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Beef Follow-up Comments - Many favorable comments from customers regarding using a tenderizer on their steaks - David replied he bought one of these tenderizers 3 weeks ago and was also amazed at the difference it made. FYI - beginning with the steaks we cut & packed this week we will tenderize prior to packing.
Only a few comments on the chuck roast. One customer called my new method brilliant and described how she had issues with LARGE chuck roasts and looked forward to a more consistent size.
All comments were very much in favor of chubs... feeling the pressure now to get this done. The vacuum stuffer has been reserved pending details needed for the clipper that makes the chub. Clipper folks are hard to get up with - plus this week has been very intense here on the farm. But, we have a solution where the deal should be finalized next week and then we can get to work on the artwork for the different chub products.
Some of YOUR Farmer Family History - I want to start this off by giving a brief history how the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) came about. A man by the name of Seaman Knapp is considered by many to be the founder of the CES. He pioneered a demonstration system for teaching farmers about modern, research-based agricultural techniques, laying the groundwork for Extension as we know it today.
Officially, the CES was established by the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 - but its roots go back to agricultural clubs and societies of the early 1800's. Extension was created to address exclusively rural and agricultural issues. At that time, more than 50 percent of the U.S. population lived in rural areas, and 30 percent of the workforce was engaged in farming.
My Grandma Keller Simmons was born in 1900 in Texas. Her dad left for work in 1907 and never was heard from again. Contacts with the boarding house where he lived while away at work said "there was an accident at the mine." Then, in 1910 her mom passed away. She and her two siblings were split up between her mom's family members. My Grandma went to live with her Aunt (mom's sister) whose husband was what we know today as an extension agent. He traveled with his job and ended up moving to Hattiesburg sometime shortly after 1915.
My Grandma finished high school in Petal. After completing school she worked at the drug store across the street from the S.H. Kress building. Well, as the story goes, my Granddad would go into the drug store and one day meet her and they were later married in 1920 and raised their family in Petal.
The summer after we moved to what is now Nature's Gourmet Farm in 1970, I was involved in a Horse Judging Team for Perry County headed by the Extension Service. We would meet weekly to learn how to judge horses and when the State Fair came that October we went to Jackson and competed against other county teams. That year our team came in 9th place - not great, but I was told the best Perry County had ever done before.
So, let's skip ahead to 2026! Jonathan, an Extension Instructor with MSU Department of Poultry Science had been in touch and wanted to see our operation. So, Jonathan and Hudson (whose specialty is processing) came to our farm during our last processing day on March 10th. I took this opportunity to "educate" them on the State of Ag in Mississippi. First, I asked them if they knew how much of the food consumed in Mississippi was actually grown or raised here. Neither one knew. When I told them only 2%, they were surprised. Well, it is tragic in thinking.
Second question - Do you know how much food is imported into our state annually? Again, they did not know. So, I shared with them the 2016 report that said Mississippi imported $8.5 billion in food. That is more than $103 million per County!!! ANNUALLY - now ten years later we are talking about $85 billion or $1.03 billion per County lost.
That amount does not include the income lost from fuel, equipment, hardware, construction, seed, feed, etc. to support food production.
Jonathan's purpose for visiting was started by many calls he was receiving from folks about pastured poultry and how to raise and harvest them. He said his director of Extension wanted to set up a website for the small producer/ homesteader because of these calls. I asked, Do you know who Joel Salatin is? The person who got all of this started with his book Pastured Poultry Profits! Do you know about all of the homesteading information out there? Joel's book titled Homestead Tsunami? And, that there are homesteading conferences held just about every month somewhere in the USA?
This also gave me an opportunity to discuss the Federal Law 90-492 vs. MS Ag Regulation that restricts people from raising and selling chicken to their neighbors.
And the reason is regulations. Specifically Department of Health and Agriculture Department.
Jonathan had a lot of good things to say about what he saw. He commented the chickens looked great and was impressed how clean their feet were (commercial CAFO raised chickens live on their poop that burns the bottom of their feet).
Hope you enjoyed a bit of Simmons Farm Family History.
Half-Beef Custom Processed Orders - we have had several half & whole beef orders come in the last couple of days.
If you are interested in a half beef, our order window for April 7th harvest date is currently open until MONDAY, March 23rd. Follow this link to learn more and place your order. Customers ordering a half or whole beef will receive a free Jaccard Meat Mazimizer with your order as part of our goal to have satisfied and happy customers.
Nature's Gourmet Farm product value proposition is to create a community that evolves around one of the most intrinsically important and critical needs of the ages, and that’s the provision of sustenance. That's our passion - to raise healthy animals to provide nutrient dense protein and saturated fat that nourish families and strengthens immune systems.
Our Beef is always grass finished with NO grains. Additionally, our animals are free of mRNA, GMO's (chemicals), Antibiotics, and Hormones. We ethically raise them on diverse forage pastures that regenerates our soils and protects our ecosystem.
Let me encourage you to "Be The Change" our food system needs by "Voting With Your Fork" at every meal.
** Product Availability Update **
NOTE: Restocks are made about 6 PM on the dates indicated below!
Chicken - Next restock will be Wednesday, March 25th - NOW March 26th - as we have the funeral for Beth's dad March 24th
Turkey - Restocked on March 3rd
Eggs - Restock each Tuesday prior to your delivery date.
Beef - Next restock will be March 22nd. Please click the link below if you are interested in a half or whole beef
Pork – Restocked fresh cuts March 11th. Smoked Bacon restock will be March 22nd.
Lamb - Restocked September 29, 2025
Custom Half or Whole Beef- Next Order Window for custom half & whole beef is March 7th. Harvest will be March 31st with availability April 20th . Yes, I want to Order Custom Beef & Pork
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