KW Homestead

Pasture Raised Poultry & Edible Landscaping Plants Since 2013

Author: Emma (page 10 of 36)

What’s New This Week? 10% Off Drumsticks & More! Check Out the Sale Cooler…

The special, Sale Cooler is back! This week you can find many packages of drumsticks inside, at 10% off, plus an assortment of other goodies that you’ll just have to see to believe… Come on by our table, open up the Sale Cooler, and rummage around for significant savings. See you tomorrow!

In addition to our usual Saturday location, we’re super excited about joining in the fall festival celebrations and fun at the two-day Asheboro Fall Festival, this Saturday the 5th (10am-6pm) and Sunday the 6th (12-6pm) in downtown Asheboro! We’ll be equipped with loads of edible plants for sale, including a couple of new additions excellent for the shadiest parts of your yard (wintergreen and box huckleberry, oh my!).  Keep in mind that we’ll only have plants at this market location.

You can also find us next Saturday the 12th (10am-3pm) at the Annual Bur-Mil Park Fall Festival in Greensboro, for another chance to pick up the edible plants of your dreams!

As always, you can also swing by the excellent Corner Farmers Market every Saturday morning, from 8am-12pm to get a double dose of KW Homesteadgoodies and KW Edible Landscaping Nursery plants, if you can’t make it to either of these exciting fall festivals. Or, feel free to send us an email with questions or orders for either fall container stock or dormant season plants.

Tell your friends and spread the word. Then come by and see us yourself! 👍🏼

10% Off Drumsticks & More

Searching through the Sale Cooler is a hands on experience! There should be plenty of drumsticks to go around, but a limited number of other goodies inside… Like broth-making materials, organ meats, or other scrumptious and nutritious dietary additions. We can’t wait to see what jumps out at you…

Get Your Fall Planting Started With
An Edible Landscaping Consultation

Edible landscaping is more than just landscaping. It’s a way to feed your family and live a more sustainable life, regardless of where you live and how small your yard or land is!

We offer on-site consultations to assess your land and help you determine the best place for your edible or fruit bearing plants. During a consultation, Jason works with you to plan your property’s potential and determine what fruits and other goodies you would like your family to enjoy for the next decades. He spends a couple hours walking your land with you and discussing your vision, maintenance requirements, and installation tips, as well as what plants and strategies are best for your soil, sun exposure, and lifestyle.

Check in with us about scheduling your edible landscaping consultation ASAP, to get you ready for fall and winter planting and to help you get ahead on the spring growing season!

Schedule a Landscaping Consultation Now

Autumn’s Place in the Cycle of Life

Here’s a look at the life-death-life cycle that governs any homestead, farm, or (let’s face it) life or experience.

Last week, we processed one of our pigs, and Jason snapped the picture below right after we were finished with the process.

The acorns have been falling for weeks, and the pigs have been crunching away at the sweet seeds, fattening up and filling up.

The very same gigantic oak tree that shades our processing area is the one that drops huge amounts of these acorns each year. In fact, oaks often skip production years, but since we’ve been on our farm and processing under this tree—for 6 years—it’s never missed a chance to drop loads of acorns. We think that it’s due to all of the extra water and animal nutrients that have seeped into its ground over the year, and the pigs love to partake in the bounty.

This season is also the season for yellow jackets. While they’re around beginning in the spring, they really hang out at our processing area during the fall, enjoying the dropped meaty bits and blood—ever the focused scavengers.

When this bit of blood hit the ground, they swarmed around, ready to collect as much sustenance as they could. Everything gets used, and everything gets recycled. Energy and life isn’t created, it’s only borrowed and then given back. The pig’s time is done, the yellow jacket’s is just beginning, and the oak tree perseveres by sending out thousands of hopeful and patient acorns each year, many which feed the food that we eat.

8 Weeks Till Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is closer than you think, and with the busyness of the holiday season approaching, now is a great time to go ahead and reserve your Thanksgiving heritage turkey. There aren’t too many spots left available at $11/lb. so we always advise that reserving early is best. Plus, toms are often more popular than the smaller hens, and they said tend to sell out faster. Reserving now allows you first dibs on the size bird you’d like. You can reserve online, via the link below, or in person at the market tomorrow morning. See you soon!

Reserve Your Heritage Turkey Today!

What’s New This Week? Feeling Thankful for Our Anniversary, Our Market, & Our Birds

Feeling Thankful For Our Anniversary, Our Market, & Our Birds

This week, we’ve been feeling thankful about many of the things in our life! Today is our 5th wedding anniversary and we’re grateful for the many years we’ve had together and the many more we plan to spend growing together.

Also this week, we are reminded of why we love our Saturday farmers market so much! The Corner Farmers Market has been our home away from home for the past 5 years as well (about as long as we’ve been married)! In case you needed another reason to love our special, Saturday market, check out the details below on how and why the market doubles dollar amounts up to $50 for all SNAP recipients. This is more than any market in the Triad and we’re proud to be a part of something so special. As always, we’ll see you tomorrow at the Corner Farmers Market from 8am-12pm. Can’t wait to see you there!

Celebrating 5 Years!

Although we’ve been married for 5 years, we’ve been together for 8, and it’s hard to believe how long ago it was that we met in Moquegua, Peru while studying abroad. We don’t have too many pictures of us during that time (see the above photo for a look at Jason’s unbearded self!), and one of the only photos we have of us together also includes one of our friends, who passed away last year from cancer. She wasn’t yet 30 years old and we always think of her when we think about the beginning of our relationship, since she was such an integral part of our early memories as a couple. ❤️

When we met, it didn’t take long for us to realize that we were meant to be together (around three weeks, actually), and buying our home, starting our homestead, and beginning our family were some of the easiest decisions we’ve ever made. We feel lucky to have each other and lucky to get to spend so much time working together, living together, and raising our son together. Happy anniversary to us! 😉

Double Your SNAP Dollars

Did you know that here, at KW Homestead, we accept SNAP payment? In fact, every vendor at the Corner Farmers Market accepts your SNAP dollars—and if you head to the market table at the beginning of your visit, our market manager will double all of your SNAP dollars, up to $50. So if you bring her $50, she’ll give you $100 Corner Farmers Market tokens—which are good for any food item, even edible plants! Check out this blurb from this week’s Market email:

“This commitment to community is the bedrock of where we stand as a market. We believe that building a local food system is crucial to a healthy society. That interpersonal connections are more critical than ever.

Our Green for Greens program supports our mission of building a local food system that includes all our neighbors. It allows us to double the SNAP stipend (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps) of our neighbors. Doubling the food budget of our neighbors in need also benefits the farmers, bakers and chefs of our market.

On any Saturday we double the food budgets of 8-10 families.
Maybe that doesn’t sound like a lot. But trust us, it is!”

So, if you’re a SNAP recipient, swing by our table at the Corner Farmers Market to double your food dollars! And, if you’re not a SNAP recipient but believe in equal access to healthy food, consider donating, via the button below.

Donate to “Greens for Greens” Now

There’s Something You Should Know About Turkeys

No matter where they go, they stick together in a big bunch. If one turkey gets separated, it gets super agitated and starts making a sound just like a Star Wars Storm Trooper gun, and the rest of the flock usually tries to rejoin it. While this is entertaining, it can also be irritating when one bird is on the wrong side of the fence, and the other 79 goofballs are trying with all their might to get to the other side with it.

But, the good news is that, as a flock, they’re easy to herd or call from place to place. Not quite as easy to manage as a herd of ducks, but infinitely easier to get from place to place than chickens. And they have quite a bit of personality, could you have guessed?

Reserve Your Heritage Turkey Today!

A Little Extra Turkey Drama For You…

Everywhere the tom turkeys go, they’re either eating or socializing—curiously checking out interesting snacks or gobbling, chatting, and arguing over who has the longest snood (that long, dangly feature over their beaks).

Everywhere the hens go, they’re eating. Just simple, focused eating. They’re our kind of ladies.

Jason’s Planting Tips:
The Inside Scoop

As far as plant availability goes, we have good numbers of blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and kiwi. For fruit trees, we have plenty of apples and pears—but not every variety—and limited numbers of peach, plum, cherry, and paw paw. We might have some elderberry available, and limited numbers of rugosa rose, goumi, American hazelnut, and yaupon holly. Figs, juneberry, and grapes are sold out for fall. Once everything goes dormant and we can start digging and transplanting, we will have everything back in stock… Starting in November up through early Spring.

Personally, We’re am delaying most of our plantings and installations this year until things cool off and things are dormant due to dry soils and hot weather. So, you might consider doing to same. But, now is a great time to schedule a walk-through consultation with Jason to assess your property, planting sites, and to help you plan your edible landscape!

What’s New This Week? A Busy Week Filled With Feathers, Fur, Fish, & Fun!

It’s been a pretty exciting week here on the homestead, filled with ducklings, energetic turkey teenagers, fish, and some silly homestead dogs. All in all, a lot of action and a lot of fun.

Our last batch of ducklings for the year arrived! This batch is unique for us, and it’s made up of half Pekins and half Golden Layer ducks, with a couple of oddballs mixed in. Read on for more information about the cutest duckling in the brooder!

Also, don’t forget that fall planting season is here! Check out our availability below and talk to us about scheduling an edible landscaping consultation to assess your property and help plan your edible landscape! Together we can make it happen.

Where We’ll Be This Week!

This week you can find us this week at one market location:

Chicken Skins Are Back!

Two weeks ago, when we debuted one of our scrumptious new products—chicken skin bacon (also called chicken skin chips), we sold out pretty quickly. We’re happy to announce that chicken skins are back in stock this week! So if you missed out a few weeks ago, come and find us tomorrow for your chance to get crunchy.

Supplemental Sustenance, Jason’s Way!

It’s a great feeling to have 10 pounds of catfish filets in the freezer, courtesy of Jason’s newest passion—late night, kayak catfishing. Last week he brought home a pretty abundant haul!

They’re not pasture raised, but just as high quality… Wild caught in a clean, mountain lake. Wild and free nourishment for the three of us!

Take a Hike, Turkeys

The turkeys are on the move this week… Running all over the place and really having a good time. Don’t you think the turkeys in the foreground look like they’re playing hide and seek around that tree?

Since the acorns have started falling, the turkeys are getting the chance to eat delicious supplements of the woods in addition to the greenery of pastures. Can you believe it’s only 2 months until Thanksgiving?

If you haven’t yet reserved your bird for the holiday, click on the link below!

Reserve Your Heritage Turkey Today!

The Cutest Duckling on the Block

This batch of baby ducks features two of these cuties… White Crested ducks. We got a few of these, just for fun, and when they’re adults they have the same tuft on their head, in white. We can’t wait to see them when they’re all grown up! How hilarious are they? 😆

Homestead Dog Adventures

These farm dogs really know how to join in on the fun! One of their favorite activities is trying to jump in the van whenever they get the chance… And even though they’re both pretty big it can be a difficult feat to launch themselves up. We often hear the scratch of toenails as they’re trying to climb up the steps into the backseat… And it’s just hilarious.

On this occasion, after a feed run, both of these goobers made it up, and they looked pretty pleased with themselves.

What’s New This Week? Autumn is Coming: Fall Planting Time and Plants are Back!

Finally, despite the super summer heat this week, autumn is finally on its way! This means fall planting is just around the corner and most of our edible plants are back! They were taking a break over the summer due to the heat and hot sun, but starting this Saturday you can grab a greater variety of plants for establishing your edible landscape.

Also, we’re super excited about joining in the fun tomorrow at the State Street Festival from 2-7pm. We’ll be heading over for the festivities after being at our excellent Corner Farmers Market hangout in the morning. This means you can get a double dose of homestead life and KW Edible Landscaping Nursery plants tomorrow at our two Greensboro market locations.

At State Street Festival, we’ll have lots of fall plants—fruit trees like the delicious Asian pear, berry bushes like the fruitful and easy-to-grow thornless blackberry, and other unusual greenery like the self-fertile and quick-bearing Issai hardy kiwi vine.

Tell your friends and spread the word. Then come by and see us yourself! 👍🏼

Our Featured Fall Plants

Are you ready for fall planting season? If you haven’t yet thought about what you’d like to get in the ground this fall, now is great time to start brainstorming… And we can help. We have loads of fruit-bearing bushes and unique edible plants, some of which include:
—Blackberry
—Raspberry
—Dwarf Beach Plum
—Hazelnut
—Asian & European Pear
—Modern & Heritage Apple
—Hardy Kiwi
—Elberberry
—Blueberry
All of these babies are ready to go home with you! You have the option of planting now or of waiting until the weather cools off—and we can help you decide which works best for your busy schedule. Just check in with us this week, Saturday at The Corner Farmers Market or the State Street Festival, or anytime!

Your Fall Planting Options

When it comes to fall planting, you have a lot of options! You can either plant now, being sure to watch your plants carefully in these last, hot days of summer or plant as the weather cools off a bit. Planting now means that your bush or tree can go ahead and put on more growth before the dormant season, and planting when the weather cools off means that you don’t have to watch your plant for signs of drying out or being sunbaked.

Either way, if you’re anxious to get your plants in the ground before next year, you can definitely get it done. Planting before spring means that your plants can spend their dormant, winter season putting on a lot of new root growth. When they start budding out for spring they’ll be extra hardy and ready to rock!

Just a tip: Raspberries and blackberries should bear fruit for you next year, so giving them this extra fall and winter time in the ground is an added benefit in making sure that they have you enjoying fruits next summer.

Soil Preparation

Let’s talk about getting your property and soil ready for fall planting! If you already know where you’d like to plant your plants, you can prepare the soil by covering the ground with a killing mulch—a mulch meant to kill all the grass and weeds below. You can also lay down cardboard or black plastic under this mulch to help with that process.

If you’re not into this idea, you can lay down a cover crop… Plants like buckwheat, which adds organic matter to the soil, prepares the soil for later planting, and improves overall soil health.

Tips For Caring For Your Established Plants

Some of you may be wondering what you should do to care for the plants that you’ve already planted as we go into fall and winter… One great idea is to fertilize your plants with a mineral fertilizer or compost! Be sure that you do not add any high nitrogen fertilizer to the soil at this time. Also, if you haven’t already mulched around the base of your plants, now is a great time to do this. This extra layer will help to protect the roots in the coming winter!

Need more tips? Ready to pick up your fall plants? Come find our booth tomorrow at the State Street Festival from 2-7pm!

Edible Landscaping Consultations in Greensboro & Winston-Salem

Not only are we an edible landscaping nursery, with loads of both classic and unique edible plants, Jason, our plant expert also offers on-site consultations to assess your land and help you determine the best place for your edible or fruit bearing plants.

He works with you to plan your future and determine what fruits and other goodies you would like your family to enjoy for the next decades!

During your consultation, he spends a couple hours walking your land with you and mapping out your vision, as well as realistically assessing what plants are best for your soil, sun exposure, and yard size.

Jason can also install, fertilize, and prune your edible landscape! This early spring season is a great time to start planting your fruit trees and berry bushes, so if you’re interested in working with us to make your land a more welcoming place, message us or speak with us in person on Saturdays at the Corner Farmers Market.

Check with us for help with:

🌿 Selecting the best varieties/species for your land
🌿 Planting
🌿 Pruning
🌿 Fertilizing
🌿 Troubleshooting and basic care questions

The Watching and Waiting

This little helper really loves what we do.

There’s a lot of watching and waiting to parenting, especially when they’re learning new laws of the universe like weight, balance, and understanding fragility.

Uhtred’s a really great listener, but doesn’t yet understand how fragile plants can be and what happens when you drop them. Luckily, no plants have been dropped as of yet—but plenty have been reorganized.

Just like all toddlers, he’s interested in what we’re doing—and since we’re usually caring for animals or plants, most of his self-directed play involves animals eating, riding on each other’s backs (because of how often he rides on my back), or running.

One day soon I sure we’ll find him planting sticks in the ground.

14 Inches of Snow in Stokes County, NC

This snowstorm was a major one! 14 inches is more that I ever remember seeing as a child, growing up in Greensboro. I’m glad that Uhtred got to see another year of snow before Christmas (that’s the right way to ring in the holiday season!).

He spent part of one day sledding and exploring deep snow, and the next day we threw snowballs and watched the cows. Overall, it was a great few days of rest and relaxation!

Give the Gift That Keeps on Growing!

If you know someone who is planning on planting edible plants this spring, like fruit trees and bushes, why not help them plan ahead and feel prepared? 

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start when you’re looking at the blank canvas of your own backyard. Should the apple tree go here or there? And what about those raspberry bushes… How much sun do they need? These are all key questions when planning a successful edible landscape, and Jason can help you sort everything out with no stress. 

We offer Edible Landscaping Consultations at any time of the year, and you can purchase a KW Homestead gift certificate for this purpose. The same goes for your spring plants… When we have those ready to be taken home, our gift certicates can be applied to those green babies, too! You can give your loved one the gift that keeps on growing! 🌱

With a landscaping consultation or the promise of fresh, fruiting plants in the spring, your Christmas gift will be a big hit with your green-thumbed loved ones! Gift certificates are available now! Email us for details at kwhomestead@gmail.com.

 

Okra Ornaments

With Thanksgiving long gone and the Christmas holiday coming up fast, now is the time to consider gifts for everyone in your life!

We’ll be at the Corner Farmers Market each Saturday until Christmas with awesome Okra Ornaments made by Emma’s mom, Dena! Each dried okra was grown by Emma’s dad and has been painted and decorated with tons of unique bling. One ornament even has over 400 beads adorning it!

You can come by on Saturdays for your one-of-a-kind okra, or you can also order via email. Ask us for details about each okra!

Ethically Raised Meat in the Triad, NC

Ethically raising meat is about looking beyond oneself to the greater health landscape: the health of our planet, our family, and the animals we raise.

Raising meat in an ethical way is about raising animals with respect and considering their instincts and innate needs as living things: room to roam, healthy and wild food to eat, social interaction and freedom from fear, and optimal health.

This is why we raise all of our animals on pasture, outside, breathing the fresh air—where animals belong! This is also why we are committed to feeding all of our birds and mammals non-GMO feed. Non-GMO feed limits the pesticides that burn our soils, and keeps us (and our animals) from ingesting harmful doses of toxic chemicals.

Raising animals in an ethical way also means that we raise our birds so that we actually rebuild the soil, rather than destroy it. Our animals are moved to new pasture frequently, allowing the old pasture to regrow and rebuild. We practice rotational grazing so that different species (including the cows) rotate over the same landscape and add their own microbial and micronutrient contribution back to the soil, making the soil even richer and alive than when we found it.

We strive rebuild our land, our health, and our relationship with nature one day at a time.

Consider giving the gift of ethically raised meat this Christmas, as either a KW Homestead gift certificate or a Chicken CSA package! Message us for details!

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