If you grow up in a rural area, other folks are ready to assume that you know everything you need to know about a country way of life. I grew up in these mountains, and my family raised Angus cattle. As I ventured off into college and later into the work force - from grocery stores, restaurants, to catered conferences - I could tell by the first bite of beef what sort of quality of life the animal had. Nothing tasted as good as the burger from our chest freezer back home. Nothing at all compared.
Until -- I met my husband, the Belted Galloway farmer, who made me a meal showcasing the quality beef of a Belted Galloway. As I prepped the taco toppings to the side, I peeked over into the cast iron skillet he stood over and noticed there was no grease rising to the surface as you often see with store bought varieties. After seeing my astonishment, he glanced over -- smiled--- and said, "no need to drain the pan". Wait. What? Ultimately the taco meat was lean and full of flavor. I hesitated to hand him the pack of seasoning. Alas, to this day --- I hold my mom's cooking and Farmer Jimmy's cooking in the highest regard. They select quality ingredients, take their time with prep, and ultimately -- get just a little help from their pasture-raised resources. Even after all those years, it turns out that I wasn't quite knowledgeable about the exact steps to get that tasty resource into MY freezer. So, I've asked Farmer Jimmy to clarify the steps: Step 1 - Think about how much freezer space you have for once the animal has been processed. Step 2 - Call the Farmer to reserve a quarter, half, or whole animal and discuss cost for animal. Step 3 - The Butcher will send cut sheets for his customer to fill out. Step 4 - The Farmer will deliver animal to the butcher. The butcher will call customer when ready. Step 5 - Customer pays the Farmer for the animal AND Customer pays the butcher for processing.
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AuthorFarmer Laura, Walnut Meadow Farms Archives
December 2023
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