"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."

- Albert Camus

We often hear that organic is too expensive. Is it really?

Martin has some interesting observations about our prices and products compared to what's available at Costco.

But we're a local organic slow food inconvenience store!

How can they compete with that? I don't see any problems here. If customers don't see the value of what we're offering, then they can get run over by a grocery cart at Costco. :-)

We need to focus on the positive here. So we can't compete with their purchasing power on processed food. Who cares? We'll just not carry the items we get trashed on. Although, keep in mind, we do have customers who appreciate that we carry some of those products whether or not they have to pay more for them. Not everybody shops at Costco.

BUT! We're competitive on eggs and beef on more than one level.

First, our pricing is the same or better.

Second, Costco's eggs and beef are American.

Third, we're small scale and don't need to don a Tyvek suit before entering our barn. I watched a video put out by the farm that supplies Costco eggs. They've transitioned MOST of their barns to organic production and have a massive multi-million dollar industrial feed mill on site. It's just industrial farming with organic lipstick on.

Their honey is also NOT Canadian, and I'm sure it's much cheaper than ours. However, it's not a comparable product.

This past week we were advertising Fresh Harvest Haven Turkeys. A few people thought they were pricey. Here's our response:

The reason our turkeys cost more is because they taste better and they're better for you. We sell turkeys that nourish and satisfy people and their families instead of just feeding them.

Our turkeys are not raised like conventional turkeys in an overstocked industrial barn eating chemically grown GMO corn and soy. Our birds eat 100% non-GMO organic, on-farm, custom blended feed in an open air barn with access to the outdoors.

We raise our birds in smaller batches where they live out their lives expressing their "turkeyness." They spend most of their days outdoors foraging and loafing in the sun and we "herd" them in at night to the protection of a spacious barn with ample roosting space. We also provide them with exceptional quality water indoors and outdoors, and we continually maintain a clean "forest floor" bedding pack made from locally-sourced wood chips.

Because of our clean food, clean water, clean barn policy we've never had any need for antibiotics or vaccinations which also leaves us with a very clean conscience!

Our turkeys sell out every year even though they're "damned expensive." And for good reason! They're delicious. You get what you pay for!

We appreciated these comments shared to our page:

Jennifer - Even then, at $4.89/lb, you're looking at $68 for a 14 lb bird. That's pretty damn close to what you'll pay at Walmart/Superstore/Safeway for a butterball brand turkey of similar size, but in this instance you have the knowledge and/or peace of mind knowing where this bird came from and that they were raised right. Now, I understand that not everyone can afford organic, or others may think this is outrageous, but if you pay attention its no different at a big chain store. Biggest difference here is that you know where your product came from and how it was raised, instead of just a branded bag in a cooler. I grew up in a farming community and it left me with a great respect for what these people (farmers et al) are doing, and their commitment to their product. Keep up the good work Harvest Haven, ignore the naysayers.

Lynn - Farmers work very hard for ALL OF US so our families can eat ..... If it wasn't for farmers all you complainers would be having to fend for yourselves. I'd rather eat a "more expensive " HEALTHIER turkey knowing it was raised HUMANELY and healthier any day! THANK YOU to all the farmers who feed us. ??

Joel Salatin sums up the issue of "organic food being unaffordable" quite nicely in The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer.

"Now that we've examined the major reasons our sticker price is higher; I want to deal with the affordability issue. How do you know something is affordable or not? I think this is a lot like the "I don't have time" excuse. I like to finish the time excuse with "for that." That's really what it comes down to. We tend to make time for what we consider a priority. I'm not in the victim business.

"The same is true with the word affordable. Just so we get down to brass tacks, let me itemize a few things that nobody has to buy, ever:

1. Fast food
2. T.V.
3. Movies
4. Soda pop
5. Alcoholic beverage- beer, wine, liquor
6. Cigarettes, drugs, etc.
7. Diapers- use cloth ones
8. Baby food- grind regular food with a table top grinder and let the feeding begin
9. Vacations- stay home and read a book and play games
10. New cars- buy used and save
11. New clothes- buy at the thrift store
12. Processed food- buy raw and prepare it yourself
13. Junk food- snacks, potato chips, crackers
14. Breakfast cereal- fry an egg or make your own granola
15. Candy- chocolate, sugary anything
16. Eating out
17. Recreation- bowling, ice skating, etc. Have fun at home
18. Gadgets- let the Chinese keep their trinkets
19. Toys- kids generally like boxes more than toys anyway. Be creative.
20. Furniture- you don't need anything fancy
21. Cell phones
22. Entertainment centers
23. Music
24. Life Insurance
25. $100 designer jeans with holes already in the knees
26. People magazine
27. Hotel rooms for $8,500 a night

"I could go on, but a list like this helps to put some things in perspective. We are a pampered, self-serving, materialistic, spoiled brat of a culture, in my opinion. And if you can afford these things, go ahead. But don't come whining to me saying "I can't afford your food" if you're participating in any of this. Are you serious about eating well, or not? Let's cut to the chase and quit pussy-footing around: if your lifestyle includes any of this stuff, I don't believe your whining. Period.

"If we really believe things, we will do what it takes to make them happen. Otherwise we're just playing games. All of us, including me, can do much more than we're doing. I don't mind people not doing all they can do. But be honest about it and don't complain to me that my food is not affordable. If you extricate yourself from the above list, I guarantee you my food will be quite affordable. And your quality of life will increase, too.

"I really believe that if we took all the money we spend on junk and pseudo-food and converted it to honest food, plenty of money exists in the system for everyone to eat royalty quality food. Don't tell me you can't afford good food while you're smoking on a cigarette or chugging a beer. The only thing worse than being uncompassionate to real hurts and needs is being all goo-goo eyed over someone too lazy or undisciplined to get with it. Misplaced charity to whiners is as inappropriate as withholding charity to real needs."

Well said, Joe! We hope this helps you when you're taken to task by naysayers for supporting local organic producers and feeding your family healthy food.

Inside Round Roast – Sale $8.99/lb Reg. $10.49/lb (See Recipe Box)

Ground Beef – Sale $6.99/lb for 3 lbs or more Reg. $7.49/lb

Turkey Broth – Sale Buy 1 at regular $12.79/L, get a second for $10.00/L

Fresh from the Field Potatoes – Sale $6.79/5 lb Reg. $7.49/5 lb; Sale $10.99/lb Reg. $12.49/10 lb; Sale $42.99/40 lb (Butterballs Only) Reg. $45/40 lb bag

Hungarian Wax Peppers – Sale $5.29/lb Reg. $6.99/lb (See Recipe Box)

Couscous (3/4 lb) – Sale $2.99 Reg. $3.75 (See Recipe Box)

Couscous Basic Recipe

Bring 1 ¼ cup water or broth to boil. Add 2 Tbsp butter, 1 cup couscous. Salt to taste. Stir. Cover.

Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Stir to fluff up.

Serve as you would rice with steamed or sautéed vegetables, as pasta with a tomato or cheese sauce, or as a side dish with gravy.

Makes 2 -3 servings.

Breakfast Couscous

Add 1 cup couscous to 2 cups hot milk, 2 Tbsp butter and salt to taste. Cover and allow to stand 5 minutes.

Add one or more of the following: maple syrup, honey, nuts, raisins, fresh or dried fruit.

Makes 2 servings.

Celery Apple Couscous Salad

1 c celery, diced 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c apple, unpeeled and diced 1/4 tsp dry mustard
4 c couscous, cooked 1/2 c green onion, chopped
3 Tbsp lemon juice 1/4 c parsley, chopped
4 Tbsp olive oil

Combine celery, apples, and couscous in a large bowl. In a measuring cup, combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and mustard. Mix until blended and pour over couscous mixture. Fold in green onions and parsley.

Taste and adjust lemon juice or salt if necessary.

Serve at room temperature.

Serves 4 – 6.

Stuffed Hot Peppers

1/3 cup ground Harvest Haven Mild Italian sausage
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 tablespoon garlic salt
3 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 Harvest Haven Hungarian hot peppers, cored and seeded

Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, mix together the sausage, cream cheese, garlic salt, Romano cheese, oregano, basil, bread crumbs and olive oil.

Stuff the peppers with the sausage mixture. Place on a baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven 20 to 25 minutes, until the stuffing is lightly brown and bubbly.

Serves 6

Recipe courtesy of: allrecipes.com

It was reported on the news the other day that Calgary is having a skunk invasion. The mild winter we had is the most likely cause.

That reminded me of some of the situations we've had on the farm over the summer and more recently.

One morning in the middle of the summer Jeannie said she hadn't slept well. Because it was hot, they had left the bedroom windows open and some skunk kept walking around the house, making sure everyone was aware of his presence. If you've smelled skunk, you know how nauseating it is.

A short while after this event, Martin and Jeannie were in the store quite late. Martin opened the door to lead the way home and quickly shut it again. Jeannie looked at him quizzically.

"Skunk!"

A skunk was crossing right in front of the store door. (Don't worry. You won't likely meet one when you come to shop. They're usually out only at night.)

Talking about night – James was late getting the laying hens shut up the other night because we had company and were visiting until dark. When he returned to the house, I heard him mumbling, "Something, something, skunk…."

"What's that, James?"

"I was late getting to the hen house. When I went in to shut up the doors, there were two cats and a SKUNK inside the coup staring at me."

Sniff! Sniff!

"You don't smell bad, James," I said looking at him cautiously.

"No, I just opened the man door and shooed him out." James seems quite fearless when dealing with these smelly pests (not pets).

No problem with the cats in the hen house because they catch the mice that eat the grain that falls from the feeders. BUT, skunks eat eggs and eggs are a semi-scarce commodity right now. We're not sharing with any skunks.

Now, this ain't no ordinary skunk we've got running around the property. A trap was set beside one of the bunk houses under which he was hiding. The next morning, James asked Martin if he'd moved the trap. Nope, he hadn't. Martin asked Sean. No again.

This wily critter had turned the wire trap around and dragged the part with the bait under the wall of the bunk house just far enough to be able to nibble it through the wire in the safety of his hole. Grrr….

So, the hunt continues and James is sure to shut up the hens before dark. If you do smell something a little off when you come out, well…let us know.

Skunk one; James zero.