Sunrise Wild Haven Farm — Blog

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Backyard Flocks in Minnesota - November 2025 Update

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

As a small, certified organic, regenerative farm here in Chisago County, we know how much our chickens mean to families across Minnesota. Many of you keep a handful of hens for fresh eggs, kids’ chores, or simply the joy of watching birds scratch in the yard. With ongoing cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Minnesota and across the U.S., it’s important to stay informed without being alarmed.

HPAI is a serious viral disease of poultry, introduced and spread largely by migrating wild waterfowl. Risk tends to increase during spring and fall migration, and both commercial and backyard flocks can be affected.

Backyard flock owners should know the key signs of possible avian influenza: birds that are suddenly very quiet or depressed, trouble breathing, sharp drops in feed or water intake, swollen or purple combs and wattles, a sudden decrease in egg production, or unexplained deaths. If you see any combination of these signs, call your poultry veterinarian right away. If you don’t have a vet, contact the Minnesota Avian Influenza Hotline at 1-833-454-0156 or use the online sick bird report form through the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Board of Animal Health emphasize that biosecurity is your best protection. Keep your birds separated from wild ducks and geese, especially around ponds and standing water; cover and contain feed; clean up spills that attract wildlife; limit or pause travel with your birds to shows and swaps; and limit visitors who come into direct contact with your flock, asking them to wear clean clothing and footwear.

Here at Wild Haven Farm, we take HPAI very seriously. We follow strict biosecurity, keep wild waterfowl away from our poultry areas, and monitor our flocks several times a day for any early signs of illness. Only healthy birds are in production, and our eggs are collected, handled, and stored with care—our eggs are safe.

HPAI is a challenge, but with good information and everyday precautions, backyard flocks can remain a healthy, joyful part of Minnesota farm and family life. If you have questions, reach out—neighbors helping neighbors is one of our strongest defenses against disease.

Wild Haven is on Bluesky

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT

What is Bluesky?

Bluesky is a new social media network which has a very similar look and feel to Twitter (now X). Many former Twitter users have been moving to Bluesky as an alternative or addition to their social media portfolio. We’re excited to see a new platform in the ecosystem and feeliing a bit relieved from the clutter and congestion that X has been lately. == Why is Bluesky Different?

On the technical side, Bluesky is a decentralized platform which makes it more democratic and less prone to control by a single owner. The underlying technology is opensource which provides transparency and improved security.

One clever feature is the custom name which replaces X’s paid verification checkmark. You will know that our Wild Haven profile is legitimate because you will see our username in the URL (https://bsky.app/profile/sunrisewildhaven.com). Any user of Bluesky can get a custom username for free. It’s a means of validation since we have to prove we own the sunrisewildhaven.com domain in order to use that username. This reduces the risk of spoof profiles for every user without enriching a corporation. == What will Wild Haven Post on Bluesky?

We plan to use Bluesky in much the same way we used to interact with Twitter. Bluesky will be useful for shorter messages, updates, and announcements. We will continue to use Instagram and Facebook since many users are still there. We will cross post some content but try to also include exclusive Bluesky-only content as well. == Will Wild Haven Continue to Use X?

We have not been active on X for some time now and do not intend to post actively there. We will not close our X account (at least for now).

Egg Price Increase

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Sorry folks. We’ve struggled to avoid this but production costs continue to go up and we, like all small farmers, have almost no margin. Those who have been with us know that we do not follow commodity pricing, we set our prices based on the cost of production. Sometimes we are higher than the store price, sometimes lower but we are consistent. We are committed to producing the highest quality farm products and doing it sustainably and humanely using heritage livestock. We continue to be able to market sustainable heritage products at prices that compete with large organic farms who are using hybrid breeds. If you have any questions on our pricing, please feel free to chat with us. The new price is $7.00/doz effective immediately. Subscriptions will renew at the new price.

#realfood https://facebook.com/435337446543049[#buylocal]

Livestock Guardian Dog Grant - 2024

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Wild Haven Farm is excited to announce that we are opening applications for our Livestock Guardian Dog grant. In 2023, we received a generous gift from SmallFolk Farm in WI of a breeding pair of Great Pyrenees to be used as livestock guardian dogs here on the farm. We were overwhelmed by that generosity and committed to continue paying it forward. With each litter of whelps from our LGD (Inanna and Enlil), we will be granting one pup to a farm for use as a working LGD. Anyone interested in adopting pups from this litter without applying for the grant are also welcome to contact us. Preference for all adoptions will be given to working livestock farms. The pups available are from a pair of unregistered Great Pyrenees (Inanna and Enlil) who are about a year old. The whelps were born on on 6 March and they are being nursed by Inanna. All appear to be in excellent health. Two from the litter did not make it past the first night but the demise is attributed to exposure to the cold before we arrived on the scene.

Applications will be accepted through 11:59 PM on 24 March 2024 Central time. (originally 17 March but we are extending the application window).
Applicants must submit the form below and complete all required fields.
The recipient must agree to use the dog as a working LGD and to care for the animal humanely.

Though not required, preference will be given on the following criteria:

The applicant works with livestock listed by the https://livestockconservancy.org/[Livestock Conservancy] (or have recovered).

The applicant is an emerging farmer or is in a group that is traditionally underrepresented in farming.
The applicant is a member of a farming organization (Farmers Union, SFA, LSP, etc.).
The applicant has, or is applying for, organic or animal welfare certifications.
The applicant is a member of Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund. The following terms apply:
Your pup should be ready for pickup by about 1 May 2024.
You must pick up your pup at Wild Haven Farm no later than 1 June 2024. We will not ship.
You are responsible for all expenses related to the care of your pup including spay/neuter, vaccinations, health checks, etc.
You agree to use the animal as a working livestock guardian dog.
You agree to care for the LGD humanely.

2024 Grant Applications Closed

The Cost of Pet Ownership: Dogs v Goats

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

So what’s the difference between the cost of caring for a dog vs. a goat? I’m always surprised when people express sticker shock at the cost of a well-raised, registered goat. Somehow because it’s a goat it should be cheap? I often hear comparisons to the $25 goats they can find on Facebook. I was curious, for my own enlightenment, to compare the average cost of dog ownership with what I know of the costs of goat ownership. My source for the average cost of dog ownership is an article on the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the costs posted on the Animal Humane Society in Minnesota. I thought we’d look at the big four costs and exclude things like kennels/fencing, pretty collars and leashes, and toys. == Adoption Fees

Let’s start with adoption fees. AKC says that the average purchase/adoption fee is $646 which seems a reasonable average and the Animal Humane Society has an adoption fee of $450. Our goats range from $250 to $500. So the initial cost is in the same ball park. == Food

Food, of course is the big on-going expense. AKC gives the average annual dog food bill as $446. That can vary a lot depending on the quality and quantity of food you give your dog. For goats, the calculations are pretty simple. Plan on 4% of the goats body weight per day in hay. There will often be a big difference buying organic vs non-organic hay and most goat folks will choose non-organic. I calculated the cost of a 50 lbs goat on organic hay at around $106/year (about 14 bales/year at $8/bale)). Add a few dollars for a bag of good salt and some baking soda. == Spay/Neuter

The AKC gives the average cost of spay/neuter at $160. Since does don’t need to be spayed, neutering (wethering) is the only consideration for the goats. The Animal Humane Society lists a reduced fee for neutering (based on income) starting at $150. Wethering is typically done at home for goat bucks but can be done by a vet. Unless you are a breeder, you will likely not be keeping intact bucks so wethering is a must. == Vet Bills

This, of course, can vary wildly for both dogs and goats. For dogs, breed differences can be a huge factor with some breeds having significant genetic weaknesses. At the very least, annual shots are required. Goats, also need to have occasional vet attention but this is usually only in emergencies or in the case of illnesses that go beyond the caretaker’s experience. In MN, goats normally only need one shot, the CDT, which is given 1-2x year and is easily administered at home without a vet. With proper habitat and food, goats are relatively maintenance free. The AKC cites the average annual vet bill for dogs at $423. I’m estimating here for goats but with a vial of CDT vaccine and needles and maybe an annual vet visit the bill might be around $q. == Summary

Taking the low numbers on the dog side and the high estimates on the goat side, keeping goats on a homestead is far less expensive than keeping a mid-size dog.

Goats and mid-size dogs have about the same life expectancy
Feed is significantly less expensive for goats
Goats have fewer routine vaccinations than dogs and typically require less veterinary care.
Goats are far less likely to attack visitors or bark all night. However, goats may eat a neighbor’s azaleas. Given the relatively low total cost of ownership, a $300-500 investment in a quality, well-bred heritage goat compared to ~$450+ for a dog at the Humane Society is a pretty good deal.

Watermarks and Why We Use Them

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

We’ve been asked about the watermarks on our photos and videos so I thought I’d share why we do it. Of course there is just the branding element to the story. We are a business and take great pride in our livestock, our farm, and our way of life. Just like any other business, we want people to recognize our work and keep us top-of-mind. The other reason we watermark everything isn’t so intuitive. We hear from reputable breeders in our associations that some have had their images stolen and used by scammers. Believe it or not, scammers will use the images and demand deposits for goats they don’t own. Social media is scary. We, along with many breeders, watermark everything to make it less appealing for scammers to use our images and to make it easier for us to prosecute if they do. Stay safe on line

If you ever see our images or logos out of context, please let us know right away.
Only engage with reputable breeders who have a website.
Ask if they are members of a breeder association and check to confirm. Associations usually have a listing on their website.
Deposits are not uncommon but get to know your breeder. You should be able to work with them and trust them (and they you).
Always arrange to meet the animals before you commit. Visit the farm if you can.
Ask about testing and health. Get the history of the animals and herd. A reputable breeder will know and be happy to share.
Remember, cheap animals are cheap for a reason. Find out why.

What is a Backyard Flock?

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

It starts with Salmonella

After yet another salmonella outbreak in diced onions from Gills Onions. Gills happens to be the third largest producer of onions in the United States with over 800,000 lbs/day in their 100,000 sq. ft. Oxnard, CA facility. In a recent Washington Post article (by Marlene Cimons), Dean Blumberg, a chief of pediatric infectious diseases, is quoted as saying "Salmonella cases have exploded in the United States in recent years because of 'the increased popularity of backyard chickens,' ." This article isn’t about salmonella but the quote, which leaps from a producer of 800,000 lbs of processed onions per day to backyard chickens, is symptomatic of a problematic misconception. == And then Avian Flu

In USDA APHIS reports back to 2022 there have been 874 outbreaks as of the end of October 2023 with 59,736,352 birds. Let’s look at those numbers in relation to backyard flocks. In 2021 the USDA, in a document defining avian flu preparation, defined "backyard flock" as under 75,000 layers or less than 200,000 birds slaughtered in a week. This certainly fits with my perception of a backyard flock. I, personally, know at least a dozen friends in Minneapolis with 10s of thousands of birds in their backyard.

So, back to those outbreak numbers. There were 77 outbreaks in flocks of over 75,000 birds. This accounted for 50,605,700 birds. That means that there were 798 outbreaks below 75,000 with 9,130,652 birds. So statistically, yes, the majority of avian flu outbreaks are in "backyard flocks" yet large flocks accounted for 84% of the birds.

Let’s look at the numbers again using a https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahms/poultry/downloads/poultry04/Poultry04_dr_PartI.pdf[2004 definition] from the USDA of a backyard flock which sets the size at under 1000. By this definition there were 490 outbreaks with 42,852 birds in backyard flocks. That would mean that backyard flocks accounted for about .0007% of the birds. This definition shifts the perception of the backyard flock’s role in avian flu from being the majority of cases to a statistically insignificant number of birds.

It’s worth noting at this point that I’m not proposing any conspiracy theories. Definitions change over time and as long as documents define their terms there is no confusion. So why does this matter? The terms matter greatly here because no one reads the source documents and their definitions of terms. Consumers and the public only hear that "backyard flocks" are a major source of avian flu. == What consumers should know

Salmonella is a real concern and all poultry can carry salmonella and other diseases. For this reason we encourage everyone to use common sense and practice basic food safety:

When you handle live poultry to wash your hands immediately after.
All poultry must be cooked to 165 degrees F.
Wash your eggs before cooking.

At the farm, we handle live poultry everyday and are careful never to take safety for granted. Remember that organic certification is no substitute for food safety. Know where your food comes from and how it is produced. Buy from farmers who are transparent and don’t hesitate to visit their operations. Ask questions and learn how terms are defined. Intentional or not, it’s all too common to hear media coverage which makes fresh, small-farm food sound unsafe. This is not just unfair to the small producers but it is unfair to try to scare consumers away from fresh nutritious foods.

NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Who is the National Wildlife Federation (NWF)?

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) dates back to the work of Jay Darling in the 1930’s and has grown to over six million members today. Its purpose is to increase wildlife populations by protecting their habitat; a mission not dissimilar from Wild Haven Farm’s. == What is a Certified Wildlife Habitat?

The Certified Wildlife Habitat program was started by the NWF in 1973 to encourage homeowners to consider wildlife in their landscaping choices. The criteria include providing food and water sources, shelter, breeding space, and a variety of sustainability practices. A full checklist of recommended practices is provided by the NWF. == Why get Certified?

So why get certified? There are different kinds of certification. USDA Organic is well known for being hard to achieve and a lot of work to maintain. Being a Certified Wildlife Habitat is certainly not that difficult. But it can still be highly rewarding and meaningful. It’s also not without some sweat equity. Most people that apply for the certification will need to make at least some improvements such as planting native plants, installing a water source, establishing breeding/nesting habitat. Becoming a Certified Wildlife Habitat is just as important for sustainability as being certified organic. Whether we have a city home, a community garden, or a 100-acre farm, what matters is that we commit to taking a positive step. The NWF certification sets an achievable goal for all of us, at any scale, to strive for.

We encourage everyone to make the commitment to become a Certified Wildlife Habitat. Even as an organic farm, it is a way for us to model to our CSA members and visitors the importance of wildlife habitats and our support for the National Wildlife Federation. Join us in spreading the word and taking another small positive step to improve our world.

Perdue Farms petitions the USDA to redefine "pasture raised"

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

So this is a big reason why we founded Wild Haven Farm. Perdue Farms, LLC, one of the top four processors of poultry in the United States, has petitioned the USDA[mfn]/mfn to lower the standard for "pasture raised" poultry. This will have a negative effect on the welfare of the birds, decrease nutritional value, and erode the high standard of pasture-raised poultry farming. == Background

Purdue Farm LLC is one of the big four poultry processors in the United States. The market (all of us) have been pushing for more food that is "green/sustainable/humane/healthy/…" and Perdue heard the call. Unfortunately, when you process over 2 million birds per day[mfn]According to the USDA report for 2022 there were 9,130,700,000 broilers processed that year. That’s 25,015,616/day. Perdue owns 8% of the market so their share is approximately 2,001,249. /mfn compromises must be made. The petition asks the USDA to redefine "pasture-raised" to mean that the birds spend 51% of their lives on pasture and that pasture be defined as 51% "rooted-in-soil vegetative cover." By the way, the petition correctly points out that "free-range" is not the same as "pasture-raised." But that’s another discussion. This doesn’t seem like a terrible thing to ask the USDA. After all, we need some standards, right? However, 51% is hardly a great standard. It’s really about as minimal as you can get and still mean anything. The reason Perdue, and the industry, want these low standards is very simple. Pasture raising birds is labor intensive when done right. It’s extremely costly to do at the scale Perdue operates at (and keep in mind they are only the 4th largest processor). By limiting the bird’s time on pasture, the producer is able to keep the bird in a brooder or confined environment longer and more cost-effectively manage them. This is simple cost reduction on the part of Perdue and the industry. == The Problem

The problem here is three fold.

 	.
One concern is simply the lowering of the humane standards for the birds who deserve to have a good, healthy life.

 	.
The second concern is the reduction to 51% vegetative cover.
This standard allows the producer to use far lower quality and less nutritious ground.
Remember that the vegetative cover is a big part of the nutrition of what you eat, that's why we pasture raise.
For Purdue, lower standards are a move necessary in order to produce such large volumes at a low cost.

 	.
The third concern is around the eroding of market perception.
Producers who put their chicks on pasture as soon as they are viable (weather determines that up here) and pulls their tractors daily would share the "pasture raised" label with Perdue who has a far lower standard.
Essentially, "pasture raised" would become less meaningful.

So what’s the solution?

The direct farm-to-consumer model

We believe the solution is for consumers to know where their food comes from. That’s why we sell our eggs as a CSA (community-supported agriculture). Reducing the levels between the farmer and the consumer returns more money directly to the producer of the food which allows them to maintain high standards.

Consumer awareness

We are always encouraging our customers to come visit the farm. We know that not everyone who enjoys a roasted chicken dinner wants to come participate in processing day. But we put the invitation out there both to help educate our members and for transparency. We do hope everyone comes out to the farm once just to see the birds living on pasture in their tractors. Talk to your farmer and learn how they treat their animals and why. Consumer knowledge. It’s vital that consumers be alert for "greenwashing" and expect it when dealing with massive corporations. Buy local and question everything. === More farmers

We need to rebuild local farming infrastructure. In 1950 there were 1,636,705 poultry farms in the US with an average of 355 birds per farm. By 2012 there were just 32,935 farms with an average of 256,067 birds per farm[mfn]/mfn. And things have only gotten worse. We need to support urban chickens and gardens, homesteaders, emergent farmers, and small producers. Again, this is a topic for another discussion.

Summary

We have to try but we may never be able to really regulate morality and ethics into a capitalist industrial system. However, we can act locally and have a major impact. At Wild Haven Farm, we’ll do what we can to help keep you informed. We are always here for tours and talks. Come be a part of the solution!

Decision to not certify goats as organic

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Summary

This update went out via Facebook (19 August 2023) before we did the blog refresh on the Wild Haven website. We thought it would be good to republish here so folks can follow along our thought process as we navigate the various certifications and to provide transparency in how we care for the livestock on the farm.

Jubilee wants me to tell you something…

We know many of you are following our journey toward organic certification so here is a little update.

We have chosen not to certify our goats for organic at this time. The farm land and our poultry enterprise are being certified but not the goats. We made this choice based on a single criteria…pasture. We do pasture our goats. However, there are strict requirements in the National Organic Plan (NOP) related to the exact percentage of dry matter each goat gets from pasture vs regular hay (even if it’s organic hay). Since we raise heritage breeds we manage our herds at a very exacting level. For example, some goats (bucks, for example) are sometimes rotated through paddocks rather than pastured for parts of the season to avoid breakouts. As another example, we supplement hay in the pasture if we feel the pasture may not be sufficiently nutrient dense (e.g. the current drought). Such practices make it impossible for an organic inspector to prove each goats' exact percentage of dry matter from pasture vs other sources.

We will still be certifying the farm and our poultry operation. We will continue to care for the goats using the best of organic practices as they make sense for the welfare of the animal.

We expect to be able to add the organic label to our eggs within a couple of months and with no increase in price to our customers! Next year we plan to certify our market garden and possibly our apiary.

Broiler vs Fryer

Sat, 18 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

We are often asked the difference between a broiler and a fryer. There isn’t one. But, even so, the terms used for poultry can be a bit confusing. The USDA has standard terms for all poultry. But these are problematic when it comes to pasture-raised heritage birds. For example, the USDA says that a broiler/fryer is "a chicken younger than 10 weeks old (previously younger than 13 weeks), of either sex, that is tender-meated with soft, pliable, smooth-textured skin and flexible breastbone cartilage."

Almost all chicken you buy in the store will be the Cornish Cross breed which is processed at 8-9 weeks. However, dual purpose heritage breeds often take 20 weeks to reach maturity. The Cornish Cross was engineered to put on a ridiculously natural amount of weight in half the time. By the USDA definitions heritage birds would normally never be available as broilers.

Our terminology at Wild Haven Farm is simple. A meat bird is either a broiler or a roaster. Broilers are the meat birds raised on pasture to maturity at 20 weeks. Roasters are usually just available on our dinner table. A roaster is an older bird and is usually one of our retired layers.

The USDA definitions here are taken from a USDA blog post about the new classifications in 2011.

"Broiler or fryer: a chicken younger than 10 weeks old (previously younger than 13 weeks), of either sex, that is tender-meated with soft, pliable, smooth-textured skin and flexible breastbone cartilage."

"Roaster or roasting chicken: a young chicken between eight and 12 weeks old (previously three to five months old), of either sex, with a ready-to-cook carcass weight of five pounds or more, that is tender-meated with soft, pliable, smooth-textured skin and breastbone cartilage that is somewhat less flexible than that of a broiler or fryer."

Preparing goats for the Winter cold

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Goats Prepare for Winter

Goats aren’t indoor pets for us. But it’s tough sometimes when we must leave them in the paddock at -26ºC while we go into our toasty warm cabin. Sounds a bit cruel even, but goats are built for this. Back when the Autumn temps started dropping, they started growing their Winter coats. Now they are the softest and fluffiest they will be all year. In the Spring they will start to shed their Winter coats. You’ll see the fluffy stuff everywhere.

There are really two critical things that we do to help them during these really cold weeks.

Winter Wind Breaks

First, the raw temperature isn’t as much of a concern as the wind, so we add extra windbreaks and pad their beds to give them more insulation. Many of the goats will snuggle up to share heat. Early on we were introduced to the convenience of IBC totes as shelters. With the metal cage removed they are light and easy to move while being an excellent wind break. The totes offer no real insulation but if the goats are eating enough hay an insulated shelter isn’t very important. The barn is usually reserved for kidding but we bring the does and kids into the barn if a blizzard is coming in just to give them a little more wind protection.

We know that a lot of folks use platforms to keep the goats up off the ground. These are great in many situations but our goats live the majority of their lives in pasture where platforms aren’t practical. We also have very sandy soil so drainage is good and soggy ground isn’t a concern. Our paddock is large for the number of goats we have so we don’t try to put bedding down everywhere. Instead, we create several areas where we build up bedding over the course of the Winter. That gives the goats options of where they want to lay down. The totes and the barn stalls always get deep-litter bedding.

Hay, lots of hay

The second really important thing is lots of hay that they can eat quickly. We never feed pellets here, just organic hay. The hay is fed using a slow-feed net which helps control the waste normally associated with the goat’s bad table manners. When temps start to drop below about -14ºC we start to give them more loosely packed nets and supplement with loose hay piles. We see more waste but it’s really important that the goats get a lot of hay as quickly as they can eat it. That hay is actually what keeps them warm because their four stomachs act as a big internal furnace breaking down the hay as fuel. The waste is more than acceptable to keep them warm, and it just adds to the deep-litter bedding.

Summary

That’s about it for what we do to keep our goats happy all Winter. Water is a story for another time. Frostbite is another interesting topic for another post if folks are interested. If you’re new to goats, don’t panic and don’t become overly protective. Give the goats what they need to naturally manage their environment and they will be fine.

2023 plans and changes

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Any farm is a highly dynamic system. Wild Haven is still very much in the startup phase and we have some big changes coming up for the first half of 2023 and we’d like to share them with you.

Trees

We will be planting about 250 trees again this spring. We will be planting maples, oaks, and pine this year. That will bring out plantings to 550 since we moved in in May 2021!

Ducks

Ducks are going away temporarily for 2023. We will be taking a break to research best practices for a duck habitat and, hopefully, get that built in 2023. We have begun reaching out to various sources including Certified Humane to help guide our design.

Horses

A big change here at the farm has been the closure of our horse boarding program. The three amazing horses we have on site are still here but we have closed new applications. Horses have not been our primary mission and we will be focusing our resources on our goats, poultry, bees, and kitchen garden.

Apiary

You read correctly, we will be adding an apiary (bees) in 2023. The plan is for four to six hives. A few of those will be Russian and the rest TBD. There will be no honey production until 2024 since we will be focused on establishing the hives for overwintering. Watch for organic honey in 2024!

Organic Certification

Again, I gave it away. We will be putting in our application for USDA Organic certification in 2023 through MOSA. This is a complex process but we have been doing almost all organic practices since the beginning so we don’t expect a lot of heavy lifting, just a lot of paperwork. Certifications are very much a learning process and we’ll be sharing all that learning with you over the coming year.

Certified Humane

Certified Humane is another certification that we are working on and you will hear a lot more about in the coming year. This one is really important for us because it directly addresses the welfare of our animals. Again, we have been doing most things right but there are always ways to improve. This certification will require the building of some new facilities such as the new chicken coops.

Sales

We expect to start marketing our products more openly in 2023 so stay tuned! Our primary product for 2023 will be chickens and eggs. We will continue to sell goats as pets and breeding stock. A very limited amount of produce may be available but we’ll have to see what we get in the ground.

A Dog

Well, not just any dog. We are exploring adding livestock guardian dogs to the farm, possibly in 2023. This is a huge step and a huge commitment…and a huge cost. Szumería Kuvaz, one of the worlds top breeders of Kuvaz happens to be in Minnesota and we are working with them to source a pup and get him/her established on the farm. The training of a working farm dog is a massive undertaking but will pay huge dividends in the safety of our herds and flocks.

And More…

That’s just the summary of changes! I told you it’s a dynamic place. Stay tuned to all the amazing stuff happening up here. It’s more than just cute baby goats. They do rather steal the show, don’t they.

Book Review: Maloney (2022) The Bartender’s Manifesto

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Craft cocktail books are not hard to find anymore. Unfortunately, finding a good mixing guide for an aspiring home mixologist is rare. Like I say, there are great books out there but when every recipe calls for one or more exotic spirits that have to be special ordered, the books looses some of it’s practical appeal (looking at you Dead Rabbit). Maloney’s The Bartender’s Manifesto is manifestly not in that rarified and unapproachable category. Maloney’s Manifesto is eminently practical and approachable for the home mixologist who wants to pick up pro tips to refine their game or is just starting out and obsesses about doing it right. Be aware, though, that The Manifesto will make demands of you. This is not a book about 100 recipes using 10 simple ingredients. You’ll need to start stocking your bar. The difference here is that Maloney’s shopping list includes good quality but very useful spirits. These are not bottles that will get used once and sit on your shelf for 10 years. Investing in these bottles will build a perfectly usable tool chest that will be used for hundreds of different cocktails and will fuel your experimentation for years to come.

The book begins with the basics; a bit of the science and chemistry of the art form. Maloney teaches us just enough about finding the balance of booze, water, texture, aroma, and temperature. Just enough is discussed of the tools such as the shaker and the glasses with guidance on when and how to use them. However, this book will not teach you the difference between a Boston Shaker and a Cobbler Shaker. You’ll need to research some of the basics on your own. Maloney will be teaching us the how and why of mixology as practiced at The Velvet Hour. But that is perfect for the audience I expect this book to appeal to. The aspiring home mixologist will likely have the curiosity and drive to research on their own if they haven’t already. The Manifesto guides and refines.

The real meat of the book is in the recipes. Plan to take your time with each recipe. Set a goal to try one or two a week. You will want to be able to experiment and absorb the lessons The Manifesto teaches. As I mentioned, the ingredients are accessible and practical. By pacing your journey through the book you will build your home bar along with your skills and palette. The most valuable part of the who Manifesto is that each recipe includes commentary on how the fundamentals from the first part of the book come into play to make the cocktail perfect…and how you can mess it up. This isn’t just a recipe. Each recipe is a lesson in the master class that is Maloney’s Manifesto. Pay attention to his tasting notes as you craft each cocktail.

If this is your first craft cocktail book, you won’t be disappointed. It’s a great start. If you are an experienced mixologist, this is a masterclass and you will not be disappointed.

Favorite recipes from The Manifesto (so far)

Rhymes with Orange (p. 204)
Blue Ridge Manhattan (p. 156)
Bitter Giuseppe (p. 109)
The Libertine (p. 90)
Negroni Tredici (p. 261)

Sunrise Wild Haven Farm — Blog

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Backyard Flocks in Minnesota - November 2025 Update

Wild Haven is on Bluesky

What is Bluesky?

Egg Price Increase

Livestock Guardian Dog Grant - 2024

The Cost of Pet Ownership: Dogs v Goats

Watermarks and Why We Use Them

What is a Backyard Flock?

It starts with Salmonella

NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat

Who is the National Wildlife Federation (NWF)?

Perdue Farms petitions the USDA to redefine "pasture raised"

So what’s the solution?

The direct farm-to-consumer model

Consumer awareness

Summary

Decision to not certify goats as organic

Summary

Jubilee wants me to tell you something…​

Broiler vs Fryer

Preparing goats for the Winter cold

Goats Prepare for Winter

Winter Wind Breaks

Hay, lots of hay

Summary

2023 plans and changes

Trees

Ducks

Horses

Apiary

Organic Certification

Certified Humane

Sales

A Dog

And More…​

Book Review: Maloney (2022) The Bartender’s Manifesto

Jubilee wants me to tell you something…

And More…