‘Round The Farm
All of this rain has turned us into a mushroom farm 🍄
Moving hay bales before the river rises 💧
We have a rather brazen fox 🦊 😬
Mr. Feyerherd giving the smolder 🔥 (Actually, filming a YouTube video)
Our daughter found a sea shell week before last (Cape Charles vacation). Sat it next to us to keep. Couple minutes later …. It started walking! Hermit Crab! Of course we let him / her return to the ocean.
Weathering The Storm
As fall approaches, we’ve been closely monitoring the weather, especially after the remnants of Hurricane Helene passed through.
Thankfully, our farm remained safe and dry, avoiding any emergency moves for our cattle.
We hope you and your families also stayed safe during the storms, and our thoughts are with those in the harder-hit coastal areas.
Sustainable Farming in Action: Preparing for Winter
The frequent rains have turned Longbottom Farm into a lush, green oasis, potentially setting us up for a third hay harvest. This additional harvest is vital as it helps us feed our cattle throughout the winter without needing to purchase hay.
Raising 20 to 40 head of grass-fed cattle involves significant costs—about $350 per head annually just for hay. By producing our own hay, we aim to keep our prices affordable and our farming practices sustainable.
This balance of ecology and economy is essential to providing you with the best products without compromising our values.
Guarding the Flock
Life on the farm has been more challenging without our guardian dogs, who both passed (last year and early this year) after long and happy lives here. Their absence has made our layer birds more vulnerable to predators like the fox pictured above.
We’re strengthening our defenses with electric fencing and considering new guardian options. During this adjustment, we’re reminded of how each farm member, from the smallest chicken to the largest dog, plays a crucial role in our ecosystem.
And, you might see our donkey stepping up—if you spot him among the chickens, it means he’s been promoted!
Your Farm-Fresh Goods: Ready When You Are
Our pasture-raised products are always available for you. You can pick them up directly from our outdoor freezer/fridge setup on the farm, or opt for local delivery.
We offer delivery in the Charlottesville / Scottsville area for orders over $50 ($6 fee), and free delivery for orders over $99, making it easy and economical to stock up on fresh, wholesome goods.
Celebrate National Coffee Day with Longbottom Farm!
Today marks National Coffee Day, a perfect time to celebrate everyone’s favorite morning brew!
At Longbottom Farm, we take pride in offering delicious, sustainably sourced coffee roasted right here in Charlottesville, that you can enjoy from the comfort of your home.
Whether you’re a fan of a robust dark roast or prefer a smoother, lighter blend, we have something to suit your taste.
Visit our coffee page to explore our selections and find your new favorite: Longbottom Farm Coffee.
As a special thank you to our loyal customers (and those that have read this far), enjoy a one-day-only discount of 10% on all coffee purchases. Just use the code COFFEEDAY at checkout.
Pour yourself a cup of Longbottom coffee, and celebrate National Coffee Day with a brew that’s as rich in flavor as it is in heritage. Happy Coffee Day!
Looking Ahead
As we navigate the unpredictability of farming and natural events, we remain dedicated to delivering the highest quality products and giving you a transparent view of life at Longbottom Farm. Your continued support is invaluable to us, and we are profoundly grateful.
Thank you for being part of our farm’s community. Enjoy the cool fall weather, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
P.S. We love seeing our products in action! Share your culinary creations with us (tag us) on Facebook, Instagram, X(Twitter), and Threads. Let’s spread the joy of cooking and eating together.
Thanks for following us and allowing us to serve you. If you have questions or would like to share your thoughts, give us a shout! Have a wonderful week!
With Our Appreciation,
Jason, Lexi, and Family
So glad that you all had a restful and much deserved vacation. Happy to learn that you also didn’t sustain any damage to the farm during the recent storm.
I wanted to make sure that you all received the gift of home grown tomato sauces that we left in your outdoor fridge about a month or so ago. We had your name on the bag, so hopefully you got and enjoyed them.
I Vivienne. Thanks and yes it was nice! We did receive the homegrown tomato sauces and thank you! I sent you an email a day or two afterwards telling you about how we got behind this year and didn’t grow any tomatoes, so your gift was perfect! Maybe it went to spam. I’ll see if i can find it and resend it, but thanks so much. We’ve yet to try it but soon! Hope you guys are staying dry and no storm damage.
it was buried in an order update. “Also wanted to say thank you for the card and the canned sauce. We’re looking forward to trying it! We had to let our garden go this year due to too many other things going on around the farm, but looking forward to getting back next year. Your sauce will help hold us over until then so thanks again!”
September 7, 2024 at 1:21 pm by jason
Hi Lexi! After reading the Longbottom newsletter, I send my condolences for your 2 dogs. If you are possibly interested, I still have 3 Anatolian Shepherd pups. They are 15 months old and a joy. Let me know if you would be interested in one for your farm. Peace to you and your family!
Hi Beth,
Thanks and sorry this is so late. This is Jason, Lexi’s husband. I usually get emails on comments and respond much faster. They were great dogs and lived a full, happy life. We haven’t decided if we’re going to get more. We have a donkey who we’re going to test out next year, so we’ll see. Thanks for the offer and apologies again for the late response. Best to you and your family!