No update yet on our urban farm, much to my chagrin. Trying to be patient, as it has only been a week since I made my grand announcement to feed the entire neighborhood. My eagerness to get started was fueled this past weekend. My parents, who are big foodies with green thumbs (and money to spend), arranged for an informal tour of a family farm in Taylor, TX (just 45 minutes away from Austin). The farm sparked my dad's interest in part to its stock of organic meats for sale.
I have to admit, before we arrived at
Fresh Pastures Farm, I hadn't done any research on where we were going or what we were visiting. In fact, we almost got lost going there because my dad's Tom Tom was still set for New Orleans (where my brother got married a few weeks ago). So naturally, I pictured we would be visiting Old McDonald's farm with a big red barn, a petting zoo and a patch of bluebonnets in which we could take the obligatory family photo. I even asked Dax to wear a white shirt to match Cruz in his overalls and white shirt.
When we pulled up, I was actually quite embarrassed at first to see a humble residential dwelling, with a small parking space for a few animal trailers, and, from what I could see, a gate that led to a wide, empty field. Where were the animals? Where was the barn? Where were the bluebonnets?? I was not yet ready to admit that I drove nearly an hour to tour someone's backyard. You don't live on a farm just because your street address includes the name "County Road" followed by a few random numbers!!!!
Since my dad made the arrangements, we made him knock on the door. A few minutes later, we were greeted by a pretty little woman with long hair in a pony tail and a golden tan. She stood about 5'1, but had a firm handshake and a kind smile.
I was both surprised and delighted -- no enamored -- with what I saw: from the dogs she rescued to protect the cooking and laying chickens in their portable chicken coops, to the picturesque ducks that swam in the water tank luring Cruz to swim, to Billy the goat and his three female friends, to the pigs who responded by their name at the back end of the farm before making mud pies, and the cows that grazed peacefully around the 30-acre pasture. This woman was amazing. She started her farm after finding out the origins of most food in your local grocery store. For not even a year, she has created a new lifestyle for her and her family, dedicated to sustainable and humane agriculture.
She does this through Mixed Intensive Grazing (MIG): a livestock farming method characterized by rotation of stock among multiple paddocks to allow the forage crop and the soil to rest. AKA - how farming was supposed to be before consumption demanded the overfarming methods major companies use today. It is a cycle of eating and pooping - in short. Cows graze first, starting with tall grass. Goats come in next, eating what the cows don't. The flies that plant their larva in the poop become food for the chickens for the next rotation. Their poop provides nitrates back into the soil. The rabbits, in a separate pen, also provided much-needed compost to her organic vegetable garden. It was brilliant!
I also couldn't get over the fact that the rescued Great Pyranese dogs were put to work and instinctively and with no training protected the animals from coyotes, owls, buzzards and other predators. Their old pet Basset Hound has begrudgingly become the young chickens' protector. Even the cats who followed us around had a purpose! Cruz also had a blast looking at all the animals he previously only saw in books. Wow, a cow really DOES say moo! The tour conveniently ended in their processing building where my parents spent a pretty penny on some good, organic and cleanly processed meat.
I wanted so badly to either be a part of that farm or start my own. Except I don't even really eat that much meat. A vegetarian for 10 years, Brie was now eating meat nearly every day. Nothing goes to waste on her farm. Chicken carcasses make for delicious stock and ham hocks are a nice treat for the loyal dogs. If you are ever in need of any real meat, you can visit their website and pre-order, but hurry as they sell out fast. (Also, the pork ribs tend to disappear and magically reappear in her husband's grill.)
I felt so energetic and inspired when I left the farm. I'm ready to start my garden, but without a plan or general know-how, I'm stuck. Alas, I don't have the time or energy right now to research it on my own. So, I'll try to wait patiently until I hear from Urban Patchwork. Until then, I'll have to visualize my community garden and stick with Cruz' animal see and say!
As I mother, I want to be able to provide the best for Cruz. Does that mean spending $24.95 (GASP!) on these Melissa & Doug cardboard blocks? I mean, these are top of the line learning toys. How adorable are they?! He loves stacking stuff, and come on, who am I to deny him the opportunity to learn and create art [...out of cardboard]??? 
