Living Proof There's Another Way

This March, we're embracing the extra sunlight in every corner of our homestead here in NE Arkansas. From our flourishing vegetable beds to the arrival of our first hatch of chicks, nature is proving her resilience.

While the rest of America groans about losing an hour of sleep, I'm watching something powerful unfold on our farm: a full-blown rebellion against a broken food system.

I'm taking a break from all the dramatic news headlines this week. Sometimes we just need to step back, take a deep breath, and remind ourselves what really matters. For me, that's the simple miracle happening right outside my door.

That first electric-green flush of spring grass isn't just pretty – it's our quiet revolution. 🌱 Those fluffy chicks filling our brooder aren't just cute – they're living proof there's another way.

During their first few weeks of their life, baby chicks are nurtured in a temperature-controlled brooder, where our farmers gradually introduce them to natural temperatures, light, and environmental conditions. This careful transition ensures they adapt seamlessly to life on the pasture.

I'll admit that I'm running on coffee fumes with an impossible spring project list that makes Andrea roll her eyes daily. The chickens and I have big plans—they just don't know it yet. My browser history has more tabs open on "innovative coop designs" than a teenager has social media accounts. But beneath my manic energy is the bone-deep certainty that this matters.

You might wonder why I'm obsessing over chicken pens when I could be getting a decent night's sleep. Let me be blunt: We've surrendered too much of our food independence to systems that value efficiency over everything else. That system creates cheap meat, sure – but at what cost? Flavor. Nutrition. Animal welfare. Resilience.

This year, we're using solar-powered schooners—mobile chicken coops that move automatically to fresh pasture each day. Unlike our usual method of manually moving coops with a tractor, this system promotes even grazing, enriches soil fertility, and reduces stress for the chickens, benefiting both the animals and the land.

While massive operations struggle with disease outbreaks and supply chain nightmares, our little patch of Arkansas is coming alive. The pastures are waking up. The chicks are growing. The cycle continues – not because of some corporate efficiency plan but because it's how nature has always worked.

They can take our hour. But we're reclaiming something far more valuable – a connection to our food built on sunshine, fresh air, and honest work.

Your farmer (tired but content),

Cody