Meet the newest Little Sprout!

The finally arrived yesterday when our newest little sprout joined the world.

Samuel Arthur Salch

Born Dec 13 at 3:07pm

8lbs, 1oz  and 20 "

We are happy to report that everyone is doing fine, healthy and strong.

Thanksgiving 2016

Every year is a new adventure in this life, and 2016 has been full of surprises beyond most others.

As many of you know, our life changed dramatically this year. We unexpectedly became reliant solely on the farm income, before we were ready. This has been quite the financial challenge. Yet, so far, God has provided in one way after another so that we are doing ok.  This is something to be thankful for! Things have worked out, sometimes at the last minute.

2016 also was a year of changed on the farm. The financial challenges have led us down a beneficial path of improving how things are done, making Little Sprouts significantly more self sufficient. This path has brought realities that previously were just a dream, or not even considered!  The end result is both higher profitability and lower prices.

2016 is coming to a close with the biggest expansion in Little Sprouts History. We have ventured down a path of providing everything we have used to improve our family health. Going way beyond food, into household items, personal care items, supplements, etc. We have worked to be able to share with you what worked for us. Our vision is to become a one stop place to grab not only knowledge but also the necessary products to truly transform your family health and life.

And 2016 brings the seventh child to the Sprouts clan. Due in just a couple weeks, with this child our family has grown beyond our wildest dreams. Each and Every sprout is special in their own way. We are reminded by the farm name, "Little Sprouts Farm" that this venture is not about me or Brenda, it is about the children, the sprouts themselves.

So today, we celebrate so many blessings while facing an uncertain future. Life has brought us to this point, and as we glance back in awe of all the steps that led us here by Divine Providence, we recognize that this is bigger than us. This is truly a life mission, to touch your family with the blessings we have enjoyed. We almost lost a child to lack of knowledge, to "following the standard american advice" in health and life. But we didnt! By Gods grace we are all here at the end of 2016. What more could we ever be thankful for. Not only are we all here, healthy and happy, but we have the privilege of sharing these truths with you.

God is Good, Life is awesome, and we are thankful to share what we can with you.

The kitchen sheep

This little lady fell prey to the bad weather... Approaching 4 inches of cold rain this weekend is a lot for our area. It was just too much for this younger girl. She somehow got soaked with rain and mud.

Kaelyn found her struggling to stand this afternoon... So naturally she brought the sheep inside. Doesn't everyone have sheep in their kitchen?

After a long warm bath, a towel dry followed by some serious blow drying.... she is much better. Regaining her body heat and strength quickly. So ... Naturally.... Kaelyn fixed her up with a little recovery spot in the kitchen. Dry towel, some fresh dry hay, and there are sits!

Kaelyn is definitely becoming our resident vet... Her natural instincts for caring for animals is quite strong.

Even the lamb is attached to kaelyn now. When she went out to get another handful of hay, the lamb went roaming around the kitchen calling for her nurse.

So yea.... Another kitchen sheep for the afternoon.

First Pumpkin Harvest! - a Prize Winner

We pulled in the first picking of the "cinderella pumpkins"...  the heirloom variety that looks  like carriage wheels if you hold them on end. They are quite a bit sweeter than the normal field pumpkins, and really dense without the hollow center, but don't store as well do to their thin soft skins.


We found the prize winner for the year, and a close runner up! The biggest one weighed in at 39.5 lbs, and the runner up at 29 lbs. Not bad !

Hunter and Kaelyn are quite proud of this one!

First Harvest for Delivery

Today we did the first harvest for delivery route in ashland / phoenix / talent today.  Hunter had lots of help!

Looks like a government job, right?

Hunter doing the actual picking
Everette on climate control (umbrella)
Ollie equipped with a fly swatter just in case of.. well.. just in case
And Levi supervising

How many people does it take to pick some greens? apparently 4... or 5 if you count the photographer!

Giant Pumpkin Leaves!

We grow the heirloom Connecticut Field Pumpkin for the hogs (and will sell the extras if there are any). these plants are HUGE!

Hunter Hiding behind  a pumpkin leaf!

The actual pumpkins are small yet, just starting. Most are the size of a marble or ping pong ball, but with these leaves to support them...  they will get huge. Last year the largest pumpkin was over 20 lbs!

A baby pumpkin. It starts so small, and grows so big!

Nothing better than a lamb!

We love this time of year.. when the lambs arrive! There is just something special about cuddling with a little lamb, only a few days old.

Kaelyn snuggling with one of the new arrivals

If you want to do a farm visit... now is a great time. There is still mud everywhere but with little faces like this running around... its worth it!

Meet fred...

Meet fred.... he showed up this morning at the farm to spend a few hours with the little sprouts...



Hopefully he can stay a while....

posted from Bloggeroid

Video for Medford Food Coop

We recently had the privilege of being included in the video spots for the Medford Food Coop!

The Sheperd Boy

Stories of "the little shepherd boy" have always been my favorite... but honestly, they seem so long ago, so far away, in a time long gone.  yet they are stories of inspiration, comfort, and wisdom.

But perhaps those days are not so far away as we think...  on this small family farm in Oregon, the shepherd boy lives on, even today. Just like days of old, the sheep know his voice, know his safety and comfort, and run to be under his shepherding.

Here is Hunter... leading our sheep back home from almost a year of off-site grazing.  It took a few minutes, but they remember him... and the feed bucket he carried. They ran to meet and follow him, to wherever he would lead them.  It was awe inspiring to watch these animals follow their shepherd so willingly, so enthusiastically.

If we, as humans, could only follow our shepherd as well, with excitement and total trust.

Tomato and pepper starts are in

The one garden thing we are a tad late on, starting the tomato and pepper plants. These plants do so much better starting indoors. Yes, we could have started them a few weeks ago, but the greenhouse is not operational this year (taken over by the loose chickens.. ugh!) and we just didnt get around to it.  But today.. it happened...

Our kitchen table was covered in organic topsoil used to fill 250 tiny planting buckets in a tray. The kids all joined in the plant the seeds and water them. Now the trays are resting comfortable in a south facing window over a heater. Hopefully we can put them in the ground within a couple weeks.

If this works out well.. we will have lots of Weston A Price Foundation Salsa for sale at the end of summer!

Dusting for fun and profit

Its spring, and with a large goat herd as we now have, certain realities happen, like spring goat lice. These little critters are quite common in the spring, and quickly spread from goat to goat, seemingly overnight. This year we had an unusually bad infestation to be dealt with.

Fortunately, an easy fix is diatomaceous earth, food grade.  This magical powder sticks to the fur of the goats and the skin, and thereby the lice. Once on the lice, the microscopic particles of this dust are hard and razor sharp. It gets into the cracks of the exoskeleton of the insects, into the joints and cracks, and literally "wears them out" but cutting their skeleton apart. The parasites die within 48 hours. Other than this physical action, there is absolutely no chemical action from this earth.  In fact it is quite healthful taken internally!

Eggs of these lice hatch in a week or so, which means we repeat this dusting a couple times a week for 2 to 4 weeks, and the lice are gone.  This year, they actually disappeared within a couple weeks.

One session of dusting after milking was handled by Everette and Levi, under Hunter's supervision. They had a ball with the soft white dust (wearing masks to ensure that they didnt inhale too much). Lots of dust got on the ground, which is actually a good thing! but the goats were sufficiently dusted. Good job boys!

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Farming with kids

It is always interesting running a family farm with a large family. There are so many interesting situations we run into throughout the day.. some frustrating, but most just plain fun. Like this moment.. when we found ourselves at the milking barn, 4 full half gallons of milk to carry back with a 2 year old, double stroller, and out hands full of stuff.  What do you do?

As Ollie explains in these pics... you use the double stroller! In addition to carrying "little sprouts" around, it works great to carry milk!

Miracle at Little Sprouts!

Ever so often something happens that gives you pause, something so unexpected and unusual that it makes you think there is more here than meets the eye. Today.. is one of those days.

There was a tragic setback in our new chicken flock last night. It got colder than expected, and the baby hens didnt stay put under the heaters. They wandered. They wandered so far that they didnt manage to find their back to the heaters in time. Kaelyn found them this morning, laying lifeless in the corner of the brooder. 18 little hens on the brink of death.

Now.. let me say this before I continue... this happens occasionally for one reason or another. Chicks do not have the capacity to maintain their own body heat for long and quickly "go to sleep" and die when they get cold.  What we do in these situations warm them as quickly as possible by placing the babies into a warm incubator  with light airflow. BUT.. it has rarely worked. In fact, historically speaking, the chances of these chicks living were about 1 in 100.

But you do what you can.. so we placed them into the incubator as usual and waited. The children got together and prayed for the little birds. It was quite a sad moment. We didnt expect many, if any, to make it. They were lifeless, most totally without movement.  The ones that could move would only slowly slide their limp head back and forth. some... were stiff.

2 hours later... I am sitting in my office and in runs the children overwhelmingly excited! Levi is holding the tray in his hands. I didnt know what to expect until they announced "they ALL made it!" Sure enough, looking into the tray, all the chicks were alive, standing, chirping, and looked perfectly healthy!  Totally amazing! So the children ran them back to the brooder heaters and let them get some food. They were running around, eating, drinking, acting like nothing ever happened, all 18!

I have no explanation for this... except that... the children prayed.  God hears the prayers of little ones... and answers.

Back in the Chicken and Egg Business!

Finally... after more than a year since the fire that destroyed our chicken genetics, chicken business, and egg business, nearly devastating our entire business model and driving us into a yer of "rest".  We are BACK in the chicken business!

We had planned on retiring a few older birds today for stewing chickens and broth but.. early this morning we got the call. Our new chicken flock had arrived a couple days early! So.. we dropped everything and raced around today to prepare the brooders and retrieve the new chicks from the post office.   260 chicks, Buff Orpingtons, healthy as can be. Well, we lost 2 in the shipping, but 2 out of nearly 300 is pretty good.

So here are some pics..  of the chicks, the excited children, and the brooders finally being populated.  In another 6 months, we will have a steady supply of chicken eggs! Then we start our yearly rotation to provide constant eggs, meat, broth, and happiness!

Thank you for your patience,  just a few more months....

Everyone anxiously waiting to open the boxes of chicks!

Empty brooder on fresh green grass

Ok now.. which are males, which are females....

Finally baby chicks!

So exciting! new life! fun!

1... 2.... 3.... 

They are everywhere dad!

Hunter and his chicks

These little girls would not leave my feet!

Ollie getting the water ready!

Levi is checking on those boys

They are so tiny dad!

Here is the finished setup for the girls, 4 flat panel heaters.

And of course , plenty of fresh water

The guys place... 2 flat panel heaters and 2 heat lights. Party all night!

Open Letter to Oregon Senators about vaccine bill SB442

Dear Senators Bates, Hayward, Anderson, Shields, Knopp, and Kruse

I am a voting citizen of Jackson County,  Or.  I am also a professional,  a father,  and a reasonable person.  I urge you to oppose SB442.  This bill attempts to increase the vaccination rate within the state. However, it will not and can not. Lay aside all the reasons to choose vaccination and to oppose vaccination. That is not what this bill is about. This bill is about increasing the vaccination rate, which can not be accomplished through a simple mandate of removing exemptions.

Here is why this bill will fail to accomplish your goal:

The vast majority of parents that currently do not vaccinate,  have deeply held reasons.  They fall into these categories :

1. Religious objection:   Some vaccines contain aborted baby cells, or at least the public believes that they do.
2. Animal cruelty objection:  Some vaccines are produced using animals and contain animal cells, or at least the public believes that they do.
3. Fear of damage.  This falls into two subcategories :
1. Fear of vaccine itself : Including fear of preservatives and fear of the action of vaccines on developing immune systems 
2.  Knowledge of previous damage:  Having seen a child suffer damage, resulting in refusal to vaccinate that child further or vaccinate other children.

This accounts for probably 90 percent of parents within Oregon who do not  currently vaccinate.  Only a tiny minority choose not to for insignificant reasons and practically no one "just forgets"  today.  The choice to not vaccinate is a tough one,  which in itself brings ridicule,  name calling,  isolation,  and constant pressure from friends and family  as well as the medical community. It is not a decision made lightly, nor in ignorance.  The non vaccinating parent has already struggled with this decision and the consequences...  And still chose the tough path. 

Removing the right to choose that path by removing personal exemptions will not make parents follow the vaccination schedule, it will only push that parent further from society.  They will chose home schooling,  they will remove children from organized activities and day care,  and will eventually leave the state  before subjecting their children to such a deep violation of their own beliefs.

This bill,  should it pass into law,  will divide oregon,  further empty schools,  and drive families out of state.  

If  you truly wish to raise vaccination rates,  mandates such as SB 442 are not the way. You will not succeed in changing the minds of these parents who are already being bullied daily and still stand firm. These parents would rather face consequences of jail than submit their own children to what they know in their hearts to be detrimental. Instead you must remove the source of the objection. 

Here is how :

1. Remove aborted baby cells and animal cells from vaccines in the state. By law demand that substances deemed religiously objectionable or believed to possibly cause harm (such as preservatives) not be used in vaccines within Oregon. 
2. Force by law manufacturers to produce some conclusive evidence of vaccine effectiveness , by a third party. Before a government entity can mandate the use of a product, especially a health product, the manufacturer has the burden of proof to prove effectiveness for the purpose, and to be believable this must be performed, not just reviewed, by a third party who is trusted. 
3. Force by law  manufacturers to prove beyond a shadow of doubt, that vaccines are safe for general children, children who previously suffered reactions, and siblings of children that suffered reactions.  This also must be tests performed by a third party, one trusted by the population to be independent. Allow a panel of parents who has suffered suspected but unrecognized vaccine damage to sit on the panel reviewing the results before acceptance.  These are the people you wish to reach, so give them the responsibility and authority to make a decision first hand in the face of solid evidence. 

There is no alternative. The parents who are not vaccinating today will not begin to vaccinate due to a state mandate. You must instead use the power of the state to remove the source of their fear. Listen to the intensity of the testimony given for this bill thus far. Not the facts, but the intensity. a state mandate will not soften this intensity, but will increase it.

I urge you to consider putting the burden on the manufacturer to convince the parents of safety,  instead of attempting to mandate the parents to violate their deepest and strongest convictions.

Thank you
David Salch

White City, Or

Pitter patter of little..... Hoofs

Life on a farm.....  Waking up to the pitter of little hoofs.  Here is levi taking his adopted lamb for a little early morning walk through the house at sunrise.

Farm life!

First bottle lamb

Kaelyn is very happy to adopt this year's first bottle lamb!  This cute little ram was one of two born yesterday and unfortunately the mom choose the other. This happens occasionally in sheep for various reasons and in the wild,  the rejected lamb would die within a day or two. Historically we have given away rejected lambs to save them.  This year we decided to raise the rejected lambs instead of giving them away.

Kaelyn is loving her new job as you can see!

The Newest Little Sprout has Arrived!

Friday evening at 5:47pm, the newest Little Sprout arrived into the world

Meet Theodore Abraham Salch

He was  6lbs  12oz and 21 inches.

We are happy to report that mom, the baby, and everyone else is doing fine!

Now that this life event is passed, we will be able to get more back into the routine of farming and delivery, so you will be able to meet Theodore soon!

First Family Pear Harvest a Fabulous Success!

Yesterday we did a "test" pear harvest to see how much is available on the trees at "our" orchard this year. WOW!  There is .. a lot!

Our family (only adding Grandma and Uncle Bradley) was able to harvest 3000 lbs of ripe but not overripe organic pears in just under 4 hours. YES.. four hours for three thousand pounds!

And we had a ball doing it!

The best news is, that doesnt even touch the pears available. A wild guess is that this is maybe 5% of what is on the trees still.

So.. if you can come out.. tomorrow (sunday sept 14) is the day! All customers are invited to come out and pick, keeping what you want as your reward.  If your interested, call us !

Here are some pics of the "test harvest"

Looking like a nice harvest

Wow, nice!

Thats pretty high up for the little guy!

Now this is the way!

Grab it Ollie!

Hunter's always ready 

Kaelyn found a shady pear pickup spot

Look at the size of these that Levi found!

Yum! Break time!

Kaelyn shows Ollie the ropes...

Reach Everett, Reach!

And of course Uncle Bradley!

Rainforest pears??

Grandma gets some pointers from Ollie

Here Grandma, it goes in the bucket

Hunter seems to have found the goathead bush! Where are those shoes???

Pears Pears Everywhere!

Who's that man in the hat?

Would you believe a game of "catch the mushy pear" ?

Dont miss!

Life is good when you can have fun just anywhere

Attack Hunter!

Mommy and Ollie just keep picking

Now this cant be good... slipped off the ramps on loading...

Always something.. can the truck pull it off?

Its Working... sort of...

....... You might be a redneck.....

Physics... do rednecks use that?  A jack to crank up a jack to crank up the end of the trailer to release the ramp stuck under the bumper? Dont try this at home!

Ok, so end of the day.. only minor damage. Lets move on! 

Here is the day's load... 3 hours of picking to get 3000 lbs

Time to feed some pigs!

What do you think Ollie?

YUM!

Recycling! an old freezer as a pear storage / fermenting spot!