questions

Hello,
We have stopped doing produce and never did dairy, but if you are interested in natural meats, look no further. We don't sell retail and you won't see us at a farmer's market except to buy supplies for the family table. Our blog is http://anonymousfarm.org/ where you can learn more. We also blog on local harvest and recently listed on homegrowncow.com... but not sure if that model will work for us. We have pork and beef in freezer quantity only. No pesticides, fungicides or antibiotics on fields or feeds. Child friendly, doctor approved, family farming for the family. We don't regularly do farm tours, but Muller Lane Farms is highly recommended in Rock Falls if you are looking for heritaqge farm tours. We also don't always have time to answer email, so don't be offended f it takes days or weeks to get a response some seasons. Alan is my husband and he can answer farm questions at 815-721-XXXX. I will answer emails here.
-Risha


On Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 7:40 PM, wrote:

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What follows is a comment from a member of the viewing public who
visited your listing in the LocalHarvest Web site.
(http://www.localharvest.org/anonymous-farm-M22149)
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To: anonymousfarm@gmail.com
From:XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hi. I live in Sterling and am looking up organic farms in the area with hopes of purchase of dairy, meat, and produce. I'm having trouble finding more information online about your farm. Can you send me more information via email, or can I visit your farm for more information? Are you at the Sterling Downtown Farmer's Market?
Thank you,
Anita JOhnson

Cow? questions from a potential customer

Thank you for your interest, we do have cow and pig for sale, and are willing to discount the quoted beef price.
Unfortunately our Highland herd is just starting and will not be available for meat sales for over a year. We have a remaining Jersey that is 20 months old and approximately 1000 lbs live weight. We would like to find customers for the entire cow before taking it to a butcher though. Processing is a separate fee from the cow sales. The local processors wrap in paper, not plastic. So in answer to your questions:
vacuumed packed? No

How many months along are your cows when slaughtered?
Depends on when we get enough customers.

What do your cattle eat and for how long (After they are weaned do they eat corn their whole life then switch to pure grass at the end or pure grass the whole time)?
They drink their mothers milk until weaned, then are pasture or hay fed. The only grain they may get is for purposes of getting them to come when they are called.

Do you use hormone or antibiotics on your cattle?
No hormones, only antibiotics or other medications if clearly indicated, not as a feed additive. The jersey for sale has never needed treatment. She was not even vaccinated, as she was born on our farm and has not been in contact with any sick animal or injured.

Hope that answers your questions,

Risha (Alan's wife)

Our family of 8 live on the farm with a conservation reserve outside our door. Berkshire cross heritage pigs; jersy, holstein, and now highland cattle plus miscellaneous poultry free range on our pastures and enjoy organic exempt corn and other feeds grown on site. What we cannot provide is purchased locally without pesticides or antibiotics whenever possible. Meat is processed locally by state inspected butchers. Local delivery can be arranged or you can pick up at the processor.

Custom cut and processed to customer's specifications. Separate processing charge based on cuts or desired preparation. Price varies based on actual weight and processing order.

Pork (Bulk)
1/2 pig 75 lbs $325 plus processing = Price / lb is $4.34
whole pig 150 lbs $645 plus processing = Price / lb is $4.30

Beef (Bulk)
estimates (not counting processing)
Quarter BEEF 200 lbs $650 plus processing
Typically: T-Bone Steaks, Rib Eye Steaks, Sirloin Steaks, Round Steaks, Chuck Roasts, Shoulder Roasts, Rump Roasts, Sirloin Tips, Stew Meats, Short Ribs, Ground Beef

Highland cattle are extremely hardy and will graze on grass that other cattle pass by. They produce a lean beef that is lower in cholesterol than fattier meat. Highland cattle herds were officially established in 1884, making it the oldest registered breed of cattle. This breed originally comes from the Scottish Highlands, where the rugged conditions contributed to making it a very hardy, adaptable animal.

Read more: Highland Cattle Facts | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6699110_highland-cattle.html#ixzz1iA9fuB00

farm history

From: Elwood (Woody) Herr elwoodherr7@gmail.com Risha, found your pictures of the 2011 snow while looking up the place the house where I was born. The farm was in my family from 1929 until it was sold in 1993. I now live in TN with my wife Brenda. I lived there until 1977 and then my sister, Deloris Meiners, lived there until we sold the farm. Looks like it is being well taken care of. --------------------------------------- The Jacobs built our farm house in the 1860s. (written in the cement in the attic... the addition is the main home, the kitchen came first). Jenny and Mark Clay were the owners between 1993 and 2007 and made many improvements and changes before we started here... Thanks to everyone who helped make the farm what it is today!

Indian Summer

Today Alan went out to check on the water for the animals and called the whole family out to greet our new calf! The Cow that gave birth was just a calf nursing on the old Milk Cow, Nosey, spring 2010. Nosey passed away last winter, leaving her bull-calf... Now a new calf has been born. The unseasonably warm weather lead us to name the new little heifer "Indian" and her mother "Summer"... the first names for our cattle since we lost Nosey. We can't be sure if she is Nosey's grand-daughter... since there were 2 bull calves roaming in the field... And when we get the profits from the steer we just sold, we plan on investing in a Highland calf or cow-calf pair to adjust our growing herd's genetics... Such wonderful lessons we learn on the farm!

Baby Heifer born on Anonymous Farm, November, 2011.

turkeys

 

 

 

Winter 2011 farm sales offerrings

Pork available, currently at the processor. We do not expose our animals to hormones or offer feed laced with antibiotics or other agrichemicals.
We will schedule the next beef and pork for processing whenever I can talk Alan into it and they are "big enough". Let us know what you want us to grow and if you will have time instead of money to contribute (cooperative gardening, animal chores and fence repair are always welcome)...

We sell meat by the whole half or quarter animal (depending on the size of the animal - whole chicken, half pig or quarter cow for instance) and you choose and pay for the processing separately, Galloways will be the default processor if no other request is made by the time the animal is ready. Alan and I do often deliver locally. To contact him call or text him at 815-721-5483 or email anonymousfarm@gmail.com. Calls are answered quickest, so if you email and don't hear a reply soon, please call or text.

2010 prices on prior blog, subject to change, tips allowed.

Happy Winter.

-Risha (& Alan and the kids)