06/10/2025
June Updates on the Farm🌿🐔🍅
Hi Friend,
Apologies… I might have skipped the May newsletter. Oops. But that’s life on the farm—May is a blur of planting, harvesting, infusing, and trying to survive tomato season. So let’s catch up, shall we?
The garden was overflowing (especially with tomatoes—oh lawd, the tomatoes), the animals were being their usual ridiculous selves, and in between it all, I’ve been busy infusing fresh oils before the herbs lose their peak potency and finalizing a few new skincare formulations I’m really excited to share with you.
Let’s start with the tomatoes. I’ve made and canned:
• 12 quarts of ketchup (hubby is a ketchup fiend)
• 12 pints of pizza sauce
• 2.5 quarts of marinara
• a few quarts for random recipes
At this point, if I never see another tomato again, I’ll be okay.
Normally here, I'd talk about the health benefits of tomatoes, but I know what you really want to hear about is the turkey-chicken drama.
So here’s the scoop (or should I say coop?):
Elvis (our turkey) “came into season” recently, and let’s just say, the chickens weren’t impressed with his advances. Realizing he needed a girlfriend of his own species ASAP, I set out to find a turkey hen. Easier said than done. The scammers on Facebook Marketplace were wild. (Yes, people really fake turkey hen listings—who knew?)
After nearly two weeks of feverish searching, I finally connected with a lovely homesteader in Live Oak, drove all the way out there, and brought home Priscilla (of course). It was love at first sight—for Elvis, at least.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly the first few days, but suddenly Priscilla set her crosshairs on Cher-roo, our poor Silkie rooster. She decided she hated him. Like, really hated him. Daily attacks, bald spots, and a bloody comb later, I learned this is common with turkey hens and roosters. Some folks say the turkey will even kill the rooster if left unchecked. So, I became a full-time poultry referee, separating them every day and supervising their limited hangouts.
However, after a few weeks of this Cher-roo got fed up and started attacking me. That was the final straw. He’s on his own now—but has figured out he can escape into the hen house where Priscilla’s turkey body can’t follow. They still squabble, but Elvis usually breaks it up (he’s a lover, not a fighter). Cher-roo is holding his own and his male pattern baldness feathers are finally growing back, bless his heart.
Meanwhile, on the skincare front…
Despite the tomatoes and bird drama, I’ve been in the apothecary finalizing some exciting new things:
✨ Face Cleansing Oil (https://www.vitalacrefarm.com/product/cleansing-face-oil/101?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=VVUMZIAHOQ4TPKVWXI7PMDRJ)
✨ Cleansing Face Polish (https://www.vitalacrefarm.com/product/cleansing-face-polish/102?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=VVUMZIAHOQ4TPKVWXI7PMDRJ)
✨ A glow-up to the Glow Serum line—now featuring Day Glow (https://www.vitalacrefarm.com/product/luminous-serum-organic-calendula-facial-oil/106?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=VVUMZIAHOQ4TPKVWXI7PMDRJ) & Night Glow (https://www.vitalacrefarm.com/product/luminous-serum-organic-calendula-facial-oil/108?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=VVUMZIAHOQ4TPKVWXI7PMDRJ) for more targeted, potent, and plant-powered support.
✨ Bee Cool Body Balm Bar (https://www.vitalacrefarm.com/product/bee-cool-body-balm-bar/34?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=5) – formerly Bee Cool Lotion Bar, now reformulated with our farm-grown mint, soothing blue tansy, and a hint of patchouli to help keep your skin cool, calm, and collected all summer long.
Where to find me this month:
I’ll probably only brave Murray Hill Market on June 18th 🥵, but if we get a miracle cool front (ha!), I might pop up at Atlantic Beach too.
Otherwise, you can shop anytime on the online store (https://www.vitalacrefarm.com/) or grab select products at:
• Foliahom in San Marco
• Cultivate in Riverside
• Clover Farms at the Atlantic Beach & Murray Hill markets
And because you made it all the way to the end (you’re the real MVP), here’s a little treat:
15% off all online orders through June 30th
with code: BEECOOL15
Thanks for being here and being part of the Vital Acre community. Wishing you a calm, cool, and slightly less tomato-filled summer 🌱
With gratitude,
Brooke
Founder | Formulator | Chicken-Turkey Mediator
Click here for an update from Atlantic Beach Farmer's Market!