art

some photos of Chuck and Nancy's visit to the farm!







We took a day trip to the coast which was very fun and productive...

'


(I took some licence with color:)

Also the this is the chicken won by Joseph in the "id that mystery jar" contest -- this is a silver point a new medium chuck has introduced me too - Joseph you get the first one ... : ) I'm very happy with it.. and the cool thing is it's drawn with silver wire and it will continue to tarnish with time and get more beautiful!! : )

hay art and great friends!

Chuck (my mentor from art school!) and his wife Nancy both of whom are fantastic painters have been here for a week now and it's been just a great visit! with lots of artistic inspiration happening!! - Chuck left me with a new drawing tool called silver point more on that when I post pictures of new creations!... This all helped me get moving on the new labels which are finally finished - I'll get some better art of them up soon too!






in the mean time Duane got us 4 ton of hay so we are well on our way to out winter stores! Thanks Duane! and the garden is just booming - and Brian is now getting in our winter crops! whew it never stops...

comming soon!

three new Big Table Farm wine labels are deep in the creative process this is one we are NOT using the new ones should be done by the end of this weekend : )

we'll be bottling two pinots and the 2007 syrah in august!! yippie!!

as summer rolls on -

Haying season is in full swing around here and it's a painters paradise right now long days and great light - time to get to it clare!! this barn is next - coming soon ...


In the mean time Brian had a great 40th celebration! and the big table chicken we smoked was just divine!! Kim and Scott you where with us in spirit via the smoker which has gotten TONS of use this summer I think this is the 4x we have fired it up in 2 months! : )








We got our next round of meat chicks the 17th as well so it's looking like beginning of October well have another 50 birds and will most likely have a few to sell along with some stewing hens... these are the colored range broilers and our second batch from this hatchery we where VERY pleased with the others!



and just when you think it's still summer we've got 4 cords of wood ready to be stacked in the shed for winter - that's a good feeling...



and last but not least clementine enjoying the left over ham bone from Joleen the chickens are trying to move in for a little but she's not ready to share : )

Nocino it is

Nice job Joseph! - whew glad that bike ride was fruitful!!

Your chicken awaits! congrats and nice job on figuring it out !!

(Matt B., Tom T. and Dave P. I'm frankly disappointed in you three fellow nocino makers : ) xx c

(honorable mention goes to sur lie :)

Blog Contest!!

OK so just for fun - Because I don't have enough projects (not) and I wanted to do a little contest - partially to see how many of you lurkers I can get to post! : ) - The first prize is an original pen and ink drawing of a chicken by me... the contest is to properly identify the contents of these jars and the resulting product in the comments section of this post the first person to do so wins!! there are no hints! :) happy guessing!

36 birds off the farm bright and early

The first of our 2009 meat birds are off to slaughter this morning - it's a super day for it as it's cool and the transport shouldn't be to hard on them. The chickens are the only animals we don't' do on-farm slaughter with. It's not that I care less about them it's just way to much work to process that many birds I've done enough to know that at $2.50 a bird it's much better to hire it out and mineral spring does a super clean humane job! So off they went we are doing 1/2 Cornish Cross and 1/2 Color Range broilers I'm excited to taste the range broilers as they are a slower growing breed, they are naturally better suited to natural rearing (full pasturing, free range, etc.…) and seem to be hardier and just all around nicer looking birds than the cornish cross that being said this is the nicest looking batch of cornish cross yet. - ok - off to tend to the rest of the kids out there and morning is slipping away and I need to get some big time office work done today!!

BEFORE


AFTER

at someone elses big table

This is not a wedding but a fablouse foodie event called Outstanding in the Field -



We where honored to be asked to join Ned Lud, The guest Chef -yesterday to pour our wine with their outstanding in the field meal at Ford Farm! - the day featured Brian's and my favorite farm animals - the infamous smoker on loan to Ned Lud from Big Table Farm and some incredible food!! If you can make one of these events next time they roll into town I highly recommend it!!

Farm livin'

Last night we had a wonderful farm dinner.. we had an really great group thanks to all that came... Brian smoked the Ham and it was the best one yet (thank you Joleen! the pig)

no more needs to be said...