This post may be short and sweet but that's the nature of the game when you're running a farm and still working a full time job and a part time job at the same time. People say to me all the time, "I don't know how you do it." Truthfully, I don't either but it just gets done and that's the main thing. We have been super busy which means we are super blessed. Harvest Moon Grille is now open in our home town with well known Chef Cassie Parsons at the helm. Her menu features complete farm to table awesomeness and it has brought something completely new and fresh to the area. Reviews have been great and this means greatness for us because we've been supplying produce to the restaurant on a weekly basis. Cassie and her staff have been awesome to work with. We couldn't be happier. You can check our their website and menu
HERE.
Our Farmer's Market sales have really done well. We were very nervous about stepping in to that unknown territory and the other vendors have been extremely welcoming. We are in the midst of transitioning from Spring crops to Fall so we have lots of things in various stages of growth. We are getting ready to butcher the pigs and we have added Freedom Ranger meat chickens to the menu. We hope to be licensed to be able to sell pasture raised chicken, with no hormones and no antibiotics, as well as pasture raised pork to the public. We are extremely excited about this addition to what we can offer to the community.
And, of course, September at Ellis Farms means it's molasses season, so cooking begins this weekend. We have enough planted to probably be cooking for the next 4 or 5 weekends. We will be selling quarts and pints. We will have enough to sell from the farm, at the market, and also to the restaurant who has been using our molasses in some of their menu items.
The other exciting thing happening this month is that we were invited to be a part of this year's Charlotte Area Farm Tour. It takes place the weekend of the 27th and 28th and includes 15 farms. From 12pm until 6pm each day, folks can visit as many of the participating farms as they can fit in. Each farm offers different activities and things to learn, as well as items to purchase directly from the farmer. We are extremely excited to be a part of the tour this year. We'll be doing a hay ride tour of the farm, a molasses making demonstration, and meeting all of our animals. We will also have a produce stand set up with molasses and other goodies for sale. If you'd like to learn more or to purchase a ticket, click
HERE.
Last but not least, we have a new family member. We traveled to Trade, Tennessee a brought home a new puppy. The kids have decided to name him Cotton. He is a Great Pyrenees and is a livestock guardian dog and will live with the chickens and goats as their protector. We are busy getting him adjusted to his new home and learning the "rules" regarding the animals that he's to take care of. The kids absolutely love him and his fluffy soft white fur. He is going to be a big boy and we are happy to have him.
Til next time,
Audra
