The ladies are laying like crazy. YES we have eggs. Pick up at the farm or catch a delivery if we are in the area. Call or Email.

We will be having our annual Spring auction again this year. Email for updates or make special requests!

For Christmas Marcy was blessed with losing her two front teeth. She has demanded that her new teeth be ready for tomatoes and peppers as she spends the majority of the season in the garden munching away. A parent can’t fault a child who would rather sit in a garden eating vegetables than watching TV eating candy. For those of you that have witnessed this site you probably noted that she also has a chicken with her! We do like to call her the chicken whisperer which has now evolved to poultry whisperer after we saw her in action with the turkeys. I don’t know any other seven year old that will walk into a hen house and pluck a 2 year old hen off a nest without the hen protesting. The hen will then remain under her arm for hours. The hen knows she is the chosen one because a trip to the garden with Marcy is special. It is a trip filled with vegetables and bugs! Marcy does love her bugs and we spend many hours attempting to identify what she has placed in the bug hotel. She then releases it and finds something new. Mom draws the line at spiders which are better left on the webs in the garden- it isn’t a lie and a really good reason not to have them in the house!

Marcy’s  joy on the farm did not end with the colder months as the hens are answering the calls to Marcy’s requests for Eggs. Marcy receives the money from the sale of the eggs in exchange for all of the help that she provides in thier care. Although she isn’t working. She is getting paid to play with chickens! Even this winter she saved her money for a special computer game that she wanted. We went to Wal-Mart where she stood in line with her little purse, paid her money and requested her receipt. I think she will hold onto that receipt for quite some time as it is truly special to her since she earned it.

I am sure this spring will bring us many more memories as her little brother is old enough to enjoy the farm. Although it is difficult to get him to the garden since he has to pass the herb garden on the way. A certain chocolate mint plant stops him in his tracks and holds his attention. He asked just the other day “Daddy where did my mint go…Did the chickens eat my mint.” He will be pleasantly surprised when it returns in the spring.

The weather is warm and the chickens are growing. This seasons first processing went very well despite not having our plucker and scalder. Just a lot of extra work for us but the same results. Mark insists that by processing the birds by hand will give us a greater appreciation and understanding. I would have to agree. I never what to have to pluck that many chickens by hand ever again. I will also say a small prayer of thanks to the plucker prior to every processing. Important Note- We do now have the plucker. A big thanks to Jeff our neighbor for building our Whiz Bang Plucker and Scalder. I do think he is possibly reconsidering the number of trees we traded him for his work. Regardless the birds were not going to wait for the last few parts that Jeff needed to complete the project.

Our first newsletter is being distributed and includes the order form. We are taking orders for all of the poultry including the chickens, muscovy ducks, and turkeys. There is a limited number of turkeys and ducks available. The muscovies have arrived. Once the orders for the birds we have are filled no additional ones can be added. The turkeys will be the same and are expected to arrive in July.

Please note that we have two different types of chicken available. We are adding additional chicken tractors to accommodate everyones orders so keep them coming!

When Fox Acres volunteered to build a patio at the local community park it only seemed logical to incorporate FFA chapters into the venture. Mark has an extensive history with the FFA including being awarded the 1997 American Star in Agribusiness. He is the only Ohioan to achieve this prestigious award. A graduate of East Knox High School he often competed against the Westfall and Logan Elm Chapters. He decided to give back to these chapters after beating them in many competitions while he was in high school.

Westfall and Logan Elm FFA Chapters both received two days of in class lectures on paver installation before heading to the jobsite. The students (and teachers) learned everything from the history of pavers to the construction of a paver patio. The powerpoint presentation included important techniques Mark learned while becoming ICPI certified. The students also learned the importance of site visits and being a credible installer.

While at the jobsite each chapter installed a patio from start to finish except the excavating. They learned hands on layout and grade prep, fabric installation, base material installation, compaction, sand setting bed, paver laying techniques and installation, and finishing touches.

A big thank you goes to Oberfields, Inc. for donating the pavers for this project. Base material was donated by a member of the township. Fox Acres donated their time for the instruction and assistance with installation.

Plans are already underway to teach students sitting walls and columns as well as planting design and installation in the fall. If you would like to join us by donating to this service venture please contact Fox Acres, LLC at 740-474-9023

The annual Tree and Shrub Auction will be held Saturday May 3rd at 10 am at the Jackson Township Community Park. The auction has previously been held at the Franklin County Fairgrounds. Due to rising fuel costs and our sustainable ideals we have moved the auction closer to home. Delivery and Planting is still available. All material in the auction is grown by the auctioneers. A big difference that people may notice this year is the addition of Fox Grove, LLC. Fox Acres, LLC has grown so much in the last few years that Fox Grove, LLC was formed to operate the agriculture divisions of Fox Acres, LLC. I know it is confusing but it helps with the paperwork.

Auction buyers can expect a large lineup of shade trees this year including several species of Maples. There will also be ‘Cleveland Select’ Pears, River Birch, Alders, Elms, Oaks, and Dogwoods. Evergreens will include Norway and Blue Spruce, Arborvitae, White Pine, Hemlock, and White Spruce. There will be many shrubs including burning bush, spirea, leuocothe, pieris, lilac, juniper, boxwood, viburnums, and taxus.

These auctions are always fun events for buyers as the growers are also the auctioneers. This allows for any questions to be answered while you are buying. Buyers have commented previously about how they may or may not have purchased a certain plant because they were educated during the auction. Fox Grove, LLC and Fox Acres, LLC are companies that strive to exceed customer expectations!

Remember- May 3rd 10am, Jackson Township Community Park. See you there!