Let’s Do Something!

Tim with is favorite baby goat. Little Miss Frappe We’ve learned at the TnF Farm that homesteading means embracing a lifestyle where there’s always something to do, plan, build, repair, or rethink. It’s a rewarding but endlessly demanding journey that requires dedication, hard work, and a deep connection to the land. However, even amidst the sweet life of farming, there comes a time when you need an escape.

Homesteading is a 24/7 commitment, and the to-do list seems never-ending. From tending to livestock and maintaining crops to fixing fences and tackling unexpected challenges, the work is both physically and mentally demanding. There’s a sense of responsibility that comes with this way of life, and it’s essential to honor it.

Work hard, play hard

Yet, just like any other profession or lifestyle, it’s crucial to find moments of respite. Escaping from the daily grind of homesteading allows for rejuvenation and balance. It’s a chance to recharge both the body and the spirit. Whether it’s a short getaway to explore a nearby mountain biking trail or body of water, a weekend outing, or a leisurely evening spent vegging out, these moments of escape are invaluable.

Escapes also provide an opportunity to gain fresh perspective. Stepping away from the farm allows you to see things from a different angle, discover new ideas, and return with renewed enthusiasm and creativity. It’s a chance to reflect on your goals, evaluate your practices, and make improvements.

Moreover, these escapes help strengthen the connection to nature, which is often the driving force behind homesteading. Experiencing the great outdoors, even outside the farm, reinforces the appreciation for the natural world and reaffirms the homesteading commitment to sustainability and self-sufficiency.

Join us as we build, play and repair stuff. Sometimes its the wrong way. Mistakes are some of the best learning experiences.

A well-deserved ribeye

11/17/2023/in Foodies, Let's Do Something/by Tim

Today was a good day. We sold some livestock and we’ve been doing some improvements to our property and construction for some of the new livestock we are getting. All this work makes for long days and fast moving weekends that are over too quickly. Today was no exception. We wrapped up a project by the outside lights of our garage and came in for the evening meal. I was pretty excited for a steak dinner. Faith was done and decided to just turn in early. So tonight I’m going to do a modified version of a great meal for 2 for less than $30. Instead, it’s a well-deserved ribeye dinner for one for less than $15.

TnF Farms Backwoods Flapjacks

11/11/2023/in Foodies, Let's Do Something/by Tim

Today we will be working all day on the far part of our property. We’re going to load up our side by side with Dobby the farm dog, fencing materials and some water. We plan to make the most of our day and “call it” around supper time. So we are going for a breakfast that is very filling and nutritionally dense. Sounds like TnF Farms Backwoods Flapjacks are a perfect fit.

A Tasty, Easy Breakfast

10/22/2023/in American Guinea Hogs, Foodies, Let's Do Something, Poultry/by Faith

Tim usually cooks breakfast. Before we called it an evening last night, I mentioned tomorrow morning, I’m making a favorite breakfast of mine. Today I’ll be making a country fried breakfast with most of the foods sourced from TnF Farms. I’m starting by frying up a package of our American Guinea hog bacon in an iron skillet. Now I have Tim hovering in the kitchen eating the bacon as fast as it comes out of my skillet.

Firewood as a low cost heat source

10/19/2023/in Florida Living, Homesteading, Let's Do Something/by Tim

Last year we tried using our farmhouse fireplace to heat our entire home with our thermostat set in the 50s. With the exception of really cold nights, we made it without the use of our home’s electric heat. With our fireplace getting started in the morning and burning into the night, we consumed a lot of firewood. I really wasn’t prepared for how much we would use. This year, I’m way more prepared!

TnF Farms Jambalaya

10/08/2023/in Foodies, Havana, Florida, Let's Do Something/by Tim

I have had jambalaya a number of times since moving to the south. I think it’s pretty good. I’ve been wanting to try my hand at making some of my own. Porterhouse Meat Market has been featuring alligator crab boil bratwurst. In my experiments to really get this jambalaya dish to pop, I’ve had to visit Porterhouse a few times as my previous attempts have not measured up. Fawzi, the owner of Porterhouse has been kind enough to set a few packages of the alligator crab boil bratwurst aside for me as it seems to sell out fast.

Awkward Omelets

09/30/2023/in Foodies, Let's Do Something/by Tim

When it’s omelet day, I usually make a 6 egg, deluxe omelet with all sorts of goodies rolled in. When Faith and I got together, she would see my omelet, grab a fork and start working on the other side. We coined the phrase Awkward Omelets because the plate kept getting pulled away. She’s is furious with me that I’m not promoting the TnF Farms bacon. But if I don’t promote it, more American Guinea Hog bacon for me!

Challah French toast

09/10/2023/in Foodies, Let's Do Something/by Tim

Challah loaves are a way we treat ourselves at TnF Farms. And we often make French toast with it. French toast is a favorite here. Until being introduced to Doering’s Doughs Challah bread, we used Pepperidge Farm or Thomas sweet breads. I was hooked at first taste – we just don’t buy the store bought stuff anymore.

The weekend is coming and you need to grill!

08/02/2023/in Foodies, Let's Do Something/by Tim

Like every week, we were almost out of bacon. I stopped into Porterhouse Meat Market on the edge of Havana, Florida to refresh our bacon stash and to check out what was in the fresh cuts. There were a couple of filet mignons that were just begging to be rolled up in bacon and a big ol’ ribeye wanted to come home with me.

Marinated Chuck Steaks

07/27/2023/in Foodies, Let's Do Something/by Tim

The candy store days have long gone but now as a 40 something, I have a better vice. Butcher shops. I am frequenting a local butcher shop called Porterhouse meat market in-between Havana and Tallahassee on the Florida Georgia highway. It has a bit of the mini mart nuance and the best part, fresh cut meats. Faith Johnson and I enjoy being foodies and now we try to make stuff better than a restaurant. This recent round at Porterhouse, I restocked on bacon and picked up some chuck steaks.

I Need A Break From The Farm Life!

06/19/2023/in Let's Do Something/by Tim

I used to be an avid runner. Before moving to Havana, Florida, I was running about 10 miles a week in the Jacksonville suburbs. Now that we’re settled in on a farm in the backwoods, running isn’t quite as easy especially when the neighbors’ dogs don’t like me trotting by. Yeah, I’m staying busy at the TnF Farm but its not the same kind of cardio.