Blog - Nature's Gourmet Farm

Turkey's, Proposed New Location, & More

This year we happened into producing turkeys before being ready (discussed in a previous newsletter) because several customers had asked us to start raising them for their families. We have discovered that customers are hungry for authentic pastured raised products like our farm raises for several reasons. These include nutritive value of a pastured turkey is much better than one raised inside because they are able to forage green grass as well as eat bugs. You see, just like the hens and broilers they are "omnivores" meaning they are intended to eat both bugs and forages to include grains. Our pastured animals feed in their natural environment

Passionate About Their Health

WOW! What a pleasure to hear customers share their story about caring for and rejuvenating their health... here are some comments from two customers in Mobile last weekend. Alex, a young man, is well read and has great insight into the major health issues caused by industrial agriculture and processed foods. Currently, he is reading a book titled "Genius Foods" by Max Lugvaere. The book is a New York Times Bestseller that focuses on the cause of Alzheimer's and Dementia and offers a comprehensive guide to brain optimization. Here is a short summary of the contents: "Discover the critical link between your brain and the food you eat

UnScrambling Egg Label Claims

If you’ve been to the egg counter in your local grocer lately you have seen all the different egg carton claims. Maybe you wondered what they mean? Today I want to briefly help you make sense of these claims by describing what the actual production definition is. First, what is driving all these claims in the first place? Well, the demand for pasture raised eggs is skyrocketing and affecting commercial egg producers. So, like many other products, commercial producers

Fall IS On The Way!

September has brought us much dryer weather - just what I needed to prep pastures for planting winter grasses. On the new ground we cleared two years ago has been pretty wet ever since. Now, however, most of it is dry enough to get in with the bushhog and shred weeds and small woody trees that sprouted. And, the dry weather is drying out the stems and killing the weeds. All that is left is a nice ground cover on the soil surface to no-till our winter grasses into along with compost extract.

It's About The WHY!

We really enjoy what we do. And are blessed to be able to steward the land and animals to the best of our ability the way God intended. To be a Regenerative Farmer is really cool! I can't imagine farming any other way. To build bioreactors, extract and apply biology back into the soil to stimulate life that will feed the plants that in-turn feeds the animals is really awesome. To raise animals out on pasture where they are able to live their life to the fullness

Changes In Local Meat Processing

Things can change with little to no notice! So, what am I talking about! Well, the processing plant where we have our beef & pork slaughtered has been SOLD. It is a new plant. One that received grant money from through the MS Department of Agriculture LWT program. The plant, located in Leaksville, opened December 2021 and officially changed ownership August 2022. We started hearing rumblings in June and when I dropped off our beef in July the word was official.

Tough Time To Be A Farmer

Last week I shared the thank you note Julie had sent stating how happy she was that we have stayed around for so long! Wednesday was chicken processing day. So, while slaughtering I reflected back on her comments and was recalling all the farms that were operating when we started and how not a one of them are still in operation. Additionally, I can remember several that have started and quit since then.

About This Time Each Year

Last week I mentioned that weeds are not a bad thing. They alert us to possible problems and also work to help solve soil issues. I don't give my attention to weeds in our pastures as they also help create plant diversity. However, there is a plant that I have been battling since coming back to the farm in 2009. Technically, it is a bunch grass and the cows will eat it UNTIL the seed head appears. This bunch grass is a big nuisance! When I first returned in 2009 the pasture

Biology Supersedes Chemistry

One of the most asked questions I get from customers is how can they improve their soils. Today, I want to share some facts, principles, and actions you can use to improve your soil health. My first point is you can have mineral nutrition perfectly balanced on a soil analysis and yet will not grow healthy plants on that soil as long as you have poor biology. Chemistry alone - without biology - does not grow healthy plants. Are you skeptical? Then consider that

The Story How We Got Turkeys

While we expected to add turkeys this year we were not quite ready (more mentally than physically). The characters include Scott & Amy. We got to know each other from when we both attended the same church and they bought a half beef from us. Their son Hunter worked with me two summers ago while waiting to start Air Force Basic Training (he is currently serving in South Korea).

New Babies On The Farm

In the past 10 days or so we have had both pigs and a cow give birth. The cow is about 4-months behind the herd in calving. And, after the calf was born she would not clean the calf up or have anything to do with the calf. When the calf came up to her she would quickly go away. This cow has done this before! Last year her calf was born full term but was very small. She also abandoned this calf as well. I figured it was because she knew something was wrong with the calf. I searched and searched but never found that calf. Needless to say this cow has a new address!

Back In The Day!

This week our team assembled on Wednesday & Thursday to cut and pack our beef that had been dry aging at a cool 37 degrees since July 5th. Tom, a new Madison customer, email Thursday to say they were really enjoying the beef. They had a chuck roast and his kids went crazy for it because it has a lot of flavor. And, the meat has a dry-aged quality that further sets it apart from grocery store beef. Thanks Tom! So, as we were working cutting and packing beef this week - specifically T-bone steaks - I could not help but reflect when I was a young teenager and mom would cook steaks. Dad's favorite was T-bone