Diede Family Farm, CR-4, Berthoud, CO (2026)

10/19/2026

Well, we were clean yesterday. 😂🐷

Yesterday, we were washing and blow-drying fluffy Silkies, getting dressed up, and heading to the poultry show.

Today? Back to our usual farm attire. Dirt, work gloves, and building pig pens!

We’ve been expanding our hog herd since September, and apparently the pigs didn’t get the memo that bigger families mean bigger housing projects. 🤣

So today was spent digging, setting posts, and putting up stronger fencing. Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned about raising pigs, it’s that they’ll find the weakest spot in a fence. And then they’ll make sure you know about it. 🤦‍♀️

Luke and I tackled the fencing while the kids jumped in to help. Kylie was right there holding panels, and Brayden found himself a pretty good supervisory position on top of a fence post. 😂

We didn’t finish everything, but we made some good progress. There were plenty of dirty boots, a few sore muscles, and apparently a little skin left behind, too. (See the last picture. 🙃)

Yesterday, show ribbons. Today, shovels.

Just another weekend around Diede Family Farm! ❤️🌾

10/18/2026

Three Silkies, one very excited girl, and a mom promoted to chicken-show assistant. 🤣🐓

We had a pretty exciting day for Silkie Ridge at Diede Family Farm!

Today, Kylie competed in her very first Silkie show at the 45th Annual Rocky Mountain Feather Fanciers Show! It was Mom’s first show, too, so there was plenty for both of us to learn.

Last night, Kylie cleaned carriers, helped wash and blow-dry the birds, and packed supplies. This morning, she was up early to help load the car.

I told her, “I’m your assistant today. Just tell me how I can help.”

She wasted no time putting me to work cleaning water cups and changing shavings! 😂

Kylie chose her own three birds for the junior division. Her black pullet has two joined toes and is pet quality, which gave us an opportunity to learn more about judging and how we won’t always win. But she had some exciting wins to celebrate, too!

🏆💜 Lavender pullet: Best of Variety in both the Futurity and Junior Traditional shows!

🏆💜 Lavender frizzle cockerel: Best of Variety in the Futurity Show and Reserve of Variety in the Junior Traditional Show!

A big thank-you to our family friend and mentor, Marilyn Uilk, for all your help and pointers along the way. We’re so grateful for the knowledge you’ve shared with us and for cheering Kylie on!

Back home, there was still a car to unpack, birds to settle in, and supplies to put away. Kylie saw it through, and we’re proud of her for all the work she put into today. ❤️

After that long day, she looked at me and said, “Mom, today was a lot of fun.”

That made the whole day for me. ❤️

10/17/2026

Remember this bacon?! 🥓😍

You asked for the recipe, we promised we’d share it, and we’ve kept you waiting long enough! 😂

So here it is!

🍯 Diede Family Farm’s Honey & Chili Million Dollar Bacon 🌶️

Sweet, salty, a little spicy, and crispy around the edges. Because apparently bacon wasn’t already good enough on its own!

🥓 Here’s what you’ll need:

* 1 lb thick-cut bacon
* ¼ cup packed brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons honey
* ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or 1 teaspoon if you like a little more heat!)
* ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

👩‍🍳 Let’s make some bacon!

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil for easier cleanup. Place an oven-safe wire rack on top and lightly grease it.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.

3. Lay the bacon in a single layer on the rack, leaving a little space between the slices. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the bacon, gently pressing it onto each piece.

4. Bake for approximately 15–25 minutes, checking after the first 12–15 minutes. You’re looking for bacon that’s starting to crisp around the edges and a sugar coating that’s caramelizing.

5. When the bacon is almost done, lightly brush the honey over each slice. Return it to the oven for another 2–3 minutes, watching closely until the glaze is bubbling and the bacon is cooked to your liking.

6. Carefully transfer the bacon to a clean sheet of parchment paper, keeping the slices separated. Let it cool for 5–10 minutes so that sweet, sticky coating has a chance to firm up.

And there you have it! 🥓

A little sweet, a little heat, and a whole lot of bacon goodness.

A little tip from our kitchen: Don’t get too attached to the timer! Bacon thickness and ovens vary, and at 400°F, that sugar can go from beautifully caramelized to burnt pretty quickly. Keep an eye on it, especially toward the end!

Now we’re curious…

Are you team sweet & spicy, or would you leave out the pepper flakes? 🌶️🍯

And if you give this recipe a try, we’d love to hear how it turns out!

Diede Family Farm ❤️🐷

10/12/2026

There’s something pretty special about a community that shows up for one another. ❤️🤠

Saturday night, Luke and I traded our muddy boots for cowboy boots and headed to the Berthoud Habitat for Humanity Hoedown!

What a fun evening, and even better, what a wonderful cause to bring everyone together!

This was our second year contributing pork to Habitat’s auction. Last year, we donated one whole hog, and this year we were fortunate enough to contribute two.

And thanks to some generous bidders, those two hogs raised approximately $2,400–$2,500 for Berthoud Habitat for Humanity! 🐷❤️

We’re still waiting on the exact total, but how wonderful is that?!

To everyone who raised a paddle, placed a bid, or helped make the evening possible, THANK YOU! And to the families taking home our pork, we hope you enjoy every last pork chop!

We also loved seeing Berthoudopoly at the event! It’s a fun little celebration of our town, and we were happy to be one of the local businesses supporting the project.

What really stood out to us throughout the evening was how many people came together to support Habitat’s work helping local families build a place to call home.

From the volunteers and organizers to the businesses, donors, and everyone who attended, it takes a whole community to make evenings like this happen.

We’re grateful to be a small part of it.

Good neighbors, good hearts, and a community worth being proud of. ❤️

Diede Family Farm 🌾

10/09/2026

These little piggies are helping build something bigger than a barn! 🐷🏡❤️

One of the things Luke and I love most about raising livestock is knowing that the work we put in every single day eventually helps put food on another family’s table.

But this weekend, we’re getting to do something a little different, and we’re pretty excited about it!

We’ve donated TWO whole hogs, divided into FOUR half-hog pork shares, to the Berthoud Habitat for Humanity Hoedown auction this Saturday! 🤠

That means FOUR winning bidders will each receive a half-hog share of our locally raised, heritage Berkshire pork!

And just to clarify, nobody’s taking a live pig home in the backseat! 😂🐷

Each share will be professionally processed at a USDA-inspected facility, vacuum-sealed, frozen, and ready for the freezer. Think bacon, pork chops, sausage, roasts, ribs, and more!

There’s something pretty special about knowing that the animals we’ve spent months caring for can help support local families in a whole different way.

We’re incredibly grateful for the community that continues to support our little family farm. Being able to turn around and give some of that love right back is what makes all the long days, muddy boots, and early mornings worth it. ❤️

🏡 Berthoud Habitat for Humanity Hoedown
📅 Saturday, October 10
📍 Grace Place, Berthoud
🕠 Doors open at 5:30 PM

If you’re attending, keep an eye out for our FOUR half-hog pork shares in the auction!

And even if pork isn’t on your shopping list, there are so many wonderful ways to support Habitat and the work they’re doing right here in our community.

From our family farm to your family’s table, all while helping another family find a place to call home. ❤️

Andrea & Luke
Diede Family Farm 🐷🌾

10/05/2026

NOVEMBER HOG SHARES ARE OPEN! 🐷❤️

It’s officially time to start filling some freezers.

Our November hog shares are now open, with half and whole hogs available.

These are heritage Berkshire and Berkshire-cross hogs raised here at Diede Family Farm. We raise them with a consistent grain finish and are there for the whole process, from birth to butcher.

If you’ve never bought a hog share before, you are absolutely welcome here.

We know buying meat this way can sound a little intimidating the first time. Hanging weight? Cut sheets? How thick do you want your bacon? 😂 We’ll walk you through it.

Here’s the simple breakdown:

🐷 Half or whole hogs

💲 $4.50/lb hanging weight

💵 $100 non-refundable deposit reserves your share and is applied toward your hog share balance

🔪 Processing is an additional, separate payment and is not included in the $4.50/lb price

📋 You choose your cuts, and we’ll help you through the cut sheet

📦 Pork is USDA processed, vacuum-sealed and freezer ready

🚚 Pickup and Diede Family Farm delivery options are available

We want buying directly from a local farm to feel simple, transparent and personal. You should know where your food came from, how it was raised and what to expect before you ever put down a deposit.

Our November availability is limited and reservations are first come, first served.

Ready to put Diede Family Farm pork in your freezer?

👉 Reserve your half or whole hog here:
diedefamilyfarm.com/heritage-hog-shares

Comment "FREEZER" below and we’ll send you more information about how our hog shares work and help you figure out whether a half or whole is right for your family.

And if you’re sitting there thinking, “I’m interested, but I have about 47 questions…” send us a message. 😂 Those are exactly the people we’re happy to help.

10/03/2026

The tiniest new members of Diede Family Farm have arrived. 🐷❤️

Momma welcomed eight piglets on September 22, and farrowing days will probably never get old around here.

There’s something pretty incredible about watching a sow settle in, seeing those first tiny piglets arrive, and then watching everybody figure out exactly where they belong at the milk bar. 😂

And when we say tiny, we mean TINY. Swipe until you see one next to a hand for scale. 🥹

We spend a lot of time planning breedings, watching for pregnancies, preparing pens and trying to be ready for farrowing.

Then suddenly there are eight little noses in the straw and all that planning becomes very real.

One of the things we love about raising our pigs from birth to butcher is getting to be there for the entire story. These little guys are at chapter one. ❤️

For now, their job description is pretty simple:

Eat. Sleep. Pile on top of each other. Repeat. 🐽

Welcome to the farm, little ones.

09/27/2026

Diede Family Farm took the day off from our farm to go enjoy someone else’s. 🎃❤️

Today we got to spend opening day at Osborn Farm, and if you’re looking for something local to do this fall, add them to your list!

We have a pretty big soft spot for other local family farms. We know how much work happens behind the scenes before the gates ever open, and the Osborn family has created such a fun place for families to come out, spend the day together and enjoy a little bit of fall on the farm. 🍂

We ate some seriously good food from Timberlane Chuckwagon, wandered through the pumpkins, enjoyed the farm and somehow left with 120 pounds of pumpkins. 😂🎃

Although, when you own pigs, is there really such a thing as too many pumpkins?

Probably not. 🐷

We’re always happy when we can spend our dollars supporting another local family and local business, especially right here in our community.

Thank you to the Osborn family for a great opening day! We’re wishing you guys a busy and wonderful fall season. ❤️

And apparently we managed to get almost everybody to stand still long enough for a family picture, which may have been the biggest accomplishment of the day. 😂

09/13/2026

After our last post, we think we could all use something a little sweeter around here. 🥓❤️

Meet candied bacon.

Sweet. Salty. Crispy around the edges. And somehow mysteriously disappearing from the pan before it ever makes it to the table. 😂

One of our favorite parts of raising pork is getting to turn what we raise into really good food for our family.

And we’ve realized we spend a lot of time showing you the pigs, the chores, the muddy boots and everything that goes into raising them… but not nearly enough time showing you what happens after the pork makes it to our kitchen.

We want to change that.

We’ve been wanting to share more of the recipes we actually make with Diede Family Farm pork, and this seems like a pretty darn good place to start.

Would you guys want the candied bacon recipe? 👀

If enough of you say yes, we’ll get it written up and share it!

09/06/2026

Remember that snake story we said didn’t have a very happy ending? This is it. 🐍💔

One night while I was locking everyone up, I didn’t double-check that the Silkie coop was predator-free before I closed the birds in for the night.

Unfortunately, a bullsnake had already made its way inside.

By the time we found it, it had gotten ahold of one of our young Silkies.

This one was hard, mostly because I know I could have caught it if I had taken that extra minute to check.

We spend so much time thinking about predator-proofing as keeping predators OUT. Secure the doors. Cover the gaps. Check the fencing.

But there’s another part that’s just as important:

Make sure nothing has already gotten IN before you lock your birds up with it.

Farming has a way of teaching lessons you really wish you could have learned another way. This was one of those.

So our nighttime routine has a new non-negotiable:

Check the coop.
Then check it again.

I know we’ll make plenty more mistakes raising animals. That comes with learning and growing. But we don’t want to learn this particular lesson twice. ❤️

If you raise chickens, what’s one predator lesson you learned the hard way? Share it below. It might be the thing another chicken keeper reads tonight and remembers when they go out to close their coop.

Diede Family Farm

10/19/2026

10/18/2026

10/17/2026

10/12/2026

10/09/2026

10/05/2026

10/03/2026

09/27/2026

09/13/2026

09/06/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request