Meat CSA jackpot!
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caribougal
Posts: 865 Member
Apologies in advance (hi, Akimajuktuq) to those who don't live in an amazing place like I do.
I've been buying my pastured eggs for the past few months from a local farm near my office. I kept seeing their sign that they offered a meat CSA, but never got around to calling. Well, I called yesterday.
Oh. M. G.
Here's the deal... CSA for 50 members. Each share includes nine whole pastured chickens, 32 - 40 pounds of grass-fed beef, 16 pounds of pastured pork, and 10 of lamb. "Premium" shares get better cuts of beef, plus some duck and rabbit.
After buying that 1/4 cow this fall, I realize that's just way too much of one kind of meat for my family. I'm head-over-heels excited to have found this CSA.
Here's another cool thing... (I'm such a meat geek). They do their own processing. I talked with the guy about why he doesn't use one of the 2 small local processors nearby. It was interesting to get his take on it, but ultimately he felt like they could just do a better and more respectful job at the farm. There's a discount for families who help with "ushering" the chickens. I am assuming that means ushering them from life to brown butcher paper. I can't devote 4 full Saturdays in the middle of the summer to that, but I do think I might help with one "ushering" as a life experience.
I asked him about organ meats and tallow/lard (of course I did). He said I was the very first person to ask about that. Ha! I think I impressed him. Yes... I get those too if I want them.
They have something they call Agriculture Supported Community (ASC). They want members to be more involved in their farm, so they run workshops every weekend. Check this out... I'm so there.
Beekeeping
Practical Permaculture: Perennial Food Beds
The “How” and the “Why” of the Way We Raise Meat
The Myth of Wasteful Meat: Facts & Potential on the Sustainability of Meat
Grain vs. Grass; Animal Health, Subsidies & Sustainability
Holistic Range Management
Ushering Poultry: Slaughter and Dressing Chickens
Breaking Down Poultry into Parts
Ushering Lambs
Blades & Bandsaws: Butchering Lambs & Processing Hogs
Rendering Grass Fed Fats & Using Organ meats
Cleaning Lamb & Pork Casings to Make Sausage from Scratch
Dried & Smoked Meat
Making Hard Cider & Apple Vinegar
Farm-to-Table Dinner
Cider Pressing Party
Did I mention they deliver the meat weekly?
And, I get a 20% discount on their tasty eggs and the other stuff they grow.
I better really start cooking up my beef to make room in my freezer by July! Time to increase my protein macro. Ha.
I've been buying my pastured eggs for the past few months from a local farm near my office. I kept seeing their sign that they offered a meat CSA, but never got around to calling. Well, I called yesterday.
Oh. M. G.
Here's the deal... CSA for 50 members. Each share includes nine whole pastured chickens, 32 - 40 pounds of grass-fed beef, 16 pounds of pastured pork, and 10 of lamb. "Premium" shares get better cuts of beef, plus some duck and rabbit.
After buying that 1/4 cow this fall, I realize that's just way too much of one kind of meat for my family. I'm head-over-heels excited to have found this CSA.
Here's another cool thing... (I'm such a meat geek). They do their own processing. I talked with the guy about why he doesn't use one of the 2 small local processors nearby. It was interesting to get his take on it, but ultimately he felt like they could just do a better and more respectful job at the farm. There's a discount for families who help with "ushering" the chickens. I am assuming that means ushering them from life to brown butcher paper. I can't devote 4 full Saturdays in the middle of the summer to that, but I do think I might help with one "ushering" as a life experience.
I asked him about organ meats and tallow/lard (of course I did). He said I was the very first person to ask about that. Ha! I think I impressed him. Yes... I get those too if I want them.
They have something they call Agriculture Supported Community (ASC). They want members to be more involved in their farm, so they run workshops every weekend. Check this out... I'm so there.
Beekeeping
Practical Permaculture: Perennial Food Beds
The “How” and the “Why” of the Way We Raise Meat
The Myth of Wasteful Meat: Facts & Potential on the Sustainability of Meat
Grain vs. Grass; Animal Health, Subsidies & Sustainability
Holistic Range Management
Ushering Poultry: Slaughter and Dressing Chickens
Breaking Down Poultry into Parts
Ushering Lambs
Blades & Bandsaws: Butchering Lambs & Processing Hogs
Rendering Grass Fed Fats & Using Organ meats
Cleaning Lamb & Pork Casings to Make Sausage from Scratch
Dried & Smoked Meat
Making Hard Cider & Apple Vinegar
Farm-to-Table Dinner
Cider Pressing Party
Did I mention they deliver the meat weekly?
And, I get a 20% discount on their tasty eggs and the other stuff they grow.
I better really start cooking up my beef to make room in my freezer by July! Time to increase my protein macro. Ha.
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Replies
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Congrats on finding such an amazing CSA! We need more of those around!
I have a friend who raises (mostly) pastured chickens and lamb. I have helped "process" the chickens. Ugh, not something I enjoy AT ALL, but it must be done and at least this way I know that it's quick for the bird. They don't process their own lambs, though, however the place I took mine only did the most basic processing. I had to finish the butchering - cutting it into smaller cuts. It was beyond disgusting and took me 3 MONTHS to recover from the process, before I could eat lamb. If I had to field dress an ungulate, I may well starve.
Although the "processing" turns my stomach, it is absolutely, hands down THE BEST chicken I've ever tasted! And friends help friends, so I'll do it yet again next time she asks, especially since the chest freezer arrives this week.
Maybe I can talk her into expanding their farm and turning it into a CSA. What fabulous classes/opportunities your CSA offers, too! Thanks for sharing.0 -
This sounds AMAZING!
Yup there is nothing like that where I live but you do inspire me to keep hunting out new places to buy meat and more questions to ask butchers!0 -
where do you live?0
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That is awesome. I am lucky too, I have a butcher 2 blocks away that sell only grass fed beef, pork and Amish raised chickens. And his prices are awesome!!! I got 15 pounds of meat today for $50.00!0
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where do you live?
Boulder, Colorado.0
