A night away, a curious hen, and something new from the farm

Asa and I did something we haven’t done in over three years: we left the farm overnight, together!

A few years ago, we could get away once or twice a year when we took animals to processing. Back then, we had a few “Worker Guys,” as Farmhand 4 called them, and the grandmas could stay with the Farmhands. Then we hit a stretch with fewer employees, and without my mom, coordinating everyone at home became harder.

This fall, we’ve found a sweet spot. The farm chores have eased up, and now that Farmhand 1 can drive, he can help the others handle the daily tasks. I don’t think we’ll be booking a week on a beach anytime soon, but spending a night away together felt wonderful. We got to finish conversations without interruptions, reconnect, and rest a little.

We went to a screening of Save the Farm, Save the Future, a film about integrating solar energy and food production on farms. I’d love for you to watch it and start a conversation about it in your community. I’ll share more of my thoughts in tomorrow’s Food for Thought email.

I also checked something off my list this summer: farm merchandise!

For years, I’ve wanted something that tells a little more of our farm’s story beyond what ends up on your table. I considered shirts, hats, and stickers, but landed on tote bags. They’re useful, easy to gift or ship, and there’s no need to guess anyone’s size. The gusseted bottom even makes them handy for carrying eggs.

We have four designs, each inspired by a real photo from our farm. I’ll share them one at a time, starting with “Sorry I’m late, I saw a Chicken.”

Chickens are such a big part of life here. The WinniEggos travel across the pastures all summer, giving the hens room to roam, and those hens supply us with eggs year-round. Eggs are often what first bring people to Sisu Farms. It’s hard for me to picture our farm without a flock of chickens.

Farmhand 3 will tell you she names every chicken on the farm. If it’s a laying hen, her name is Hanna; the occasional male that arrives with the layers is Carl. In the meat flocks, the females are Mackenzie and the males are Mark. I think she started this system when she began leading some of our preschool farm tours and didn’t have the heart to tell the kids we hadn’t individually named all 1,000 birds strutting around the farm.

Jay Stewart, who has photographed the farm several times over the years, took the picture that inspired this tote. He caught this particular Hanna in the WinniEggo giving him an especially curious look.

I’d love to hear what you think of the design. I’m considering greeting cards next. What else would you like to see it on?

I hope you have a wonderful week. We’re starting ours with a little more rest than usual.

Aila