Sure, it is less expensive in the short run to feed animals a daily shot of antibiotics, but where is this headed? Is it really cheaper when we’re paying for hospitalizations due to superbugs? Thank you to the growing numbers of farmers and consumers out there opting out of this system… I just hope that we can move quickly enough to avoid making even more of a health disaster.

Link to CBS News coverage of routine antibiotics and superbugs

(Grass-fed) ground beef is 65% lower in saturated fat and its New York strips are 35% lower than conventional beef, as measured by the USDA. “Any feedlot-fattened animal has a much higher level of saturated fat than a forage-fed steer,” says Dr. Steve Atchley.

It makes sense. Grass is a low-starch, high-protein fibrous food, in contrast to carbohydrate-rich, low-fiber corn and soybeans. When animals are 100% grass-fed, their meat is not only lower in saturated fats but also slightly higher in omega-3 fatty acids, the healthy fats found in salmon and flaxseed, which studies indicate may help prevent heart disease and bolster the immune system. Ground beef and milk from grass-finished cattle also have more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which recent data suggest may help prevent breast cancer, diabetes and other ailments. Moreover, grass-finished meat is higher than grain-finished meat in vitamin A and vitamin E, two antioxidants thought to boost resistance to disease.

Link to the full article at Time.com – “The Grass-Fed Revolution”

Thanks to our friends at Family Friendly Farm in Cape Girardeau, MO for sending us to time.com to find these articles. Be sure to check them out for your local food buying needs – this year, in addition to carrying our pork and grass-fed beef in their on-farm store, they are carrying a number of other local products, including pastured eggs, grass-fed milk, pastured broilers, veal, turkey, lamb, catfish, homemade bread, honey, organic vegetables, and even local soap!

The reason that the study was fascinating to me is that it identified 49 genes that expressed themselves differently between the two groups of chickens. So this is compelling evidence that the expression of an animals genetics can be altered simply based on the way their feed is grown. The study is inconclusive about how this might affect human health, or even poultry health, but it did show that the genes affected things like the way cholesterol is processed in the birds.

Read the article here: http://www.physorg.com/news182106362.html

This article made me really glad that we just ordered over a ton of non-genetically modified, non-chemically treated grains for our pigs and chickens. Not only does this decrease the chemical fertilizers, herbicides/pesticides, and genetically-modified seeds in use, it turns out that it will maintain the natural genetic expression in our animals. While I can’t make any claims about how that might affect their health or the health of our customers, I know that I’d rather not take chances with genetically-modified, chemically-grown feed.

I’ve written before about how much I love to move the cows each day to new pasture. It’s because it seems to make them so happy and it just seems like you’re helping them do what they were created to do, graze. We’ll, allowing the hogs to forage for their own food is much like moving the cows to a new paddock. The hogs are visibly excited when they are allowed to root around and find nuts, clover, etc. When I drove up to the farm they were piled on each other and sleeping but they jumped at the chance to do this…

I hope that you click on the link and see what he and she have to say. I’m not a big Martha Stewart fan but was very impressed at the level of enthusiasm that she had for organic, local, grass fed, pasture raised, foods. She knew what she was talking about and really seemed to be supporting our type of farming. Of course Joel was himself, being both educational and entertaining.

Today I’m thankful for my family most of all but I’m also very thankful that there are more and more people getting on board and realizing the health (for soil, animal, and human) benefits of grass fed meats.

I found this video the other day. It’s a video of Joel Salatin doing a talk on how the business part of their farm really got started. As usual Joel is very entertaining. I can never get enough of this stuff and I hope you all enjoy it too.

A friend of mine from grad school shared a link on Facebook to her sister’s business – “The Burger Bus”, which is a local, grass-fed burger business on wheels. I love the linked video, where Cheryl describes her business in terms of “locals selling local food”. The burgers also look absolutely delicious (I’m going to try making my own CBJ – Cheeseburger and Jelly – asap). I thought this might spur some local entrepreneurs to open a mobile restaurant of their own — I just happened to know a good supplier of local, grass-fed ground beef. And if you’re in Santa Barbara, by all means, head over to their web site (http://www.theburgerbus.com) and find out where they’re going to be for lunch tomorrow!

The Burger Bus experience:http://vendr.tv/video/burger-bus/

One of the keys to this movement is finding ways to get more people connected with farms and their food, so it is inspirational to see businesses like this spring up to help make that happen. There are only a certain number of people that are going to go out of their way to find local foods… how many of those Burger Bus customers were going to make the effort to go to a farm or even a farmer’s market to buy their food?

This year will mark the first year that we’ve planted a crop specifically for late fall/winter grazing, so we’re excited to see how long we’re able to keep the cows on the pasture this winter. For now, they are still happily grazing on the cool season pasture – alfalfa, orchardgrass, volunteer summer annuals (foxtail is their favorite), and some sparse MaxQ fescue. They are about to rotate through the bermuda pasture one more time (lightly), and then will be back on the cool season grasses.

So for our extended grazing crop, we’re currently seeding 2 different types of forage ahead of the cattle. Our choices were Surrey ryegrass and turnips, both of which are well known for quick establishment and hardiness during colder weather in addition to producing solid weight gains for the cattle. If all goes well, they’ll be strip grazing the ryegrass and turnips when snow is on the ground here in Missouri… and we will be dealing with significantly fewer round bales this winter. We’ll let you know how it goes.

One of the most interesting questions out there surrounding sustainable agriculture is “what about the poor?” — with the underlying assumption that sustainable food is more expensive and therefore out-of-reach for the poorer among us.

I’ve struggled at length with this question as well when it comes to pricing for our products.  In fact, I decided before jumping into the farm that I wouldn’t move forward unless the business case could be built on reasonable prices that average people could actually afford.  Still I knew that we’d probably have to charge a little more, because it would be impossible to compete with the supermarkets selling hormone-enhanced, subsidy-corn fed, routine antibiotically-treated, tax-favored commodity beef — but I did not want to have a business that could only prosper by selling to the rich at premium prices. There are already enough mail-order sources of $30/pound beef out there… what good would there be in creating another one in that same vein?

I think we’ve finally arrived at the right answer to this problem.  Today, Franciscan Family Farms is announcing a solution to this problem that involves both consumers and producers coming together to make good food available to the poor.  The program is called “A Dollar More”, and you can read all about it by clicking here or following the new link at the top of the page.  Please read about the program, share your feedback, and consider making “A Dollar More” part of your next food order.

We are really excited about the program and hope that other local farmers consider implementing similar programs in their communities – generosity and concern for neighbors in need is an important part of our agricultural heritage, and this is one more important way that family farms can help to keep the “culture” in agriculture.

Last Sunday, we had a big birthday party here at the house for our oldest daughter.  It was a great chance for us to get together with a bunch of families we really like, and definitely provided as much fun for the grownups (about 10) as for the kids (about 20).  But, as we finished setting up the buffet line, I realized that our spread of lunch food was not really all that healthy–and that we were about to serve it to some of the people most supportive of and inspiring to us in raising what?…healthy food!

I thought “Ugh!  How inconsistent!  I guess I’m showing my true colors here.  I mean, what am I looking forward to the most from this feast?  Sliced tomatoes? Nope, I want the cool-whip-marshmallow frosting and chocolate cake!”  I was a little embarrassed as all the kids ran out back and lunged for the red Gatorade and Yoo-Hoo (though someone else brought that, so I can’t be held responsible).

But, pretty soon it occurred to me that we are doing this whole “natural and sustainable” thing gradually and taking much joy in it, and that we will have a million more opportunities to learn to throw a party without compromising on the quality of the food we celebrate with.  Next time I’ll remember that happy children will run around in the yard like a bunch of puppies having the time of their lives even if there are no sugary drinks.  And next time, I’ll plan ahead to make it pot-luck so we don’t end up needing to rely on so many handy-dandy processed foods to feed a crowd.

Gradually, Chris and I are learning to do things differently from the way we were raised.  This whole sustainability thing doesn’t happen overnight for anyone, and there is always more that we could do.  But rather than dwelling on the fact that we served corn chips that were most likely GMO corn at our party, we’ll continue down the path of “adding in” new stuff that we think is really great, like home-cured bacon, sweet-potato pie, and bulk quantities of wheat (from the Greens) as soon as we get a flour grinder.