Saturday, September 8, 2012

Re: Need up to 2000lbs round flat & 1000lbs. flap meat. Portion therof ok...

We don't sell that way. Custom orders of quarter cows or pigs cut custom for the family seasonally only are offered. We are a family farm for family consumption, seasonally filling freezers. Sorry.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Beef sold, new calves started

Farmer's Pal We just sold the 2 steer that have been on pasture and heard that the government is allowing grazing of the conservation reserve due to the drought, so 4 young calves have joined us for the coming winter. The forage is deep between the trees in the creekbed and they should enjoy themselves... if only we had volunteers to work on the fences...

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Custom Meat

There has been a lot of confusion about how "custom" farmers work. We don't know in advance accurate hanging weights of animals or customer cut choices... cut choice is up to the buyer, the customer pays the processor separately. We would need additional licensing to sell processed meat even if we weren't the processor, and that's not what we do... We aren't selling meat, we sell animals and cows are sold by the whole, half or quarter. Pigs are sold by the half. When the coyotes did not eat all of our birds, poultry was sold by the whole, but could be processed into quarters if the customer wanted. If you want Alan to deliver it when it is done, he just asks for the check for the processing part before he picks it up (made out to the processor), and some gas reimbursement if the drive is longer than the average. We don't sell farther than 100 miles from the farm, and rarely more than 25 miles away. The processing cost and hanging weight of the animal are unknown at the time we take it to the butcher. When they process it, they weigh it and charge for the cutting/grinding/packaging/whatever. You need to call them to give them your order when we bring them the animal and to find out your cost. Then when they tell us how heavy the animal was, we ask $3.50 per pound hanging weight 1/4. (This is lighter than the live weight but heavier than the de-boned weight.) The picture previously posted of Alan and the calf is the calf that became the bull that became the steer that will feed 4 families. It had a good life enjoying room to run and fresh well and creek water and a varied pasture (exercise and diet lead to healthier animals with leaner meat and more omega 3 fatty acids naturally). Not sure if the calf in the picture or it's nursemate was the sire of the Indian Summer heifer we have now. We had the calf's mother supply milk to an adoptee and did not castrate either before the next cow was conceived... Like I said a good life for an animal on the farm. That is what our farm is about... raising our own children and letting the animals that provide us food have a good life and raise young of their own. There is no better teacher than nature, and we adults are still learning too. If you have questions, please post them and sorry if there is a delay in the response... life happens.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

beef going, going... get it before it's gone

Beef: $3.50 per pound plus processing (varies by cut and processor) One steer sold, another still available, sold by 1/2 or quarter (or join others to get 2 x 1/8, etc.), taking to processor 7/25 and aging at least 2 weeks. The available steer is now 18 months and probably close to 1000 lbs for the whole animal (see Alan carrying it when it was younger). Won't know the exact current weight until the butcher weighs it...
We are trying a new Processor: Mattieson's - call for cut options and costs after confirmation of availability (563)659-8409. example: October 20, 2011 - Como Processing 531 lb. steer (132.75 lbs. per ¼ @ $3.50/lb) bill emailed 11/17/11 ¼ $465 to farmer + processing ranged $110-$160 depending on cuts requested

Saturday, January 21, 2012

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

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

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)