Freedom Farms Field Trip

On Sunday I woke bright and early, did my barn chores and then headed out on the road with two of my kids long before the sun even rose.  We were headed for Butler, Pennsylvania to attend the Freedom Farms Harvest Festival and hopefully visit all three of their shops and eat some of their "local food".  Freedom Farms is of course home to the reality show "Farm Kings".  

Now I'm not a fan of reality TV at all.  I think they are fake, exploit children, and full of people who are fame hungry.  I don't believe in giving anyone credit or recognition for doing absolutely nothing. So when I saw a TV show come up on my tv listings called "Farm Kings" I was intrigued but not overly confident that it would be a show worth watching.  However, I was pleased to discover that the show really does focus on the farming only part of their lives.  There is no drama or bickering unless it comes to the daily running of the farm.  But the show is only in it's third season so who knows where it will go from here.  

What really caught my attention on the show was their market shop.  The moment I saw it I knew it was what I had been envisioning for my own dream of opening a farm store.  I loved the idea that it was not connected directly to the farm and that they had opened it up on a main highway.  Every time the show was on I'd get excited for shots of the inside of the store to see how they set it up.  So I decided to take a drive down there and see it for myself.

Now I'm going to be honest and admit I avoid the US like the plague.  In the past ten years I can count on one hand how many times I've been there.  Not much considering I live an hour away from the border.  But my few experiences had me driving on non-maintained roads, filthy cities, graffiti, and a major segregation issue.  Heaven forbid I find myself, a white Canadian, in a black community. Black people are not segregated in Canada, they do not have a community of their own.  They blend in with the rest of us just as much as any other minority.  And they aren't full of racial anger.  So it's not like I have a fear of black people, but hearing of drive by shootings, crime, lack of gun control, prejudice and hatred definitely doesn't feel very welcoming.

But I wanted to see the shop and decided to put my fears aside and cross that boarder and head down for the six hour drive.  I decided to head toward Buffalo's border rather than the Port Huron border as I had heard of Detroit's (or maybe it was Michigan altogether) state of bankruptcy.  The highways in my limited experience were already in poor shape, I figured they were in even worse state now if city and road work were the first to be cut in an attempt to fix their budget.  Besides, Google insisted I head toward the Buffalo border, a three hour drive away, instead of the Port Huron border only an hour away.  Not sure if I'm right, but I think Google somehow is aware of road closures or delays and redirects you accordingly.

So since driving to Buffalo meant I would be driving more hours in Canada than the US, I took Google's advice and headed that way.  There was barely anyone at the border and we crossed over smoothly.  Google must have been correct as the highway was clean and well-maintained.  Happily, it remained that way for the entire trip.  Actually, I was pleasantly surprised how beautiful upper New York was and particularly upper Pennsylvania.  Upper Pennsylvania in the fall is breathtaking.  The state is mainly forested and hilly so you can imagine the scenery we encountered.  I only wish I was passenger rather than driver to have enjoyed the view.

My camera did not do the scenery justice.

Anyway, we arrived at the Freedom Farm Harvest Festival around 2:00---much later than the six hours Google allotted, however we made frequent stops along the way for potty breaks, lunch and to top up gas.  We were greeted at the farm by the King's only sister, Elizabeth (Bitty).  She was super friendly and asked us lots of questions then directed us to where we were to park.  The entrance fee was $5.00/person and I thought that would be the only charge with the exception of food and drinks.  However, we had to pay for every activity we wanted to participate at which was kind of shocking.  I've never been to a fall festival where I had to pay for any additional costs on top of the entrance fee.

But I paid it without much complaint because I had driven all that way and I wanted Bambino to enjoy all they had to offer.  Which included a pony ride and petting zoo.

Paying for a pony ride really wasn't an issue as it can be expensive to rent them (I know, we use to run a petty zoo and pony rides) and I was impressed they brought a big enough pony for those bigger kids like Bambino.  It's been a long while since he rode a pony and he enjoyed it.  The petting zoo however was a joke.  It was included in the price of the pony ride but unless you didn't pay for the pony then you couldn't have enjoyed the petting zoo.  Which really wouldn't have been a big loss as they brought only a guinea pig, a single chicken, two miniature pigs and a rabbit.

Hardly worth the price of admission.  Next, the Bambino tried out the pumpkin catapult which was by far his favourite activity but also cost me more money.

There was also a bouncy castle thing that cost money for him to jump on, a sky-high trampoline apparatus that he did not try for his fear of heights but also cost money as well as a cost to have his face painted.

However, there was some hay bales for climbing free of charge.

As well as a hay ride also free of charge.

There were tents set up where I thought I'd have the opportunity to taste some of Lisa's home-cooking or farm raised food, however there were only a confectionery stand and a popcorn stand but sadly not even a sausage or hotdog stand.  I was, however, greatly impressed with their massive field of vegetables.

Accustomed to seeing endless fields of corn or soy beans, it was astounding to see so much land used primarily for growing vegetables. Even more astonishing is that they plant all of it by hand and use no herbicides or insecticides.

We spent about an hour at the festival and then headed for our hotel.  We did not meet any other Kings even though we spotted some familiar faces from a distance.  To be honest we did not feel they were very approachable as they seemed to be socializing with friends or family rather than interacting or mingling with guests, and quite frankly I didn't feel comfortable taking photos of them as I didn't want to come off as a stalker. :)

Tired from a long drive, we checked into our hotel and attempted to connect with their free wifi service.  For whatever reason our ipad was not working properly and we were unable to get internet.  We were hoping to get directions to the New Kensington Cafe and have dinner there but without directions we had no idea where it was.  There is a GPS on our iphone but we turned it off because of roaming charges so no help there either.  Oh well, I figured, we planned on stopping off at the market shop in the morning and would get directions from someone there to the New Ken Cafe where we would have lunch instead the following day. Someone at the market shop was for certain be able to give us driving directions.  So instead, we ate at the hotel, enjoyed a nice swim at their pool geared toward children.

Had a nice soak in the hot tub and called it an early night as we were so tired from getting up early and being on the road so long.  The following morning we got a free complimentary breakfast at the hotel then checked out and finally headed for the market shop which was my main reason for coming.

The shop was overflowing with fresh vegetables and fruits, preserves, canned goods, homemade crafts, licensed attire and had a general cozy country feeling.  Exactly what I envisioned.

There were no Kings at the shop which surprised us as we had thought that Dan King was the primary storekeeper and thought we would have seen him there for sure.  Nevertheless we browsed all they had, took photos and bought some Freedom Farms sweatshirts.  The only thing I noticed that I would have greatly improved on was their "meat counter".  Which wasn't really a meat counter but a freezer with meat tossed inside.  Married to a Butcher I know the importance of a neat and tidy meat counter that is both easily labelled and laid out.  But giving the Kings some slack, I do know the meat is something they are just getting into and according to the show don't have a lot of experience or knowledge in.

Kids in front of the shop.

 As we checked out I asked the clerk for directions to the New Kensington Cafe hoping we'd drive over there for lunch.  To my surprise she told me she didn't know how to give me directions and that I could just "type the address into your GPS".  I told her I didn't have a GPS or access to the internet and still she was unable to give me directions.  She was however able to direct me to Boldy's Homemade Goodies which was just down the road.

I did feel that was bad salesmanship on their part.  Getting directions to one of their other locations was something I certainly think they should have been able to provide.  Ironic that last night I watched the episode where they are struggling to get business to the New Ken Cafe.  Pointing customers in the right direction might be a good start.

So anyhow, Boldy's turned out to be very very tiny but we were able to buy some sweet goodies from them but again was surprised the place was not being managed by a King.  However while we were in there contemplating what baked goods to buy for the long drive home, Pete King stopped in for some coffee.  He greeted us with a smile but did not stop to chat.  Even when my son made obvious loud comments about recognizing him.  Maybe it was too early in the morning, who knows and like I said, this is a working family and I can appreciate that and certainly don't want to hold up anyone from doing their job.  Another King boy showed up shortly after him but we are new to the show and don't have all nine brothers faces and names down pat so wasn't sure which one he was though he definitely was one of the younger brothers.  It occurred to us later as we drove out of Butler County munching down on Boldy's Bakery donuts that this was the only Freedom Farm food we had the chance to taste.  Or at least I assume so as it is owned by the Kings.  Admittedly, we were disappointed that we drove over six hours and were unsuccessful in tasting any of their homecooked goodness.  I suppose we could and should have asked Pete King for directions to the New Ken Cafe.  Surely he would have been able to give us directions.  Or at least one would hope so.  Oh well, maybe next time.

Goat Breeding

We were concerned that Caesar, our billy goat, was unable to perform.  He was unsuccessful last year in breeding our female goats so when Farm Girl went out west to work for the summer I convinced her to sell all of her goats.  Well all of them except her favourite doe, Faun, and Caesar the billy goat.  She really liked the looks of him and wasn't ready to give up on him so kept the two as a breeding pair.  I had my doubts until the woman she sold the does to emailed her and told her, Gabby, the older goat who had kidded in the past had thrown her a baby goat, thus confirming Caesar was not impudent. So we waited all summer for Faun to throw her baby but it never happened.  Meanwhile, Caesar obtained an injury and had twisted his leg severely.  It eventually healed but we worried he did not have the strength to stand on it for a successful breeding.  So we have been contemplating what to do with him since it is now breeding season and we really want our new goats impregnated so we can have milk in the spring.  We do not want to miss yet another breeding season.  So while we contemplated and searched the want ads and kijiji, we were pleasantly surprised the other day when standing in the barn and watching over the goats to see two female does in obvious heat flirting with Caesar, and then to see him mount and breed them!  Yes, he did.  Twice.  At least.  So we will be having kid goats in the spring after all.  Yay, so excited.

If you would like to see what a successful breeding looks like, watch this video.  The signal that he was successful is the throwing back of his head when he is finished.

Stall Change

Yesterday I slipped into the barn unnoticed by the ewes and their lambs.  Usually, when I enter the barn, my presence creates a lot of welcome cries from hungry sheep, goats or whatever else is in the barn wanting my attention.  However, the door was already open so I slipped in quietly and headed over to Stilts stall where he shared it with his mother and sister (who has been renamed Bonnie).  I keep a dog pen in the stall so that Stilts can escape to somewhere safe if he felt it needed and also where I keep his bottle out of reach of his mother.  I was pleasantly surprised to find him cuddling in a part of the stall outside of his pen next to his sister and mother.  The trio had finally bonded.  Not that she had gone so far as to allow him to nurse, but at last she was accepting his presence.  So I decided to make the next big move.  All three of them would join the nursing pen.  Mom and sister had already been to the nursing pen but after Bonnie's accident, they have spent the past week in Stilts stall, which was great cause they were finally given the chance to reconnect.  But we needed the stall and since Bonnie looked healed enough and Stilts was strong enough and clever enough, I felt it was safe to send them all to the nursing pen.

Of course Stilts' pen came with him but other than drinking from his bottle, he rarely used it all day.  And at bedtime, he found a quiet spot outside the pen in the stall to bed down for the night.  I'd say everything is going smoothly now but we noticed one of our ewe lambs named Celine has been crying a lot for the past two days and today I noticed a drop in weight.  I watched her and her mom for a while and her mother hadn't rejected her but she wasn't allowing her to drink neither.  But, that said, I barely noticed any of the lambs nursing.  I wondered if the ewe wasn't getting enough milk but mom looks plenty full to me but for safe measures I brought her out a bottle which she gulped down happily.  I may just have two bottle lambs after all.

Which is okay because this little girl is very small.  This is Celine next to Annie who is only a week older than her.

Annie on the left, Celine on the right.

But Annie has been a big lamb ever since she was born.  But again, I don't mind, I love bottle lambs.  They are super friendly.  Anyway, the reason we needed Stilts' stall was because we thought it was high time Blossom came in from the pasture.

She still hadn't gotten use to us humans and trying to catch her was becoming an issue.  So we are enforcing close confinement.  We'll have that filly loving us in no time!

Milking Mommas

It's funny how I say that never again will I allow a certain livestock back on the farm.

A livestock that has graced the hills of the farm once before but who were not a good match for me.

Who's escape escapades drove me to near insanity, who's droppings covered my front porch, who's mouth's devoured my favourite lillies in the garden, happen to be Farm Girl's favourite farm animal.

And who also happen to be in milk and have just weaned their kids.

Welcome to the farm!

Moving to the Barn

Stilts finally accepted a bottle nipple.

 So I was able to move him to the barn before he began to think he was a house pet.

He's even begun eating some hay.

My boy is getting bigger.

Lamb Outing

Today I let mother ewe and her ewe lamb outside for the first time.

Her ram lamb became my bottle lamb after she rejected him.  He was all legs so we nicknamed him Stilts.

He has so won my heart.

Anyway, I had already taken him outside yesterday as I wanted to make sure he associates with the flock and understands he is a sheep and not a human...or worse, a dog.  With his sister outside I figured what better time then to reinforce his flock bond.

Stilts has now adopted himself to me and when out with the flock doesn't mistake another mother ewe as his own.

The two older black lambs are first to greet him.

My pasture teddy bear of course couldn't resist giving a little affection.

His mother and sister.  

Since he shadowed me around the pasture and not mingling with the other lambs or sheep, I left him abandoned among st them.

Surprisingly, my ewe Beth was the first adult to show him some love.

Then his sister sat down next to him and the large ewe lamb born a couple days earlier also joined them.

Sister gives her little brother some loving.

Mom comes over to investigate and for the first time did not try to kill him.

Blossom decided to give the lambs some loving also.