Latest Farm Updates

FARM UPDATE:
Hello from Ben. What a big difference in the weather! We went from no rain for seven weeks when needed to germinate the cool season forages to over 9 inches mostly last weekend. And, we had our first frost (lite frost) Friday morning.

This year I'm No-Till planting just over 200 acres of cool season forages to include Oats, Triticale, Rye Grass, Hairy Vetch, Arrowleaf Clover, Persian Clover, Plantain, Chicory, Collards, and Radish. About 170 acres were completed by mid October and received good moisture to germinate the seeds. Those pastures are starting to look good. I have about 45 acres yet to plant and hope to finish early next week. Our forages not only feed the livestock, but also the biology that lives in the soil and are responsible for nutrient exchange between soil and plants.

"It Takes Five Years"! That was a quote from Gabe Brown when I visited his farm in Bismark, ND in 2013. He gave us 5-principles to build healthy soil and explained you have to wean the soil and plants off drugs (meaning the chemical fertilizers and sprays). This year was our five year mark and our soils and forages have responded nicely. About 10 days ago I was out pulling up smut grass and underneath were earth worms and grubs - a good indication our soils are improving.

November marks the last of the 8-batches of chicken we had planned for 2019. However, since we now have a USDA Processing Plant, we will continue raising and selling chicken through the winter months. We have built four new chicken tractors to better protect them from wet, cold, and wind conditions that will kill them. The brooder trailer built last August is working great! I've researched other breed options and will test a batch from Moyer's along side the Cornish Cross we currently raise. Both batches will arrive late next week.

Lastly, have you purchased your Thanksgiving or Christmas ham yet? This year we left them whole as the pigs were a bit younger than usual - and surprised us when they weighed about 20 pounds each. Mr. Archie did a really awesome job smoking the hams so I am sure they will please your family.

Beth & I thank you for supporting local (integrity) regenerative food sources to create a food system that nourishes healthy families, that is better for the animals welfare, that is better for regenerating the land and that builds healthy communities. That is the only way to make a positive impact with your food dollars.

Lastly, please check out our new Homepage look & feel as we seek to better clarify our customer message and farm value offerings. As always, your comments are appreciated.

Customer Feedback –

"We've tried Nature's Gourmet Farm's beef, eggs, pork, and sausages, they are all very tasty. The meats are tender and easy to cook. It's good to eat food that's directly from a farm. You can't get anything fresher. Thank you very much, Ben and Beth! " ~Ann T.