Otter Springs Farm

Otter Springs Farm Preserving the past, one pasture at a time. Raising heritage livestock and keeping traditional Appalachian farming roots alive.

Just a girl and her chicken 🐓
12/14/2025

Just a girl and her chicken 🐓

This year’s homemade holiday gift is White Pine Simple Syrup! This syrup is packed with vitamin c and late fall-early wi...
12/14/2025

This year’s homemade holiday gift is White Pine Simple Syrup! This syrup is packed with vitamin c and late fall-early winter is the best time to harvest. We have been making it for our family to add to tea in the wintertime and I am excited to share it with friends this year!

Please be sure to identify your pine before you forage. Each bundle has five needles: W-H-I-T-E. The needles are soft and blueish green hued.

I start by washing the needles and then add them to a crock pot adding water till the needles are submerged and steep on high for four to five hours. Then I strain through a fine strainer and add equal parts sugar to the pine brew (1:1 ratio). Simmer till the sugar is fully dissolved and let cool completely before ladling into sterilized mason jars.

Store in the fridge for up to one month.

Now is a perfect time to put in your egg orders for the upcoming week! Our heritage birds are free range on our farm in ...
11/09/2025

Now is a perfect time to put in your egg orders for the upcoming week! Our heritage birds are free range on our farm in the Appalachian mountains, enjoying all the woods have to offer

12 Chicken Eggs: $4.00

12 Mixed Duck and Chicken: $6.00

12 Duck Eggs: $7.00
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Morning views
11/02/2025

Morning views

I hope everyone had a magical spooky season! November really kicks off pie season in my mind! I love manipulating pie cr...
11/01/2025

I hope everyone had a magical spooky season! November really kicks off pie season in my mind! I love manipulating pie crust into works of art whenever I can, but that requires a smooth and buttery recipe. Here is my personal favorite:

Yields: 1 double crust (or 1 crust plus decorations)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour
Bake time: varies by recipe

⸻

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional, but adds smoothness)

• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

• 6 tablespoons ice water (plus up to 2 extra tablespoons as needed)

• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice (helps prevent toughness)

(For egg wash, lightly whisk one duck egg yolk)

⸻

Instructions
1. Mix the dry ingredients:
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.

2. Cut in the butter:
Add cold butter cubes. Using a pastry blender, your fingertips, or a food processor, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized bits of butter.
(Those butter bits are what make the crust flaky.)

3. Add liquid:
Sprinkle the vinegar (or lemon juice) and 6 tablespoons of ice water over the flour mixture. Toss with a fork until it begins to clump. Add more water, one teaspoon at a time, until the dough just comes together — it should hold when pressed but not be sticky.

4. Form and chill:
Gather into a ball, divide into two disks, and wrap tightly in plastic or beeswax wrap.
Chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days). This rest helps it smooth out and prevents shrinking.

5. Roll and cut:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ⅛ inch thick. For decorative tops, make sure it’s evenly rolled.
Use leaf or seasonal cookie cutters to cut your shapes. To enhance the design, gently press a knife edge or the back of a leaf cutter to create veins.

6. For an ultra-smooth finish:
• Chill cut shapes for 15 minutes before baking (this keeps the edges crisp).
• Brush lightly with egg wash (1 egg + 1 tsp water or cream) for golden shine.
• For a sparkly look, sprinkle with turbinado sugar or a pinch of fine sugar.

7. Bake:
If using as decoration on a pie: add during the last 20–25 minutes of baking so they stay distinct.

If baking separately as toppers: bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10–15 minutes, until golden.

Autumn at our creek holds a special kind of magic
10/30/2025

Autumn at our creek holds a special kind of magic

I had to get some rainy/muddy snuggles in with one of the newest members of our flock. They were just recently introduce...
10/29/2025

I had to get some rainy/muddy snuggles in with one of the newest members of our flock. They were just recently introduced from the brooder and have been enjoying the rainy day puddles ☔️🍂🦆

There’s a reason duck eggs have long held a place of honor in French kitchens. Larger and richer than chicken eggs, thei...
10/27/2025

There’s a reason duck eggs have long held a place of honor in French kitchens. Larger and richer than chicken eggs, their golden yolks lend a velvety depth to custards, pastries, and sauces that the French simply call magnifique. From a perfectly risen soufflé to a glossy brioche, chefs prize duck eggs for their luxurious texture and subtle complexity. In France, where the art of flavor is nearly sacred, a duck egg isn’t just an ingredient, it’s an indulgence, a whisper of countryside charm that turns any meal into a celebration of taste and tradition.

The American Buff Goose is a gentle, beautifully golden breed native to the U.S., known for its calm nature, strong fami...
10/25/2025

The American Buff Goose is a gentle, beautifully golden breed native to the U.S., known for its calm nature, strong family bonds, and excellent foraging skills. Once common on homesteads, this heritage breed is now cherished for its temperament and connection to traditional American farming.

Farming has been the thread weaved through my family's tapestry for hundreds of years. I grew up listening to stories of...
10/25/2025

Farming has been the thread weaved through my family's tapestry for hundreds of years. I grew up listening to stories of how my ancestors founded farms throughout Kentucky eventually all gathering in a small town by the hills. I learned about the animals they raised, the food they grew to get through hard times and times of abundence. I grew up running through those fields, and now my husband and I are commited to continuting this story.
Our small farm in the southern Appalachian mountains is slowly transforming into the heritage farm of our dreams and we are excited to bring you along for the ride!

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Cleveland, GA

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