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

2017 0311

written by

Ben Simmons

posted on

March 12, 2017

Our online farm store re-opened last Wednesday at midnight for April Delivery.

Product Update –

We still have a few pigs looking for a home. We will deliver them for processing next Sunday. Place your order today. “Ben, your bacon is second to none”! Frank K.

Custom-Processed Half Beef is available for ordering. Reserve yours by placing your deposit today.  

We have beef ground and variety shares available as well as a few more pork variety shares. Chicken will be available beginning March 22nd.

Farm Soil Health Update – early February I took soil samples from 50% of the paddocks that included land cleared in 2010 and 2012. We sent the samples to Ward Labs because they can perform what is called “The Haney Test”. The Haney Test includes a biological soil analysis – and increased biological activity is one of the components our management practices aim to increase.

I was very excited when the results came back and showed that in the last few years we have increased our soil organic matter about 50%. Organic matter is an important indicator of soil health as well as an indicator of nutrient cycling performed by soil microbes. The higher the organic matter the better the soil cycles nutrients – including water holding capacity – and the more drought tolerant our farm is. Our regenerative management practices will one day mean our farm will be more sustainable on little to no inputs.

Farm Business Model –

For about a year now we have operated our online store and since August offered deliveries to five locations. Our objective is to be convenient, simple, and flexible to the needs of our customers while offering locally raised, GMO Free premium quality beef, pork, and chicken.

While our model is new for South Mississippi, it has worked very well in other parts of the country. How about you? Are you supporting your local family farm?

Quote Worth Re-Quoting –

“A new idea is first condemned as ridiculous and then dismissed as trivial, until finally, it becomes what everybody knows.”   ~ William James

More from the blog

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.

What's Your Favorite Sausage?

Sausages – so, we are looking to our customers for Sausage Inspiration! Since we added pigs to our farm in 2015 (wow- 10 years ago) we have sold basically the same five sausage flavors. The Patty & Regular Link sell pretty good, the Cajun & Cracked Black Pepper sell fair and the Jalapeno not so much. When you look around there are many various flavors available.

A Really Cool Farm Story

Our Really Cool Farm Story – To really understand I need to take you back to April 2024 when we took delivery on 23 heavy bred Red Angus cows from a WY ranch. If you are new to our newsletter, we purchased them from a ranch that converted to Red Angus in 1960 when they bought their stock from the ranch that started the Red Angus breed. And, have kept a closed herd since inception except for two years. This means these cows should be as close to the original breed as there is. When they were unloaded onto our farm they really kept their distance from us. Granted, our management style is different than the ranch where they came from - basically they were turned out onto the range in the Spring and