Full Circle Farm

A couple of weeks ago, we attended Farmer Betsy’s family reunion.  This reunion has been held for more than 60 years on her great-grandparent’s homestead.  Earlier in the year, the current resident of the homestead had applied for the Centennial Hoosier Homestead Award.  The application was initially denied because the farm was not at least 20 acres and did not earn at least $1,000.

The family bought 70 acres in 1913.  Those 70 acres were owned and farmed for 99½ years until the family matriarch passed.  The settlement of her estate reduced the homestead to 8 acres that was not farmed for profit.  Thankfully, a well written letter to the Indiana State Department of Agriculture detailing the history and tradition of the homestead as well as the income that could be made were the land farmed for profit, finally garnered the cherished award for the family homestead.

Is that what we have been reduced to that even our farms must be large and business-like?  What about those cultures where subsistence farmers truly make a “living” on much less land with much fewer resources?  What about the new urban “farms” that raise animals and grow produce for city dwellers using much fewer than 20 acres?  By those standards, Full Circle Farm, (currently with 31 sheep, 6 cows, 2 goats, 9 turkeys, and more than 200 chickens) doesn’t qualify as a farm.  While our earnings have improved thanks to your support, we operate on only 19 acres.  I suppose we will have to change our name to just “Full Circle”.

We still have grass-fed beef available.  Eggs are running in short supply as the daylight begins to dwindle.  We are currently sold out of chicken and lamb.  We plan to have more chicken by October but more lamb will not be available until at least January.  We also plan to offer a limited supply of pork beginning in October.

We will also be selling gluten-free treats from Betsy’s Kitchen, including the newly popular apple cider donuts.  To celebrate National Farmers’ Market Week, we will be offering special deals on the treats.

We will be at three markets this week.

Friday, August 9, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. – Farm to Fork Market at Normandy Farms (79^th and Marsh Road) (Our grass-fed beef will be part of the feature picnic this week.)

Saturday, August 10, 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. – Zionsville Farmers’ Market (Main Street and Hawthorne)

Tuesday, August 13, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. – Decatur Township Farmers’ Market (5106 S. High School Road)

We also sell all of our products at the farm.