Walnut Hills Farm

Today, we said goodbye to Frank.

He headed to the butcher to be processed, and before he left, we thanked him for how he is going to provide for our family. We've raised and processed meat birds and turkeys before, but this was our first pig.

Even if he was a bit of a jerk at times, we loved Frank and will miss him. Like all of our animals, we spoiled him rotten. He lived a good life running around the farm and not crammed in some factory.

One thing we've learned from raising our own food is just how disconnected we can be from it. It's easy to pick up meat at the store and never think about what made that meal possible. But an animal gave its life to feed our family, and that reality makes us more grateful, more mindful, and less willing to waste what we've been given.

It's also a lesson we want our girls to learn that food doesn't just come from a grocery store shelf. It comes with hard work, responsibility, and sometimes sacrifice.

So today we're a little sad, but we're also thankful. Thankful for Frank, thankful for the food he'll provide, and thankful to God for His provision for our family.

Thank you, Frank ❤️

Frank is all smiles today! 😁🐷

What do you do when you come across rare Ayam Cemani chickens? Naturally, we brought them home! 🖤

We brought home 5 Cemanis: 2 roosters, Voldemort and Vader, 2 black hens, Ursula and Morticia, and Jadis, our white Cemani/Ameraucana mix named after the White Witch from Narnia.

With their coloring, we knew these chickens needed names with a little personality. We decided to stick with mostly villains and darker characters, and honestly, we think the names fit them pretty well! 😂

If you’ve never heard of Ayam Cemani, they’re a rare breed from Indonesia known for their striking black coloring. Their feathers, skin, combs, legs, bones and even many of their internal organs are dark because of a unique genetic trait called fibromelanosis.

They are seriously some of the coolest chickens we’ve ever seen, and we’re pretty excited to have them at Walnut Hills Farm!

We may have also brought home a few other new friends... Like 2 Silkie Roosters and 5 turkeys 🤷

8 little silkie chicks joined our flock today! 😀

Ruby has been sneaking off again... We've discovered that she has been hiding eggs in the inflatable kayak again. It looks like we will be having chicks again soon 🤦😂