Farm Connection

09/02/2026

Do you know a tallow maker? I need to make room in our freezer and haven’t had time to render any yet from our 100% grassfed cows. Spread the word if you know people who might be interested 😊 🐂🌱☘️

Leaf fat is preferred for skincare products I’ve been told. Fat trimmings work just as great for cooking purposes.

https://thefarmconnection.grazecart.com/store?q=Fat

08/30/2026

Brush hogging cockleburs in the pasture and the dragonflies came out in droves, hopefully eating tons of mosquitoes!
The barn swallows do this too, but they’ve left for the season already.
I find this a fascinating phenomenon, because it seems unlikely they’d be attracted by the sounds of a roaring tractor engine or mower. I have a theory that the act of mowing causes distress signals or sounds or smells from insects and/or plants, which the birds and dragonflies receive and interpret as a dinner bell of sorts. I’ve not researched if anyone has studied this to know whether my hypothesis is true. Either way, I am happy to see all the beneficial predators at work!

08/28/2026

The clouds Wednesday evening were simply mesmerizing! No rain here, but folks east and south of us were definitely getting some!

08/15/2026

Guess what??

We’ve started carrying some Mullen’s dressings products!

If you’re not aware, Mullen’s is a local business with a long history of service in Palestine, IL.

The newest owner, Penny Shaw, is part of the Flying-S Beef family who we’ve been friends with for years through farming and grazing connections.

Come visit us at the farm till 3 this afternoon and pick up a bottle of your favorite(s)!

thefarmconnection.grazecart.com
J. D. Mullen Company

08/13/2026

Little Timothy (named by my niece Lucy—doesn’t it suit him perfectly??) is the latest lovey-dovey farm animal here. He loves pets and scratches and attention. As long as there’s not food involved, Paul humors him too, as you can tell from these photos.
Ruthie does not have the same feelings about him, as she desperately wants him to move so she can herd him I guess. He’s just generally oblivious to her intentions or else smarter than I give him credit for by not trying to run so she “border collie stares” at him more than anything 😉

08/10/2026

This is a big part of why we do what we do here and why we are passionate about helping others improve the health of their soils.

Industrial agriculture with its practices of continual tilling and spraying are not sustainable in the long run. I’ve heard it said we are two weeks away from a drought at any given time because so much farm ground has lost most of its water holding capacity.

This video is one of the sources of existing proof that nothing is too far gone. God has truly built an amazing amount of resilience and ability to heal into the fabric of creation.

Not unlike the woman caught in the act of adultery He did not condemn, we can’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results. “Go and sin no more” is a vital part of restoration. And if (when) we mess up again, the path to healing always begins with repentance (turning and going a different direction).

Let’s be part of the healing and restoration of all creation!

08/09/2026

Add a little protein to your oats this week for breakfast 😉

Enjoy this dish for breakfast, brunch, or a dessert!

08/07/2026

Looking for a breakfast recipe you can prep the night before now that school is back in session?

Check this one out!

Let me know how you like it in the comments 😊

Enjoy this dish for breakfast, brunch, or a dessert!

08/06/2026

Snapshots from the farm:

A monarch on (what I believe is) swamp milkw**d in the cow pasture.

The iron w**d is beginning to bloom.

Two different moths in my garden green bean patch last week. I learned the Polyphemus moth adult only lives about 4 days!

And while working in the garden last week, the Merlin bird app recognized 28 different bird sounds in about a half hour! Unfortunately I forgot to save that recording so I forget the names of the ones I’d never heard of before 🤦🏻‍♀️)

07/31/2026

I guess it’s official now!
May be looking for calving season and milking help next April 7th whilst I’m otherwise occupied 😄