Blog - Nature's Gourmet Farm

Are You Familiar With The Butterfly?

Product Update– 1) Chicken - We delivered batch 6 today with all SOLD. Batch 7 will be ready Oct 7th. Only two more batches this year through May 2018. If you need chicken, you can reserve your needs by emailing me how many you want. 2) Beef - Our freezer was restocked this week and we now have plenty of steaks, roast, and etc. in stock. We have several BEEF specials to include: (Next Processing Date is Sept 10th) a) Half-Custom Processed save $0.35/# or $105 per half.Confirm your order with your deposit today! To learn more visit ourstore at https://naturesgourmetfarm.com/store/product/half-beef-custom-processed b) 15# Bundle Chuck Roast - buy 15# or more and save 15%. Now only $5.85 per pound c) Ground Beef - buy 50# or more and save 7%. Was $290 - now $270 3) Pork - We have plenty of pork in stock. For a limited time we will offer Pork Chops on sale. Buy 15 pounds and get 15% off the regular price. Sale price $6.35 per pound. Save $1.15 per pound. Did you know you can pickup your order directly from our farm? Simply place your order and coordinate a time. Farm Update – About 6-weeks ago I started looking at feed options and found a farm in NW Georgia that made the switch from conventional to NON-GMO grains several years ago. Since then, they have been certified by the NON-GMO Project Verified Organization and have actually progressed in the program and re-certified. I invited them for a visit and am glad to announce that we received our first delivery of hen, broiler, and pig feed with the NON-GMO Project Verified butterfly this week. For us, this is a really BIG deal! It is one thing to buy feed that claims to be NON-GMO - however, it is a huge step forward to be able to buy feed that has been verified as NON-GMO by an independent organization. According to Blog News from April 6th 2017, Non-GMO Project Verified Seal Receives Highest Ranking for Meaningfulness from Consumer Reports. The report goes on to state in part "Greener Choices, the Food Safety and Sustainability Center at Consumer Reports, released a comprehensive assessment of the Non-GMO Project Verified Seal. Greener Choices works for sweeping, systemic change in the food system. At the core of their work is the belief that there is a clear intersection between how food is produced and public health. Greener Choices categorizes the Non-GMO Project Verified seal as, “a highly meaningful label for consumers wishing to avoid GMOs in the foods they buy and to support farmers who don’t use GMOs.” Greener Choices notes the meaning of the label is consistent, the Non-GMO Project is free from conflict of interest, and the label was developed with broad public and industry input." Additionally, we have made it where other farms in our area can also participate and use the same feed in their operations. We firmly believe we need more farms that are regenerative, committed to NON-GMO, and direct market to consumers in their local area. We hope you are as excited about this news as we are. Customer Feedback- Quote Worth Re-Quoting – “A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all.” ~ Michael LeBoeuf As always, thank you for supporting our regenerative, local farm. Ben & Beth

Beef-Half , Custom Processed

Product Update– 1) Chicken - We are out of chicken. Next batch will be available NEXT SATURDAY September 12th. You can reserve your needs by emailing me how many youwant. 2) Beef - Have you ordered your Half Beef-Custom Processed yet? For a limited time save 10%. Now $3.15#. Confirm your order with yourdeposit today! To learn more visit our store at https://naturesgourmetfarm.com/store/product/half-beef-custom-processed Next Processing Date is Sept 10th 3) Pork - We have plenty of pork in stock. For a limited time we will offer Pork Chops on sale. Buy 15 pounds and get 15% off the regular price. Saleprice $6.35 per pound. Save $1.15 per pound. Did you know you can pickup your order directly from our farm? Simply place your order and coordinate a time. Do you need some hamburger or ribs for Labor Day grilling? Farm Update – In the last few weeks we have shared our 4-principles and how we use them to guide our farm operations. Today, I want to share a document titled"Whole Animal Buying Guide" published by Iowa State University. You can find a copy on our website here https://naturesgourmetfarm.com/cutting-instructions This consumer-oriented guide, created by Iowa State University's Small Meat Processors Working Group, explains buying pork and beef as whole animals directly from local farms. Common retail pork and beef cuts are explained with color photos by primal area. This guide brings all the necessary pieces together in one easy-to-use resource. Topics covered include: Introduction: The values and costs of buying meat directly from farms Livestock and Meat Marketing Terms Storage and Shelf Life Recommendations Safe Meat Handling and Cooking Beef Aging Understanding Meat Inspection Making Sense of Weighty Issues: Live Weight vs. Hanging Weight vs. Finished Cut Weight Beef Cuts by Primal Pork Cuts by Primal The guide is full of helpful information. For example, under Safe Meat Handling they advise: Defrosting Frozen Meats There are three safe ways to defrost meat: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not recommend defrosting meat on the counter or in other locations. • Refrigerator—It is best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Small packages (1 lb.) of ground beef or pork, stew meat,and steaks/chops may defrost within a day. Bone-in cuts and whole roasts may take two days or longer. Once the meat defrosts, it will be safe in therefrigerator for three to five days before cooking; one to two days for ground meat. Buying in bulk is your best family value. And, it allows you to choose not only what quality of animal you would like-how the animal is raised, and fed, what breed- BUT also exactly how you want the meat cut and packaged. With this helpful guide the decisions become easy. Customer Feedback- We were delighted to find Natures Gourmet Farm in our area. The service was great & after our first meal of the grass fed beef, we can't say enough good things about the quality and taste, and the overall price for the order. We are so glad we have found a source for healthy meat at a decent price. We look forward to re-ordering again and again. Mr. & Mrs. L. Meinders Biloxi, MS 39531 Quote Worth Re-Quoting – “It is our choices… that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” ~J. K. Rowling As always, thank you for supporting our regenerative, local farm. Ben & Beth

Farm Operation

Ben gives an overview of how we manage product availability throughout the year and how it has impacted our operations.

NGF Journey

Product Update – 1) Chicken - We are out of chicken. Next batch will be available September 12th. You can reserve your needs by emailing me how many you want. 2) Beef - Have you ordered your half beef yet? Next processing will be September 4th with availability 3-4 weeks later. Simply confirm your order with a deposit is all that is needed to reserve your premium grass-fed beef. Also, did you notice our Chuck Roast Bundle? Buy 15 pounds or more and get a 15% discount! 3) Pork - We have plenty of pork in stock. For a limited time we will offer Pork Chops on sale. Buy 15 pounds and get 15% off the regular price. Sale price $6.35 per pound. Save $1.15 per pound. Did you know you can pickup your order directly from our farm? Simply place your order and coordinate a time. We had two customers stop by today. Farm Update – Last week I mentioned my 4-criteria used evaluate if someone knew what they were doing in this business. They are: 1) Do they own the land 2) Do they own the cattle 3) Do they invest their own money in the operation 4) Are they doing it successfully To be considered, they have to pass ALL four criteria. This weeds out more than 95% of the speakers and writers who spend other peoples money to promote their theory. In 2009 we started out mostly conventional in our approach. Then, we heard about Joel Salatin who owns Polyface Farms in VA. I read all his books & articles and started implementing his practices. In 2010 we cleared 75 acres of land and re-fenced about 50% of the pastures Internal electric fences were added to facilitate rotational grazing. July 2011 Beth & I visited Joel's farm to see first hand. in 2012 a supplier visited our farm and relayed what he saw to John Wood who owns USWellness Meats in MO. John visited us and during the conversation mentioned the Grassfed Exchange and that he would pay my airfare to Bismark, ND for the conference - which I did and was fortunate to meet Gabe Brown who has since been voted one of the 25-influential farmers in the world for his soil building skills using cover crops,et. al. Pastured broilers were added in 2012 and we cleared another 35 acres of land. In 2013 we started learning Holistic principles. We contracted with Preston Sullivan, an instructor, to help us shorten the learning curve. Later that year we visited Cody Holmes (also an HMI Instructor) and owner of Real Farm Foods farm in MO. 2014 we added Pastured Pigs based on the Salatin model and continued to participate in the GrassFed Exchange. February 2015 we were fortunate to be able to buy an adjoining 52 acre farm. Required clearing out old fences and tree growth and installing about 2700' of new fence. 2016 I was asked to speak at the GrassFed Exchange Conference at White Oak Pastures in GA. Will Hegman, owner, has done a terrific job converting his farm from conventional to a highly diverse forage and multi-specie farm with multiple channels of distribution. Following the conference I was honored to be asked to serve as an Adviser to the Board of Directors. In this role I work with some very talented farmers to promote the Grassfed Exchange - a gathering of regenerative ranchers, dairymen, and sustainable food supporters from across the world who come together to network and exchange ideas. We desire to help producers and consumers grow in the knowledge of the grassfed industry - Key objective is a consistent high quality product. December 2016 Beth & I visited Seven Sons Farm in IN to learn about pastured hens. We putthe infrastructure in place and received our hens early April. Regularly customers ask if I know where they can buy vegetables. Below is a brief introduction by Del who I meet last year when I was adding compost tea to my pastures. We have asked him to grow some fall beans for us and wanted to share his talents with you as well. Del is considering different marketing options and ask that you contact him if you are interested. Brief History of Del & Peggy; Del born in Iowa in 1942 into a grade A dairy operation and continued the tradition by owning his own Iowa dairy farm, using the mainstream way of farming. In 1975 Del became concerned about the potential health hazards of the use of pesticides and started a compost manufacturing operation right on the farm and soon learned the benefits of organic farming and have been doing different versions of small scale organic farming since. The winters of 2006 through 2009 Del and Peggy volunteered to help rebuild the Gulf Coast after hurricane Katrina. In 2010 Del and Peggy moved the entire compost manufacturing equipment to the Gulf Coast. We now live here, manufacture compost, and use it in a small scale organic farm raising true organic pesticide free vegetables, fruits and herbs. Business Strategy under consideration Peggy and I are considering selling organic veggie variety boxes of home canned, fresh or frozen organic vegetables, fruits and herbs. Pick up times and locations would be the same as Natures Gourmet Farm meat pick up dates. Your interest level will be greatly appreciated. Please Email: heavnsb@aol.com or Phone: 228-365-3744 with your interest level and questions. www.heavnsbestcompost.com 19234 Saucier Lizana Rd Saucier, MS 39574 Customer Feedback- Quote Worth Re-Quoting – “Don't worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you'll have to ram them down people's throats.” ~ Howard Aiken As always, thank you for supporting our regenerative, local farm. Ben & Beth

Are You Buying Phony Grassfed Beef

Ben discusses the risk of imported beef and how consumers can ensure they are getting what they are paying for with real grassfed beef from locally raised farms.

The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs

Ben gives a brief introduction to Joel Salatin's new book titled "The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs".

Farm Update

Weather impacts everything we do!

American's Health Report

Ben provides the status of American's (and Mississippian's) health from sources like the CDC - where processed food is the norm vs. Amish culture where their food is tied back to healthy land stewardship.... and closes with a relevant quote from Michael Pollen.