The Christmas Ham

Merry Christmas to all, it is such a nice time to spend with family and friends. On the farm we are perpetually busy with with plowing, bedding, and feeding this time of year, but it is always with an uplifted mood, as everyone can feel the holiday spirit.  At Christmas time we send in a custom hog for each employee that is processed by the local meat market, and have our annual Christmas party.

The Christmas party is probably one of the most popular events we have throughout the year, and the 2013 party was our largest ever.  We had about 150 people attend, employees and there families,contract barn owners, and other local business people we work with throughout the year.  Each guest takes home a piece of farm swag, be it a fleece blanket, a soft cooler, or a coffee mug; a full belly, and a happy heart.  We also have some type of entertainment, this year it was a stilt walker with a juggling act.  It might be a little bit cheesy, but the entertainment is always something that gets a laugh out of the crowd, while mesmerizing the kids.  It's a fun way to celebrate with our farm family, plus it puts the farm in the soft spot of the hearts of people in the community.

Community outreach is important at any time of year, but the holiday season is a good time to get out and remind your neighbors that you appreciate them.  They put up with the manure hauling, semis driving by at 5 AM, and on occasion, a pig in their swimming pool (yes, that actually happened).  Plowing an elderly neighbor's driveway, or donating gifts to the toys-for-tots program are small acts of kindness that go a long way.  They do not take much time or money, but they leave a meaningful impact on a neighbor's day.

One of my grandfather's favorite Christmas traditions is the Christmas ham.  Just before Christmas we head out door-knocking to the neighboring houses to give them a ham for Christmas dinner.  It is so nice to express our thanks, although it hardly feel like we are doing the giving, usually walking away with some homemade confection, syrup, or preserve.  As a community we are sharing what we have, what makes us proud, and strengthening the camaraderie that exists between the folks of a small town.