Cedarmore Farm CSA: Farm Day 2012

Monday, June 18, 2012

A Great Day On The Farm

Finally 'real people' get to come to the farm and see what I see and feel what I feel every time I go to the farm...it's Farm Day at Cedarmore Farm!

The siding is on the house.

Chores on the farm still have to be done even if company is coming.

We first toured the greenhouses.

Albert, the calf, got lots of lovin' all day long.

We walked the fields.

And learned about fallow fields.

Even the purple martin has a job...eating all the small insects that might be harmful to the plants.

When the goats heard and saw us they ran away as fast as they could in the other direction..

We all got to feed the chickens...which was a big hit with the kids, young and old!

Gathering the eggs was fun too!

And there were a lot to gather.

The three little pigs.

Don't get too attached to this cute little face...he will not be named...and you know what that means!

Transportation for the day down to Highland Haven Farm was done by wagon ride.

And one of Lizzie's sisters, Susan, provided buggy rides.

This is the view that I had on the way to the Organic Farm talk at Highland Haven Farm.

After having shared a dinner meal with all of my new Amish friends and my new CSA blog reading friends...it looked like we better head for home because a rain was brewing. Just one big happy family and that it just the way I like it!

We had a great time walking around the farm. I think Andy was just a little nervous and I don't know enough about Organic Amish farming to talk about. I could only relate stories that Andy and Lizzie had told me or things I have learned from reading.

I am hoping that they want to make this a yearly tradition because I know I am ready for it!

Friday, June 15, 2012

A Little About Farm Day Tomorrow

I am so excited tomorrow is just around the corner. We get to spend the day on the farm with Andy, Lizzie and the kids and learn more about organic farming. From talking to everyone I can say they there will be lots of things to see and do. I am hoping to meet lots of our readers!

When talking to Andy we decided that I might want to lay some ground rules...really only one. It is a hard one for me too, so if I can do it you should be able to also. If you have noticed in all the shots I take of the farm there are never any people. There is a strong reason for that! The Amish have a set of rules called the Ordnung. It is the foundation for the Amish community. It contains all the 'rules' that the Amish community must adhere to. From then width of a man's hat to the length of a woman's dress. Click here to read more about the Ordnung. This is not the real document...only someone trying to put it in terms we can understand. I find it to be very interesting.

The big question that I am sure that is going thru your mind...'Will we be allowed to take pictures?' Andy, Lizzie and I discussed this on more thtn one occasion. Because we are on the farm and lots of us are not used to seeing farm animals or vegetables growing in a garden, we will be able to take shots of the English enjoying that. The Amish (Andy and Lizzie feel very strongly about this issue) feel that photos and videos, posing for pictures are an unacceptable act of pride. Please be respectful of the Amish religion and refrain from taking shots of the Amish during the day.

While visiting Cedarmore please be considerate of the Amish lifestyle. They are very private community. The men may be more open to communicating with the English that plan to visit the farms. You might hear the Amish speaking to each other in Pennsylvania Dutch. The children learn to speak English while in school but at home they speak Pennsylvania Dutch. Sometimes Anna and Dennis start talking to me and I just have to smile and wait for Andy or Lizzie to translate for me. I have learned a few words and Anna is trying to learn some English words. Sometimes it is a real challenge.

I know that Andy, Lizzie and their family and friends have been working hard to make this a fun and informative day for us. Please take time out to let them know what you enjoyed and what you learned.

See you on the farm!

In The Beginning

Andy and Lizzie have known each other since they were very small. Growing up in an Amish community there are plenty of opportunities to play and work together. They grew up in the same church but went to different schools. Several years ago they moved from Wayne County, OH to right outside Hillsboro, OH and established Cedarmore Farm. The farm got it's name very simply...in Wayne County there were very few cedar or sycamore trees . When Andy and Lizzie got here, they noticed an abundance of cedar and sycamore trees on the land. So they just merged the two names and Cedarmore Farm was born. They have worked very hard in the few years that they have been farming the land. Andy and Lizzie are in the process of building their house and hopefully they will be able to move into the upstairs this spring. We can only see good things in their future farming experiences. And we wish them well.

Not only is Cedarmore growing fruits and vegetables. The Andy's have a growing family. They have four of the most precious children! Anna, who is excited about going to school this fall. Dennis who follows Andy around like his shadow. Moses who is doing well after a little run-in with the pigs. And Lovina who is the youngest at 9 months.

Then there is a new season on the farm. In the winter (Jan 2015), the Andy's packed up and moved to MO leaving the CSA in the most capable hands of John and Anna (Anna is Andy's twin sister) Zook and there 7 children. They changed the name of their farm to Cedarmore Farm so we English wouldn't be too confused. So the work has begun to provide lush healthy vegetables for the CSA season 2015 which begins in May.