Mentink Family Farms

06/08/2026

An Unexpected Pet and Challenges on the Farm

A few weeks ago, Abigail, age 8, asked me if she could catch a baby bunny. I said I didn’t want to have to buy food for a pet, but that she should ask dad. Cory said, “Sure,” thinking there was no way she could catch one. He said if she did, she would have to forage for its food and take really good care of it. Abigail agreed and Asher offered to set up a trap to safely catch one. Cory and I forgot all about it. Then a few days ago, Asher excitedly announced that a bunny was in the trap. Abigail was thrilled and said that she had prayed the night before that if it was God’s will, she would catch a bunny. I was so shocked I wasn’t sure what to say. Cory said, “Oh no when Abby told him the “good news.” You can see his reaction here. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zqLqD8HsZuU

God answered her prayer and reminded Cory and I that we need to be more careful about thinking something could never happen. It reminded us of the time that we told Kailey that a horse would have to walk onto our place in order for us to even consider owning a horse. Well, a horse did walk onto our place, we bought it, and we had that horse for many years. That horse was a blessing, but a good reminder to be careful what we say.

Cory built a cage for the bunny that night despite the fact that we have a lot going on. He wants our kids to know that they are important, and he has time for them. I thought that was very sweet. By the next morning, Abigail decided she wanted to release the bunny. The cat had been trying to claw it through the cage, and the bunny was very scared. The bunny was released, and everything worked out very well in the end.

Not too long ago, I reported that we were getting ahead of things on the farm, but we have been blessed with a lot of rain and had some challenges in the last few weeks. The thistles and weeds are growing faster than we can keep up with them, the potato bugs and mosquitos are thriving in our large potato area, we have had weird colds go through the family, our equipment was needing costly repairs, our refrigerators were not cooling, our main computer crashed, three of our hives swarmed, and the yard and gardens were turning into a jungle. We are getting on top of the chaos this week, and the Lord is providing everything we need, (including perseverance to get the work done and sanctification as we go). We are reminded that we have much to be thankful for, and that we should rejoice in the Lord, even in the hard things. For example, below is a picture of our layers and one group of our sheep and cows on pasture. The cover crop and pastures look great. Praise the Lord.

We are savoring the fresh strawberries, asparagus, lettuce, spinach, mulberries, and small amounts of mushrooms on our beyond organic farm. A few of our favorite recipes right now are strawberry ice cream (below is our homemade vanilla ice cream recipe that we simply add some chopped strawberries to). We also like to sauté our asparagus in our bright yellow, pastured butter and add mushrooms at the end of the cooking process. As we sit down at the table as a family for our meals, these nutrient dense, flavorful ingredients remind us why we do this work, that is enjoyable and rewarding most of the time, but can also be very challenging.

https://mentinkfamilyfarms.com/nourishing-guilt-free-homemade-vanilla-ice-cream/

05/30/2026

A Working Vacation and Discounted Vanilla

Our four oldest kids had the opportunity to travel to Colorado for an assembly of our Presbyterian churches last week. Not only was it a blessing to them, but it was also a blessing to us as well. Cory took time off from his electrical business, so he could help us to keep everything going on the farm. We called it a "working vacation."

This time of year gets busier since we are moving our sheep and cows daily, our laying hens every other day, and milking four cows and moving them on pasture daily. We also put our meat birds on pasture recently, so they are getting moved daily as well. The gardens are still being planted and the weeds don't wait for us to finish planting, although that would be nice. This doesn't include all the routine work, teaching and training, and relationship building. With all of this to say, we are blessed with a lot of work.

In preparation for this trip, we got ahead of our normal routine work for this time of year, and more importantly added even more efficient systems to our farm compared to last year. For example, Aiden designed and installed drip irrigation on our orchard and many of our garden areas. He calculated that we are using less than half of the water we were using in the past, and the plants look great. That has saved me a lot of time! Praise the Lord. We will see how things look in July, when we often get behind in some of the weeding.

Their trip also forced us to think even more about how to do our work more efficiently. I learned that I can accomplish more in a day than I ever thought possible (seeking the Lord in everything) and that our younger children are very capable of helping out as well. This efficiency was a true blessing and answer to prayer (something I pray about daily). In fact, some of the kids were fighting over who got to help with the dishes and more than one person wanted to clean the bathrooms (I know this won't last).

We did what we needed to do, and when we were done with our work, we planned something fun each day. We had a fire, hay rack ride, games, and ended the week by visiting with the older kids and enjoyed looking at the numerous pictures that were taken from their trip. We had apple cider from our orchard each night, and they thought my simple meals were special, especially since we were able to add some fresh vegetables from the garden.
Our older children are such a blessing, and Cory and I realize that we will be losing them soon, but we look forward to what God has in store for them and know that we will be able to manage. This trip was a reminder that God will give us what we need when the times comes.

After our previous email about how the little ones and I made a half gallon of vanilla extract for our family, I had several people reach out and ask if we could do that for them. I have been thinking about how we could help them out and save them money.
I came up with a plan after some praying and calculating. I could make a quart of vanilla (which would be about 8 of the bottles of vanilla) and sell it for $86 for Tahitian and $81 for Madagascar. They save because I wouldn't have to find storage for it for several months or separate it into the bottles (the time and cost of the bottles does add up).

When the time comes, they can strain off the beans and add this to empty Boston Round Bottles here. These work great for easier storage, or to give away as gifts once the extract is done. To save even more money, instead of buying the bottles, they could dip into the quart jar with the vanilla beans still in it (using a teaspoon or tablespoon) like I often do. The vanilla in the jar is best after several months, but I have used mine as early as few weeks. The flavor will keep getting better.

Frugal tip: When the extract is gone, I like to pour 35% alcohol over the beans and make a weaker vanilla, or I like to add them two at a time to a pan of water and heat on our stove with apples and cinnamon sticks to diffuse throughout our house. This natural fragrance lasts for many days and smells amazing.
If you would like a quart of vanilla too, simply message me, and I will be happy to help you out. If you would like to make your own vanilla, you can check out our two varieties of vanilla beans at our website.

05/15/2026

The little ones and I made a half gallon of homemade vanilla extract yesterday using Madagascar beans and organic alcohol for our family's use. It was quick and easy and everyone enjoyed the process.

When making vanilla extract it's important to cut the beans and not chop them (chopping can cause an off flavor). We use a knife and cutting board or a scissors to slice the beans lengthwise, place them in a glass jar, and then fill the jar with alcohol (at least 35%).

We leave it on the counter and shake it a few times a day for about a week (so we don't forget). We have noticed that it's not a big difference if we forget to shake it. Then it goes into storage until we need more pure, vanilla extract for our homemade recipes. We still have plenty of time for the alcohol to draw out the flavor before Christmas, if we want to give some as gifts. You can't leave the vanilla beans in the alcohol too long, it just keeps getting better. This is one of my favorite items to stock up on, since it will keep forever and is not locally grown.

Vanilla extract is one of the top 10 most adulterated products, so that is one reason we make it ourselves. If you would like to give this fun project a try too, we have Madagascar vanilla beans back in stock (more vanilla beans same price as before) or we have a new, rare variety called Tahitian vanilla bean. There is definitely a difference between the two, and we really like both of them, so we switch back and forth for different flavors.

We have taken the work out of this project by weighing out each bag of vanilla beans, which will be exactly what you need to make a quart of FDA approved, pure vanilla extract when you are finished.

One bag of our vanilla beans from our website, cut, placed into a quart jar, and covered in alcohol, gives you a pure vanilla extract. So simple. This will make 8, 4 oz. glass bottles. You can also find empty Boston Round Bottles for easier storage or to give away as gifts once the extract is done. We like to create our own unique labels at Avery. We love making vanilla extract, and if you don't have time and want to buy from someone you can trust, we would love to help you out with our pure extract too.

05/05/2026

Five Uses For Bentonite Clay

1. Facial Mask=Great for removing toxins and cleansing the face

2. Mouth Care=Removes plaque and fights bacteria and bad breath. Find our recipe for tooth powder here or let us make it for you here. Most toothpastes (even natural ones) have a poison warning on the label.

3. Detox Bath=Detoxify skin and absorb impurities.

4. Minor Burns and Bug Bites= Draws out toxins, relieves itching and pain.

5. Digestive Health= Small amounts can be consumed for treating diarrhea and constipation

I have heard this is good for hair care, but I wouldn't recommend it. At least for me, it damaged and dried out my hair.

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05/04/2026

Annika's goat milk soap is back in stock! All oils are certified organic, and she is using milk from her goat which is raised beyond organic standards. People love how moisturizing this soap is.

Beyond Organic Ingredients: Organic Olive Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Palm Oil, Goat Milk*, and Food Grade Sodium Hydroxide (all sodium hydroxide is used up in the process). We never use preservatives, colorants, synthetic dyes, or fragrances in our soap. It’s best to store soap in a cool, d...

05/04/2026

Dear Family and Friends,

After sending our message about the current drought in the USA, (that is worse than the Dust Bowl in 1934) we were blessed with a nice soaking rain on our farm, praise the Lord. It is still very dry, but most of our pastures still look really good. We would love prayers for continued rain and the ability to expand everything we are doing, while being good stewards and glorifying God in all we do. Thanks to all who responded! What an encouragement!

We continue to get requests to provide more pastured, beyond organic meats, jersey cows, and other products. We are doing everything we can to expand and serve more people. We would love prayers for rain and the ability to steward more organic land. We and many others truly believe that animals raised on pasture, without medication or grains, (except chickens need some grain) produce a substantial difference in the flavor and nutrients in the meat, and provide numerous health benefits that will help our bodies to fight off diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and more. The scientific research continues to confirm this. Thanks for your patience, prayers, and continued support!

04/30/2026

"Eat food made by people, not corporations." unknown

"When we eat what is grown in our local soil and environment, it helps nourish us in ways foreign grown foods won't." unknown

"Support your local farmers! They are the backbone of our country, working hard to keep us all fed." unknown

"Every time you spend money, you're casting a vote for the kind of world you want." — Anna Lappé

Disclaimer: Sharing quotes that I like does not mean I agree with everything this person says. :)

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04/25/2026

Worst Drought and Food Shortages Coming

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the drought monitor is registering worse drought conditions in America today than the Dust Bowl days during the Great Depression in 1934, and the worst conditions since the monitor began in 1895. It is also predicted that we will see some food shortages in August of 2026, because of increased fertilizer costs.

This is not a time to panic or fear, but to repent, and seek wisdom in what to do. 2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV says, “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

It’s not too late to get a garden started, and it’s a perfect time to find a local farmer to support. The local farmer is more resilient, and you can know more certainly how your food is actually being grown (unlike the commercial industry that uses fraudulent labels). We must support them through the good times, so they are there during the bad times. Covid was an example of the lack of dedication so many people have with their local food supply. Many people fled to their local farmers at the beginning of Covid, but as soon as they felt “safe” in the grocery store they left them. Many farmers lost a lot of money, because they had invested so much in expanding to meet that demand, and then quickly lost those customers. Our family is very dedicated to our customers, and thankfully we have and continue to expand slowly, praying that we will avoid that same calamity.

We grow a large majority of our food and source the rest from small farmers. We have been growing and increasing the amount of food we grow every year for over 18 years and learning how to be better stewards of everything. We are not necessarily preppers, but our lifestyle lends nicely to it. The quality of food in this country is very low and the poor health of our nation is a testimony to it. That in itself is our incentive. This is certainly not an easy lifestyle, and we have to pray for perseverance and self-discipline often, but it’s so good, and I pray that more people will embrace it.

If you have anything specific you would like for us to share about how we are doing things, we are happy to help and will do our best to share it. Let us all fear the Lord in everything we do, to be self-disciplined in all things, to be good stewards of our health, our finances, our land, and water, and continue to serve one another. Let us not be fearful and hide our treasures in a hole, (like sometimes happens when times get tough) but continue to invest in other people. Are there things you are doing to be more prepared? We would love to hear from you!

04/18/2026

Cyst Clears After Degreaser Removed

A dear friend shared that she had been diagnosed with a cyst on her face several years ago, and rather than having it removed, she decided to eliminate all degreasers, and see if that helped. She had heard that degreasers could cause this type of cyst. After a time, the cyst completely went away. She never went back to them.

We never use degreasers or "natural degreasers" in our skin care products. Many "natural" skin care and cleaning agents contain these harmful degreasers.

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04/18/2026

Grow These for Health

I'm more excited about this growing season than I have been before. We have been praying about making things more efficient and nutrient dense for years, and I believe our new systems are going to save us a lot of time, and produce amazing results, Lord willing. I hope to share some of these some day, but for now I want to encourage you to grow some of your own heirloom produce or find a great farmer to buy from.

Some of the newest varieties of super sweet corn are as high as 40% sugar. Eating corn this sweet can have the same impact on your blood sugar as eating a snickers candy bar or cake doughnut.

Jo Robinson explains that the new breeds of sweet corn developed as a result of corn seeds being bombarded with radiation, the seeds being mutated, and then scientists working with these mutated seeds and crossing them with old fashioned seeds to produce super sweet varieties of sweet corn that contain A LOT more sugar. These would be considered hybrid plants (not genetically modified), but not all hybrids are produced in this way. A hybrid plant is simply a cross-bred plant that is a result of someone cross-pollinating two or more unrelated plant species. You can’t save the seed and get the same plant the next year. You can learn more at the link below for more reasons to grow/eat heirloom produce.

Week 49: Modern Vegetables Versus Old Fashioned Vegetables Posted on March 15, 2022February 26, 2026 by Angela Mentink Some of the newest varieties of super sweet corn are as high as 40% sugar. Eating corn this sweet can have the same impact on your blood sugar as eating a snickers candy bar or cake...