Well good afternoon to you.
In today’s video we took a break from the usual grind and cut the front lawn, then ran a loop through town to support the folks who make this community work. This is one of those “text round town” days — mower first, then coffee, then the local co-op store, then raw milk, then back to the homestead before the afternoon gets away from us.
Mowing the Homestead With the 747 CC Bad Boy Maverick
We’re using the 747 CC Bad Boy Maverick to do some cutting, and it has proven worth its weight in salt, if you will.
We’ve got about five acres that we cut. That should give you an idea of the place. I’d say probably three acres are managed with the lawnmower, and the other two are what we’re going to have with our garden.
You can see the lawn behind us here. We had talked about getting some sheep — or putting something into production so we’re not just cutting grass. That’s still on the table. I really would like to have some sheep, or something along those lines, and maybe pasture off two areas here on the homestead and let the neighbor graze some of his cattle. Just so that land is doing something besides getting mowed.
I’m still working through my injury, so I can’t cut for very long. I put on about a 45-minute podcast and then I take a break when those podcasts go 30–40 minutes. That’s the rhythm right now: cut a stretch, rest, cut another stretch.
Neighbors, Birds, and Cattle on Both Sides
On the way around we rolled past Douglas’s farm. Most of their birds are free ranging, and you have to watch because they’ll dart out into the road. We’re pretty good about staying out of their way. They’ve got Great Pyrenees rolling around in the hay, and those dogs like to chase Maddie along the fence line. Geese, peacocks, chickens — just a bunch of birds.
Behind us you’ve got cattle from Happy Acre Farms. I don’t know the exact count — at least 50 head, sometimes more, sometimes less. They’re a good breed, and they come up on our fence line quite often to graze. Besides Mike’s cows across the street, that means we’ve got cows on both sides of us all the time.
We also helped Jason and Tara drywall their new living quarters. The YouTube studio changed into their main bedroom. That’s the kind of neighbor work that makes this place feel like a real community instead of a bunch of isolated acres.
Lunch Break at Shadrach's Coffee
About lunchtime we headed over to Shadrach's Coffee — one of the best coffee houses in Mountain Home — to see what they had going on.
I’d been listening to Kent Rollins that morning, and a lot of camp coffee / cowboy coffee / hobo coffee talk. After that much coffee conversation, I wanted a low-acid, sugar-free option and decided to try black coffee from a shop. I never used to order black coffee because they always have all those other cool drinks you feel like you have to try. This time we kept it simple.
Maddie loves her little pup cup, so she gets a bit as well.
One of my other favorites from Shadrach's is just their regular brew — the main brew they make every day — with a little milk to make it a latte. Nice smooth milk flavor, low-acid coffee. Really nice. Doesn’t take much to get me going in the morning, but before we cut grass and before we get going on the homestead, a lot of times this is where we stop.
Mountain Homemade and Ozark Fork and Cork
With coffee in hand, we checked Mountain Homemade to see what was left on the shelves.
A bunch of us homesteaders got together, and the Littles helped stand up the Mountain Homemade store along with Ozark Fork and Cork. Fresh-made food from the homestead, organized into little sections for each producer. It’s all very well put together.
What we saw and restocked in our heads:
Mountain Homemade sits in the Harps parking lot area — the old Harps building, large lot, then the strip mall. On the other side is Ozark Fork and Cork: charcuterie boards, wines from all over, and that comfortable down-home sitting space. If you want to get together with friends, sit down, relax, and just be yourself, that’s one of the best spots in town.
Next to that you’ve got the game portal, Harps across the way, and plenty of parking. Easy to get to.
We support Mountain Homemade and Ozark Fork and Cork, and they support us. That’s the whole point. A lot of our homesteads come together so the local community has fresh, healthy options.
Colloidal silver: got to make some more of that. Check. On with the day.
Ranch Gal's Dairy — A2A2 Jersey Raw Milk
Next up on the adventure list: Ranch Gal's Dairy, a local dairy here in Mountain Home, Arkansas, with A2A2-only Jerseys.
If you’ve never had raw milk before, this is some of the most delicious raw milk you can find. It’s very creamy. When you go in, look at the gallons and choose your cream line. Some like more, some like less. How creamy it is depends on the time of year, the cow herself, and what they’re being fed.
Quick primer if you’re new to A2A2:
The beta-casein protein comes in A1 and A2. A lot of store-bought pasteurized milk is an A1/A2 mix. Sometimes you can find pasteurized A2A2 in the big-box stores. This is raw and unpasteurized, so it keeps a lot of the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and beneficial bacteria that your gut actually wants — when the milk is handled properly.
They just bought a huge chiller, one of the biggest investments they’ve made, to bring that milk down to a safe temperature as quickly as possible and preserve it as long as possible. In that regard it’s like pasteurized milk without the pasteurization: longevity of a couple of weeks most of the time. I don’t notice a taste difference with or without the big chiller. They’ve always been good at getting temperatures down.
Practical notes if you’re heading over:
Inside the stand we saw:
They put a scripture reading on each half-gallon and gallon jug. I really like that.
I typically grab at least a gallon and a half gallon. Link gobbles the chocolate milk; it’s hard to keep in the fridge. I grabbed a strawberry, thought better of it (that would vanish in a heartbeat at our house), and went maple. I usually open a half gallon and start drinking it on the way home. I cheat.
Sometimes the farmstead gets busy depending on the time of day. I came right after lunch and it was already filling up. Pull to the side and leave room for others.
If you’ve never had raw milk, I can’t fully explain it. Fresher. Fuller flavor. I highly encourage you to try it, especially from Ranch Gal's. It is just so good.
Why This Loop Matters
This is a great way to support a local family dairy and keep things growing in our local community. You know where your milk’s coming from. You know where your meat’s coming from. You know where your sourdough and breads are coming from.
A lot of these farms talk to each other. You’ll see Ranch Gal's products at Mountain Homemade and vice versa. That’s how a real food community is supposed to work.
Get the milk on ice, get back to the homestead, and move on to the next project. I was going to wash the dog, then I went and got milk, so the milk comes first. It’s only two o’clock — there’s still time for a nail clip and a wash for Maddie. She kind of smells like a foot, so it’s probably a good idea.
Join the Conversation
We sure do appreciate you watching and subscribing. Please hit that like button and subscribe.
We post on YouTube, Facebook, X, TikTok, and Instagram — wherever you prefer to view us. Most of the long-form conversation lives here and on YouTube.
Local stops from this video (Mountain Home, Arkansas):
What’s your favorite local stop when you need a break from the mower? Drop it in the comments. See you on the next project.
#Homesteading #MountainHomeArkansas #RawMilk #A2A2 #RanchGalsDairy #MountainHomemade #ShadrachsCoffee #LocalFood #FarmStand #Ozarks #SelfSufficiency #Community #BadBoyMaverick #HomesteadLife
In today’s video we took a break from the usual grind and cut the front lawn, then ran a loop through town to support the folks who make this community work. This is one of those “text round town” days — mower first, then coffee, then the local co-op store, then raw milk, then back to the homestead before the afternoon gets away from us.
Mowing the Homestead With the 747 CC Bad Boy Maverick
We’re using the 747 CC Bad Boy Maverick to do some cutting, and it has proven worth its weight in salt, if you will.
We’ve got about five acres that we cut. That should give you an idea of the place. I’d say probably three acres are managed with the lawnmower, and the other two are what we’re going to have with our garden.
You can see the lawn behind us here. We had talked about getting some sheep — or putting something into production so we’re not just cutting grass. That’s still on the table. I really would like to have some sheep, or something along those lines, and maybe pasture off two areas here on the homestead and let the neighbor graze some of his cattle. Just so that land is doing something besides getting mowed.
I’m still working through my injury, so I can’t cut for very long. I put on about a 45-minute podcast and then I take a break when those podcasts go 30–40 minutes. That’s the rhythm right now: cut a stretch, rest, cut another stretch.
Neighbors, Birds, and Cattle on Both Sides
On the way around we rolled past Douglas’s farm. Most of their birds are free ranging, and you have to watch because they’ll dart out into the road. We’re pretty good about staying out of their way. They’ve got Great Pyrenees rolling around in the hay, and those dogs like to chase Maddie along the fence line. Geese, peacocks, chickens — just a bunch of birds.
Behind us you’ve got cattle from Happy Acre Farms. I don’t know the exact count — at least 50 head, sometimes more, sometimes less. They’re a good breed, and they come up on our fence line quite often to graze. Besides Mike’s cows across the street, that means we’ve got cows on both sides of us all the time.
We also helped Jason and Tara drywall their new living quarters. The YouTube studio changed into their main bedroom. That’s the kind of neighbor work that makes this place feel like a real community instead of a bunch of isolated acres.
Lunch Break at Shadrach's Coffee
About lunchtime we headed over to Shadrach's Coffee — one of the best coffee houses in Mountain Home — to see what they had going on.
I’d been listening to Kent Rollins that morning, and a lot of camp coffee / cowboy coffee / hobo coffee talk. After that much coffee conversation, I wanted a low-acid, sugar-free option and decided to try black coffee from a shop. I never used to order black coffee because they always have all those other cool drinks you feel like you have to try. This time we kept it simple.
Maddie loves her little pup cup, so she gets a bit as well.
One of my other favorites from Shadrach's is just their regular brew — the main brew they make every day — with a little milk to make it a latte. Nice smooth milk flavor, low-acid coffee. Really nice. Doesn’t take much to get me going in the morning, but before we cut grass and before we get going on the homestead, a lot of times this is where we stop.
Mountain Homemade and Ozark Fork and Cork
With coffee in hand, we checked Mountain Homemade to see what was left on the shelves.
A bunch of us homesteaders got together, and the Littles helped stand up the Mountain Homemade store along with Ozark Fork and Cork. Fresh-made food from the homestead, organized into little sections for each producer. It’s all very well put together.
What we saw and restocked in our heads:
- Our freeze-dried organic sourdough crumble. Jessica made some nice sourdough, we freeze-dried it, and turned it into a crumble. Think crouton — fantastic in soups.
- The meat freezer: locally raised and processed beef, pork, and chicken. If you’re looking for meat that was raised correctly and slaughtered humanely, this is the stop. It tastes different than the hugely processed box-store stuff.
- Tinctures. We were out of colloidal silver, so that’s on the “make more” list.
- Decorations and fixings from Miss Sally and Farmer Littles — jams, jellies, sauces (hot and mild), salsas, and just about anything preserved properly.
- The apothecary: wild lettuce tinctures for pain management. I’ve used those a bunch of times. Really great stuff.
- Ozark Renegade seasonings, coasters, and other small goods.
Mountain Homemade sits in the Harps parking lot area — the old Harps building, large lot, then the strip mall. On the other side is Ozark Fork and Cork: charcuterie boards, wines from all over, and that comfortable down-home sitting space. If you want to get together with friends, sit down, relax, and just be yourself, that’s one of the best spots in town.
Next to that you’ve got the game portal, Harps across the way, and plenty of parking. Easy to get to.
We support Mountain Homemade and Ozark Fork and Cork, and they support us. That’s the whole point. A lot of our homesteads come together so the local community has fresh, healthy options.
Colloidal silver: got to make some more of that. Check. On with the day.
Ranch Gal's Dairy — A2A2 Jersey Raw Milk
Next up on the adventure list: Ranch Gal's Dairy, a local dairy here in Mountain Home, Arkansas, with A2A2-only Jerseys.
If you’ve never had raw milk before, this is some of the most delicious raw milk you can find. It’s very creamy. When you go in, look at the gallons and choose your cream line. Some like more, some like less. How creamy it is depends on the time of year, the cow herself, and what they’re being fed.
Quick primer if you’re new to A2A2:
The beta-casein protein comes in A1 and A2. A lot of store-bought pasteurized milk is an A1/A2 mix. Sometimes you can find pasteurized A2A2 in the big-box stores. This is raw and unpasteurized, so it keeps a lot of the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and beneficial bacteria that your gut actually wants — when the milk is handled properly.
They just bought a huge chiller, one of the biggest investments they’ve made, to bring that milk down to a safe temperature as quickly as possible and preserve it as long as possible. In that regard it’s like pasteurized milk without the pasteurization: longevity of a couple of weeks most of the time. I don’t notice a taste difference with or without the big chiller. They’ve always been good at getting temperatures down.
Practical notes if you’re heading over:
- Parking is tighter than the grocery store. There’s a little parking at the stand, and you can whip around the driveway and park on the other side. Don’t block the front of the store — you can’t get around well.
- The farm stand is air-conditioned and climate-controlled. Go in at your convenience.
- Cash only. Bring cash and be ready to write down what you bought. There’s 24/7 surveillance. I usually put my name on the slip so they can track and get to know their customers.
- Daily production is limited. When it’s gone, it’s gone. Get there earlier if you want first pick.
- Jersey cows are typically pastured on both sides. Big barn, milking barn, milking parlor. They built the stand right there on the farm.
Inside the stand we saw:
- USDA-inspected whole chickens, plus pieces, half birds, and breasts
- Jams, jellies, local honey, Farmer Littles fixins
- Apothecary goods and classic sourdoughs / bread mixes (always something different)
- Their own bags for $5
- Creamers: vanilla, coconut, Irish cream, caramel — shake before you use them so the cream mixes back in
- Half gallons and full gallons of milk, plus chocolate and maple. Strawberry milk too — it doesn’t look pink because they don’t dump chemical coloring in it, but it tastes excellent
- Fresh-made butter
- Homestead fresh eggs
- Amish treats: fried pies (raspberry, apple, blackberry, cinnamon apple), cinnamon rolls, lemon bars, cakes, pumpkin breads, chocolate rolls, banana breads, Rice Krispie treats. Less sugar, less processed than store-bought. Different in a good way.
- Tallows, keychains, bracelets, enzyme gummies, health boosters, and the usual knickknacks
They put a scripture reading on each half-gallon and gallon jug. I really like that.
I typically grab at least a gallon and a half gallon. Link gobbles the chocolate milk; it’s hard to keep in the fridge. I grabbed a strawberry, thought better of it (that would vanish in a heartbeat at our house), and went maple. I usually open a half gallon and start drinking it on the way home. I cheat.
Sometimes the farmstead gets busy depending on the time of day. I came right after lunch and it was already filling up. Pull to the side and leave room for others.
If you’ve never had raw milk, I can’t fully explain it. Fresher. Fuller flavor. I highly encourage you to try it, especially from Ranch Gal's. It is just so good.
Why This Loop Matters
This is a great way to support a local family dairy and keep things growing in our local community. You know where your milk’s coming from. You know where your meat’s coming from. You know where your sourdough and breads are coming from.
A lot of these farms talk to each other. You’ll see Ranch Gal's products at Mountain Homemade and vice versa. That’s how a real food community is supposed to work.
Get the milk on ice, get back to the homestead, and move on to the next project. I was going to wash the dog, then I went and got milk, so the milk comes first. It’s only two o’clock — there’s still time for a nail clip and a wash for Maddie. She kind of smells like a foot, so it’s probably a good idea.
Join the Conversation
We sure do appreciate you watching and subscribing. Please hit that like button and subscribe.
We post on YouTube, Facebook, X, TikTok, and Instagram — wherever you prefer to view us. Most of the long-form conversation lives here and on YouTube.
- Forums: https://forum.oldwayon.com
- Site: https://oldwayon.com
Local stops from this video (Mountain Home, Arkansas):
- Shadrach's Coffee — 2113 Hwy 62 E
- Mountain Homemade / Ozark Fork and Cork — Harps parking lot / strip mall area
- Ranch Gal's Dairy — 267 Hilltop Lane (cash only, farm stand, A2A2 raw Jersey milk)
What’s your favorite local stop when you need a break from the mower? Drop it in the comments. See you on the next project.
#Homesteading #MountainHomeArkansas #RawMilk #A2A2 #RanchGalsDairy #MountainHomemade #ShadrachsCoffee #LocalFood #FarmStand #Ozarks #SelfSufficiency #Community #BadBoyMaverick #HomesteadLife
Attachments
Last edited: