Cross Creek Farm Family: Long over due post.

Well hello! It has been awhile and I am really sorry. Things have been a little crazy here. Trying to keep up with weeds, kids, rabbits, herbs and produce. There are a lot of new and exciting things happening.

As you all know we have been trying to up our rabbit stock. We recently got 2 different sets of new additions. The first was a group that had been together for awhile. They had already been bred a few different times. We got 8 does and 3 bucks in
that group.

The second group was a group of 3. 2 does and 1 buck. They had belonged to an older couple and they had cages that they moved along the ground. Which comes to my next statement of we have finally started grazing our rabbits. The cages that move along the ground are called "tractors." It is kind of the same scenario as a "chicken tractor." We have had numerous questions and comments as to what a chicken tractor is. We have had every response from "a rabbit riding a tractor" to "a cage painted the color of a John Deere." Yes they sound silly, but to a non-farmer, some statements such as "chicken tractor" tend to get the mind wandering. That is what I love about farming, is there always something more to learn and something new coming out everyday in technology, ideas and products.

So after introducing them all to our rabbit "herd," we needed to revamp, reorganize and relabel. We are starting to fill up the barn. It looks pretty nice. It is very exciting for us because it is getting us closer and closer to our goal. Which means it also gets us closer to having as much rabbit available a week as demanded by our customers.

Julianna chillin while we pick herbs.

Eric Jr helping daddy with water bottles for the rabbits.

Of course in the mean time we get great pictures and teach our children how to farm. We are starting them young, but Eric Jr is loving it. At 2 years old he knows how to steer the tractor wherever it needs to go. He drives daddy to the barn and to feed the cows. He is excited every morning to wake up and go do chores. Now we know this will not last long, but we are taking advantage of it. It is great to see the absorption of knowledge in a little man like him. So hyper and full of energy and life, it amazes me at how much he loves to do this! He is our dirt boy. He walks out to the house and is completely covered in dirt. Sometimes I wonder where it comes from. And of course his sister is following right in his footsteps. She gets just as dirty and into everything that she can get her little hands on. She loves to follow her brother around and he loves to entertain her.

She was making sure we did it right!

Next topic is herbs. We have been revamping our dried herb line throughout the years. We first started in putting our dried herbs in plastic bags. Then we discovered that they sold better in shaker bottles. So we tested that out for a season and now have tried to completely revamp everything into those shaker bottles and find new and exciting combinations and herbs to place in them. We just recently got an account with Cornell Orchards. Which if you have purchased fruit from us before you would know that we generally get 90% of our fruit from them. Including the absolutely loved donut peaches! So if you are in need of our dried herb shakers and cannot get to market or there isn't a market before you absolutely need it, you can go to Cornell Orchards to get it!

Eric Jr helping me put the Lime Basil in the box.

She loved the color, or was it the taste?

The herbal teas and salves that I have been talking about are being put on the back burner for now in order for us to catch up and produce the amount of herb shakers we need to fill our orders. Ideas are still running through my head as to what mixes to make and herbal teas would be good for soothing, cooling and overall well being. I am still continually researching and learning about the properties of every herb. The cautions and the reasons behind the salves, teas and mixtures.

The rest has been a little mumbo jumbo. The stand is now being filled with fruit, and produce. We have tons of tomatoes coming on! The heirlooms look gorgeous! And taste even better! Peaches have been in. We are getting peaches from Cornell Orchards. Our first batch was Starfire.

We also got apples last week from Cornell Orchards. I cannot believe it is apple season already. This summer has flown. I think it was because spring took forever to get here, or maybe because we have been so busy I haven't had time to figure out what day of the week it is.