Old Fashioned Traditions

Sustainable beyond-organic farming of heirloom vegetables, herbs, and fruits as well as pasture raised animals.

Welcome to Old Fashioned Traditions!

Nearly everything I do is based on old methods--reculturable dairy products, original cheese recipes, true smoked meats, grass fed pastured animals raised in harmony with the land, homemade quilts. This is a beyond organic old fashioned and time tested proper way of doing things homegrown here on the farm. It is truly sustainable.

The reason I decided to look back and forego the modern methods of farming is because the pasture based system works better. It is sustainable, the animals are healthier, the land does not get destroyed, and I can feed my family and others without destroying the environment.

Most of all, culturing dairy and raising pastured animals, gardening and offering CSA’s, eggs, and more, is not difficult to do it this way, it is not expensive to do it this way, and for centuries, it has worked without poisoning the environment and fed millions of families world-wide. Our modern agriculture is killing our soil, the run off poisons creeks, rivers, and oceans--polluting water supplies that are very important to everyone, everywhere.

For the most part, the recipes I follow and methods used are based on pre WWII information. The breads are allowed to slowly rise with freshly ground grains. The quick breads like Banana and Friendship are a wonderful treat to share with friends and family. The sourdough cultures are all unique and vary in flavor. The white, wheat, and rye breads are all family friendly and filled with nutrition and flavor unlike their distant store bought cousins. The French bread is deliciously flaky and flavorful while the cinnamon rolls welcome in even the most early of mornings.

There is also a bread CSA being offered this season.

The reason I chose this time as a cut off is that after WWII, many things in agriculture and the home changed. People moved off the family farm, the family farm turned into a large corporate monster, antibiotics have been used in mass quantity, we depend on petroleum products, and most importantly, we are no longer connected to our food supply or even how to prepare it. Organic and self-sufficiency was lost. Real soap is a rare find, most cleansers in the stores are full of toxic chemicals that require gloves and proper ventilation to be used in the home.

Today, how many know how to make bread? Sourdough or Yeast loaves? Classes are being offered. Do you know that there are many types of ketchup and that tomato is just one of them? How do you butcher a hog and make sausage? Or just make potato sausage? Homemade puddings? Jams and jellies?

Some things are easy; some things are more difficult and messy. But all can be fun and adventurous!

Many of the items listed in the next pages are available for purchase off the farm or at markets. Please feel free to contact us for further information.

Again this year a vegetable CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) will be offered as well as pastured pork, pastured chickens and turkeys, and numerous classes to take so you can also learn how to make stuff the old fashioned way!

And for those who are going to ask anyway--no, I do not have a TV in the house. I have no mobile phone service at the farm either. You can call and leave a message but I have to leave the farm to return your call or text. It is very peaceful and quiet here and I don't have to deal with the distractions of terrible (and addictive) TV shows!

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