Our customers are REALLY growing!!

I mean that literally!! I just got word today of another birth due this year to one our familes! That makes 4 so far, 3 sharing their Blessed news just within the past 2 weeks! CONGRATULATIONS!!

We have our own little growing going on as well. 6 of the 9 sows delivered their little families so we have 40+ little pigs all warm, cozy, and snuggled up to their mommas. It’s hard to think of them as someone’s ‘freezer pet’ in the future, when they’re at this age.

I would guess that all the local 4H youth will be calling and coming out buying them for their fair projects soon after they are weaned from their mothers, later on this month. We have 2 more mommas in the barn that will be due to deliver in April..I think. AND..3 Black Angus mommas who also will deliver in April as well.

I’m waiting on a gentleman to come out and add a venting system to the heater in the greenhouse, so that I can be sure of a constant temperature and will be starting the daffodils, tulips and flower seeds I have purchased. It’s so nice to get things growing in there and walk in and get a taste of spring, eventhough there may still be snow outside !

I have one detour from the farm coming up, but that’s only a day or two. My brothers and I will be helping my parents with an auction they are having on May 29th in Summit Township. Doug Chesley will be taking care of that and I guess I’ll be providing the food tent. We’ve been looking for a 1 level home in Summit or Waterford for Mom and Dad now that they are older and need something easier.

The new hens have begun laying–!!! What a long wait it seems to have been! We’ll pick up 60 more hens in late April so come May/June we’ll be able to gather 10 dozen eggs per day for your purchases! That should be more than enough….we hope!!

Headed off the township meeting this evening to hopefully push along a zoning variance for the store to be built, then it’s time to wait on the snow to go!!

Many Blessings to you and yours!

Blaine & Karen

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3 March

Anticipating Spring !

Lately it feels like we are idling fast, with our wheels spinning. Lots to do, lots of things getting done, and then waiting on better weather to accomplish things that have to wait.

I’ve ordered all the seeds for this season, they should be coming in the next day or so. I have (200?) daffodil and tulip bulbs that will be put into the greenhouse in the coming weeks, to force into bloom for Easter. I just LOVE my greenhouse !! The flower seeds will be started first, then I’ll have to curb my intentions and keep from starting the vegetable seeds too early. It’s hard…a fresh BLT is a terrible thing to waste!! :-)

Of the 9 pig litters we have due before the end of March, we have 3 here and are waiting on the other 6 yet. They will be born in that small window of time for 4H youth to purchase and raise for the local fairs. Any left over, are always ready to be ‘adopted’ for your freezer or if you are able to raise them yourself…they will be weaned and ready beginning March 10th.

We added 3 black ANGUS heifers that are bred and are due to deliver in April. This will add to our herd of: Hereford, Hereford-Angus cross, and Jersey cattle. We have a few that are ready to adopt, if you would like the all natural quality beef for your family. We give you the option of paying by the month, and you always have total control over how the animal is processed and packaged.

The end of April we’ll be taking a ride to pick up 60 MORE laying hens to add to the 90 we have now. This will give us at least 10 DOZEN Brown eggs per day to gather, and hopefully NO MORE WAITING LIST for you all!! hurray!

Seems like we add 2 to 5 more milk customers every month yet. Word of mouth is a powerful tool and people are becoming very aware of the food they purchase and consume. The raw milk, especially is a huge draw, plus the fact that the milk is produced and bottled by the same family. Randy and Becky Messinger and family are the nicest people, hard working and enjoy what they do. It’s hard to believe that we are serving over 60 families now each and every week ! We appreciate your support and we know Randy & Becky do as well.

Our country store is coming along nicely. Slow, but that’s to be expected. Once we get the formal ‘go ahead’ from Waterford Township (paperwork basically) and the weather breaks…you’ll see the building begin to take shape. We’ve gotten quite a few surveys back (which we truly appreciate!!) and many great ideas for workshops and classes! It will be a small, cozy area for the classes, but we are eagerly anticipating this unique aspect of the store. I am shopping around for a meat slicer and a grain grinder so that you (or we) can grind your whole grains right there in the store ! The smell of fresh bread from the oven, some freshly churned butter from the raw milk, slices of juicy tomatoes and leafy lettuce from the garden and a couple strips of thick sliced, hickory smoked bacon from our own pigs…now that’s what I call a perfect meal!! yum!

We’ll truly appreciate your patience once the store is up and running, as we acclimlate ourselves to our new environment and work very hard to offer you the products you seek and at a fair price. We’ll be a ‘work in progress’ as we change and add to our inventory to best suit your needs.

If you ever have questions or need to contact us, please feel free. Use our email, or call us and we’ll do our very best to help you.

Thanks for dropping by !
Blaine & Karen

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17 February

AND THE WINNER IS…

Being February 1st, I watched for the first customer to pull in today, and Miss Olivia was the lucky (or unlucky!) one ! She gladly helped me as I shook the names in the container several times and she pulled out the winning name.

Our Janurary winner is “GRETCHEN B.” Congratulations Gretchen!!

Gretchen will be picking up her $25.00 in gift certificates this week and she can use them anytime before the end of the year.

This month the give away will be $25.00 CASH !
You may enter to win, by completing a simple survey to help us with the opening of our store this spring. You may complete the survey by email, stop at the farm and pick one up, or request one by regular mail. Each completed survey will enter that person in the CASH give away, to be drawn March 1st.

PS:
We delivered the first of 9 litters of pigs this past Friday the 29th. These pigs will be ready to purchase for 4H projects or to adopt for your freezer at 6 weeks, which should be about March 12th.

Been busy driving, still split shifts, and getting all our seeds ordered. I cannot wait until it’s time to ‘play’ in the greenhouse!!

….only a few more weeks of winter….

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1 February

REMINDER FOR ADOPT A PIGS, ETC

Just a reminder to anyone that is interested in our Adopt A Pig or Adopt a Cow programs. Blaine is offering a special discount on the last few pigs we have available right now. You would save $110.00 total off the normal price. We usually get $350.00 total for raising the quality pork for your freezer, but Blaine is discounting for the month of January only. Instead of $50 for the animal and $50 a month for 6 months, you pay $40 for the animal and only $40 a month. This will be first come first serve, so if you’re interested, contact us asap. They will go quickly

The Adopt a Cow program works the same as the pigs only it takes much longer to feed out a steer rather than a pig. A pig takes 6 months where a steer takes 2 years. We do not give the animals any type of growth hormones, we leave the growing part in God’s hands.
Blaine gets $1.00 per pound live weight for the steers. If you adopt the animal, you have the opportunity to pay monthly rather than coming up with the large expense all at once.

ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT TO ENTER TO WIN OUR $25 GIFT CERTIFICATE THAT WILL BE GIVEN AWAY FEBRUARY 1ST.
Simply request to be on our EMAIL mailing list and you are entered. If you would like to be entered additonal times, just refer someone to be added to our list and have them mention your name. For each referral, you get an additonal entry.

ALSO: WE ARE ACCEPTING BIDS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF OUR STORE AS SOON AS THE WEATHER BREAKS. If you would like to be considered for the job, contact us soon. We hope to make a decision and be ready to build as soon as weather permits.

thanks!
Blaine & Karen

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21 January

Beginning a Brand New Year

There are so many things here on the farm that will be growing and changing this year, it’s hard to hold back the eagerness for spring, the anticipation of the new store, and all that it holds. Right now we are full of questions and you, our loyal and supportive customers have the answers we seek.

If you would like to help us better serve you and the community, we are looking for MUCH INPUT from you. Questions you might comment on:

What plants and varieties of plants will you be shopping for?
What kind of bulk food items would you like us to carry?
We will be carrying cheese making supplies–what items would you like to see us offer?
We will reserve space in our store for workshops and classes. One of the first ones will be cheese making. We’d like to recruit someone for a canning/freezing/preserving food class….know anyone?
Ideas on other workshops you’d be interested in??

We are accepting bids for the construction of our store. If you know of a construction crew willing to put in a bid for the job, have them contact us asap. We’d like to break ground as soon as the weather permits. We would like to open the doors for business in April or May.

Other notes to be aware of:

We still have a few pigs and steers waiting to be adopted for your freezers. This will be first come, first serve. We have 9 more sows that will be delivering this month and next, for 4 H youth projects. We’ve already been contacted by several families wanting us to ‘hold’ animals for them. We look forward to traveling to the local fairs and seeing our animals all grown up, so to speak, and how well the youth have done in raising them.

We appreciate any and all comments, suggestions and questions as we take this huge step into unknown territory concerning the store opening. We will be adding and changing our inventory as time passes and we learn what products you desire and need.

JANUARY’S $25.00 CONTEST !!
Please do not forget that in about 2 weeks we will be giving away a $25 gift certificate to one lucky winner from our mailing list. If you are on our list, you are already entered. If you’d like to be entered a 2nd, 3rd or more times, refer another person to be added. Be sure they mention your name or email addy and they will be entered and you will receive an additonal entry for each one you refer. February, we will be giving away $25.00 CASH for that month’s give away. Just a small way for us to say THANKS to you all.

Keep warm out there and God Bless !
Blaine & Karen

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13 January

May you all have a Blessed Christmas and Joyous New Year

We wish all of our customers, both old and new, the most Blessed Christmas and Joyful New Year.

Each new year brings hope and promise for new beginnings. It also makes us reflect on loved ones we’ve lost the past year and hardships we might have struggled through. Remember the One who became one of us, to pay the perfect price so that we would have more than the hope of 1 new year, we have the hope of salvation in eternity.

May 2010 bring you all the joy and opportunities you dream of.

Blaine & Karen

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22 December

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

Wishing all our customers and friends a very Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!

“Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.”
Psalm 95:2

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25 November

MORE PORK AVAILABLE FOR YOUR FREEZER

We delivered another litter of baby pigs yesterday the 12th. She had 14 total. That is a reasonable and good size litter. They look great!

If you missed out on the last 2 litters that were adopted, you have another chance. If you would like feeder pigs to raise yourself, these ones will be 6 weeks old and weaned just about Christmas Day. Call Blaine at 450 4811 after then, to purchase or tag.

These pigs will be ready for your freezer about May. We will still deliver them to your butcher FREE OF CHARGE. You have TOTAL CONTROL OVER HOW YOU WANT YOUR ANIMAL PROCESSED AND PACKAGED.

If you are interested in the ALL NATURAL, QUALITY PORK for you and your family, this is for you. We do not give the animals any type of growth hormones or chemicals to get them to market weight sooner than God allows.

You purchase the animal at 6 weeks old, we tag it with a number, we set up an account for you and then you pay us on a monthly basis to help with the cost of feed and care. You would pay every month for 4-6 months depending on how fast the animal grows. You could also pay in full at any time, and if you do, call Blaine, as he might give you a special price. Paying by the month, helps us with our feed bills, and helps you pay a little bit each month, rather than the total amount when it’s ready to go to the butcher. When we deliver it to the local butcher, you are responsible for the processing costs, which usually are between 30 and 40 cents per pound. A pig at a good market weight should be bewteeen 200 and 250 pounds.

There are different ‘weights’ you should know about. Live weight is the amount of pounds Blaine gets paid for the animal (you pay him); Hanging weight is the weight of the animal when the butcher is ready to process it; and then there is the total amount of pounds of pork or beef you have in your freezer. Each weight is just a little bit less than the first. If you have questions about this, call Blaine anytime and he can explain it a whole lot easier !!!

OVERALL, YOU USUALLY END UP PAYING BETWEEN $2.00 AND $2.50 PER POUND WHEN YOU’RE SAID AND DONE, AND THAT IS BOTH PORK AND BEEF.

SO IF YOU NEED PORK OR BEEF FOR YOUR FREEZERS, WE HAVE PIGS AND STEERS READY TO ADOPT OUT ANY TIME AFTER CHRISTMAS !!

THIS WILL BE ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS, AND THEY WILL PROBABLY GO QUICKLY.WE ACCEPT CASH, LOCAL CHECKS, AND YOU CAN USE YOUR DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD IF YOU USE OUR PAYPAL ACCOUNT.

You can email us (kmduran@earthlink.net), call the house (814 796 2849); or call us directly (Blaine 814 450 4811) (Karen 814 490 2179).

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13 November

GIFT CERTIFICATES NOW AVAILABLE

Due to several requests for gift certificates, we are now making them available to everyone. You may purchase them on your next visit to the farm, request by phone (814 490 2179), or request online. You may pay by cash, check, and debit or credit cards if you use our paypal account. We reserve the right to delay the receipt of the certificate until unknown checks clear our bank. If we suspect any duplicating or copying of these documents, we cannot honor them.

You may purchase a gift certificate in any amount. They can be used for ANY product here on the farm. Currently they will be credited on purchases of Milk and Eggs, but once the store opens in the Spring, you can use them for a variety of products: bulk food items, cheese, honey, maple syrup, candy, lunch meat, seasonal produce, garden plants, and cuts of our all natural cuts of beef and pork, raised right here on the farm.

They would make a GREAT stocking stuffer for this Christmas!

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6 November

TONS OF EXTRA MILK THIS WEEK

Due to some unforseen problems last week, we have some extra milk available for anyone who has been wanting to come out and buy some, but just haven’t gotten around to it yet.

This week is YOUR week! We have some larger orders we picked up today, and they are overlapping, so we are offering the extra to you for this week only.

Check out the Pot O Gold page for prices. Black Raspberry is the flavor this week. I have TONS of Raw, Chocolate, Whole, 2% and a few Skim and a couple of the Black Raspberry.

You can email me, or better yet, call me asap and I will hold your milk order and tag it with your name and you can pick it up at your convenience here.
Call Karen 814 490 2179

If you know someone who might be interested, please encourage them to call and come out and try this great milk, bottled right there at Pot O Gold Dairy and brought here to Waterford, just for you.

OH! AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE ON OUR EMAIL (ONLY) MAILING LIST, PLEASE send your name (first only is fine) and email addy to us: kmduran@earthlink.net with ADD TO MAILING LIST IN SUBJECT LINE.

CALL TODAY !

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5 November
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