Blog

Reforesting the Home Place For 5 generations we have farmed the Home Place for a living, and through that time it’s hard to argue that our practices did not have a mostly negative impact on the land and ecology. However, to make a living farming, we had to continue planting, fertilizing, and applying pesticides to the row crops produced on this ground, year after year. The advent of no-till farming (paradoxically thanks to advanced herbicides and GMO technology) helped slow the topsoil loss, but the soil life and ecological loss continued. I do not mention this because I think that...

I’ve mentioned my dad in many posts and interviews in small attempts to describe him and his influence on me and HPP. Here’s another attempt at the same and a quick note of gratitude for my old man. Brief intro to my father Dad farmed the Home Place for a living his entire adult life. He will be 82 in October. He still works, bakes biscuits every week, and fixes most of the plumbing and electric issues in his home (which he built himself). He is more active than most folks half his age.  For those of you who have...

A year and six months after starting our laying hen operation, we have learned a few things. While we did "ok" with the girls our first year, we suffered from slow and persistent death loss from predation, poorly trained/ utilized guard dogs, and pervasive egg eating among the flock. The fertility our hens brought to the pasture was incredible, but the aforementioned issues contributed to declining lay rates and therefore declining egg revenue throughout our first year. To solve these persistent but fixable problems on the next round, focus, time, and attention are required.  We are faced with the reality...

  Is there anything finer than tenderly braised beef shanks served over mashed potatoes or polenta on a cold winter day?  Cross-Cut Beef Shanks or Beef Osso Bucco are one of our favorite things this time of year, and no one cooks them better than our Chef and Farm Store Manager Brad Hayden.  Brad has offered up a simple, and delicious recipe for Braised Beef Shanks that you will fall in love with. Once you get the prep done, this meal comes together easily. The best part is that it can be left in the oven to cook while you...