Hey there all of you spring chickens – hope this post finds you healthy, happy, and maybe  a little bit sun-kissed. It is always so refreshing when that first warm weekend comes through – we took a long foraging walk through the farm yesterday and it was so nice to be outside under the blue skies enjoying all that nature has to offer. We hope you were able to spend some time outside as well, it sure was a beautiful weekend.

We just wanted to check-in with some seasonal information, and let you know what’s going on around these parts. Our first bit of big news is that our first batch of chicks arrived about 2 weeks ago! It never ceases to make us smile when we see those little chicks each year. We are continuing with the Freedom Ranger meat chickens this year, and we have 8 processing dates available for you to choose what works best for you this summer. Here is our 2010 Pastured Poultry Order Form for you if you are interested in reserving some delicious, fresh, whole chickens this season. Another exciting tidbit related to the chickens, is that at each pickup date, Carly will be teaching cooking classes at 5pm on those dates to those interested. Here are a few of her topics: Using Whole Chickens, Grilling/Cooking Grassfed Meats, Broths & Stocks, and Time-Saving Tips. We are excited to be offering these and hope that you will want to take advantage of the helpful information that will only aid in your family’s overall health and well-being. Our calendar for this season will show you the dates & times with their corresponding topic.

This upcoming Saturday, April 10th, we will be joining the 3rd Annual GreenSpring Healthy Living Festival at the Lynchburg City Armory from 9:30-5:00pm. This is quite an event with over 60 vendors who aim to promote environmentally-conscious living through health, home, community, etc. We will be there all day with plenty of information about our farm, nutrition, and of course, smiles. Come on down and see us!

Our first Field Day for the year will be Saturday, May 8th – so mark your calendars to bring your family and friends out! We will be posting more information about this event very soon. We also have free, guided Pasture Walks scheduled throughout the season, so check out our calendar for those dates & times.

And don’t forget, our freezers are stocked with our 100% grass-only beef & pastured pork. We are open throughout the week (you may call ahead if you’d like) and Saturdays from 9am-4pm. We are closed on Sundays and holidays. Check back here for more upcoming news/event information, join our fan page on Facebook, email us with any questions, or just come on out!  Our farm is OPEN to you and your family and friends.

P.S. Make a point to ask Ben about the schooling he got this winter. He spent 6 six days in Minnesota at the Acres USA Conference  listening and introducing himself to the most innovative, mindful farmers in the world. Most of which have been Ben’s mentors for several years, so he was quite honored to be in their presence. By following the lessons of these leaders, Ben is sure Mountain Run Farm can become an example of the healing effects of what natural farming can offer to our native ecosystem. Join Ben on this summer’s Pasture Walks to hear the details – there is a lot of them and he’d love to talk about it with ya.

“All beings, whether human or other-than-human, have an inherent right to a natural existence in the world, and each has a way to contribute to the welfare of the greater whole.  Inevitably, a time will come when every life must give way to sustain balance on the earth.  On the farm, there is an understanding that nothing we eat to sustain ourselves comes without the sacrifice from another living being, be it animal, plant or microorganism.  Thus, we take all food, whether it is a hamburger, a pork chop, a carrot, a spoonful of yogurt or a slice of apple, in moderation and gratitude.  Nothing is eaten without an understanding of the sacred life and spirit that created the nourishment, and the ecosystem that was required to sustain it.” - Shannon Hayes