Advancing our sustainability

Seems like our current strides towards producing more and buying less is currently translating into more kitchen appliances! Our brand new yogurt maker was used for the first time this past week. Very exciting. Today's purchase.... a slightly used yet new to us.... (wait for it).... bread maker! I am definitely excited about this one. Fresh bread on the Gryder farm? I don't know if it gets better than that. I can almost smell it...

Of course, it's not only about kitchen appliances. On Feb 15th, Gryder Farm will be saying goodbye to one of the two cows we purchased the day we purchased the farm three years ago. That's right, soon our family will be enjoying horomone- and antibiotic-free, grass-fed beef.

Looks like 2010 will be quite the year on the farm... I look forward to updating you on the bread!

Farm Fresh Eggs

Gryder Farm is officially in the egg business! We are now selling free-range farm fresh eggs. They are medium, brown eggs with no antibiotics and no hormones. We are so excited to finally be able to provide something to our community that our family has been enjoying for the past few years. If anyone is interested, they are $3 a dozen. (feel free to look up advantages of farm fresh eggs... amazing how much better they are for you than what you get at the supermarket -- if I was less slack, I would have just posted a link here)

Homework: Food, Inc. Have you seen this documentary? If not, do!! I was amazed at how little thought I actually give what I am putting into my body - where it came from, how it was produced. This was definitely an eye opener that I won't soon be forgetting. While we are already making strides at providing a portion of our own food and working towards eating seasonally, this movie just raised the bar for us.

A very Mary Claire entry

What is Mary Claire's favorite thing? A Sunday afternoon when her sister goes home with Granny and Papa! After her nap, she was being way too sweet not to have an impromptu photo session!!



How about a little diddy on my recorder?



That's some bed head!



The Sunday paper is the only one worth reading...




You talking to me?!

And to end on an Emma note.... guess who started big girl school two days ago?! Yes... Miss Emma is SO big heading off to her first day of school.

Ringing in the New Year

So you may be asking yourself, how did the habitants of the Gryder Farm ring in the New Year? Well, the children were down by 9, the adults by 10:30. Yes, wild and crazy. I did wake up briefly when the neighborhood firework display (I use both the term "neighborhood" and "firework display" very loosely) went off in every possible direction around my house at approximately 11:45.

In other goings on, Allen's new pastime involves going out at ridiculous hours every morning to break ice off all animal-watering stations. Fun? Probably not. Cold? Most definitely.

Emma's new pastime involves watching the movie Annie as often as possible. While wearing her red dress. And what does she do when not watching Annie? Overheard from my position on the couch: Emma to Allen (out of the blue), "I'm talking 'bout my red dress."
Allen - 'Right now we are cleaning up blocks.'
Emma - "But Daddy, I'm talking 'bout my red dress."
Allen - 'We can talk when we are done picking up blocks.'
Emma (pauses) - "I'd like to talk one minute about Annie."

Mary Claire's new pastime... well, I guess she doesn't have one. Mainly, she just walks around with a baby doll or two and a smile that warms my heart. I do think we are finally moving on from shoes on the hands to shoes on the feet though...!

A couple random Christmas pictures

Maybe in 2010 I will be a more diligent blogger... we'll see! And now for a few random Christmas shots.


What was Santa thinking...? Recorders all around.



A baby and a Little People farm. Heaven.

Look Daddy, this present makes me taller!