This baby is about to turn 12 and go to middle school. If you don’t want to fight me, don’t bother asking “how are you doing?” with all of these changes. My psyche is a dumpster fire is how I’m doing. I have zero chill. A fellow middle school mama and I just cried and hugged it out in the frozen section of the grocery last week (I was there buying ice cream whose dairy will wreck my stomach but I intend to eat my feelings, thanks for your understanding). That’s how I’m doing. . . This whole “raise kind and confident kids on a farm“ nonsense has turned into a whole other thing and this munchkin now drives all sorts of farm vehicles, manages complete operations such as ducks at LOMAH and will one day step out into the world with the knowledge of where his food comes from and how to grow it. I for one, am NOT here for this!! I am an Enneagram 2 and need to be needed. . . When we brought him home from the hospital, I envisioned the red digits of the national debt clock in NYC, only going backwards from 18. I have 6 more years of nightly tuck ins, probably less, but hopefully with how college students seem to be moving back home I could get more 😂😂 . . Seriously, if you don’t want your kids to become independent, responsible and ready to leave you to ugly cry while they go do all the things, don’t let them farm! . . #putmeonyourprayerchain #enneagram2 #notababy #farmkidlife #farmkid #kidswhofarm #iamamodernfarmer #sustainablefarming #regenerativeagriculture #knowyourfarmers #futurefarmer #beginnerfarmer #duckman #lomah

This rainy weather isn’t helping the fencing project to get done, but the cows prefer it over the HOT 🥵. . . . Last week Trevor asked me how the fence guys did that day and I reported they were digging holes with a giant corkscrew. He nodded like that was totally an implement and sweetly said “I think it’s called an auger.” Oh is it? That’s nice 😊 . . . Jon has built a palace of a duck tractor so I’ll send you pics ASAP. Melinda’s got moving the cows down pat and our 3 farm kids are learning to do the night chores well and without fighting. (Win-win) . . . Barn swallows have taken up residence on my front porch and are dive bombing cats, kids, and the mailman so that needs to be remedied. Too much nature and poop on the windows for me! . . . Have a great day! ❤️ #fuzzycows #highlandcattlesociety #grazingcows #wifarm #riverfallswi #hudsonwi #grassfarmer #beefcows #rotationalgrazing #farmkidslife #farmfamily #lomah

Always fun to start the morning breakfast shenanigans with these guys. Scrambled, baked, fried, or hard/soft boiled I’m here for it ALL!! . . . I have a delivery meet up in Hudson on Thursdays if you’d like to get in on this goodness. Shoot me a DM and I’ll bring you a rainbow dozen. ❤️ . . . #grassfarmer #regenerativefarming #prettyeggs #riverfallswi #hudsonwi #piercecounty #eggies #greeneggs #blueeggs #browneggs #speckledeggs #pasturedeggs #lomah

Our fencing project continues. There are jack hammer like noises mixing with the bird chirps and duck quacks and cow moos. It feels hectic for “peace in the country” rhetoric. . . . The fences will span over most of the 126 acres. 5 strand, high tensile, electricified on the 2nd and 4th strands. It’s miles of fencing. Paddocks will be easier to make and daily moving of the herd will be facilitated in a much less labor intensive way. Currently Trevor, Melinda or Jon have to hand make a paddock with temporary single strand fencing every single day. It’s time consuming. . . . Reminder to myself and everyone else feeling the repercussions of growth that progress are messy and often loud. 😉 It might look like a messy driveway, heaps of old barbed wire and super loud diggers. I’m going to keep looking until I see the sun on the other side. ☀️ . . . 📷 @phytoaddict from last summer’s visit during a non-construction period. . . . #growingpains #grassfarmer #beefcows #regenerativefarming #scottishhighlandcattle #farmkidslife #familyfarming #riverfallswi #hudsonwi #funonthefarm #farmerprobs #farmlifestyle #lomah

100% grass fed and grass finished meat has higher levels of vitamins A & E. It also has CLAs and increased Omega-3s. . . . At LOMAH we make sure our beef is 💯 and never does the herd eat corn, soy, grains, or anything other than our organic hay (in winter) and organic pasture (moved to a fresh paddock each day). In fact, we are so obsessed with what they eat, we make sure all the fields in summer and hay in winter is grown right here on our land so we can make sure it has everything it should and nothing it shouldn’t!👍🏻 . . . We have a small amount of beef left if you’d like to try for summer grilling season, otherwise we won’t have anything until October. Let me know if you’d like some burgers or steaks 🥩 . . . #grassfarmer #beefcows #regenerativefarming #riverfallswi #hudsonwi #letseatsomemeat #beefitswhatsfordinner #cleanmeat #noantibiotics #nohgh #nofillersneeded #lomah

Tossing this memory out from last summer. Not much has changed since Maize and Blue were little. They’re still wet/dirty most mornings. 🙄 . . The summer we moved here, I was surprised by the many nights of coyotes howling. We saw gross badgers 🦡 and moles, voles, fox, possums, skunks and ALL the predatory birds. . . (Knocks on wood) Since Maize and Blue have been 5 months old we haven’t had any of those things around. Sometimes we see a vulture, but they don’t swoop down and Maize will howl herself hoarse until they go away. . . I’ll take the stinky pups any day over our animals being harmed. They’re goofy, but they’re ours. ❤️ . . #lgd #livestockguardiandogs #livestockguardian #greatpyreneesrules #greatpyr #maizeandblue #dynamicduo #alwaysdirty #fuzzypuppy #regenerativefarming #farmkidslife #farmhelp #farmdoglife #farmdogsofinstagram #hudsonwi #riverfallswi #lomah

Happy Father’s Day to our head farmer. The orthopedic surgery resident with a crazy dream turned into the spine surgeon who raises chickens instead of golfing. 😂 . . I love watching Trevor and the boys toss the football around while still wearing work boots. . . Daphne enjoys her gardening and bunny time with Dad too. Showing the kids how to enjoy their new rural home has been really fun for their Daddy. I’m grateful to have him as a husband as well as parenting partner. . . 📷 @acyelken . . #farmkidslife #farmfamily #familyfarm #smallfamilyfarm #choretime #funonthefarm #kidsandchores #riverfallswi #grassfarmer #hudsonwi #doctorfarmer #spinesurgeon #notagolfer #lomah

Sometimes people ask if our kids get nervous/sad about eating the animals we raise. . . So far no, but there may come a day. We are very upfront with our 3 kids that we are raising the highest quality food possible and that the animals are given the best life possible. But the animals are food, not pets. Even though we name them. Even though we love them. Even though we feed them by hand. . . Somedays it’s easier to distinguish the pet versus food difference than others, but we try to be clear with them. I love to see their gentle side come out with our farm animals. Letting them blow off steam from a rough day outside with the dogs and cats is great too. . . #grassfarmer #regenerativefarming #farmkidslife #familyfarming #riverfallswi #hudsonwi #piercecounty #farmlife🚜 #chickenlittle🐥 #spoiledchickens #pasturedpoultry #pasturedeggs #lomah

These pretty pastured eggs are nutritionally packed with vitamins such as: Fatty acids & carotenoids Vitamins A, D, E & K Protein Iron Vitamins B6 & B12 Zinc, Copper, Thiamin, Folate, Folic Acid, as well as Calcium, Choline, Lecithin, Phosphorus, Selenium & Magnesium. . . Because they’re pasture raised they also have higher levels of Omega-3 and DHA. There’s also plenty of healthy cholesterol and phospholipids. . . You know, if you’re into that sort of thing. 😉 . . Shoot me a DM if you’d like to get a dozen to try 👍🏻 . . #grassfarmer #regenerativefarming #riverfallswi #hudsonwi #incredibleedible #pasturedeggs #pastureraised #freerangeeggs #eggies #eggstra #eggstraordinary #eggchickens #rainboweggs #eattherainbow🌈 #blueeggs #greeneggs #browneggs #orangeyolks #lomah

“Wet hair, don’t care” 😂😂 . . We’re having some cooler and rainy weather these days, but the cows don’t seem to mind. They munch and move and lay down until it’s time to eat again. Basically everyday is Thanksgiving Day for them. 😉 . . Check our IG stories for Quail hatching! They’re so cute and super fast! Teeny tiny, they feel like picking up a cotton ball. Quail are new for us, so we will show the set up in the brooder, the aviary they’re going to live in, and all the steps in between. Ducks and chickens take their 6 months to grow before laying eggs, but Quail have their foot on the gas and take just 6 weeks (!). . . #grassfarmer #beefcows #regenerativefarming #scottishhighlandcattle #riverfallswi #hudsonwi #fuzzycows #prettycows #stillwatermn #woodburymn #rotationalgrazing #pasturedbeef #wisconsinfarm #piercecounty #smallfamilyfarm #lomah

Egg washing is one of my favorite farm chores. To sell eggs in WI they don’t have to be washed, only visually free of debris. Some of our customers request only unwashed eggs. . . . But 💩 happens and chickens lay eggs in sand, dirt, etc so cold water rinsing sometimes is needed. Cold water only because an egg shell is permeable and hot water would push bacteria on the egg’s surface through the shell and into the white 🤢. . . . When the egg is laid, a protective film called a “bloom” is present on the egg. With the bloom intact refrigeration isn’t necessary. Once the bloom is removed however, in the fridge they go. . . . Egg washing is a slow meditative task- best done in the sunshine while contemplating next steps. . . . #grassfarmer #regenerativefarming #riverfallswi #hudsonwi #eggwashing #eggies #incredibleedibleegg #blueeggs #greeneggs #browneggs #eggenvy #eggday #eggstra #eggsallday #lomah @eggenvy @highlandhomestead

1,000 Instagram friends!!! Thanks so much for following along with us! We appreciate the fun, laughs, and insight this platform brings. . . . Things here have been kind of tough. Short version: our meat chickens contracted a bacterial infection from being in paddocks that had less grass than needed. We wanted to get them outside early, but never had meat chickens so early in the year; we didn’t know enough to consider this risk. . . Over 30 have died already. If caught early enough, anti-biotics can be given. We didn’t catch it early enough and we don’t give our animals ABX so we are trying to keep them comfortable and also considering euthanasia to avoid suffering. . . It’s rough on us, our farm helpers Melinda & Jon, and on morale. Business wise-it’s also bad. Sometimes it’s easier to understand why farmers want to cut corners, give chemicals that make things easier to manage, mitigate risk. . . It’s easy to wish for hindsight, more time, more resources/experience. We’re taking this one on the chin and production will be down. Plain and simple. . . These are expensive lessons to learn and we will apply the knowledge going forward. There will be more groups of meat chickens for the summer, when grass is stronger and outcomes will be healthier. . . I’m proud of everyone around here doing the work and showing up though. Our kids are learning these lessons right along with us and applying what they see (teamwork, perseverance, support) to build their own personalities. . . Sending everyone dealing with painful lessons encouragement today. ❤️ . . #grassfarmer #farmkidslife #farmerprobs #regenerativefarming #workingtogetherforgood #farmcrew #notfunonthefarm #reallifefarm #beginnerfarmer #farmlessons #lomah