What does "Pasture-Raised" Mean?
Our animals live the majority of their lives on pasture and move to fresh grass regularly. Some meat is labeled "pasture-raised" because the animals live inside a barn and there is a door where they can go outside. Not here. Our animals live on pasture day and night (they have shelter available to them).
What do your animals eat?
It depends on the animal. Cattle and sheep are ruminants, which means they have four compartments to their stomachs which let them ferment and fully digest grass and hay. Their primary diet is grass (hay is dried grass), and we supplement with grain for a few reasons: 1) they like it and grow well on it and 2) we prefer the flavor of the meat when animals are given some grain.
Pigs are monogastric, so they can't get enough nutrients from grass in order to grow properly. Essentially, while cattle and sheep eat grass and are supplemented with grain, pigs are the opposite - they eat grain and are supplemented with grass. Pigs LOVE eating grass and other plants, as well as digging up roots to eat. They also get treats from the garden and forest, such as pumpkins, apples, and acorns.
Chickens and turkeys are also monogastric, and need grain with a lot of protein in order to grow. Grass and bugs are a great snack and supplement for them, but they can't live on grass alone.
Does that mean they eat soy?
Yes, they eat soy. It's an excellent source of protein for livestock, and available locally. Local feed is our priority, and finding non-soy feeds would mean buying feed from far away, and would drive up our prices significantly. Pork can be raised without soy but it's a logistic challenge. Chicken and turkey, however, really rely on the protein in soy in order to grow. Soy-free feed results in chicken and turkey that has a rather different taste and texture than is typical.
Is all the meat really from your two farms?
It sure is! We're not a big company by any means. It's just the two farms, raising everything ourselves. We do not purchase meat from anyone else to sell as ours.
How do you ship and keep the meat frozen?
Insulated boxes, frozen gel packs, and dry ice. Our boxes can be reused by you, donated to a food shelf, or returned to us for a credit on your next order.