This BARN. Every time I scoop feed, take refuge from rain or wind, store farm tools, or smell sweet local straw on my guardian dogs’ fur, it is tinted with gratitude for this barn.
Even though I definitely hammered a few nails to help build this beauty, I see it as a gift from my brother @owenmcmichael —he coordinated the job and stuck with it until it was solid and dry enough to serve my needs. Along with my father (and some good help from @jelmcm and WWOOFer Lucas), Owen felled the trees, supervised and supported the sawyer, augered the post holes, stripped and set the posts, and built both floors with precision.
One of these days (after my wrists heal, for sure), I will follow through with my end of the deal by finishing the batten and sliding barn doors. My barn is both beautiful and functional as it is, and I know it will continue to learn—á la #stewartbrand —as the years pass.
#familyfarm
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Just as we (humans) are what we eat, so are the animals that we raise here on Vernal Vibe Rise. As a result, we believe that it is truly worthwhile to go to great lengths to make sure that our animals have access to the cleanest, most nutrient-rich foods available to us.
Every few weeks, we make the trip to neighboring Virginia to purchase GMO-free feed for our animals. It involves an entire day, significant expense, and intense physical effort, but what is farming if not comprised of those things already?
Much of the GMO-free swine feed is contained in this one-ton tote, which needs to be secured carefully before the two-hour drive on the highway back to VVR.
Here is the (rented) truck of the week, all loaded up for the drive back to Renick. My dear truck, the Dumpin’ Doggie, is a 1969 F100 and isn’t well-suited for this type of trip, so she stays at the farm during feed runs.
The GMO-free whole corn, which serves as a supplemental feed for VVR poultry, and as a snack for swine and sheep. The clean feed that we offer the animals here on VVR makes them healthier, which in turn ensures that their meat and eggs are tastier and safer to eat. We thank all of our customers for caring enough about the health of our environment to make the choice to purchase VVR’s GMO-free products.