This week, I bought meat from a local farm, Snoep Winkle Farm. They are located in Branchville, NJ. I first learned about Snoep Winkle because they sell their eggs at Whole Foods.

They sell grass fed chickens, pork, beef, and lamb as well.

From Snoep Winkle Farm:

“The more we learned about the conventional methods by which most livestock are raised, the more convinced we became that we wanted our animals to be raised as God intended – eating grass as the basis of their diet.

We do not give our animals steroids, growth hormones, nor sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics. Raising the animals on pasture is not only good for their diet, but is also the way they were intended to be raised. Their manure is directly applied to the fields by the animals themselves, thus fertilizing the pastures.”

I think it is so important to support our local farmers. It is critical for our health, our family’s well being and  the survival of the earth. Does that seem extreme? Maybe.

I know it is more expensive. If you pay attention to portion control and eat less. It all works out in the end.

Tom and I have been going to the farmer’s market every Sunday. I love to buy sheep yogurt and sheep cheese from Valley Shepherd Creamery in Long Valley, NJ.  It is so delicious! I buy 1/4 pound and that is our cheese for the week.

I love my little back yard garden this year. It is so nice to go out every morning to pick lettuce for a salad. Pretty soon, I will have tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini and cute little red potatoes! I have connected with other people who know more about it than I do. It is a wonderful community and we all learn from each other.

Do you have a garden? What do you like to grow?

Happy Gardening!

Love,

Mary