I have struggled with putting my words together for this post. However, I do believe that it is important to share this … to show that homesteading is not full of good times only. Homesteading is physically hard work. It can also be emotionally hard. In dealing with this, my emotions have been all over […]

It’s been a wonderful, fruitful year at Iron Oak Farm. The garden is coming along nicely, I’m picking ripening cucumbers every day and adding them to our refrigerator pickle jar. We also just finished kidding season, one of the most joyous times of the year. Our last pregnant doe gave birth to triplets last night. […]

I’ve been worried about Big Tom, our Black Spanish male turkey. Through the years I’ve become quite attached to Big Tom. He’s a large, impressive bird. The heavy folds of skin above his eye give him a foreboding look and he can be quite intimidating. But really, he’s a puppy at heart. Tom follows us […]

While the turkeys were living all snug in their brooder for the first 7 to 8 weeks of their life, we were getting everything ready for them outside.  Getting started with turkeys has taken a lot of time, but we are hoping that going forward, the majority of the work is done.  Using scrap and […]

I’m sure you’ve all heard the phrase be careful what you wish for. That might be touching on a bit of what we’re experiencing with our turkey population here. We decided to raise Black Spanish turkeys a few years back for meat and to help with the movement to further the breed’s numbers. The first […]

Ever think about raising a turkey or two?  You know, for a holiday meal? Broad breasted turkeys are similar to what you find at the grocery store.  The ‘broad breast’ meat makes them ideal for special feasts.  Raised on our own land, knowing what they eat, how they are housed, and that they have a […]

“They” say variety is the spice of life. Well then, when it comes to poultry, our farm is very spicy. I must say that I am thoroughly enjoying myself this spring! We have a beautiful assortment of teenage chicks, new chicks, ducks and Narragansett and Bourbon Red turkeys to come. I also have plans for […]

by Jennifer Sartell of Iron Oak Farm Some of my favorite blogs to read are day-in-the-life blogs. I find it interesting how other people set up their routine for the day. A blog like that makes you feel as though you’re walking right along with a friend, helping out with chores. So I invite you […]

by Jennifer Sartell of Iron Oak Farm Raising turkeys is similar to raising chickens in many ways. But when it comes to nutrition requirements, turkeys need different nutrients than chickens to prosper. Turkeys are larger birds, with larger feathers, they lay larger eggs and their feed should support these differences. For the most part, I […]

Every year, This American Life dedicates an entire show to the season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the time of the year in which the majority of our poultry is consumed. The stories this year are what happens when the worlds of our birds and us collide. You’ll hear stories about a chicken saving a man on […]