Farmstay U.S. Blog

Our friend Susan Odom of Hillside Homestead recently appeared in this great article in a regional travel magazine. Included at the end of the article was a link to a video of Susan making pie crust!

Click on the image below to go to the MyNorth.com website and read Susan's summation of how she makes the crust. She makes it look so effortless... I feel like I could go make a pie crust right now!

MyNorth.com Video: Northern Michigan Local Foods Video: How to Make Perfect Pie Crust

Please join us in giving a hearty welcome to four new site members who joined us in November! Here are some quick highlights from their listings:

	Kitts Marsh Farm Prince Federick, Maryland Patuxent riverfront cabin just feet from sandy shore and pier. Fishing, crabbing, swimming, and kayaks available. Glamping on our working farm - farming in beautiful Calvert County, MD since 1707. We sustainably raise grass fed Angus beef and a variety of cage free laying hens, and we just added meat rabbits. We raise and harvest our own hay for winter use. Lots of berries to pick in season: raspberry, blueberry & blackberry. We also have a herb & vegetable garden.
	Snug Hollow Farm Irvine, Kentucky An organic farm that boasts 300 acres of babbling creeks, glorious wildflowers, abundant wildlife, wooded mountainsides and the simplicity of country life both past and present. Accommodations consist of a restored chestnut log cabin, a pine/cedar cabin by the creek, and a spacious two story farmhouse... read a book by the fireplace, enjoy the panoramic views, or simply daydream.
	Mississippi Modern Homested Center Starkville, Mississippi The Homestead is a large house on six acres of lakefront property with over a mile of nature trails, chickens, bees, two teaching gardens, gray-water, rain catchment, and compost systems, and a fruit tree orchard. The house, partially powered by solar, includes 5 bedrooms, a large kitchen with a walk-out screened in porch for nutrition/cooking classes, a large meeting space with a view of the gardens and lake, an art space dedicated to all things messy in the walk-out basement, and a children's education classroom with an attached greenhouse. We encourage guests to stay overnight for activities, workshops, and events.
	Chelsea Sun Inn Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania Rolling hills, cornfields, deer and farm animals abound at this farm stay located near the Delaware Water Gap. Year around activities are available for adventure seekers as well as opportunities for exploration or relaxation. This stunning bed and breakfast, with its luxury accommodations, captures the flavor and concept behind Tuscany's agri-tourism, all on an operating farm, vineyard, and winery. Perfect for a weekend getaway, just 70 miles from New York City or Philadelphia. Schedule a relaxing couples' massage or enroll in an introductory wine-making course as you participate in making your own case of select wine and custom labels.

This is not a post for the vegetarians among us -- sorry!

Have you ever rendered your own lard? Would you do it if I said that fresh lard has healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, as well as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids? AND less saturated fat than butter?

Lard you render yourself is different from the store-bought, shelf-stable stuff. In order to have a long shelf-life, commercial products have hydrogenated oils that are solid at room temperature. These are your trans fats, which raise your "bad" cholesterol (LDL) while at the same time, lowering your "good" cholesterol (HDL).*

Besides... lard... it just can't be beat for a good pie crust, fried chicken, or those New Years Eve tamales, right?

Some of our farms and ranches touch on the topic of lard in cooking, such as in the Folklore Foods class at Tierra Soul Urban Farm in Portland. Others offer free receipes that use lard as an ingredient, like Splendor Farms in Louisiana (click on their website and find the recipe of the month). Still others sell lard, or the fat to render your own, in their farm shops, like Tyner Pond Farm in Indiana.

I love the idea of using as much of an animal as possible, so I've been rendering my own lard for a few years now. It's easy:

Step 1: cut the fat into smaller pieces

The fat with the least amount of pork flavor is called leaf lard, and this is what you would want for baking.

Above, I defrosted one of the packages that came with a whole pig that I purchased, and cut the fat into smaller pieces. This was the most labor intensive part of the entire process.

Step 2: simmer!

While the fat melted down, I washed my jars and rings in my dishwasher on the sanitize setting. The jars came out of the dishwasher still hot, and I was ready to package it all up.

Step 3: strain into clean jars and let cool; Step 4: keep refrigerated or frozen

Line a sieve with cheesecloth and strain into the clean jars. The processed lard is a clear golden color which cools to an almost pristine white. (The final color can vary, so don't be concerned if it's not completely pure white.)

I have my eye on this book, Lard: The Lost Art of Cooking with Your Grandmother's Secret Ingredient for more recipes, so that none of this wonderful ingredient goes to waste! (Note: We use an affiliate link with Changing Hands Bookstore, an independent, locally owned book store in Tempe, AZ.)

Pie crust, anyone?

*There is a wealth of information on the internet about lard and how it compares to other shortenings and shelf-stable products made with trans fats. Read up, and as with all good things, use in moderation. Happy cooking!

Please join us in giving a hearty welcome to four new site members who joined us in October! Here are some quick highlights from their listings:

	Triple Creek Farm Berger, Missouri Berger Guesthouse at Triple Creek Farm is located in Franklin County Missouri in the middle of Missouri Wine Country.... We are located just a few miles east of Hermann, Missouri or a few miles west of New Haven, Missouri. We are a working farm. We have an apiary (bees), berries, vegetables, eggs and sell at the local farmers market. We have a two suite guesthouse and love to welcome visitors to the area all year round.
	Territorial Bed and Breakfast and Barn Junction City, Oregon We have a cute and cozy 50's style farmhouse and a working stable located in the heart of Oregon wine country. Immerse yourself in country living, enjoy a morning walk in the pasture, pet the horses, play with the goats, and experience farm life. Plenty of opportunities to groom and help care for the horses, help out with barn chores, work in the garden and green house, or sit back on the deck or patio in the back yard, watch the animals, and enjoy a good book or a relaxed conversation.
	Fox Haven Farms Middletown, Maryland Fox Haven is a historic farm located along the Catoctin Creek in Jefferson, Maryland. Organic gardens, hens, walking trails and wildlife make this farm a must-stay. You are likely to see nesting bald eagles, beaver splashing, great blue herons, foxes and a multitude of birds during your visit. You may choose to help in the organic gardens, gather eggs for breakfast, help plant trees in our American Chestnut research orchard, or simply enjoy the peace and quiet of the breathtaking landscape with a cup of coffee and a good book.
	B and B Ranch Fly Creek, New York B & B Ranch, Guest House & Spa is a Country Inn in rural Fly Creek New York. It's also a Community Supported Farm, a producer of natural gourmet foods, a horse stable and riding center, and an exceptional Central New York vacation on 340 acres of forest, farmland and open pasture. We raise Piedmontese beef, Berkshire Pork and provide a wonderful break from the ordinary with our 5 unique guest suites and an indoor swimming pool. We can promise you rest, relaxation, and the best the country has to offer.

We love to see what our farm and ranch stay members are up to. Today's guest blog post comes from Krista Arias of Tierra Soul Urban Farm Guesthouse in Portland, Oregon. We were recently chatting about canning and other food-related activities, and Krista shared this information about her Folklore Foods Workshop.

Your food shall be your medicine and your medicine shall be your food.
~ Hippocrates

Do you dream of embodying ancestral culinary wisdom for feeding your growing family nutrient dense, traditional, sacred and healing foods?

You want to find your own culinary rhythm that resonates with ancestral culinary wisdom. You are committed to nourishing your growing family and want to get clear about what traditional, nutrient dense, sacred and healing foods are and how to prepare them properly. You want to know the history and lore behind food and see it as a central part of your connection to yourself, to others, and to the earth. You have an inkling that the act of eating itself is ceremonial and want to embody that knowing more. You want the very best for your family.

But, right now the thought of changing your family's eating habits seems like a major intimidating hassle.

I mean, how do you even know if a particular new fangled program will actually help you and your family. There is soooo much information out there its hard to know what's true unless you're a scientist. No matter how hard you try you are still feeling lousy! OR maybe you feel great but it is soooo darn expensive to keep everyone on all those special supplements, remedies, and treatments, or maybe you just can't find a good rhythm with your busy life, or perhaps you are wanting to increase your fertility, or maybe your child (or aging mother) has chronic illness of some sort and you want to get to the root, or maybe you just have an intuition that something isn't quite right and you want more radiant living. Whatever it is, you'll find a simple safe and advice-free space to explore traditional healing foods for you and your family.

I know how it feels:

I discovered Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions 6 years ago when my first daughter was six months old. I was walking home from the park and had an epiphany, Oh Goodness, I am responsible for this life. Right there and then I made a vow to spend some time figuring out what I really truly thought was the best diet for my child. Well, I got to work right away, but my search didn't last long. The first book I read was Nourishing Traditions, and I immediately and with complete certainty knew it was right. And I wanted all the other earth mamas to know about it too!

That's why I created Folklore Foods.

Yes, I am a bit of a Traditional Foods zealot, but it's also been over 6 years and I've mellowed into a healthy 80/20 mama (that's: by the book 80% of the time and free-for-all, with a few no-no-never exceptions,  the remaining 20% of the time). That very day I began my own bootcamp starting with Chapter 1 of the Good Book (Nourishing Traditions) and taught myself the Traditional Foods basics from cultured milk and kefir to liver paté and fermented veggies, from A to Z I learned it... and along the way, since I am a housewife these days (not the Food Cart Chef of my past life), I also worked hard to simplify as many processes as I could.

I also spent considerable time learning about Farming and Permaculture and connecting Sally Fallon's recipes to Stories and Myths from around the world, to local and global folklore.

What you'll get in Folklore Foods:

• 6 virtual DIY classes of 2 hours each (or 4 days LIVE at Tierra Soul if you do the LIVE version)
• Notes and recipes for what we make in class
• Invitation to a special Facebook group for Folklore Foodies
• Email access to me for 2 months during the class.

What you will come away with:

• All the basics required to make the shift away from processed food toward the rewarding rhythms of nutrient-dense, bio-available and deeply nourishing food.
• An overview of the Nutritional Science behind why these foods are so perennially good.
• A start to finding your own nourishing culinary rhythm that will feed, not drain, you.
• The basic hands-on knowledge of Sacred Food preparation.
• Stories and Rituals to add depth and meaning to your daily and seasonal routine.

What to expect:

1. Raw & Cultured Milk: Pros and Cons of Raw milk, keeping it safe, Lazy Lady Yogurt, Kefir, creme fraische, cream cheese, whey and more.
2. Cultured Vegetables: Science of Kitchen Kulturing, Sauerkraut, Spicy Carrots, ginger carrots, lacto-fermented pickles.
3. Fermented Grains: Lower gluten content of your grains to protect your family from gluten intolerance, increase bio-availability of nutrients in grain, discover the incredible balm of grinding and loving your grains! Yogurt Dough, Injera, pancakes and non-horrible-for-your-body granola.
4. Traditional Fats: Learn the value of traditional fats and why they were considered sacred in traditional cultures. Learn which ones to use for what kinds of tasks. Butter, Cream, Tallow and Lard here we come.
5. Bone Stock: Every healthy culture used either dairy products OR bone stocks for adequate mineral intake. Learn how to make fish, chicken and beef bone stock and get ideas of how to incorporate stock into your culinary rhythm. Also: The Why, but more importantly, the "HOW" to get those organ meats to have a not-disgusting taste! Paté, meatballs, raw liver smoothies and more.
6. Traditional Sodas: Refreshing, vitamin / mineral rich, and highly bio-available, lacto-fermented sodas are fun to make. And your family will love them more than juice or cola!!!

You can do it!

It doesn't matter how sick you feel, or how bad of a rut you've gotten into. It doesn't even matter if you're too busy to contemplate spending more time in the kitchen. I have spent much of my time in creating this program planning for YOU, busy mama! We will start with the basics - simplified, and move through all the most important sections of the book. I have pre-digested all the information, practiced with, and on, myself, and my family, and perfected a way for you to have the success and joy I've had bringing sacred foods into your everyday life. I promise.

Who Folklore Foods is for:

• Mamas and Papas who want to feed themselves and their family the very best!
• Expectant parents wanting to build fertility and a healthy pregnancy.
• Anyone wanting to learn the art and science of Traditional Foods.

What Folklore Foods is NOT for:

• People wanting a hardcore guilt-ridden self-deprivation diet: Traditional people enjoyed their food and its place in community and connection to the earth. Let's do that too!!!
• People looking for an overnight solution: Like all real transformation, changing your foodways takes time. What I can promise is that as you implement a new relationship to food you can gain a wonderful rhythm that nourishes you and your family rather than a food plan that takes a lot of time and money and drains you!
• People who can't make a basic time commitment: You will need AT LEAST one hour a day devoted to the kitchen. If this is too much, then this might not be the right time or place for you.

Visit our website to get started! To sign up, scroll to the bottom of the page, and choose the DIY option, or the on-site LIVE option.

Apple season is winding down soon here in Oregon, and everywhere I look, I see windfalls of red, green, and gold fruit.

Neighbors are just giving them away.

Naughty donkeys are sneaking into the orchard to steal as many bites as possible before being caught...

Who, me?

And, so, like many others, we decided to do some canning. We found out that our local tool rental company rents a cider press by the day. For $25, we got a press with an electric grinder (I think this made the process a lot easier), and a manual press. By the way, if you think a project of pressing apples won't take all day -- a couple of hours, we thought! -- I'm here to say otherwise. I didn't even think we had that many apples... so it's definitely something you should set aside plenty of time for.

Also plan for lots of stickyness.

We collected all the juice and heated it to a boil, then canned it with a boiling water bath. An internet search will bring up any number of ways to can cider, for the uninitiated (like me, before this long, long, loooooong day of apple cider pressing...)

We have a number of places listed on Farm Stay U.S. that offer apple cider pressing as an activity to enjoy on their farm, which would also be a great way to get this experience!

Soon enough, the apples will be gone, and we'll be adding some mulling spices (and maybe a little rum?) for a toasty drink around the fireplace with friends. Happy fall!

Travel Writer and librarian Lili DeBarbieri recently published a wonderful book called  A Guide to Southern Arizona's Historic Farms and Ranches, Rustic Southwest Retreats.

We talked with Lili about her book, Southern Arizona, her travel adventures, and farm and ranching trends. Fascinating stuff -- please read on!

FSUS: When was the first time you heard the term 'farm stay?' How about 'guest ranch?'

Lili: I think first became aware of the term 'farm stay' in association with the volunteer opportunities that the organization World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) offers. This was more than ten years ago but I distinctly remember reading an article about volunteer vacations on Hawaiian farms through WWOOF. I do have to give credit to my home state of Pennsylvania for bringing the more leisurely alterative to WWOOF in the form of 'farm stays' again to my attention. Once I saw that staying on a working farm (in Lancaster County) was the same if not cheaper in price than a hotel or motel but offered such wonderful learning opportunities as an added bonus I was sold! A few years ago, I worked and lived on a historic guest ranch near Santa Fe and that was my introduction to that vacation option.

FSUS: What inspired you to write "A Guide to Southern Arizona's Historic Farms and Ranches: Rustic Southwest Retreats", and why did you choose to focus on Southern Arizona?

Lili: The type of traveling I tend to gravitate towards in my personal life inspired the content of the book -- unique vacations, working holidays, eco-tourism -- all of which intertwine during a stay on a ranch or farm. It seemed though that much more attention had been previously focused on WWOOF volunteer opportunities as a holiday option so I wanted to bring the concept of 'farm stays' and 'guest ranches' more to the forefront. I like to call farm-stays "WOOF-ing light."

I also thought it would be interesting to write about a part of the country that is not normally as highly associated with agriculture and agri-tourism in the same way that the Midwest, the East Coast or California is as well as to encourage the support of Arizona's local businesses and economy. The incredible landscape, character and color of the region provided an easy palate.

Lili: Yes! Great question. This whole region was very much a trailblazer in the guest ranching industry. Through what I was able to piece together from historical archives there is very strong evidence that the very first guest ranches began right here in Southern Arizona as early as the 1860s but guest ranching was slower to really take off because of the climactic conditions well before air-conditioning that made the tourism season here shorter than other Western states such as Wyoming and Montana, where guest ranching had its early beginings as well.

FSUS: How did you choose the ranches and farms that ended up in your book?

Lili: The criteria I aimed for when I first began writing the book were to put together a list of places that had a great deal of not only history and scenic beauty but were also locally owned, environmentally friendly and were contributing in positive ways to their communities. I started with internet searches and looked at members of professional associations in the industry. Then, over time, I just serendipitously stumbled upon many of the ranches and farms throughout the course of my research.

FSUS: Do you have a favorite story or moment from researching your book?

Lili: A series of them-the Triangle L guest ranch in Oracle holds a sentimental place in my heart since it was the first ranch I visited back when I began writing the book and I am still amazed by its art, architecture, vibe and scenery. Going up there recently for the annual GLOW festival was like "coming home" in a way. The day I spent at the Circle Z Ranch trail riding through the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve and then afterwards having lunch at the local saloon was a real highlight as well.

FSUS: Veronica Schultz, who co-owns Rancho de la Osa with her husband, says that they run the guest ranch in part "to continue a lifestyle that is dying. Guest ranches are remote, and fewer and fewer exist every year." Are guest ranches in fact decreasing in numbers? If so, why?

Lili: Yes, for example at the turn of the twentieth century, the greater Tucson area alone had over 100 guest ranches and that number has dwindled to about three. The costs of operating a guest ranch and the challenges involved in actually turning a profit, like any business, are considerable. This reality is probably a microcosm of what has happened in many other sectors of society. Modern urban development in the past few decades around the country has overtaken the natural land and wide open spaces needed to own a farm stay or guest ranch and provide the appropriate experiences for guests. What traveler wants to horse-back ride through a subdivision? But there is also a resurgence of interest in unique vacations driving tourists to look beyond generic forms of accommodation and towards a stay in the country.

FSUS: Can you talk a bit about the trends in farming and ranching happening in Southern Arizona?

Lili: Guest ranches during the 1920s and 1930s were that generation's answer to a "staycation." Traveling overseas was really only an option for the very wealthy. Now, with the high cost of air travel there is that comparable economic incentive to participate in agri-tourism as people everywhere are looking for more affordable options for travel.

At any given moment there are different trends and words circulating in the public's imagination have influenced farming, ranching and the accompanying tourism --sustainability, heritage foods, farm to table, back-to-nature, purposeful living. The desire for simple, timeless travel experiences is certainly an influence.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the art and films being made brought a lot of travelers and would-be adventurers out West. Now, what drives the interest in staying on a guest ranch or farm is more food, health and wellness related. The slow food movement ignited an interest in cooking with fresh, local, seasonal foods. I can't open a popular women's magazine without seeing an article listing the "best farmers markets around the country" or the "health benefits of fruits and vegetables", the glamorization of rural living!

Overall, there is more of an awareness of and desire to intentionally support local businesses in general and that has spilled over into the idea of "knowing your farmer" and to the financial support of local farms and ranches through direct purchases as well. It is now a selling point for a business to use local ingredients or materials. I notice that farmers and ranchers are really reaching out to involve, promote and educate their communities. Guest ranches in particular have really upped their game over the years and now offer so many varied opportunities to not only enjoy the outdoors but to really take something away in an educational sense from your vacation. In our school districts in Arizona, gardens are used for teaching children about science, math and many other subjects and sourcing from local farms into many school cafeterias is quite commonplace now and it was not say twenty years ago. It is a turn for the better.

To buy Lili's book, visit www.farmstayus.com/shop/guidebooks

 

 

 

I admit it... I can be a bit of a daydreamer. I guess, working on a farm, I should call it woolgathering! Helping to run the Farm Stay U.S. website is the perfect sort of job for doing a little in-my-head-dream-vacation planning, with so many beautiful photos of farms, ranches, and vineyards to admire.

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. The weather is perfect and the colors are glorious.

There is pumpkin-flavored-everything.

Everything!

It's easy to immediately think of New England for fall travel, and who can argue? They have all that amazing autumn foliage for leaf peepers, and something about the region just screams crisp air and ruddy cheeks. It says, bonfires, like at Liberty Hill Farm in Vermont, or an afternoon spent antiquing before spending the night at Cold Moon Farm. Break out the scarves and boots and let me tromp around the barn!

Fall is cranberry harvest time all across the United States. Here in the Pacific region, there are cranberry bogs to be found in the town of Grayland, Washington, which is a little under two hours from The Inn at Crippen Creek Farm in Skamokawa. Imagine a day snapping photos along the Washington coast, and winding down with a 5-course gourmet meal on the farm, cooked for you by the professional chef-owners.

How about a high-desert getaway this time of year? New Mexico, too, has stunning fall foliage and sweeping vistas. I'd choose to enjoy the views from horseback and take a trail ride through a piece of Native American history at Geronimo Trail Guest Ranch in Winston.

Alas, I can't spend the entire day with my head in the clouds... just one more peek at our regional guide and I land on the South (East South Central) region, with an eye on Kentucky for some antebellum charm. An afternoon spent harvesting apples at The Farm LLC, followed by some stargazing, brings my daydream to a pleasant close.

Where would your daydreams take you? Leave us a comment!

(Photo Credits: morgueFile, Geronimo Trail Guest Ranch)

Please join us in welcoming four new members to the site!

Some quick highlights from their listings:

	Briggs Farm Winona, Minnesota Briggs Farm Adventures offers authentic farmhouse country living with quality, comfortably furnished accommodations. Our farm adventures include hands-on authentic farm yard life: feed the sheep, goats, chickens, and other farm animals; collect chicken eggs for breakfast; garden planting and harvesting, and much more!
	Honey Hollow Farm Earlton, New York Come stay in our lovely, newly-renovated cottage. Look out the window and see our Shetland ponies grazing, along with our Nubian goat herd, who would love for you to come and pet them, and maybe feed them your apple cores. Meanwhile, down a small hill, there is a pony paddock, a chicken pen, and a stable. Further down, another pasture holds two horses. There is also a private garden for the exclusive use of the cottage guests.
	Hopewell Farms Newbury, New Hampshire Mother Earth News Homestead of the Year, Hopewell Farms is a quintessential New England family farm providing a charming guest cottage with an extraordinary view. Located next to Lake Sunapee, the farm is 70 acres of pasture, forest, and a well maintained sugar bush that produces hundreds of gallons of maple syrup each spring.
	East Fork Farm Marshall, North Carolina East Fork Farm cottages overlook our small family farm hidden away in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Quaint cottages are decorated with antique farm relics, furnished with handmade items, and local artisans' crafts. Experience the quiet serenity of the mountains on your private patio with an all natural cedar outdoor mineral soaker tub. Enjoy all the comforts of home while taking in the peacefulness and beauty of a natural farm cottage!

This month we feature an interview with a very dynamic duo, ranch stay members Ron and Chris Wilson of Lazy T Ranch in the Flint Hills of Kansas.

FSUS: Ron and Chris, you both have quite the bios! You are both 5th
generation ranchers, plus Ron has been (in his words):

A 4-H member, FFA officer, farm radio broadcaster, college lecturer,
Congressional staffer, association executive, rural development
director, corporate vice-president, small business co-founder, rodeo
ticket-taker, Sunday School teacher, diaper changer, bottle washer,
tractor driver, posthole digger, thistle chopper, haybale stacker,
fence fixer, calf holder, manure scooper, and tail twister.

And Chris has served as the President of the American Agri-Women and as Kansas
Deputy Secretary of Agriculture!

How and why did you two decide to host a Ranch Stay amidst all of this?

Ron & Chris: Five years ago we moved back to the ranch and built a new home.  Mom moved up with us two years ago, leaving her house empty so it was available to remodel and serve as a guest house.

FSUS: What's the setting of your ranch like? What's the landscape like,
and the climate?

Ron & Chris: You've heard of flat, treeless Kansas?  This is the exact opposite.  We are nestled in a region called the Flint Hills, with tall hills, deep draws, plenty of native stone, and lots of trees and brush.  We have four distinct seasons, each of which has its appeal.

FSUS: What do guests typically do during their stay at your ranch?

Ron & Chris: Guests can enjoy their privacy if they like, because we are in a secluded spot although close to Manhattan, but usually our guests choose to visit our historic stone barn, feed horses and goats, and enjoy the landscape.  Sometimes a family will gather eggs from our chickens and have them for breakfast.

FSUS: Since both of your families' roots in ranching go way back, and you are involved with many facets of ranching and ag policy, I expect you have some insight into ranching history and trends. How has ranching changed or stayed the same in this country over time?

Ron & Chris: This is generally cow-calf country, with herds of brood cows populating the rangeland.  Cattle feeding is not predominant here, although there are some feedyards.  Cattle feeding has become concentrated, particularly in western Kansas where several large packers have located.  Beef is our state's largest single ag industry, still dominated by decentralized groups of producers (as opposed to pork and poultry, which have become more unified or vertically integrated).  In addition to ranchers, there are lots of farmer-stockmen raising grain and cattle.

FSUS: Ron was dubbed the "Poet Lariat" of Kansas in 2003 by then-governor Bill Graves. Ron, why did you start writing Cowboy Poetry? Do your ranch stay guests get to see you perform?

Ron: I grew up here on the ranch and have always been a cowboy at heart.  Years ago I was at a conference in Colorado where they had a cowboy poet as entertainment.  I had never heard or seen such a goofy thing, but it was definitely entertaining.  Years later I tried my hand at writing and performing it myself, and have had a great time since.  Overnight guests don't get cowboy poetry as such, but they do if they schedule one of our beef barbecue suppers.

FSUS: Could you tell us about the special events you have at your ranch throughout the year? Like the fall festival and National Day of the Cowboy?

Ron & Chris: Most of our activities are done by appointment, such as when tour groups or organizations book an evening for supper and entertainment.  However, during weekends in October, we hold our Fall Festival which is open admission for pony rides, pumpkin patch, hayrack ride, kid activities, etc.  In 2012, for the first time, we hosted a National Day of the Cowboy celebration and had about 50 people come out for speakers, picnic supper, and western entertainment.  It was a lot of fun and would hope to do it again.

FSUS: What are the accommodations like at your ranch?

Ron & Chris: The guest house is a remodeled and expanded family farm home, with three bedrooms and a large common living room.  It has satellite television, but it also has card games and marks on the wall to mark the kids height on their birthdays through the years.  The front porch is native stone and the house is nestled into our corner of the river valley, surrounded by the Flint Hills.

FSUS: What meals do you offer, and what's on the menu?

Ron & Chris: We offer lunch and supper but supper is our most common offering: beef barbecue with all the trimmings.  See http://lazytranchadventures.com/lazy-t-ranch-beef-bbq.htm

FSUS: Anything else you'd like to highlight?

Ron & Chris: A friend of ours has a saying:  Horses are magic.  We have had visitors who apparently have never seen a horse up close and personal, and they seem to find them fascinating.  People love to pet and feed them.  The goats will eat feed right out of kids' hands, which tickles their palms and causes them to have a blast.  Kids have described their birthday parties here as their best ever.

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For more information on Lazy T Ranch, visit their Farm Stay U.S. listing or their website: http://www.lazytranchadventures.com/