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Grass-fed beef is higher in omega-3 fatty acids and has about the same saturated fat as skinless chicken breast. Our beef this year will again come from good neighbors and friends who raise their cattle ‘traditional organic’. No added hormones, antibiotics, chemicals. This year we’ll increase their organic corn to 6 pounds/day to finish which is more in-line with our customers’ tastes. 85% of their energy needs will still come from green, growing grass, weather permitting. The health benefits of grass-fed animals fall as the percentage of corn/grains in the diet go up. We’ll attempt a balance, where meat tenderness and flavor traditionally associated with corn-fed is balanced against fully grass-fed, lean, high omega-3 beef. Customer feedback on this is very important to us. Pastured pork is on the menu this year. Our Duroc, Yorkshire, Landrace cross feeder pigs came to us in February this year from a local traditional small farmer. While they wait for pastures to green, they enjoy their high protein organic grain ration, the occasional treat of extra eggs, and organic corn as a top dressing. In the grazing season, they’ll help us refurbish the south pasture, digging and rooting and |
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The White Tail RidgeLine |
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enjoying clover, oats, and grasses. They’ll spread manure for us all season and the pasture will be ready for reseeding and rebirth next spring. Pork raised on pasture with corn to finish is much tastier and has a firmer texture than pork raised in confinement or solely on grain rations. The diversity of their diet on pasture contributes to more balanced nutrition for them as well as the folks who eat them. Pastured poultry is an expanding project for the farm. This year we’ll be raising Cornish cross broilers who grow abit more slowly, but have better browsing habits and fewer leg and heart problems from rapid growth. We’ve also dropped the cost to $1.46/# to off-set the increased cost of processing. We are working with Nelson-Shine Produce this year who will process, freeze, and vacuum pack your bird for $2.00. An additional $0.75/bird is charged for cutting up/deboning breasts/halving the bird. We will still do on-farm processing on a very limited basis, but must charge this year for this labor intensive adventure. |
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