As you know, earlier this year we built a carcass aging cooler and fabrication room to process our beef and pork on-farm. What made this possible was when Blue Sky Farms in Jackson decided to purchase a "Mobile Slaughter Trailer". After many delays the company finally delivered the trailer Friday, May 14th. Following our deliveries to the Jackson Metro area last Saturday, Beth and I stopped by to take a look.
It is a joy to have Beth working with me on the farm. Frankly, we make a great team. With the increased business she has been traveling with me to make our weekly deliveries. Between stops we have time to talk and discuss stuff without interruptions. An added benefit is she sometimes reads informative articles to me like the one from meatingplace magazine that I'll take the details from for today's newsletter. We are already hearing from customers how meat prices in the grocery stores have increased. And, our feed supplier has communicated that it is only a matter of time before he will have to raise our feed prices (used for hens, broilers, and pigs). According to the meatingplace article - Corn prices were $5.3825
So, what is the BIG deal about regenerative farming and how does your farmer define regenerative farming? Regenerative farming holds the key to proper stewardship of the land, water - really the total ecosystem entrusted to those who choose to farm. Only through regenerative farming is carbon in the atmosphere captured by the plants, stored in the soil, and used by soil biology. Let me explain! All plants sequester carbon- even grain commodities like corn and soybeans. However, conventional farming practices of heavy tillage releases all the sequestered carbon back to the atmosphere, negating any benefit.
This week I would like to share some pictures from around the farm. The first picture is of an American Bald Eagle who has been visiting us over the past 4 to 5 months. I typically see him about four times per week and usually in the early morning while out feeding the pigs. This particular morning he let me get much closer and I was able to get a good picture of him. Fortunately, he has not bothered any of our chickens.
April 12th I took 10 pigs to Homestead for slaughter and then brought them back to our plant for further processing. Eric & i had to man-handle the carcass halves from my freezer trailer into the carcass cooler because all of the rail hangers had not arrived. We cut & packaged two pigs on Tuesday afternoon, three Wednesday and five on Thursday. Saturday, Beth and Amy started the sausage making while I made the Jackson Metro deliveries. This lasted ONE hour before the mixer grinder quit! The first week we were able to put all the fresh cuts into the freezer. Bacons and hams were in the brine (a one week process) as well as hams.
So, what IS Green Washing? According to Wikipedia Green Washing, also called "green sheen", is a form of marketing spin in which green PR and green marketing are deceptively used to persuade the public that an organization's products, aims and policies are environmentally friendly. While the term may be relatively new - the deceptive corporate practices are not. And, Green Washing posses a major threat to regenerative farms who are truthful in their practices and communication... because many people will fall for the deceptive spin and opt for the cheaper price offered. Here are a few examples:
This day and time for a politician to stand up and decide against very strong corporate lobbyist is unheard of. But, that is exactly what Mexico's President recently did. And, I applaud him for his decision. Here are excerpts from an article titled "Mexico's Decision to Ban Glyphosate Has Rocked the Agribusiness World." "Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador quietly rocked the agribusiness world with his New Year’s Eve decree to phase out use of the herbicide glyphosate and the cultivation of genetically modified corn. His administration sent an even stronger aftershock two weeks later, clarifying that the government would also phase out GM corn imports in three years and the ban would include not just corn for human consumption but yellow corn destined primarily for livestock. Under NAFTA, the United States has seen a 400% increase in corn exports to Mexico, the vast majority genetically modified yellow dent corn.
Pork Harvest Sale - Okay, so before we get started, I wanted to make sure to say how much we appreciate everyone who stepped up to support us by placing pre-orders for our pigs! At the end of the day we are here to support our customer's needs for nutrient dense beef, pork, chicken, and eggs. Our farm is only viable because of your consistent support. We thank you very much. LAMB- did you notice that we now have grassfed lamb listed on our website? I held off announcing sooner because of our Pork Harvest Sale. The opportunity came about because several customers had asked us to carry lamb and our timeline was accelerated because folks wanted it for Easter.
Last week my friend and loyal customer, Ashley, did Beth and I the favor of recording a short 2-minute video to highlight everything that's included in our new 1/4 Pork Harvest Bundle. She even went ahead and shared some of the ways that her family incorporates our pastured pork into their meals.
It's an exciting Saturday morning here on the farm as we kick off our 1st annual Pork Harvest Sale! We have 4 options for you to consider, each with special pricing starting today and lasting through next Saturday, March 27th when the ordering period closes. IF INTERESTED please make sure to read these TWO key steps before taking any action: Step #1 - Identify your location's current estimated pickup date in the picture below
Over the course of the last month or so I've shared the ongoing transformation our farm is making, and the positive impact it will have for our animals, the farm, our community and you, the end consumer. The feedback we've received has been both encouraging and heartwarming, and Beth and I are so grateful for the support of our loyal customers who we feel are partners in this project. Today, I have the pleasure of announcing an exciting way that you can begin to partake in the end result of this project, and enjoy an awesome savings during our first annual Pork Harvest Sale Event.
Okay, so before we get started, I wanted to make sure to mention that you will want to check back here next week to learn about an important offer you will not want to miss!!! Now, as you know, January 30th I announced that we're going to start butchering our animals raised and sold through Nature's Gourmet Farm website and we are building an on-farm carcass cooler and fabrication room to complement our new freezer! Since then our newsletters have focused on the perspective of our animals, your farmer, and our customers. Today, is the final perspective on our farm community. First, we need to think a lot simpler.
Veteran Owned & Operated
