Tribute to Tess - our loyal farm dog

SEE WHAT'S NEW THIS WEEK FROM YOUR FARMER

• Health (food) Paradigm
• Tribute to Tess - our loyal farm dog
• Product Availability Update

Health Paradigm – last week my newsletter was titled Health vs. Economics is THE Battle. I included this 3-minute video here where RFK Jr narrates the conventional CAFO model and a contrast with our Regenerative pasture model.

So, what will change the minds of farmers and consumers to “convert” from the industrial food model to a Regenerative food model?

Frankly, I believe we are in the early stage of a paradigm shift.

“A paradigm is a fundamental framework or model that shapes how individuals or groups understand and interpret the world, including their beliefs, values, and approaches to problem-solving. It acts as a lens through which people view situations, guiding assumptions and influencing actions.”

When we moved from the MS Gulf Coast to Concord, NC in 1995 for my job change, I also was reassigned to the NC Air Guard. About that same time the Air Force was implementing Teams, Tools, and Techniques. One of the classes taught was about paradigms and one of the examples used was watchmaking.

Many years ago the Swiss were known for their timepieces that were very intricate with springs, gears, etc. which operated by winding. Then, along came the digital world and companies shifted from springs and gears to chips and batteries.

Initially, many people held onto their Swiss watches. However, as awareness grew, more and more folks switched to the new digital watches. Obviously many Swiss watch makers went out of business with this paradigm shift.

May 2025 the MAHA Commission released their Assessment Report - purpose being a call to action. The Assessment presents:

• Reality of American children’s declining health, backed by compelling data and long-term trends
• Seeks to unpack the potential dietary, behavioral, medical, and environmental drivers behind the crisis

A couple of quotes of interest:

• The American food system is safe but could be healthier. Most American children’s diets are dominated by ultra-processed foods (UPFs) high in added sugars, chemical additives, and saturated fats, while lacking sufficient intakes of fruits and vegetables. This modern diet has been linked to a range of chronic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.
• An outgrowth of this shift in food production and resulting abundant food supply was the increased development of ultra-processed foods, a category of industrially manufactured food products that undergo multiple physical and chemical processing steps and contain ingredients not commonly found in home kitchens. While there is no single, universally accepted definition of UPFs, the term is most commonly associated with the NOVA food classification system, “industrially manufactured food products made up of several ingredients (formulations) including sugar, oils, fats and salt and food substances of no or rare culinary use. ”Food substances of no culinary use include additives such as flavors, colorants, non-sugar sweeteners, and emulsifiers.
• Today, nearly 70% of an American child’s calories come from UPFs, a dramatic change since the 1960s when most food was cooked at home using whole ingredients. It also coincided with significant declines in food prices as a total share of American household income.
• Today, 90% of medical costs in the United States are tied to chronic conditions, many of which are tied to diet. The production of UPFs transforms the whole and healthy food produced by America’s farmers into food-like substances that have far different nutrient profiles than the original form.
• The greatest step the United States can take to reverse childhood chronic disease is to put whole foods produced by American farmers and ranchers at the center of healthcare.

In an unprecedented move, this government document specifically calls out two widely used chemicals -- glyphosate and atrazine -- and their possible side effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption and birth defects.

I would encourage everyone to read the report. The report has four sections plus ten Next Steps listed on page 72.

A Tribute to Tess- Thursday morning was a very sad time here on the farm. Without going into all the details, a tragic accident first thing Thursday morning involving our beloved Tess that caused her death a few minutes later.

First thing in the morning she is typically at the back door waiting for one of us to come out so she can greet us. But, not this day.

We are all very sad and heartbroken. Tess was such a joy and loving to all who knew her. It has been especially hard for our son Jared as he and Tess were best friends.

Many of our customers who have been to our farm know she always greeted with a big smile and happy spirit. And, when you reached to pet her she would lean into you sharing her love. Sorry, for the pause – it is very hard to write this right now.

Everyone was Tess’ friend – except for possums, racoons, and feral cats!

Tess was my buddy. Anytime I was leaving on the RTV to check pastures or the cows she was right there ready to tag along. She was a great companion.

The ladies who help us in the plant spoil her! Tess knew when they were here that there were treats to be expected when they came out. One of her favorites was chicken feet.

And, when we hooked to the cattle trailer she was always right there asking… how can I help?

God’s Word teaches us that all life is precious and thus we strive to be good stewards of his Word and blessing by caring for our animals on pasture where they live a life in sync with nature as He intended. Very grateful we shared 10 years with Tess.

** Product Availability Update **

NOTE: Restocks are made about 6 PM on the dates indicated below!

Chicken - Restocked June 25th. Next Restock will be July 9th

Turkey - Hatchery is now taking orders. Have poults scheduled for July 10th and August 7th. Additionally, Thanksgiving whole turkeys are on order for late October delivery.

Eggs - Restock each Tuesday prior to your delivery date. Note that we are stocking Corner Market Hattiesburg & Petal locations.

Beef - Restocked June 22nd. Next restock will be July 20th

Pork – Restocked fresh items June 11th. Next restock will be July 9th.

Lamb - Restocked March 27th. Next Restock will be September 2025.