Blog - Nature's Gourmet Farm

Farm Updates

This week our team spent a lot of time in the plant! Typically, after our last Saturday delivery route each month we turn our focus on restocking so customers will have product to order when the time comes for their delivery. We had postponed slaughtering pigs about a month until our plant was ready. Monday was scheduled for pig slaughter that would include five customer orders for half/whole pigs as well as seven pigs for our farm store. PLUS a bonus - three RAM LAMBS! Sean & Emilie (the young couple who were using our pastures for their sheep) have actually found a farm to purchase and closed on it the end of March. They have relocated all of their sheep to their farm except three ram lambs that were born here last Spring.

Communications Update

Thanks for taking the time to open and read our weekly Newsletters! Our open rate is consistently in the mid-50% range which is very good compared to most direct market farms. A few farms that I follow tell me their open rate is in the low 40% area. That surprises me as I thought they write a pretty good newsletter. Feedback from last weeks Newsletter regarding mRNA vaccines for livestock was extremely positive. Nobody wants to eat their shots....Right? When you come across something you benefitted from is great to be able to share with others who could also benefit. What do I mean? Well, I had been looking

What's Going On?

Over the last 3-4 weeks I have received numerous questions from customers regarding mRNA being given to livestock - particularly beef. This week, the number of calls have drastically increased due to news sources. Please note that I am only sharing this information because so many customers have asked about our position on mRNA vaccines for livestock. It is your responsibility to gather the FACTS and make your own decisions. Frankly, I am not here to discuss politics - my belief is 99% of politicians are compromised

Recent News About USA Beef!

Last weekend while traveling to make our Coast deliveries Beth read me an article from Meatingplace titled "First Cut". The article was about the status of the USA beef industry from the perspective of the large meat processors that does trickle down until it lands at the local farmers in communities across the country. This point is really important. Some of the points the article pointed out include: • January 2022 meat packers enjoyed record profits of $554 per head. By January 2023 profit

Why We CHOOSE Non-GMO Feed

Let me begin by defining what GMO's are. Genetically modified organisms are living organisms that have had their genetic material changed in a laboratory in order to better resist herbicides. The organisms are combined with many different genetic materials to cross-breed a novel organism. Most nations around the world require GMO labeling, but the United States government currently does not have any requirements, though many are beginning to be labeled. It's important to note about 95% of the corn and soybeans grown in the U.S. are from GMO seeds. The primary herbicide used is Roundup with the active ingredient glyphosate. This is the Brand and chemical to date, that Monsanto has settled over 100,000 Roundup lawsuits worth over $10 billion. Over 30,000 lawsuits are still pending

Currently On The Farm

If you missed Beth's discussion last week about Meat Based Diets you can always read (or read again) on our website. Here is the link. Several customers wrote back and shared their thoughts. I asked two of them for permission to share with y'all. First, Delores wrote; "I know I chose the right farmer when he watches the same influencers that I do!" And Susan wrote; "We began our low carb/Keto journey early in Covid, to strengthen our immune systems. Our minds were blown by the information we were learning that was exactly the opposite of what we had always 'known'. We're now mostly carnivores, and found your farm after a search prompted by Dr. Ken Berry's discussion of regenerative farming. I liked the idea of supporting local ranchers and farmers! Dr. Berry did a video not too long ago regarding the cost

Beth Discusses Meat-Based Diets

We are going to take a look at some of the diets (or eating lifestyles) that many of our customers are utilizing and are having great results. KETOGENIC DIET: A diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates (sugars) that causes the body to break down fat into molecules called ketones. Ketones circulate in the blood and become the main source of energy for many cells in the body. PALEO DIET: A diet based on the types of foods presumed to have been eaten by early humans, consisting chiefly of meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit, and excluding dairy or grain products and processed food. KETOVORE DIET: The Ketovore diet is a mix between ketogenic and carnivore. It is a relatively high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that aims to induce ketosis in the body. The Ketovore diet is focused on consuming mainly animal products for ample protein intake. CARNIVORE DIET: A low-carbohydrate diet

Unexpected Road Trip

This is NOT your typical road trip. But, will be a brief look at a 20-minute period of time that happened on the farm around noontime last Wednesday! We were working around the plant so we were very close to our home. Beth had already went back to our house and I was out back talking to the contractors just before they broke for lunch. I had started walking to the house to join Beth for lunch...when my phone rang. Time 11:42. Hello, this is Ben. The male voice on the other end said, "I'm on Memorial Church Road and there are a lot of cows out over here and you are the only one I thought they might belong to." The urgent factor went sky high!

Farm Update - Looking Forward

Today, let me share a few upcoming events. March 8th I plan to attend a MS Roundtable for small & very small establishments hosted by the USDA District Office in Jackson. This office supports about 1800 employees (many are Vet trained) who work in all types and size of food production establishments. The Jackson office is a regional office that covers 4-States so many of their employees live in the communities where they work.

Farm Update - Slaughter Plant

Before I talk about (and show progress) on our slaughter plant let me pause and update you on stock-outs and restock plans. From mid-January to now orders have been very strong. We ended 2022 with chicken stacked from floor to ceiling...today there are only 13 packs of feet available. Mid January when we received our beef back from the processor I was concerned if there was enough room to store it all in the freezer. Today, other than ground beef, most items are either sold out or very low inventory available. 7 | 10 | 350.... What is this?

Farm Update - EGGS

I hope you enjoyed our series on "Why Regenerative Agriculture" and it made sense to you. Now, when you hear about someone saying I'm a Regenerative Farmer you will know whether they really know what they are talking about or just spouting a popular line. Today, I want to do something a bit different. Instead of writing about our Farm Update - EGGS I ask that you join me for a trip out to the pasture and see for yourself

Why Regenerative Ag Part 5 Solutions

I hope you are enjoying our series on "Why Regenerative Agriculture" and it is making sense to you. Last week's newsletter included a contrast between Regenerative Farming vs. Confined Animal Feed Operations (CAFO) and how CAFO's are inhumane, ecological disasters. It does not matter if you are talking about beef, pork, chicken, or eggs the story is very similar. Lastly, unlike the industrial model and the many Complicated Inputs needed to make it work and if any ONE fails then the model falls apart, the Regenerative Model does not depend on Complicated inputs and thus the longer you farm Regeneratively the soil gets better, and better, and better.