It's soup season and we're here to help you build your immunity with chicken broth made from our organic pastured chicken frames. There's enough meat on these frames for two or more meals - after cooking the frame you can pick the meat for chicken salad, tacos, enchiladas, or what ever else you desire and there will be plenty left for a nice pot of your favorite chicken soup or bone broth. The sale will end soon, so stock up now. 

When we founded Amber Oaks Ranch 4 years ago, it was with the expectation that we would grow this business slowly over time until it became healthy enough to support us after John retires - John has a full-time job working for General Electric on top of running the ranch, so the ranch is his side-gig, so-to-speak. I, on the other hand, left my job as a teacher to focus fully on making John’s dream a reality but that doesn’t mean I don’t have my own side-gigs.

In addition to my work at the ranch, and at local markets this last year I took on the role of Market Manager for the Taylor Farmers Market and last month I began working for the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance as an Administrative Assistant. For those of you unfamiliar with FARFA, here are a few tidbits from their website: http://farmandranchfreedom.org/ 

Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (FARFA) is a national organization that supports independent family farmers and protects a healthy and productive food supply for American consumers. FARFA promotes common sense policies for local, diversified agricultural systems.

FARFA advocates on behalf of the thousands of small-scale farmers and ranchers who produce food using sustainable/regenerative methods, which means we also work for the millions of consumers who care about protecting and rights and traditional freedoms … people like you.

I have been incredibly lucky that my side-gigs align so well with our goals for Amber Oaks Ranch – helping build the Taylor market builds our ties to the local community and helping Judith McGeary and Teresa Davenport of FARFA gives me insight into the issues that affect our livelihood. In a small way I am helping these wonderful ladies protect farms and ranches just like mine and from unnecessary regulations that burden small farmers and limit access to local foods.

FARFA is only one of the many organizations focused on supporting sustainable food systems in our area – below are links to several more organization that offer support and information to both producers and consumers of local foods.

Links

National and Regional Organizations

• American Grassfed Association – www.americangrassfed.org
• Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund – www.farmtoconsumer.org
• Food & Water Watch – www.foodandwaterwatch.org
• National Center for Appropriate Technology/ATTRA Program  – www.attra.ncat.org/who.html
• National Family Farm Coalition – www.nffc.net
• Organic Consumers Association – www.organicconsumers.org
• Western Organization of Resource Councils – www.worc.org
• Weston A. Price Foundation – www.westonaprice.org

Texas State and Local Organizations

• Texas Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association – www.tofga.org
• Independent Texans – www.indytexans.com
• Sustainable Food Center – www.sustainablefoodcenter.org
• Texas Landowners Council – www.texaslandowners.org
• Texas Right to Know (GMO labeling campaign) – www.TexasRightToKnow.org
• The Texas Local Food and Farm Coalition - texasfoodandfarms.org.

As the year comes to an end so do a few of our regular markets. Pre-order delivery is available at any market that is closed on the regular market day at no extra cost to you. You may also want to visit us at one of the other markets we attend or pick up at the Ranch. It's important to remember that we are open even when the markets are closed. 

The Pflugerville Pfarmers Market will close for the year after Tuesday, Dec. 15th and not reopen until March 2021. Pre-order delivery will be available during the weeks the market is closed. 

The Elgin Farmers Market is a year-round market that will remain open every Thursday. Pre-orders are encouraged. 

The Taylor Farmers Market is also a year-round market, but they will be closed on Saturday Dec. 26th and Saturday Jan. 2nd. The market will reopen for 2021 on January 9th.