December 2025 Newsletter
“Education begins the gentleman, but reading, good company, and reflection must finish him.”
~ John Locke
A YEAR of REFLECTION
As we reflect back on 2025, there are countless lessons to be learned. This year, I’d like to start with the invaluable lessons we can learn from none other than our own farm animals.
Lessons from the Animals!
Chickens: First, we love our chickens. These hens are not just little egg-laying factories to us (although admittedly, that is their primary purpose). They are also creatures that we go to great lengths to protect and love. We pick them up and hold them, talk to them, and take countless photos of them. And in return, they give us beautiful, healthy eggs and teach us a lot about life.
There are so many chicken proverbs, and we’ve learned that they’re ALL true! Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched, don’t put all of your eggs in one basket, ruling the roost, walking on egg shells, coming home to roost, spring chickens, empty nest, chicken scratch, flying the coop…we’ve seen all of these in action in one way or another!
Chickens follow the good instincts God gave them. Recently, we were flying a drone over them to get some photos, and they ALL ran for cover like a bolt of lightning! We weren’t expecting them to behave that way, but why wouldn’t they? They instinctively thought it was a predator and followed their instincts without hesitation. They will do the same thing when a hawk flies over. They trust their instincts. Maybe we should more often too.
Pigs: Pigs don’t go to bed angry. They will occasionally knock each other out of the way to get some nice acorns, etc. because they like to eat. I mean they REALLY like to eat! But when it’s time to go to sleep, they like to snuggle together! In fact, pigs love being together. Just like us, they are social creatures!
Pigs are also clean animals that separate their sleeping, eating, and bathroom quarters! And most interestingly, they are “environmentalists!” When they root the soil, they help turn it over, spreading seeds and making it easier for plants to grow. Plus, their waste adds nutrients to the soil.
Then there are cows. Cows really know how to live! In addition to loving their community and protecting each other, cows eat for a while, rest in the shade while chewing their cud, and then repeat! Life is simple for a cow. They know how to enjoy life and how to relax after a long day of living the dream. They teach us to slow down, have a little patience, and chew our food VERY well! We can learn a lot from cows! As they say, “cows are like a John Deere Tractor, OUT STANDING in their field!”
Honeybees: I could write an entire novel about lessons we can learn from these little miracles, but perhaps the best way to sum it up would be a quote that says, “Anyone who thinks they’re too small to make a difference has never met the honey bee.” We would have a hard time surviving without pigs, cows, and chickens, but the truth is we probably wouldn’t survive long without honeybees. Honeybees work hard their entire lives, even if they never benefit from the fruits of their labor. They still labor for future generations, and for us. They don’t just bring us the delicious and healthy honey we love, but they also pollinate the plants and flowers for us to eat and enjoy. If we all had the work ethic of a honeybee, we’d have little time to get into trouble!
Gratitude to our Customers and Supporters
We’ve learned this year that like our animals, we actually have a wonderful “herd” of our own! Our customers and supporters make everything we do both possible and rewarding!! We are so grateful for all of you that purchase from us, encourage us, take photos for us, tell friends about us, and work hard for countless hours helping us!! To say we couldn’t do it without all of you is a huge understatement!
Thankful to God!
We’d be remiss without thanking the Creator of all creatures great and small! We are so grateful for all our blessings this year, and we know that we owe it all to God. And lastly, as we reflect upon this Christmas season, we are reminded of Isaiah 9:6. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Shoutout to the Farmers Markets
We’ve also learned that we have more than just customers and supporters at the farmers markets…We have friends! We couldn’t have imagined how much our community loves its farmers and wants to see them succeed!! We love the supportive and loving atmosphere at the markets, and are honored to be a small part of this absolute gem in our community.
You’ll find us at these times and locations:
Market Square in downtown Knoxville on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until December 20th. We’ll be back at Market Square for the winter season beginning January 17th from 10 - 2.
Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. until December 20th. We’ll be back at Market Square for the winter season beginning January 17th from 9 -12.
Your Local Anderson County Farm
Merry Christmas!!
May you and yours have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed new year!