Restock Dates: Please see our Farm Blog where we post our weekly newsletter for the latest updates

Beef-Half , Custom Processed

written by

Ben Simmons

posted on

September 15, 2017

Product Update–

1) Chicken - We are out of chicken. Next batch will be available NEXT SATURDAY September 12th. You can reserve your needs by emailing me how many youwant.

2) Beef - Have you ordered your Half Beef-Custom Processed yet? For a limited time save 10%. Now $3.15#. Confirm your order with your
deposit today! To learn more visit our store at https://naturesgourmetfarm.com/store/product/half-beef-custom-processed

Next Processing Date is Sept 10th

3) Pork - We have plenty of pork in stock. For a limited time we will offer Pork Chops on sale. Buy 15 pounds and get 15% off the regular price. Sale
price $6.35 per pound. Save $1.15 per pound.

Did you know you can pickup your order directly from our farm? Simply place your order and coordinate a time. Do you need some hamburger or ribs for Labor Day grilling?

Farm Update –

In the last few weeks we have shared our 4-principles and how we use them to guide our farm operations. Today, I want to share a document titled
"Whole Animal Buying Guide" published by Iowa State University. You can find a copy on our website here https://naturesgourmetfarm.com/cutting-instructions

This consumer-oriented guide, created by Iowa State University's Small Meat Processors Working Group, explains buying pork and beef as whole animals directly from local farms. Common retail pork and beef cuts are explained with color photos by primal area. This guide brings all the necessary pieces together in one easy-to-use resource. Topics covered include:

Introduction:
The values and costs of buying meat directly from farms

Livestock and Meat Marketing Terms

Storage and Shelf Life Recommendations

Safe Meat Handling and Cooking

Beef Aging

Understanding Meat Inspection

Making Sense of Weighty Issues: Live Weight vs. Hanging Weight vs. Finished Cut Weight

Beef Cuts by Primal

Pork Cuts by Primal

The guide is full of helpful information. For example, under Safe Meat Handling they advise:

Defrosting Frozen Meats

There are three safe ways to defrost meat: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not recommend defrosting meat on the counter or in other locations.

• Refrigerator—It is best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Small packages (1 lb.) of ground beef or pork, stew meat,
and steaks/chops may defrost within a day. Bone-in cuts and whole roasts may take two days or longer. Once the meat defrosts, it will be safe in the
refrigerator for three to five days before cooking; one to two days for ground meat.

Buying in bulk is your best family value. And, it allows you to choose not only what quality of animal you would like-how the animal is raised, and fed, what breed- BUT also exactly how you want the meat cut and packaged. With this helpful guide the decisions become easy.

Customer Feedback- 

We were delighted to find Natures Gourmet Farm in our area.  The service was great & after our first meal of the grass fed beef, we can't say enough good things about the quality and taste, and the overall price for the order. We are so glad we have found a source for healthy meat at a decent price. We look forward to re-ordering again and again.

Mr. & Mrs. L. Meinders

Biloxi, MS  39531

Quote Worth Re-Quoting – “It is our choices… that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”   ~
J. K. Rowling

As always, thank you for supporting our regenerative, local farm.

Ben & Beth

More from the blog

Taste Test

Greetings Ben and Beth, I'm really looking forward to my next order pick up. I'm trying to improve my cholesterol numbers, thus eating more chicken, and ran out of your chicken products. I ended up buying some industrially produced chicken, and man was that a mistake! It smelled terrible raw, also while it was being sauteed, and also later when I reheated it to put into an otherwise healthy salad. I have enough of this subpar stuff to last until I pick my order, but I don't think I can ever buy this CAFO stuff again.

Beef Update & A New Product

Beef Update – Typically this time of year folks are hesitant to buy bulk beef for their freezer due to hurricane risk. That is why we have delayed our next custom half & whole beef processing until September. If you are interested, our next harvest will be September 2nd with pickup on September 22nd. If you want to be included then please email me your name, email, and cell number to be added to our wait list - and be the first folks contacted and guaranteed to receive an order. Beef prices continue to increase and hit a new All-Time high this week fueled by strong demand and limited supply. For example, based on what a 700 pound steer sold for at the Hattiesburg Stockyard Monday, I could make more than feeding him till he weighs 1100 pounds and sell as packaged beef - but our mission is to provide nutrient-dense, clean food to our customers. Effective immediately custom beef half and whole prices will increase $0.50 to $6.25 per pound based on the hanging weight. Retail cuts will increase for September deliveries as well.

Real Health Is NOT A Pill. It's A Practice!

Two Great Must Read Articles – Typically I don't make a big deal about articles we have read, but these two are so good that I felt they needed to be shared. The first is by Joel Salatin titled "Food Think" that is part of his The Lunatic Farmer blog. You can read the full article at this link. The second article is one Beth forwarded to me from the Health Viewpoints section of Epoch Times titled "Americans Spend Trillions on Health Care but Remain Unwell - Here's Why" Dr. Yang, FAPA, a board certified psychiatrist, begins by stating the difference between treating disease and building true health lies in a proactive and preventative lifestyle. Note - Beth and I would agree with other folks who commented that his article is spot on and very important for folks to read and understand. You can read at this link.