There’s an unspoken rule on the farm: everything has a purpose, and when that purpose is no longer fulfilled, freezer camp is the logical next step. Simple, right? Ruthless efficiency. No room for sentimentality. Except, apparently, I am a liar. See, I told the Mister the same thing I tell myself: if an animal isn’tContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: The Hypocrisy of Freezer Camp—Or, Why Hedwig Gets a Lifetime Pass”
Author Archives: Traci Houston
The Great Mowing Debate: Why Longer Grass Wins (But Won’t Make Your Yard a Jungle)
Every spring, the battle begins. The mower is dusted off, the blades are sharpened, and suddenly, there’s a fundamental disagreement between two opposing forces—those who believe in keeping grass tightly trimmed to a uniform height and those who see the value in letting it grow tall and wild. At Huckleberry Farms, this argument is practicallyContinue reading “The Great Mowing Debate: Why Longer Grass Wins (But Won’t Make Your Yard a Jungle)”
Farm Table Talk: Degrowth—Reckoning with the GDP Treadmill
Let’s start with the obvious: the word “degrowth” doesn’t exactly inspire warm fuzzies. At first glance, it sounds like the worst sales pitch imaginable—“Would you like to tank the economy on purpose? Welcome aboard!” No wonder people’s initial reaction is usually something along the lines of, “Uh, hard pass.” But here’s the twist: degrowth isn’tContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: Degrowth—Reckoning with the GDP Treadmill”
Farm Table Talk: The Copy/Paste Nonsense of Cold Emails
Nothing makes my eye twitch quite like a copy/paste cold email that pretends to be thoughtfully researched when, in reality, it’s just lazy mass messaging blasted into the void. I get them constantly—shipping companies, AI firms, random B2B services all pretending they’ve done some deep investigative work into my farm, when one quick glance atContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: The Copy/Paste Nonsense of Cold Emails”
Fasting: A Natural Reset for Your Body’s Health
I’ll admit it—justification is one of my best skills too. After all, if I can’t explain away my habits as “the pursuit of optimal health,” then what’s the point? Case in point: my sporadic eating schedule. Dinner? Oh, I’m a pro. Breakfast? A rare treat. Lunch? Practically a myth. And when I stumbled across anContinue reading “Fasting: A Natural Reset for Your Body’s Health”
Farm Table Talk: When Your Work Is Dismissed as a Hobby
There’s a special kind of frustration that comes from pouring every ounce of sweat, intelligence, and strategic planning into something, only for people—especially family—to wave it off like it’s some whimsical pastime. For me, it’s the farm. To some, it’s just a fun little hobby—a side project, a distraction, something quaint but not serious. NeverContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: When Your Work Is Dismissed as a Hobby”
Reducing Farm Waste: Our Journey to a Zero-Waste Operation at Huckleberry Farms
At Huckleberry Farms, sustainability has always been a central part of our mission. The idea of moving toward a zero-waste operation is not only about caring for the land we work on, but also about reducing our footprint, improving efficiency, and embracing a more regenerative way of farming. While the concept sounds straightforward, the journeyContinue reading “Reducing Farm Waste: Our Journey to a Zero-Waste Operation at Huckleberry Farms”
Farm Table Talk: Let It Grow—The War on Pointless Lawn Standards
There is a battle raging in my yard, and it is not between pests and plants, rabbits and predators, or ducks and mud puddles. No, this war is far more ridiculous—it’s a war over grass. Specifically, whether or not it should be mowed. My mom, bless her heart, thinks the answer is an emphatic “yes.”Continue reading “Farm Table Talk: Let It Grow—The War on Pointless Lawn Standards”
Building Better Soil: Rotational Grazing, Wood Chips, Deep Bedding, and Rabbit Manure
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who say “dirt” when they mean soil, and those who know better. If you’re serious about land management, regenerative agriculture, or just making sure your ground actually supports life, you want soil—not dirt. Dirt is what’s stuck under your fingernails after a long day, aContinue reading “Building Better Soil: Rotational Grazing, Wood Chips, Deep Bedding, and Rabbit Manure”
Farm Table Talk: The Mystery of the Chinchilla Kit—Or, When Genetics Slap You in the Face
You ever have one of those moments in farming where you stare at an animal like it personally betrayed you? Because that’s exactly where I was this spring, standing in my rabbit barn, looking at a chinchilla kit that should not exist. See, last year, I bought a New Zealand Black buck from a breederContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: The Mystery of the Chinchilla Kit—Or, When Genetics Slap You in the Face”
