of these things are now turned into hamburger because that sells really well. I am also thinking of decreasing the beans, because they just don’t sell very well. I am looking for input into other things to start carrying instead. Maybe whole grains like wheat berries or barley? If you have an idea of something you would like to see, let me know because maybe others would like to see it too!
Bulk Food Order
If you participate in the bulk orders, I need you to pay very close attention here. Our delivery day for walnut creek has changed and will now be Fridays. I am not sure if we will have a new driver or not (I really hope not), and I know the time will be in the afternoon, but it’s impossible to say what time at this point. Because of this, our next delivery will be here sometime later on February 7th, but I will have the pickup on Saturday morning the 8th between 10am and 1pm. It should work out fine because I have some space in an unheated building where frozen things should be fine. If you are ordering large amounts of refrigerated things that cannot freeze, let me know and we can set up a time late on Friday. The deadline for this order is 7pm on Saturday, February 1st.
If you have not ordered from our bulk food order before here is how it works. The price list is below. It is a bit of a pain to go through, but this company deals mostly with Amish and Mennonite groups so it’s not really made for computer use. The list is mostly organized alphabetically by item type, but some things are classified weird. For example, coconut oil is listed as oil, coconut. That is a very different part of the alphabet than you might expect. If you would like to order something in bulk but don’t see it on the list, go to walnutcreek.com and search there. Again it’s not the best search engine, but it might be easier than searching that list.
Once you know what you want, email your list to me at northhaus@gmail,com by February 1st at 7pm. In this list please include the item number, a brief description, and the price you expect to pay. The price list can be a little tricky to read so this helps avoid mis-ordering. Then you can come to the farm on Saturday, February 8th between 10am and 1pm preferably, and pick up your order. You can pay me by cash or check when you pick it up. If you would like to participate in the group that takes turns bringing orders to Stillwater, let me know and I will put you in contact with the point person.
There isn’t a ton of interesting stuff on sale this month. Shredded cheeses in two lb bags are on sale. These are the Walnut Creek brands. Also their cream cheese. Weaver’s snack sticks (meat sticks) are on sale. Walnut Creek brand salsa is on sale; they have lots of interesting flavors. Also, Yoder’s jellies, item numbers 359700-359716. Heartland Gluten free pasta 390617-390619 and the gluten free oats from Grain Millers (always tested and glyphosate free) 755451-2.
Recipe
I’ve been trying to include a healthy recipe that my family actually likes in each newsletter. Sometimes I forget. This month is our healthier version of peanut butter cups. Peanut butter cups are the one thing I really missed when I gave up refined sugar. I tried the no sugar added ones, which I admit tasted great, but they really upset my stomach. I also found out that the erythritol used to sweeten those things has been linked to an increase in problems like blood clots so I decided to make something a little less dangerous. Now this is not by any stretch of the imagination super healthy, but it is a great source of fiber and not horrible for you.
Start by lining 12 muffin tins with paper liners. Then gather your ingredients. You are going to need two tablespoons of coconut oil, one cup of peanut butter (I like to make my own from the peanuts we sell in the store), one cup of old fashioned or regular rolled oats, 1/4 or so cups of honey, and one cup of chocolate chips or any type of chocolate that you prefer to melt. You can also add in a few things to make it healthier. I usually also throw in a tablespoon of maca powder and a half cup of ground flax seed or hemp hearts.
In a medium pan over low heat melt one tablespoon of coconut oil. Then add in the peanut butter and stir until the peanut butter is warm and very soft, almost liquid. Do not let this boil. Once the peanut butter is soft and workable, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the honey, oats, and any of your add ins. Divide this evenly in the muffin cups. Then wash out your pot and put an inch or two of water in it. Set a metal bowl on top to act like a double boiler and put on the stove over medium heat. Put your other tablespoon of coconut oil in the bowl and wait for it to melt. Once it’s melted, add your chocolate and stir constantly. It won’t take long to melt. As soon as it is melted, remove from the heat and top each peanut buttercup with a bit of chocolate. Then refrigerate until solid. Store in a closed container in the fridge, but they probably won’t last long!
That is all for now. I hope your February is filled with warmth, love and joy. I hope to see you when you stop by the farm to visit our store, pick up your order, or just to find out what the heck we are doing out here. (I get that one a lot)
Peace and joy to you and your family
Kathy
Laughing Duck Farm 