Fair Hill Farmstead Life Judith Horvath, Fair Hill Farm

About my visit to Polyface, introducing a friend to the community, clients who become connected friends, what's in the works, and more.  

Growing up on the salty shores of the south, Sandy spent her years in the gym eating Hormel Chili and TV dinners. Married to her best friend of 38 years, attending (as she puts it) her Mother-In-Law’s ‘School of Dirt’, then homeschooling 5 children, and loving 9 grandchildren, it’s been quite the journey. She has become a Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Sports Nutritionist, Gym Owner, Garden Designer and Founder of East Tennessee Homestead Alliance, where she and her husband embrace heritage skills, cultivate community and equip the next generation. www.wildbodyschool.com on FB: East Tennessee Homestead Alliance

Philip Hartman, inventor and CEO of InstaFarm, launched the world’s first soil-based fully recyclable and compostable microgreen robotic countertop micro farm in March 2023. He’s in Colorado, where he lives and this cool little machine is manufactured.  It's designed so that fresh, nutrient dense beyond-organic food is as fresh as humanly possible, traveling from harvest to plate as fast as you can snip and serve. Going forward, expect upgrades - next on his menu are mushrooms and garden starts.  www.instafarm.ag
  

Austin Frerick is the author of bestselling book “Barons – Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry.” He is an expert on agricultural and antitrust policy. He worked at the Open Markets Institute, the U.S. Department of Treasury, and the Congressional Research Service before becoming a Fellow at Yale University. He is a 7th generation Iowan and 1st generation college graduate, with degrees from Grinnell College and the University of Wisconsin, Madison.  https://www.austinfrerick.com/

Let’s talk Progress, year-over-year. One of the things that I hear from people new to homesteading or new to farming and their own food production is overwhelm. I feel for them, because when we first moved into our farm, I was in the same space. Between getting my home set up and wanting to do ALL THE THINGS and just being so pumped for owning my first farm, I felt like a spinning top. And not in a good way.  Today I'm sharing my Seven Rules for keeping your sanity and making steady progress on your farmstead.

This one is for Farmers AND Consumers both. Community support is critical for the survival of small local farms. CSAs are a POWERFUL option for all parties involved. And you likely have one available to you in your area. My family buys a CSA share every year, even though we grow a LOT of produce, meat, dairy and eggs each year.  So let’s have that conversation because I clearly see both sides. Full of tips and info for producers and customers alike. Let's get growing.