Dec 12, 2011
Notes from Your Farmer

“You are my hero”.

Someone said that to me last week. They were referring to the jump from the corporate world to farming. “Hero” is an interesting label. I think of a hero as someone who shows great courage or strength of character. Martin Luther King comes to mind, or Lierre Keith. Very different people but they both meet the definition showing great courage, and strength of character. They took a stand for what they believe in and did so peacefully while faced with great adversity and physical harm. Both were/are heroes in my book. I didn’t know MLK and I had a brief introduction to Lierre Keith. Both inspire me to move forward with character and integrity, yet I don’t see myself as a hero. Or at least I don’t feel that way. I wasn’t afraid of jumping into farming, I was excited. I haven’t faced physical threats to my person because I became a farmer…not yet anyway…:).

However, I will comment on something that happens naturally to someone when they take a stand for something they believe in. In today’s media environment it is called “arm chair blogging”. Someone that knows nothing about what you do has an opinion and states that opinion with authority. I find that fascinating. A critique without a clue. It makes for so much loss. Loss in time, energy, and money in some cases. What a sad profession to take up, arm chair blogging. A wasted life in that there is nothing valuable about it. It doesn’t build up a cause, or support a hero or give rise to anything but fear, uncertainty and doubt.

I believe we are all heroes inside and if we didn’t fear public opinion whether it is family, friends, media etc…we would feel courage and show the stamina of character daily. I don’t feel like a hero and maybe that’s because I don’t fear others opinions and have to therefore find “courage” to act. Maybe that is the secret. We are heroes underneath and it is would be a natural way to be if we didn’t have to fear each other every moment.

By the way…as members, you are my heroes. You take a stand for unadulterated food and humanly raised animals in the face of other choices you could make.

In gratitude, Your “Hero” Farmer, Tara Smith

Photo of Rosemary the goat by Nathaniel Coon

Dec 5, 2011
Notes from Your Farmer

When it rains it pours…

I believe in the law of attraction. I have to. Not because it is exciting or inspiring but because it can be dangerous…

3 years ago I had a vision:

To grow and raise organic real food. Did that. Educate our community about real food and offer a better choice than the grocery store. Did that. Do all of this profitably. Did that (one month and counting!).

The point is…I didn’t know how to do all of that. I just had a vision and everything unfolded. It unfolded pretty much to look like what I expected. In fact it unfolded better than I expected.

The “how” was not important. It was the continuous thoughts, way of being, that attracted the how. The how showed up and I acted on it. But the thoughts, oh the thoughts. They are the secret.

So what about the danger? Well, we also talked about teaching future farmers to execute this model and help them into property, be the bank for them so to speak. Why? Because there are so few opportunities for our children to learn farming from a perspective that they could actually be farmers. That it can be a wonderful life and profitable. That they could work outside with nature and make a decent living. But most importantly we need to have the food they would provide. There are so few local farmers. Not enough to feed these two counties, not even close. We are at the mercy of the cheap, processed foods that crowd our grocery stores, fill up our neighborhood quick marts, tempt our kids at their schools through fast vending machines.

Hence the Tara Firma Farms Farm School. A nonprofit. It was the last part of the vision. And it is scary to me that we already have the nonprofit designation. We have the first $15k for startup money and we hired a seasoned, start up, nonprofit, guru to begin it, Pam Hartwell-Herrero. She started Sustainable Fairfax and is now Mayor of Fairfax. She is awesome. I am meeting with local influential people to raise the money to begin. All of that with a thought. Albeit a consistent thought.

The phrase “be careful what you ask for”. Maybe it should be more like “Be aware of what you are thinking about. You are asking the Universe to deliver it and She wants to”.

It was a beautiful day here on the farm.
Come visit.

Your Farmer, Tara Smith

Nov 28, 2011
Notes from Your Farmer

The Night before Thanksgiving
The Cows are ruminating
The Chickens nestled in bed
The Pigs piled up for warmth
The Turkeys are…well…

Hope you enjoyed the feast… :)

Thank you for supporting your food chain.

Your “one link of many” Farmer, Tara Smith

Nov 21, 2011
Notes from Your Farmer

Regarding Food…What really matters?

Picture this…

You just hung up the phone while waiting on hold with the IRS because your boss walked up. He needs the numbers that you were working on last week and didn’t finish, within 2 hours. The layoffs are continuing and you don’t know when you will get yours. The IRS call was all about an audit and your 16 year old was busted at school for pot and has been expelled. The doctor wants you to come back in for another look at that lump and, oh, by the way, you’re broke. Can’t make the house payment and are juggling bills. You have also ignored that your spouse seems to be engaged elsewhere…now how ya doing? Feeling a little stressed out? Do you think that your body may be undergoing any reactions to the buildup of stress in your life?

Now think about a commercial turkey. Vaccinated even before hatching, medicated water after hatching. Raised for 1 month on a cold floor with thousands of other birds, some dead under foot. Put into a pen with hundreds or even thousands of other birds with beak and toe nails clipped so as not to peck the other birds, due to stress. Feathers fall out. Feed is mostly GMO corn or soy and no greens. Grown so big so fast they can’t walk or mate due to weight gain and lack of space. Medications (antibiotics) come along with the food to keep them alive. 3 to 4 months and then they are processed. What do you think about the effects of this life style on the turkey?

Now consider your life - work is going well and is exciting. The projects are on topics you are good at and enjoy. The boss reminds you that you are valuable and not to worry about layoffs. Your children are doing well at school and actually curb their sarcasm because they see their parents are happy and create a lifestyle that fits the family. Life is good and low stress.

Turkeys on pasture…free to roam, eat bugs, worms, slugs and enjoy the sun. Exercising and resting in the grass up on the hill. Warm house to walk into at night that is predator safe. Toms romancing the hens. Life is good and low stress.

It’s all about the stress or lack thereof…it is that simple. Animals raised in low stress environments - plenty of pasture to enjoy, fresh water and sunshine, safe house to sleep in at night, and the ability to be a chicken doing chicken things, or a pig in all its pig-ness or a cow in its cow-ness……or a turkey in its turkey-ness! The lack of stress is the single most important consideration, over everything else.

Consider where your meat comes from...how it was raised. Don’t let marketing fool you into a false sense of healthy eating. If it was not on pasture it doesn’t have the fats, vitamins, minerals, CLA’s, and all the other good stuff we need to sustain a healthy life style. Free range and/or organic does NOT mean pastured!

P.S. I get that you are probably a member and I am preaching to the choir…just wanted to give you another perspective when you talk with friends and family… ;)

Your Farmer, Tara Smith

Nov 14, 2011
Notes from Your Farmer

“This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy”…George Bernard Shaw.

I am feeling “mighty” this early a.m. We feed 300+ families a week. This team of life players is committed to bring to you REAL food. I am reminded of how amazing this group of people is to work with each day because of their willingness to play hard, every day, toward a cause they so believe in. They face criticism that comes from ignorance. They seek out solutions and when none are forthcoming, they create. They face failure each day and overcome by holding a vision they know is right and true. They are valiant and steadfast. They are leaders in uncharted territory and they choose, daily, not to falter.

It is a pleasure to serve them. As you sit down to your Thanks Giving table this year, raise your glass to this young, strong, unwavering team of leaders. Your table is full of their efforts, hearts and soul.

Your Grateful Farmer…Tara Smith

Notes from the Turkeys
Here are some facts about me! Did you know that:

• I can weigh up to 38 pounds! Can you imagine me on your dinner table!
• We lay about 18 eggs at a time and it takes about 30 days for us to hatch.
• After hatching we are called “Poults”.
• I have over 5000 feathers and 157 bones.
• I can fly up to 55 mph and run about 18 mph
• That funny thing hanging over my beak is called a “Snood” and the other floppy thing under my chin is called a “Wattle”!
• I live outside and eat lots of grass, bugs, vegetation that is all around me
• I am smarter than an Eagle and frankly more respectable. I find my own food where as the Eagle is a scavenger.
• Ben Franklin wanted me to be the National Bird. Here is an excerpt from a letter he sent to his daughter:

"For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labor of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.

"With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country...
"I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on."

Whew! Order up your turkey today so you can free your mind for other tasks in the busy holidays!

Your Snoody Farmer…Tara Smith

Oct 24, 2011
Pumpkins on Pikes!

It’s Festival Time, here at the farm
Children and parents carve alike
500 pumpkins in all their glory
Each sit upon a pike.

Looking out across the garden
500 pumpkins look back
The fun, the food, the smiles on children
The orange glows against the black

Floating faces of all shapes, glowing in the night
The sun goes down, the candles light
The view is such an amazing site.

But more is happening here than we know
The pumpkins see it, their smiles grow
The community of family, seeds of friendship will sow
They bask in their efforts of the pumpkin glow.

Each year we meet celebrating the season
Each year we come back for a simple reason
To commune, to play, to share a toast
Drink pumpkin beer or a marshmallow roast

We come to remember that we are all one
We come to experience that oneness in fun
Enjoy your Halloween next week
The turkeys come next, and they are a Treat!

Happy Harvest and Halloween!

Your Farmer Tara Smith