Hello, and welcome to the August newsletter for Laughing Duck Farm! The hot days of late summer are upon us. The days are still long, but starting to get shorter. As a mom who homeschools, I am realizing that I should order schoolbooks now. As a farmer I am starting to see the fruits of my labors, or in my case, the meats of my labor. August is such a beautiful time of year. I am a huge fan of summer stone fruits, my apple trees are ripening, the zinnias are blooming, and, if I am very lucky, I might squeeze in a few hours on a lake. One of the biggest blessings for Troy and I is to borrow a boat and drive up to Chetek WI to go boating. We were able to do that last week for our anniversary and I have to say it was an absolutely perfect day. Late summer feels like perfection to me and it is just as nice to know that the cooler days of early autumn are preparing to make their appearance.

On the Farm

This is the time of year when our neighbors enjoy driving by and seeing all of the animals on pasture. We are at maximum capacity right now. There are so many meat chickens, turkeys, goats, pigs and cows. The animals are always moving so that they can fertilize the land and eat fresh pasture. Our pastures are also abloom with purple. The alfalfa flowers and purple clover smell like happiness to me and I get to walk through it every day. My biggest challenge right now is that our female livestock guardian dog is in heat. Our male is beside himself because I don’t want to do puppies this year. We are all feeling his pain, (he makes sure to announce it at every opportunity) but I am not changing my mind. I really need to rest this winter and puppies need a lot of attention.

In the Store

Chicken is back! Around here we eat seasonally, and chicken season is upon us. Right now we have whole birds in the store for $5 per lb. This is the first group of birds to be butchered and they are monsters! Farmer Kathy forgot to make butchering appointments right away and so some of these guys are weighing in and eight and nine pounds! By the end of the week we should also have breasts, thighs, legs and wings. We also now carry a locally made sweet and savory chex mix, and a natural peanut butter.

New Face

If you have stopped by recently, you may have met Kyra. Kyra is my daughter in law who has decided to intern on the farm. She is learning a lot about our farm, the animals, and the store. Her help has been invaluable and allowed me to go to farmer’s markets, meetings, and that boating get away on my anniversary. Be sure to greet her and her son/helper/cutest 5 year old ever, on your next trip to the farm!

Pig Roast

We are so excited to have you over for the pig roast next Saturday, August 2nd! The party will go from 3pm until 8pm. There will by farm tours, good food, and maybe even a ride in the back of the farm dump truck! You can learn all of the “how” and “why” we do what we do. Please note that while the store will be open during the party, it will be closed that morning while we prepare. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Bulk Food Order

This month’s bulk food orders are due on Friday August 1st by 7pm. This is a little different than what you are used to, but I really want to get the order placed before the pig party. I have a tendency to forget important things when there is a lot going on around me, so to make sure you get everything you need, please have your order in by Friday. Pickup will be August 8 after 4:30pm. You will pick up on our farm at 2482 170th Ave, Emerald WI. To order, scroll the list below and pick out the item you would like. Then send me an email at northhaus@gmail.com . In this email, include the item number, item description, and price. This helps me to catch any mistakes. Then, on August 8th, make the lovely drive out to the farm and pick up your items! You can also shop in the store at this time. If you need help ordering, please let me know sooner rather than later as there will be a lot going on this week!

Some great items will be on sale this month. If you like beans, I would highly recommend learning to cook dried beans. They are so much better than canned, and organic dried beans are on sale this month! They store well and area fantastic source of fiber. They are item numbers 742501-742511. Golden Barrel blackstrap molasses item numbers 358105, 358110, 358113, 358114 are on sale. You can get these in any size from pints all the way up to a five gallon bucket. My favorite quick breakfast, Honey Bars item numbers 389601-389605 are on sale. These are a great choice if you need a quick, easy thing to eat in the car or throw in a school lunch because the ingredients are so simple. My favorite is the sweet and salty, but we have several customers who also love the quinoa cranberry flavor.

Your next chance for a bulk order will be Friday September 5th with orders due Saturday, August 30.

Recipe

One thing I love to keep in my refrigerator is chia pudding. Vanilla flavor is great for breakfast with berries on top. I also enjoy chocolate chia pudding for dessert. My 16 year old loves any flavor first thing in the morning because it keeps him full for a long time and tastes like dessert for breakfast. Chia is a great source of omega-3s, protein, and fiber. They can help with heart health, regulating blood sugar, support weight loss, and keep your digestive system happy. Chia pudding is also super easy to make!

You will need:

3/4 cup of milk

1 banana

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 pinch sea salt

add ins (choose any: 2 Tbs cocoa powder, 1/4 cup berries, an extra tsp vanilla… let your imagination go wild)

1/4 cup chia seeds

All I do is put the milk, banana, vanilla, salt and add ins into my blender. I then blend on high until it is all smooth. Then I add in the chia seeds and blend just enough to mix them in and pour into the container that will go into the fridge. After this has sat in the fridge for a half hour, I give it a stir, scraping the bottom of the container. Sometimes some of the seeds have fallen to the bottom and you want them all mixed in. It should achieve a pudding like consistency in 3-5 hours. Then enjoy, topped with fruit, nuts, coconut, or plain.

Well that is it for the August newsletter. I hope you are enjoying the long days of summer. I hope you are taking time to relax and enjoy the beauty of late summer. I hope you are healthy and happy and I also hope to see you soon, either at the party on Saturday or on another visit to the farm.

Kathy