Sow She Grows: animals

Saturday, 4 February 2017

Little Brown Cow

Lucky <3

I have followed this lovely little farm on Facebook for ages, watching all the farm updates and dreaming of the day I would venture out to the shop in Brantford. This past week I decided to send a message to the farm requesting 2kg of cheese curds – the bulk price is fantastic AND they are freezable! I packed the littles and the dog up when I received the message they were ready and off we went to pick them up!

Lovely noticeable signage

The farm is super easy to find, you can’t miss the big sign! Jenny, the co-owner, greeted us inside. She was so friendly, easy to talk to and very informative. Before we left, Jenny put our things in our car and took us over to see a new calf named Lucky! My kiddos were thrilled and talked about it the rest of the day.

Jersey is the breed they raise and after some research I can see why! Though they are small in comparison to other dairy breeds they have a high butterfat milk content and are a calm, docile but curious breed. There are many other reasons why one might choose Jersey cattle, these are just the ones that stood out to me – a curious consumer.

Our goodies

Though Little Brown cow is well known for their amazing cheese curds that are available fresh every Friday afternoon, they offer so much more. Artisan cheese varieties, cream cheese and both white and chocolate milk (in this house we really love chocolate milk ;) ) all of which are processed entirely on site. Quiche and cheesecake varieties and other meals are also made in the shop. Frozen beef is always available and often fresh on Fridays! There are many other offerings at Little Brown Cow, these are just some of the ones that stood out to me.

One of the things I always love about the small business owners I meet is how passionate they are about their work. It just radiates off of them and leaves you feeling inspired. That is definitely how I felt after I left Little Brown Cow.

Overall our experience was a wonderful one and we will definitely be adding Little Brown Cow to our permanent list of farms we love. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for this wonderful farm and the checking out the new location when it opens this spring!

Thanks for reading!

Follow Little Brown Cow on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/littlebrowncows/

Wednesday, 24 August 2016

Harrington Lane Farms

Harrington Lane Farms previous shop - photo credit -Krista Harrington

I remember my first visit to Harrington Lane Farms (Spring 2015) like it was yesterday. The drive up the long tree lined lane way, being greeted by chickens, ducks and geese — it was so inviting, so peaceful. I stood there for a moment after stepping out of my truck taking in the sights. The gorgeous laying boxes for the hens along the barn, they even had a ladder leaning against a window for the hens to climb in and out with ease. A charming hand written sign on the side of the barn listed the hours (3 days a week) and specials offered at that moment. It was all so warm and welcoming, I felt at home.

Photo credit - Krista Harrington

At this time the shop was in a little area off of the barn. It was a small space, but every inch served a purpose. There was a cooler where fresh meats could be purchased and a freezer with a chalk board displaying its contents, as this changed week to week. Eggs, jams and other pantry items were displayed perfectly on the sweetest country shelving surrounded by handmade items like honey pots and knitted mice.

Krista and I discussed my order and she happily answered any and all of my questions, though they were minimal as it was obvious these animals were adored and lived the best life possible. She told me to take my kids around to see the animals before I headed home. This was well-received by my animal loving littles!

We walked down the big hill and to the pastures where the pigs — Berkshire, Tammworth, Mangalista and large black pigs — were all sun bathing, rolling in mud and happily munching away on some delicious veggies. I was surprised as the closer we got, the closer the pigs came to us! They were happy to see humans, not fearful.

Bathing Beauties

Off to the right we walked to see the sheep in pasture — Icelandic Dairy and Cheviot Meat — these creatures are magnificent. The kids loved watching as they grazed and basked in the warmth of the spring sun.

Some of the flock

As we walked back to the truck we had some followers! We were being trailed by some adorable heritage ducks, geese and chickens. It was here I became aware of what free range truly is, though Krista prefers to describe her birds as pastured since they are free to travel the pastures as they wish. What a wonderful way to end our first visit!

Harrington Lane Farms is environmentally cautious as well as sustainable. This lovely farm is powered by wind and solar and heated with wood during the winter. They have honey bees galore to pollinate the gorgeous pastures that provide for the animals, allowing the eco system to thrive as it was meant to.

A gaggle of geese

Around the time most of us were pre-occupied with Christmas holidays in December of 2015, Krista was hard at work making her vision of a more central and larger shop come to life. Behind the scenes Harrington Lane Farms Village Shop in Waterdown was starting to unfold, and would soon be a place where meats, pantry items, produce and so much more would readily be available throughout the week.

Early 2016 Harrington Lane Farms Village Shop opened and has quickly become a reliable source for humanely raised, no hormone or antibiotics, NON GMO meats and other local items such as breads, coffee, preserves, cheese — the list is quite long!

Harrington Lane Farms Village Shop

Krista’s love for her animals, passion for the environment and sustainable farm methods is a true labour of love. She is incredibly hard-working and inspiring with a lot to offer the community and the city. Many of her products are used in local shops, and you might have enjoyed them in some form without knowing!

I am so thankful I found Harrington Lane Farms, feeding my family responsibly is much easier now and I know that our dollars spent there are truly appreciated by this outstanding family-owned business.

Thanks for reading!

Note:

Harrington Lane Farms Village shop took over for the shop on the farm and the original shop is now closed. This new location is convenient for many communities with easy access from the highway, and Krista is still apart of three Farmers' Markets – Waterdown, Dundas and Hespeler Village Market — to better serve her customers.