Our purpose in having a farm day was, first, to open up our home and property to our customers and neighbors, hoping that they might sense the Holy Spirit in our home. We want to be a testimony for Christ through the way we work together as a family and through the joy each of us have because we have Christ in our lives.
Secondly, from a marketing standpoint, we feel that by getting to know our customers better, we will build their loyalty and encourage them to purchase products from us in the future. Also, we wanted to give thanks to them for supporting us. If they didn't buy our milk and other products, we wouldn't have food on our table. Last of all, it was the turkey pick-up day for the folks that ordered Thanksgiving turkeys. Thursday was the turkey processing day.
Sullivan and Harrison with two turkeys on Thursday...
We are so grateful for Oma coming to help us with the preparations prior to the event, as well as tending to the "hospitality center" (our house) during the event and welcoming folks to enjoy the apple cider, chocolate chip, and peanut butter cookies we had prepared.We are also so glad that our friends, the Butlers, came and helped us a lot as well. Mr. Butler ran the hay ride, Mrs. Butler welcomed people to the "corn pit" (a childrens play area similar to a sand box) and the tea area in the garage apartment. Kendal took family pictures in the "family picture area" and Kelsey helped in the garage apartment and with the younger Butler children. We are so grateful for their help!
The "corn pit" was an idea we saw at the state fair. Elliott and Oliver built it a few weeks ago in the garage apartment.
We wanted the day to be educational so we made signs for each of the "stations" so folks could learn about our animals. The goats had a pile of hay for the children to feed them...
Children were also able to collect eggs from the laying hens...
We had been saving and freezing corn cobs for several months so children could throw corn cobs to the pigs!
We tied different colored ribbons to the milking cows' tails and printed a sign distinguishing each cow and its color so people could tell which cow was which (i.e. Lemon=yellow bow, Satin=red bow, etc.). We just bought this cow, Dottie, this past Tuesday so she isn't one of the girls with a bow. 
We also set up a "Poultry Processing Area" so folks could see how we process the chickens and turkeys. We ran out of time to process the four turkeys on the right side of the picture Thursday night so they get to live one more week. One was even already in the killing cone about to have its throat sliced when the decision was made to save the last four for next week's chicken processing day! We admonished them to "live like they were dying" for the next few days. ;)
Oliver was in charge of the turkey pick-ups and other product sales... 
After the guests left and the evening milking was finished, we enjoyed a pot of chicken soup the Butlers were so kind to give us and we visited with a new friend. We are so glad the day went smoothly and so relieved that all of the preparations and work are finished! ~Meredith
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