October 2024 CSA Newsletter

One of our Hereford Mothers with her offspring.

One of our Hereford Mothers with her offspring.

I’m not sure if there has ever been a summer quite long enough to get to everything hoped for. Days start before the sun rises as we let the chickens loose from the safety of their barn, swing down to the pigs pasture and give them their breakfast grains, then on to check the beef herd and move them while the dew is still on the grass. We troop in soaked for breakfast, a quick chat about what the day looks like, and then back out again to start “the list” – a scribbled tally that just forwards jobs from one envelope to another, crossing some out while adding more. It never really shrinks, but you can see the change as the days stretch out and then begin shrinking.

Helping water beef

Summers are stinky, hot and gritty. I have always disliked the trickle of sweat running down between my shoulder blades and dream of cold mornings soaking up our wood stove heat. However, you can’t replace that first picked strawberry, or the ripest of tomatoes soaking everything as you bite into crisp bacon, bruschetta and toasted garlic bread. Salads topped with sliced steak, strawberries and cheese. Or a favorite is this hash where we unload the fridge of all those odd leftovers, dice them up and do a type of stir-fry with them with potatoes, add fresh dill, some onions and sweet peppers and top with tomatoes & sour cream = TASTY!
Chicken season has wrapped,  calving is finishing up – just in time to sort out heavy steers for finishing and start the whole season again. Vinny, his buddy Rhubarb ( yes, that is his name) and a couple of young bucks who probably won’t get any chances but are too nice to set aside for steers are back out with the very happy ladies. A few pigs have set themselves apart from the others with their antics. From sliding down our granite outcroppings on their butts ( don’t they get rock splinters?) to Milo who is constantly rooting at or chewing on John’s boots. Not to eat mind you….. just to feel his toes and give them a good chewing on. Most days they come up from whichever wet spot they have found, happily “talking” to us and covered in algae, mud and dust.

Our Summer Shipping Schedule is below! Share invoices come out on the 21st of every month and I will post this newsletter on our blog shortly after. I will also email you the link so you don’t miss the news. If the first shipping date doesn’t work for you, just let us know and we can arrange a later ship day. Here is the upcoming schedule! 

  • October Shares Shipping ; September 24th
  • November Shares Shipping ; October 22nd OR November 4th 

We drive all of your shares/orders about 3 hours south which allows those precious boxes to arrive the following day at your home.  Less time in transit means the meat arrives cold and ready for your freezer. We can ship from the ranch on other weeks, however we do not offer coverage on losses or thawed meat. Please email or call if you would like to discuss a different schedule. Also, we are happy to double up on a month if you will be away the next delivery date.

Share options for this month ( below is an example share for a Small Beef, Pork & Chicken, your share may be different) are pretty flexible, let us know if you would like to switch out any cuts or need something for a special dinner.

We saved a limited quantity of Whole Chickens and after this share distribution will probably be very low to totally out of stock. If you want one for later, now is the time to grab one! Still have plenty of chicken cuts for future shares.

  • Beef Chuck Roast ( BI or BL) OR Whole Roasting Chicken*
  • Ground Beef OR Patties ( 1/4# or 1/3#)
  • Ground Pork, Sausages, Stew, OR Kabob
  • Chicken Boneless/Skinless Breast & Boneless/Skin-on Thighs
  • Bone-in Pork Chops OR Pork Tenderloin
  • Pork Shoulder or Ham Steaks, Pork Cutlets or Smoked Bacon
  • LAMB – Currently remaining; Ground Lamb, Shanks, Stew & 1-2# Boneless Legs of Lamb

You can also add; Maple Syrup, Honey, Meat Sticks, Jerky, and Sausage to your share. Just email us with what you are looking to add and we do the rest!

Our home was SO dirty after a summers worth of just tidying it. Spent a few hours a week this month just tackling one room at a time – still not done, yet it feels a bit less gritty. Part of the goal is also to remove anything that I wouldn’t pack up and move with. Why, might you ask. Well, the past twenty + years we have removed junk, built fences, cleared brush, taken down building, put new ones up and generally worked on redeeming a small patch of land that had only been taken from. Legacy takes time and vision. The very last original building on this patch is our home. I love it, despite its “character”. It has aged, in some parts like fine wine, and others like bad cheese and we need to prepare to take down, recover what we can and build a lasting home for future stewards.  Thus, the deep cleaning, purging and planning!

Fall is my favorite, favorite months of the year. Hoping you have many moments to watch the changing leaves, enjoy a coffee or tea at leisure and soak in this delightful creation He has give us!

Kassandra

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