THANKS TO A FRIEND
This past week the farm said goodbye to one of our most treasured friends, Toby the livestock guardian dog. Toby was diagnosed with a severe case of heartworm last year, despite his being on heartworm meds his entire life. Over the past year and despite our best efforts at treating it, he slowly became weaker this fall and we decided it was time to say goodbye to him. It was a sad day for all of us.
In 2016 when I started working at Codman, Toby was one of the very first "hires" we made. We knew that we needed a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD) if we were going to be growing chickens on pasture and Toby was the best of the best from the farm we bought him from. From the beginning, he was gentle but strong and he knew what his job was, and he protected those birds like nobody's business. We were worried those first few months that having a dog living 24/7 on a field might be an issue for some in town and were concerned it might become a liability at some point. But like all the firsts that occurred in 2016, our first year of changing the way Codman ran as a farm, we needed to stay the course with our farm plans and deal with all that would be thrown at us. Change is hard for many and we were changing a lot. But to our great surprise, Toby actually became an ambassador of sorts. Folks all around town just loved seeing him roaming the fields, guarding the chickens, chasing hawks, and being a white beacon of strength and love out there with the birds. He was instrumental in calming people's fears of all of the changes taking place. We received many curious questions about him and folks just wanted to go out to the field to pet him, give him a treat, or just be around him. He was an amazing and unexpected gift that I would never have imagined possible. He wasn't perfect, he ran away at times, he could be naughty and stubborn like many LGDs and he definitely had a mind of his own which I could never quite figure out. But we all didn't just love him out there because he was any old dog, it was because he was Toby. He was beautiful and kind and had the thickest lushest fur-ever. And those paws...wow, like a beast! Huge. But yet for those who knew him well, he would just as quickly roll over on his back for a belly rub, or reach up to smell your face-his way of kissing- then he would be to chase down an approaching coyote or a leap at a hawk sailing a bit too close to the flock. He was confident but not cocky, sweet, but not too much of a pushover. He was Toby, and we will miss him forever.
 
COMING SOON
While we will eternally miss Toby, we must move on to run the farm and keep the poultry safe from predators. After a lengthy and very lucky search, we found another Akbash LGD that was born this past July at a farm in Michigan. So I am happy to introduce you to Sophie who will join the farm in late spring 2021! Sophie will remain in Michigan to begin her training and so she can mature a bit more with her family and gain the necessary skills to be ready to work when she arrives at the farm next year. We are all looking forward to meeting her and hoping that she is as great a dog as Toby was. She has big shoes to fill!
TURKEY PICK-UP...NOW
For those who pre-ordered a turkey, pick up your turkey NOW! This weekend birds that have been preordered can be picked up on the side of the barn, we have staff waiting to assist you from 9-5 pm on Saturday and 10-5 pmon Sunday. After this, folks can come into the barn to find staff to grab your pre-ordered bird and complete payment. Any questions email pete@codmanfarm.org
CHICKENS & PIGS ARE BACK
As mentioned last week, it was time to bring the laying hens home. And oila, they are back! Thanks to a group of over 20 volunteers who ran this way and that to catch the over 1000 laying hens that had been living on Farm Meadow field all season. In less than an hour, they were packed up and brought back to the farm for the winter. You can see them in the front pasture and near the large greenhouse which will act as their winter HQ. Be aware that Andy the guardian dog is with them and can be a bit unpredictable. He can get nervous when folks approach the fence so please stay back a few feet and give him some space! He is just doing his job!
We have also brought back over 20 full-grown pigs that we raised at Minuteman National Park this year, see photo below where we are encouraging them to get on the trailer so we could move them home. They are behind the lower Barn D if you would like to visit with them. They are a meaty crew and when not eating, are often sleeping!
WHEN THE VET COMES TO TOWN
Every November our veterinarian from the Tufts Vet School comes to the farm to check up on the cattle. He does pregnancy checks on the cows to see if the bull did his job (he did!) and to give shots and provide other care for the growing calves and yearlings. It is a long tiring day where we have to corral all the cattle one by one sort them into the headlock chute so the vet can examine them. After the exam, we then sort them into two groups for the winter...moms and calves on one side, growing boys and bull on the other. If you hear a bellowing at times while at the farm, it's the bull who is calling out to his ladies....longing to be reunited with them! Anyway, all went well this season and the herd is in great health!
A big thanks to Ken Basset for his wrangling and spreadsheet tracking skills for helping to keep accurate records of the herd and to Jared for setting up the coral and getting everything organized and set up perfectly for a seamless visit with the vet!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Last but not least we want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! It will be a Thanksgiving like no other, but still can be enjoyed as it is. The Farm Store is super packed this week with tons of local, organic produce and other items and we will remain open 24/7, as always! Extra BREAD will be delivered fresh on Tuesday and Wednesday!
Have a safe and restful holiday. Just think of all that schlepping you won't have to do this year!
FRESH PRODUCE- THIS WEEK
Each week availability of produce and fruit shifts a bit. Some of these items are grown by us using organic growing methods (We are not certified organic), most of the other veggies we buy-in from local farms ARE certified organic, and most fruit is NOT certified organic, but IPM (which means low spray or low use of chemicals, when possible).
Available this week
November 20th-27th
FRUIT
Apples (honeycrisp, mac, macoun, fuji, gala, pink lady)
VEGETABLES
LOCAL organic loose orange and colored carrots, beets, onions, other roots,
lettuce mix, spinach, TONS of kale, collards, winter squash, potatoes (gold, russet, red),
sweet potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, herbs, leeks and more. Availability varies!
MOST ALL THE PRODUCE WE BUY FROM LOCAL FARMS IS CERTIFIED ORGANIC
THIS WEEK WE PURCHASED ORGANIC PRODUCE FROM:
Fat Moon Farm, Westford
Red Fire Farm, Granby
Pete's Greens, VT
Picadilly Farm, Winchester NH
FARM STORE DELIVERY and SCHEDULE
As we get into more of a routine we wanted to share what to expect each week as far as product arrivals and days to expect certain items...here goes!
MONDAY
High Lawn Farm (early morning)
Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries
Myers Distributor (early afternoon)
Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms -
Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items
TUESDAY
Bread Obsession (by 11 am)
Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain
WEDNESDAY
Bread Obsession (by 11 am)
Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain
Cape Ann Fresh Catch
Fresh local fish usually including haddock, scallops, salmon, swordfish, grey sole, and catch of the day
12:30-2:30ish
THURSDAY
High Lawn Farm (early morning)
Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries
Myers Distributor (early afternoon)
Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms -
Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items
FRIDAY
Bread Obsession (by 11 am)
Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain
Mi Tierra Tortillas (by 11 am)
Fresh, local, organic corn tortillas
Sweet Tahini
Fresh, gluten-free bread, and Israeli inspired sweets made with no processed sugars
Local Veggies
We will be buying seasonally available produce from local farms, as available
SATURDAY
Bread Obsession (by 11 am)
Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain
C&C Fresh Lobster and Fish
Fresh fish and lobster
10am- 12pm
MISC INFO...
1. We remain OPEN 24/7, so if you want to avoid contact with others, visit in the wee hours of the night!
2. MANDATORY MASKS: Please wear MASKS in all public places so be sure to have one on when you visit the store. They are a pain for sure but JUST DO IT! ;-)
3. THANKS: Farm store sales remain brisk and we appreciate your support!
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please contact pete@codmanfarm.org.
WEEKLY PICS by Pete
The Codman OK Corral
Some throwback photos of Toby...
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Check out our bi-weekly blog for updates about what's happening on the farm! We cover the flow of the seasons, the movements of our animals, the different projects coming up and more.
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Want to spend a day on the farm? Itching to get some dirt beneath your nails? Looking for a group service project? Volunteers are welcome at Codman. Click below to read more about volunteering.
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Our community depends on our dedicated members to keep farming alive and well in Lincoln. Your support allows us to use the most sutainable practices and produce the highest quality proteins.
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