Firefly Homestead

10/07/2026

We are one of the farms coming to help out Pig Wing Farms at Homesteaders of America this weekend. If you’re going, be sure to say hello!

I’m super excited about the weekend. It’s a full circle moment for us. It was 3 years ago at Homesteaders of America that we first saw Meishans that Wendy Palmer from Imperial Farm brought. I didn’t realize how much that interaction would change the trajectory of our little homestead.

Since then I’ve presented at the Meishan conference, taken on a more active role in the association, and a magazine interview (I’ll talk more on that another time). Now we’re making big strides towards the next big step for our farm, and I can’t wait to tell you all more!

Big things have/are happening this year. Most weren’t anticipated, and ones we’re pivoting for, but it’s exciting.

Good morning!!!!!! We’re still in full prep mode over here for the big event this weekend and we hope to see you all Homesteaders of America in Front Royal, VA this Friday and Saturday.

I just wanted to share how AMAZING the Meishan community is for a moment and I’m certain no other livestock community can boast this. Seriously, how many Kunes and Durocs and Berkshires are out there and how many times do you see them collaborating to help farms and help communities. Ya, a couple breeders will chat about their pigs every once in a while, but this is different in a BIG way!

Did you know for this conference there are 2 other breeders from 2 different states making the drive out to support the breed, support the farms, and chat and enjoy the event. Seriously, that’s epic on a level even my teenagers can agree with.

This community was built on more than an amazing breed of pig. This community is MY community. It’s not the one I built, it’s the one I chose to be a part of and the one I’ll help anyway I can. While all of that was going on I was on the phone with another Meishan breeder seeing how we can join forces to help her farm and I was referring someone that wanted to work with me to a few other breeders because I can’t get her what she needs by the time she needs it.

Like it or not this is more than a breed of pig. This is a group of people that may not raise them the same in the same environment, but they all have the heart and soul to bring better to the Meishan community and our own farm to table community.

I can’t wait to see these 2 farms (photos will come) and I can’t wait to refer them to everyone that comes to my booth that’s in their area or for what parts of the program they are doing better than I am. We aren’t all good at all of it, that’s when we know to refer out. I find that better than saying oh crud.

This breed introduced me to an amazing pig, but this breed introduced me to the American Meishan Breeders Association and I’m always impressed to see what all these farms will do for one another and the breed we are all so passionate about.

Let’s GO!!!!! Tomorrow I will be setting up and I’ll try to send some photos of the chaos.

10/04/2026

At the Meishan Conference a few weeks ago there was a terior (regional taste test) event. Multiple farms brought ground pork to be turned into meatballs seasoned with just salt.

I was able to snag a last minute butcher appointment to process a pig right before conference. Unfortunately, they lost my cut sheet (and contact information) so they processed it like a commercial cut. (Thankfully they knew to save all the lard! This commercial cut meant I didn’t get any plain ground pork. 😞

We took some ground pork from the share we got last year. I was a bit ashamed having it next to the others because it lacked the dark red color. I was feeling bad about it until Pig Wing Farms asked if it was young.

It was! We had a customer that didn’t have room for a large amount of meat, and we had a cull pig that needed processed young due to a leg issue. So the little bit of pork we got came from this young pig.

Today I thawed our first pork chops from the most recent pig (these were bone in when normally we’d have boneless). It looks so much better! It’s amazing what extra time does within an animal! So if you were at conference and noticed the difference in color…. This is why.

And if you want some of this wonderful pork we have some shares left for Monday’s processing date.

09/22/2026

We are officially sold out beef shares, but we do have some pork shares still available. These pigs will be going into the processor on October 4th.

We raise certified meishan pigs. They are known for the bright red color, excellent flavor, and their natural marbling. They could be the best pork you have ever tasted! They’re lovingly called the Waygu of the pork world.

Feel free to reach out to be with any questions!

https://fireflyhomestead.com/product-category/meat-shares/

09/17/2026

I volunteered to make gluten free sourdough bread for those attending the Meishan conference that need it. Problem was a few days before the conference I worried I may have killed my starter (Frodough). 🤦🏻‍♀️

I fed it for 4 days prior with no activity. I didn’t have much hope it would revive, but brought it any way in hopes it would perk up. Thankfully Seattle air did the trick!

09/16/2026

And we’re off to the Meishan conference! We’re bringing 2 lbs of our ground pork for the terroir tasting event. I am also bringing my gf sourdough starter/mixes so I can make bread for the gluten free people.

09/12/2026

Our buck Bandit decided to escape a few days ago. We weren’t sure if he did it willingly, or if a predator got him. there wasn’t any blood we could find so we kept hoping he was fine.

Thankfully our neighbors have cameras and were able to let us know when they saw him. Today he was hunkered down beneath a pine tree outside his enclosure. He didn’t want to cross the electric fence to get home.

We went out in the middle of a bad thunderstorm and brought him inside. I really have a love/hate relationship with the goats.

09/08/2026

A customer reached out to me to let me know that our website wasn't working correctly. It seems that some people were getting broken links when trying to go and purchase pork and beef shares. We have resolved this issue, so if you were one of those affected you can be assured that it is working properly now. In a month our steer and pigs go in for processing with limited shares available. Don't wait and reserve yours today! https://fireflyhomestead.com/product-category/meat-shares/

09/07/2026

This morning we welcomed 11 healthy Meishan piglets from Imperial Lucy x Longsought Jojo. 7 gilts and 4 boarlings. If you are looking for breeding pairs we can make unrelated pairings with the other litters we have on the ground.

We also have mature gilts that can be sold bred, teaser boars, and barrows available.

If you’re wanting to experience the amazing Meishan pork we have a few shares available. Feel free to reach out with any questions!

09/03/2026

This is step one of my latest experiment. The American Meishan Breeders Association is having a raffle as part the national conference this year. I decided to work on a special kind of soap for it. Will it be ready to use by the time conference rolls around?…..No, but I KNOW those attending will love it!

There’s still time to get tickets to conference. It’s being held in Oregon at Elemental Acres. I am so beyond excited to see their farm, learn from the best, AND most importantly, the yummy food! It’s life changing!

09/03/2026

With everything going happening in the beef importing world you really want to know where your meat comes from. Our Dexter beef cows are fully grassfed/grass finished. They have a wonderful flavor and nice natural marbling.

Since we finish on grass it does take longer to finish, but the end product is so worth it! If you’re looking for local beef (and pork) look no further!

For the first time ever we have beef shares available. Extremely limited supply. These will only be offered once a year since it takes us 3 years to produce. Don’t miss out. Go to fireflyhomestead.com to reserve your share, and have it processed exactly how YOU want it processed.

Have questions? Message me.