Family Picture Night 2024

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posted on

August 19, 2024

Good morning Family Cow Tribe!

It's been two years since our last pasture picture, as our family calls them. Since then, our family has grown by five, so I believe it's high time!

But first, just a little nostalgia...

Some of you may remember the picture below. It was from summer 2010 and was our family's first pasture-photo. That was fourteen years ago!

Jefferson, our youngest, was a 4-year-old. Rodrick, our oldest, was 18. And I guess that means that Dawn and I were only 40.

August 2010: The very first 'Shank pasture picture.' There were only eight of us! (Nine if we'd count Dingo. Judging by the way she's smiling, it seems she thinks she's family!)

Fast forward to 2024: Now we have twenty-six 'somethings' to line up!

2024-Shank-Family-Pasture-Picture-getting-into-place.jpg

"Who is supposed to stand here? Are you going to sit on that straw bale or should I? What would look best? No, not that way, this way... but now I'm looking into the sun. Well then, just close your eyes and smile... Hurry, the babies are getting fussy!"

Whew! No wonder Dawn and I are turning grey! :)

Shank Family 2024 - click for larger view

Finally, I think everyone's in place and people are smiling... I believe this one might be good! :) Oops! Leo and Micah are not paying attention, but hey, give them a break... They're both under six months. They'll do better next time! :)

This picture is one of my favorite from the evening... All of our seven granddaughters sat still for a few seconds on the farmhouse steps before they ran off to play again. :)

The two on the left side are Gwendolyn and Laverne's twins, Gianna & Geneva. The other three in the back row are: Tatiana, Karina, Clara. The other two in the front row are Sofia and Kataya.

There are six grandsons too, but their picture will need to wait for another time. :)

After sitting still for the pictures, which for some reason doesn't seem to make any little one's fun-list, we had some sparkler and firecracker fun around the campfire behind the farm house.

It was a delightful evening... We hope you enjoyed it as much as we have. So long! See you around! It might be three years until the next 'pasture picture' evening.

If you think our hands are full... you should feel our hearts. The Lord has been so good to us!

Yes, it’s a timeless truth.

Children are an eternal blessing,

An heritage of the LORD:

The fruit of the womb is His reward.

As arrows –

In the hand of a mighty man,

So are the children –

Of one’s youth.

Happy is the man who,

Having his quiver full of them,

Shall not be ashamed.

He shall speak with

The adversaries of God

And will have their respect.

Thoughts based on Psalm 127:3-5

Grateful to be...Your Farmers,

Edwin and Dawn Shank and Family

YourFamilyFarmer.com

God Designed it. We Respect it. That Explains it!

Bonus Free jar of Pastured Lard for anyone who orders this week!

Good morning, Family Cow friends! I have a special bonus thank-you to announce today. Place an order anytime over the next week and select a FREE jar of our Pastured Pork Lard! Why free lard?Our family wants every one of you to experience truly clean, pastured lard for yourself. If you’ve been cooking with lard for years and already know the magic it brings to everything from breakfast eggs to homemade French fries, please enjoy this free jar as a heartfelt thank-you for your loyal support.If you are new to lard, consider this is a gift from our family to help start 2026 off on a healthy, wholesome start. With our clean Pastured Pork Lard you can cook with confidence. No need to worry if it is Chemical-Free, GMO-Free, Antibiotic-Free, Hormone-Free, Soy-Free or Humanely Raised.We farm with integrity so you can enjoy real food—and real peace of mind—at every meal.And for all you Lard Lovers who'd like more than one jar, we're also offering 12 jar cases at 50% OFF regular case price during this promotion.Enjoy the free lard – and thank-you for being part of our farm family! Just be sure to add the free lard to your order so we know to send it along with the rest of your food. We won't send the lard unless you select it because we want to be sure the gift will be put to good use. :) Note: if you are interested in baking with lard as Grandma used for her delectable flaky pie crust, it's the Premium Leaf Lard you want for that. We don't have many jars available, but if they are still in stock when you see, this go ahead and select a FREE Premium Leaf Lard with your order instead of the regular lard linked above. -------------------------------------------------------- Remember, our Pastured Pork Lard is not bleached, deodorized, hydrogenated or altered in any way. It is simply rendered (cooked down) pork fat from our pastured hogs. There is nothing else done to it or added to it. It is ready to be enjoyed and may just become your favorite kitchen fat! Testimonial: I just had to write in to tell Your Family Farmer that your soy free woodland pork lard is the most delicious fat I have ever tasted! As someone with severe food sensitivities, the ability to get pure natural foods from you folks is a true blessing! Expect many more lard bulk orders to come. Thank you! ~Ronald B. Scranton, PA Why use Lard? It's a clean traditional fat like tallow and butter.Has a natural blend of the three types of fats: monounsaturated fat, saturated and polyunsaturated.7 Healthy Reasons to Eat Lard.Here is an article you'll find inspiring: 10 Reasons to Bring Lard Back The Story Behind our Woodland Pork Lard: We don't waste anything on our farm. Especially when it comes to livestock. We respectfully use every bit of that animal to accomplish the most good possible. What can't be eaten is carefully turned into rich composted and given back to the soil to fuel plant growth and build organic matter. What CAN be eaten falls into two categories. The first category is LOVED by all and basically needs to be rationed out.... For example, people will "fight" for the chance to eat juicy pastured pork chops, crispy bacon, savory sausages, or BBQ baby back ribs. But not everyone has as much love for the second category which makes up a sizeable portion of each pig. This category includes things like soup bones, knuckle bones, and LOTS of pork fat since we refuse to use the industry standard Ractopamine (Paylean) drug to keep our pigs artificially lean. The good news is, we are able to render some of this excess fat into beautiful Woodland Pork Lard that now falls into the loved-by-all category! :) Lard is so versatile it's simple to use as a substitute for your everyday cooking oil. It adds pizazz to everything from simple breakfast fried eggs to homemade French fries. Lard is the secret ingredient your Grandma used for her delectable flaky pie crust. With our clean Pastured Pork Lard you can cook with confidence. No need to worry if it is Chemical-Free, GMO-Free, Antibiotic-Free, Hormone-Free, Soy-Free or Humanely Raised. We farm with integrity to give you the peace of mind you deserve at every meal. Enjoy the lard! Wesley ~5th generation on the farm We carefully manage every step of the process to bring you clean Pastured Pork you can eat with confidence. ✓ Respectfully Harvested at our small USDA butcher shop✓ Always Humanely Raised on Organic Land✓ No Nitrate or Nitrite Preservatives✓ No Celery Juice Powder Cures✓ Artificial Hormone-Free✓ Citric Acid - Free✓ Antibiotic-Free✓ Chemical-Free✓ mRNA-Free✓ Sugar-Free✓ GMO-Free✓ MSG-Free

Family Picture Night 2024

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God Designed it... We Respect it... That Explains it!

Genesis 1:31 & Revelation 4:11

"We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it."