Walnut Hill Farm at Elm Springs, LLC

Have you ever wondered how much exercise there can be in farming?  He is a math challenge for you.  The first correct answer will receive one pound of ground beef courteous of Walnut Hill Farm.  (Sorry this has to be picked up at one of our winter sales location, we will not ship.)

 This spring Jeff and Ginny working together will be using Chip and Dale to plow the market garden.  Jeff will be behind the plow, and Ginny will be the teamster, Chip will be the nigh ox and Dale will be the off ox.

 Working as a team, the four of us will be walking at approximately 1.0 to 1.5 miles per hour using a plow that will turn over 8 inches of soil per pass.  Or in other words we will be using an 8 inch plow.

 My question for you is how far will each of us have to walk in order to plow one acre?  An acre is 43,560 square feet or approximately 208 feet long by 208 feet wide.  As with all math problems there are several methods to derive the correct answer.  Remember the prize one package of Walnut Hill Farm ground beef “Free of Charge.”

I am looking for the minimum footage, and it will not be an exact answer, because there is also footage in turning around and backing up.

I hope the answer surprises you.  If you are looking for some exercise but you don’t like going to the gym, come to the farm instead, we can provide you with all sorts of exercise, and best yet the exercise classes are free. 

There is a big difference in using a modern tractor and plowing with oxen.  First as the math above show the amount of exercise the farm receives.  Second the plow width per pass.  Modern tractor can plow 10 or more feet wide per pass, and probably disc 30 feet wide or more at 5 to 6 miles per hour.

 In modern farming an estimate as to how much can be accomplished in a 10 hour day, multiply the width of the machinery by the ground speed (in miles per hour).  As an example a 30 foot combine head traveling and 5 miles per hour through corn can cover 15 acres per hour, or 150 acres in a ten hour day.

 I hope you have enjoyed this first of what I hope is many math challenges to come.

Saturday moring while feeding, Ginny and I discovered a new small litter of piglets.  The first time sow had five little ones, two of which were still living when we fed.

Sunday moring there was a new single lamb.  Mom and daughter are doing well.

If you get a chance this week or over the weekend give us a call and visit the new arrivals.

Customer Appreciation & Referral Program For 2011

New for 2011 is Walnut Hill’s Customer Appreciation & Referral Plan.  This is a voluntary program, with no fees, membership dues, or any other hidden costs.  To be eligible for the program you must make a purchase from Walnut Hill Farm and then provide Walnut Hill Farm with your name, address, telephone number, and email address (this information is strictly for the use of Walnut Hill Farm and will not be sold or shared).  At this point we will assign a member number to you.

Walnut Hill Farm will use your email address to send newsletters as appropriate to inform you of what is happening on the farm, or specials at the Farmers Market.  Additionally we will use your member number to track total purchases.

Qualify for a free Walnut Hill Farm Turkey

• Spend a minimum of $500.00 between January 1 and November 15, 2011.
• Limit one turkey per household.
• CSA chicken and CSA egg plans do not qualify toward the $500.00
• Bulk purchases of whole or half animals do not qualify toward the $500.00
• The free turkey will be a “Free Range Heritage Turkey” at Thanksgiving.

 The turkey will be raised by Walnut Hill Farm along with the other free range poultry.  This program is limited by Walnut Hill Farm to a fifty (50) turkey give away.  Walnut Hill Farm reserves the right to substitute a reward of equal or greater value should the number of qualified members exceed the available turkeys.

 Qualify for free Walnut Hill Farm Gift Certificates

• Become a Customer Appreciation Member
• Refer at friend, co-worker, or family member using your Appreciation  Membership number
• Person referred must make a minimum qualifying purchase ($17.50)
• For each new referral that makes a qualifying purchase, you receive a $5 gift certificate.
• Maximum of 20 gift certificates awarded per individual per year

----------------------------------------------------------------------------2011 Walnut Hill Farm Customer Appreciation Membership

To sign up please provide us the following information:

The above information is strictly for the use of Walnut Hill Farm and will not be sold or shared

At Walnut Hill Farm we have decided to add duck, geese and turkey to our product line for the 2011 Farmer’s Market season.  This decision is made in part to expand the use of the existing poultry processor, and secondly there have been many requests for free range heritage turkeys.

The turkeys we plan to raise are known as Bourbon Reds, to see a picture of this turkey, or to discover more about this turkey, visit www.albc-usa.org/cpl/bourbon.html. While the decision has been made to raise the turkeys we are attempting to gauge interest. 

Much like the chickens we raise, the turkeys will be raised on pasture, in a free range environment.  We have specifically chosen the Bourbon red, hoping to carry over a limited number of breeders for 2012.  This is being done for several reasons.  First we currently have a large variety of heritage livestock at Walnut Hill Farm.  Secondly the modern commercial turkey can no longer naturally mate and reproduce.  The modern turkey has to be artificially inseminated to produce the next generation, this is not sustainable.  The Bourbon Red is not a modern commercial turkey; it is a heritage turkey which by definition means the turkeys mate naturally.

Christmas goose anyone?  We have had geese on the farm in the past, but then they were yard ornaments.  Over time foxes eliminated the geese.  What I do remember is that Sir Squawk-a-lot was the longest survivor.  I’m not sure but I believe these geese were brown Chinese.  For our purposes this time we will be raising more of a meat type goose.  The geese that we anticipate raising are Toulouse, this is a goose of French origin, the ganders (males) average about 20-25 pounds while the female (goose) averages 13-18 pounds.  The Toulouse is on the ALBC watch list.

With the geese there will only be one batched raised, I plan to start these the first week of May so that they will be ready for Christmas.

  The duck that we anticipate raising are the White Pekin duck.  This is a duck that when mature will average about 10 pounds.  We hope to raise three batches of these birds and have they available at three different times during the market season.

 The turkeys will only be available fresh the week before Thanksgiving.  It is anticipated that these turkeys will be priced at $4.50 per pound, but pricing is subject to change.  At this time we are attempting to gauge interest in turkeys and not reserve turkeys.  The turkeys will be started the first week of May.

Hopefully everyone will enjoy these additions; please let us know what you think.

Walnut Hill Farm 2011 Chicken CSA

For the 2011 Farmer’s Market season, Walnut Hill Farm is offering a chicken CSA.  CSA commonly stands for Community Supported Agriculture, where the farmer and consumer share the risk while providing the farmer some much needed start up cash.  The Farm Market season is a 29 to 32 week season based on the Farmer’s Market you attend.

 Generally speaking the Market season will be from May 1, 2011 until November 19, 2011.  Of course this will vary with each market.  The chicken CSA will be available at the farm, Warrenton Farmer’s Market, Manassas Thursday Farmer’s Market and hopefully three others local markets which have not been approved at this time.

 As this is a new venture for Walnut Hill Farm the first year membership will be capped at 50 members.  Members will be guaranteed ten chickens during the 30 week farmer’s market season.  The cost of membership is $100.00 for a guarantee of 10 chickens.  Multiple shares are available if you desire more that ten chickens.  Unlike the 2010 year trial you can receive individual chickens as desired; you do not have to accept all 10 chickens at once.  There is no weight guarantee on the chicken; you chose the one you want while at the market.  Unlike the egg CSA, there is no guarantee of a chicken each week, we request you call ahead and reserve the number of chicken you wish to pick up that week. Your help is appreciated in making this a valuable planning tool for all of us!

 Enrollment is taking place now and is only available to the first 50 paid members.  Payment is needed to be considered enrolled.

 As part of the CSA you are encouraged to notify us as to the number of chickens you want and the weeks you will want them.  Walnut Hill will be using a punch card system to track the chickens, to determine when you reach your 10 chicken limit.  There will not be a refund if you do not pick all the chickens in your CSA share.

 To enroll please complete the application below and return to Walnut Hill Farm along with your payment.  Please remember this is open to the first 50 paid members only.  Deadline to sign up for the 2011 Chicken CSA is March 15, 2011.  After this date chickens can be purchased individually at $3.00 per pound.

 Walnut Hill Farm 2011 Chicken CSA

The New Year weekend was full of activity here on the farm.  First the American Milking Devon’s were moved from the leased farm to the home farm for the winter.  Now would be a great time to come by the farm to see some truly unique and rare heritage breed cows.  There are approximately 1200 of these cows in the United States.

Secondly, the weather had warmed up enough compared to December that we were able to process 33 spent Barred Plymouth Rock hens and the remainder of the Freedom Rangers.  The next group of chickens will be processed starting in May.

Fear not the chicken that was not sold this weekend was placed in the freezer.  These chickens will be available while they last.

Many of the Barred Rocks are spoken for.  Twenty of the hens are to be donated to “Journey Through Hallowed Ground” for the Edna Lewis fund raising diner.  Celebrity chef Carla Hall will be preparing the diner.  The chicken will be used for chicken & dumplings.  The diner will be held in Manassas in February.  This event is tied into Black History Month.  Ginny and I are looking forward to attending this event.

The final event for the weekend was to move many of the sheep to the home farm in preparation for lambing.   It is much easier to lamb at home than to lamb 12 miles from home.

 As a final note on January 15 we are scheduled to attend the North Carolina – Virginia Sheep Symposium in Verona, Virginia.  Maybe we will see you there.

Walnut Hill Farm Egg 2011 CSA

For the 2011 Farm Market season, Walnut Hill Farm is offering an egg CSA. CSA commonly stands for Community Supported Agriculture, where the farmer and consumer share the risk while providing the farmer some much needed start up cash. The Farm Market season is a 29 to 32 week season based on the Farmer’s Market you attend.

Generally speaking the Market season will be from May 1, 2011 until November 19, 2011. Of course this will vary with each market.

As this is a new venture for Walnut Hill Farm the first year membership will be capped at 25 members. Members will be guaranteed one dozen brown eggs per week during the farm market season. The cost of membership is $100.00 for a guarantee of 30 dozen eggs. This is a 16% savings off the regular Farmer’s Market price, more importantly you will be guaranteed to have eggs waiting for you at the market.  Eggs will be held until the last hour of market, unless you let us know in advance you will be picking them up later.  This is to keep us from carrying eggs to and from the market.  Your help is appreciated in making this a valuable planning tool for all of us!

Enrollment is taking place now and is only available to the first 25 paid members. Payment is needed to be considered enrolled.  Deadline for enrollment for the 2011 egg CSA is March 15, 2011.

As part of the CSA you are encouraged to recycle egg cartoons and to let us know weeks when you need more than one dozen of eggs. If you do not show up for a market because of vacation, etc. your eggs carry over to the next week. Walnut Hill will be using a punch card system to track the eggs, to determine when you reach your 30 dozen limit. They will not be a refund if you do not pick up your eggs on a regular basis.

To enroll please complete the application below and return to Walnut Hill Farm Walnut Hill

Walnut Hill Farm 2011 Egg CSA

Name:

Address

City, State, Zip

Phone Number

Email Address

Market Location

  Details to come on the 2011 Chicken CSA (10 chickens for $100.00) and a custower reward program where you can qualify for a free, free range turkey.

The wind has not let up for several days, and the cows need new pasture.  So I had to fight the wind this morning to move the cows to the opposite end of the farm for winter grazing.

The cold you can dress for but I have never found a cure for the wind.  The wing seems to cut through all cothing.  At least there is stockpiled fescue for the girls now.  Only time will tell how long the grass will last.

There was lots of heavy lifting today.  Loading the truck to go to the processing plant.  Todays mission was to bring back nine pigs from the processor.  The mission was successful, now the freezers are restocked for winter.  And by Friday I will need to return to the processor to pick up five lambs.

The hope is that this will last until the Farmer's Markets open in late April 2011.  At the momment we have six flavors of sausage, plenty of no nitrate or nitrite bacon, and shoulder roasts for the pulled pork folks.

The wind today has been unbearable, the is the second day for these winds.  I am hoping for some warm weather so that I can get the last group of chickens processed.

I have just finished ordering chickens for the 2011 season.  The first day olds should arrive on 25 February 2011, and will continue to arrive weekly until 17 August 2011.

This schedule will allow for me to process chicken from the first week of May until the middle of November.  I have chosen these dates, because I know that I don't what to be processing chickens during the winter.

Chickens sell out fast at the market, because a truly fresh chicken is hard to find.  Now might be the time to consider joining the fresh chicken CSA for 2011. 

The grazing season is widing down and we have started feeding hay for the winter.  This summer's drought was hard on the pastures making the early feeding of hay necessary.

Finally for this post come to the farm before Christmas and see several animals of the Navitiy.  At the farm you will be able to see sheep, burros (donkeys) and oxen.  Chip and Dale might even put on a Santa's hat and Swiss Cow bells for a quick postcard picture