Ok, I'll admit it, I basically planned our vacation around a visit to Polyface, because I'm nerdy like that. I've been reading about this farm since I first read The Omnivore's Dilemma in 2008. I found that book so fascinating and my favorite part was where he profiled Polyface (as a type for the ideal local farm). When I realized that Polyface was only about 4 hours from our house, I decided we had to make a visit!
It was great! Just as the book (and the Polyface website) claims, they have a total open door policy, so we basically just arrived and walked around where ever we wanted to. We saw hares, chicks, turkeys, chickens, pigs, cows and lots of gorgeous countryside.
After our tour, I stopped in the little 'store' (it's more like a stand with truly farm fresh meat and poultry) and bought some things for our camping trip (post forthcoming). I got a 4 pound roasting chicken, some eggs, 1 pound of bacon, and a t-shirt (again, I'm nerdy). We cooked the chicken over the campfire the following night and it was YUMMY! The bacon we had for breakfast 3 different days. I did learn one thing about the bacon, though:
The girl at the stand told me that since they use no nitrites to cure the bacon, they do it the old fashioned way with salt. She said some people found it too salty and if that was the case with us, to just soak it in cool water for up to 45 minutes to sort of 'wash' away some of it. She also added, though, that she thought it tasted great just the way it is. So, I figured I'd give it a try on day one with no soaking. Whoa. It was basically like eating a salt lick. We drank like 2 liters of water a piece that day!
On day 2, I soaked it for about 20 minutes and it was better, but still a little much. By day 3, I tried soaking it for the full 45 minutes and it came out perfect! So: if you ever find yourself cooking with non-nitrite-cured bacon- go for the full soak!
Only Ellie takes a Glamor Shot next to a pig pen!
Campbell was a little less enthused about the pigs...
...Until we saw this! How cute!! Those little piglets were just crawling all over each other to get their breakfast. So sweet!
The girls really wanted to hold them, but there was a sign posted...
... warning us that we could get eaten... So we refrained!
Doesn't it look like this one is smiling!?
Polyface, unlike most chicken farmers, lets their birds graze on the pasture completely. The laying hens are the same and they use farm owner Joel Salatin's "Eggmobile" invention as a mobile coop for the birds at night.
Here, the birds are contained by an electric fence (which Campbell and I got shocked by at one point. Ye-ouch!), which is rotated everyday to expose fresh pasture.
The farm is on such a beautiful location in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley
Although there were tons of animals which we don't come in contact with every day, the girls of course flocked right to the dog who was wandering around!
He was happy to have all the attention!
Chicks who aren't quite ready for pasture yet.
All the 'cheep cheeping' was so cute!
So happy we got to go!
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