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

Little Known Products We Offer

written by

Ben Simmons

posted on

August 25, 2024

Good morning from your Farmer(s),

Ben,
“Enjoyed your newsletter and how that when you are helped out (like chicks being brought to you) you pass that help on to others. I think the regenerative farmers and homesteaders helping one another is wonderful. That's the way it used to be but sadly that's mostly not how it is today. I appreciate all that you, Beth and your family do to provide good quality products to us. Thanks for the enjoyable piglets video. Beth said you all had lost well over a hundred hens in this heat. I was sorry to hear that. That's a big loss and more expense for you. But we know that with farming, as well as with life itself, there is always the bad with the good and that the Lord knows all things and has a purpose for everything that happens in our lives. Praying he will continue blessing you and your family.” Noalene

Today I want to spotlight a few little known – maybe even radical – products we offer through our farm store.

First is Chicken Hearts. This came about through one of our long time Brazilian customers who said they are considered a delicacy in her country.
Nutritional Value:

  • Protein: Chicken hearts are rich in high-quality protein, which is essential for muscle growth and repair.
  • Vitamins: They are a good source of B vitamins, particularly B12, which supports energy levels and brain function.
  • Minerals: Chicken hearts provide important minerals such as iron, zinc, and selenium, which support immune function, red blood cell production, and overall health.

“In Brazil, we prepare chicken hearts differently (open flame), but we’ve adapted to the resources we have here, and they taste pretty similar. We use the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill, but they can also be grilled on a frying pan.”

Chicken-Hearts-Skewed.jpg

Here is a recipe.
Grilled Chicken Hearts (Brazilian Style)

  • Ingredients: Chicken hearts, olive oil, garlic, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and skewers.
  • Preparation:
    1. 1. Marinate: marinate them in olive oil, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice (optional).
    2. 2. Skewer: Thread the marinated hearts onto skewers.
    3. 3. Grill: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Grill the skewers for about 5-7 minutes on each side until cooked through and slightly charred.
    4. 4. Serve: Serve hot with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional).

    Next is a product we included with our last lamb harvest. Frankly, Beth & I were a bit skeptical about adding this one. However, David at Fed From The Farm and Bert who delivered the lamb both encouraged me to be sure to remember the Lamb Fries – “David commented they sell out before all other lamb cuts!”

    So, what are Lamb Fries? Well, you may recognize the name Mountain Oysters or Testicles. Yep – that is the same as Lamb Fries.

    Lamb testicles are eaten in many parts of the world and go by a number of names such as Rocky Mountain Oysters, prairie oysters, stones or especially with lambs, “fries.” Their texture is similar to a scallop. Grilling adds a smokiness that complements the texture and taste. They can be deep-fried or pan-fried in a heavy skillet as well as skewered over the grill.

    A simple internet search offers many choices of popular recipes for cooking lamb testicles.

    And, yes, while initial sales were slow to start, the momentum has increased where we have sold half of our initial inventory. Amazing….

    Lamb-Fries.jpg


    And, our Lamb Fries are priced at $6/Lb. | package, a real bargain compared to WOP at $31 for the same item.

    Hope you enjoy.

    ** Product Availability Update **

    NOTE: Restocks are made about 6 PM on the dates indicated below!

    Chicken -Restocked August 14th. Next Restock is August 28th
    .
    Turkey - Sold Out! New poults arrived, but will be months before ready. Demand popped and I dropped the ball on this one.

    Eggs - Restocked each Wednesday. With the extended heat, eggs have become VERY tight again.

    Beef -Restocked August 22nd. For a Half Beef, email me to get on the waitlist NOW! Planning for a mid-September harvest.

    Pork - Restocked fresh cuts August 14th. Cured items about August 24th

    Lamb - Restocked Wednesday July 31st. Many customers have already placed their orders.

    More from the blog

    Update: Raw Milk | Wintering Our Chickens

    Raw Milk – So, work has been done that will help our efforts be successful when trying to influence politicians to support Food Freedom, i.e. where small farms can raise and sell into commerce and consumers have the freedom to choose who they buy from. Last week I had an hour conversation with the Director of the TX based Farm & Ranch Freedom Alliance. They were helpful in Louisiana changing their laws to support raw milk. It was very clear that it requires knowing the current law(s) and what the end game needs to be. And, sometimes change comes by winning a battle at a time to accomplish the final solution.

    Beef & Egg Pricing Updates

    Beef Pricing – I wanted to take a moment to highlight my research on what the beef market is doing and what 2025 pricing could look like. First, Live Cattle Futures have been trading in a very tight horizontal range for at least the past two months with the upper limit in the $191.50 per pound area. December 31st price broke out ABOVE the prior top, came down and retested the breakout level, and then by January 3rd hit a new high just over $196 per pound live weight.

    NEW Ocean Springs Pickup Location | Bacon, Bacon, Bacon

    "NEW" Ocean Springs Pickup Location – During our December delivery a representative of the property owner stopped to say we could no longer use their location to meet customers. I queried our December customers and received several suggestions. The recommendation we decided on was the Park & Ride lot located in the SW intersection of I-10 and Hwy 609 (Washington Ave.). This is next door to Denny's. Here is a link to the updated details including a map showing where to meet us beginning January 4th. In many ways this location is much better than the Ace parking lot. I know for us it will be nice not to have the traffic on Hwy 90 especially when there are events scheduled in downtown OS.