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Sunday, July 26, 2009

Bundle Packs


Bundle of pork: Each bundle contains about 25 pounds of the best pork we can raise. At least 2 packs of chops and 2 smoked shoulders, 5 packs of Nitrite free smoked bacon and 5 packs of smoked ham steaks. 1 pack of Fat Back. $10.00 per pound.





Here is what is in our bundle packs:

Chops: Bone in rib and loin chops cut 1 ¼ to 1/12 inches thick. Moist and Flavorful, from our pastured pigs. Plan to serve 1 chop per person. 2 chops per package. $15.00 per pound.

Smoked Ham steaks: Small, one or two steaks per package. Cut from the center of smoked hams. $10.00 per pound.

Smoked shoulder: The “arm” or lower part of the front shoulder. The bone remains for even more flavor. Plan to serve ¾ pound per person. $8.50 Per pound.

Smoked Nitrite free bacon: you have not yet had real bacon until you have tried this.
$14.75 per pound.

Pastured Lard: THE best there is, see our blog for information on the benefits of eating PASTURED lard. You have not had a good French fry until you have cooked them in our lard. $4.00 per pound

Friday, July 24, 2009

Whole Hog Frankfurters




Have you ever REALLY looked at the back of a hot dog package??
As you can see ours have pork (in this case 100%) salt, sugar, spices and lamb caseings.
If you look at commercial dogs they have "Mechanically seperated meat, water, corn syrup, salt. potassium lactate, phosphates, flavorings, partially hydrolyzed stock, sodium diacetate, ascorbic (vitamin c) sodium nitrite, extractives of paprika."
This particular batch of franks are "Whole Hog" Frankfurters, in other words in stead of using trim as we have in the past and most all of the other local farms use (nothing wrong with it) we are using the entire pig: tenderloins, hams, shoulders, chops etc so you end up with a far superior product than just the trim. While our trim franks are suburb, these franks are like "tenderloins in a tube"
Our pigs are on pasture 365, they are supplemented with whey from Beltane farm (which means they get natural probiotics and are healthier than other pigs who do not get this). Our pigs also get apple cider vinegar in their water which we all take. Sheryl and I take a mixture of 4 cups of apple cider, 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup of my brother Curt's honey. We pour this into a iced double shot glass and take 3 a day.
All of our animals and birds get apple cider vinegar, they are healthier, have more tender meat, put on weight faster, have shiney coats and feathers and improved flavor.
These frankfurters are not always available because of the potential loss of income if we sold tenderloins, chops etc we could get a lot more money. One or twice a year we do this as a special treat to us and our select customers. We do not raise the price but sell them for the same amount as our trim dogs.
Order a few pounds today and you too will want to serve a good wine with these uncommon franks.
Cheers,
Craig
















































































Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Is she the answer

Ever since we started this business I have been the worlds worst businessman.

In all fairness I am so tuned to expanding and working with the animals, clearing land, weed whacking fence line in lieu of using weed killers, keeping on top of growth, working a part time (almost full time) job that I do not have time to answer e-mails, phone calls etc.

By using the Ct Farm Fresh folks it allows me to be what I want to be, the best farmer producing the most humanely raised, healthy happy animals in Ct. I don't have to worry about orders, all I have to do is tell them what I have available in pork, beef and mushrooms, and in the case of chickens what live chickens are ready to go.

They do all the rest so I am thinking that soon if you want Footsteps Farm products, live chickens, pork products, quarter/half/whole hogs, heritage turkeys, eggs etc you will have to go through them to get it.

This will eliminate the frustration our customers have with our BUSINESS Office (me) and it will eliminate the stress I have of knowing I suck at business.

Time will tell if this relationship will work for all involved but at this point it looks pretty good to me.

Cheers,

Craig

Overboard



Now doesn't this look like over kill. The Ct dept of Ag seems to think that we need all these labels on our chickens.

It would seem to me that these folks would be in the business of making things easier for people who raise SAFE, SUPERIOR and HEALTHY food.

Unlike the crap you get in the supermarket that contains Arsenic, 9% chicken manure fecal soup and cholrine our birds are on pasture, eat grass and bugs, are supplemented with locally produced grain and get great taste from exercise, sunlight and greens.

When they write these rules, like the Farm Market rule book they are either to scared to stand up and say our food is better (see Food Inc movie), or perhaps big business makes it clear that their food is safer (like monsanto, purdue, etc) or maybe they just do not want to admit that some of the old ways of raising your food is far superior to the indoor/antibotic/commercially slaughtered birds.

You have to feel sorry for those who write these rules, seems they just do not understand and do not want to belive that all the money they spent on education was wasted.

I always thought that the USDA, the Ct dept of Ag, the Local health inspector, the Dept of Consumer protection etc were all greatly concerned about the quality of our food, guess I was really wrong.

Look at our lard as a example: In order to render it to make a better package for you our pastured lard would have to be watched by a USDA inspector in a approved kitchen, thereby greatly adding to the price. So we just sell the leaf lard and fat back in one pound packs and let the customer do it. Such a shame as people across the country want our lard but we can't get it to them in a short enough time so that it doesn't spoil.

As a side note soon the only way to get our products will most likely be through the Ct Farm Fresh Express folks, they are working out GREAT !!

Visit them and order from their list of farms.http://www.ctfarmfreshstore.com/

Cheers,

Craig