SHARE:  

-- Winter Share Week #2 --



ATTENTION: This week is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC


SALMON - SOLD OUT. Expect more in February.


Winter Signups - Join Today for this Week's Pickup


Try the New MINI Share.

Hello,


November is so busy for us. We transition from summer to winter seasons and have Thanksgiving to look forward to.


With a delicious Week 1 behind us, we are excited for this week's flavors - apple cider, pork chops, red cabbage, and more.


A few quick announcements:


Open to the Public: This week is an open to the public week. Shop our online store to stock up for the month, or simply buy a One-Time Share.


Salmon: Sold Out. We have our second shipment coming after New Years. Expect an announcement in late January/early February.


New Mini Share. We listened to your feedback and designed a new Mini Share for the Winter. It works similar to the summer Mini:

  • about 4 to 5 produce or pantry items each week
  • $21.50 per week in credits (x the # of weeks) to shop the online store or back of the truck
  • The Mini Share is designed to put some seasonal items on your dinner plate, but also provide you the flexibility to buy what you want when you want.



Pick-up Schedule: As a reminder, our winter share is only 15 pickups. It goes 3 weeks in a row then every-other-week the rest of the Winter. Pick-up dates listed HERE.

Late Signups

For those who forgot to signup for winter and still want to join us.


1) Reply to this Email. The easiest way to start this week is to reply with the following details:

Share Type: Omnivore, Vegetarian, Mini, Carnivore

Pick-up Location: Options listed below

Payment Plan: Upfront or Weekly


2) Signup Online. Register for your share at the link below. Please reply to this email to start this week (otherwise your start date will default to next week).



Shop Online or Signup for the Season

The Pickup Schedule

Thanksgiving

Order Online by Nov 22

Thanksgiving is just over 2 weeks away. We are currently sold out of Heritage turkeys, but have plenty of Market Turkeys available.


Please place your order soon to guarantee best available selection of bird and size.


Full Thanksgiving Details and Order Form Here:

Fresh Fork Thanksgiving


Ohio City Provisions. Our butcher shop has the same offerings and more, with a few more pickup days and times. Check out their offerings and order online at: OCP Thanksgiving Order Form.

Thanksgiving Order Form

On the Farm: Getting

Grassfed Beef Ready for Winter

Those are some of my field notes from last Tuesday. If you are staring at the stains on the paper, just know it's not mud.


This time of the year is an important part of the life-cycle for the cattle. I keep my cattle in two different groups:

1) Cow and Calf. The cow is the momma with her child (calf).

2) Stockers/Feeders. These are the growers getting fat on the best pasture for future harvest.


From April thru November, the beef are on rotational pasture eating the best perennial and annual forages I can give them. In years past, I had picked a "sacrifice" field and kept them out all winter eating hay. What I learned was that they didn't gain, they destroyed the field, and the tractor and skid loader just made mud and ruts in the field, destroying it even further.

3 years ago I started renting a barn off-site to put the beef for the winter. In the barn, all cattle are together and fed a mixed hay ration where I can blend hays to get the desired energy and nutritional profile.


This changed my fall process. Now I must:

1) Wean the calves from the cows before going into the barn. This means separating them with a fence or gate for 21 to 30 days until the cow "dries up."

2) Ear-tagging the calves for ID purposes.

3) Banding. Male calves - aka bull calves - need to be "steered." A large rubber band is used to cut off blood flow and create a sanitary healing process. We must constrain the 500 to 600 pound bull calves to complete this quick procedure.


The headgate, as pictured here, squeezes the cattle to constrain them, reduce stress, and make the process safe for both me and the animal. Once secure, the banding process usually takes just a couple minutes.


The hardest part of this whole process is getting the cattle sorted and into the headgate. We follow a lot of the principles that Temple Grandin writes about, including working the cattle back in a circle towards themselves. In her models though, the facilities are much more advanced and with a way bigger budget than WVF has. OSU has a great Temple Grandin facility in Applecreek that demonstrates the world-class solution.


This fall beef working days takes about 2 days. We are making the last pass across pastures now, and on Monday, Dec 2 they beef will be moved inside for 4 months.

Week 2 Bag Contents

OMNIVORE

Romanesco

Red Cabbage

Kohlrabi

Acorn Squash

Bunching Onions

Apples

Apple Cider

Red Leaf Lettuce

Pork Rib Chops


VEGETARIAN

Romanesco

Red Cabbage

Kohlrabi

Acorn Squash

Bunching Onions

Apples

Apple Cider

Red Leaf Lettuce

Spaghetti Squash

Onion

Spinach

MINI

Romanesco

Red Cabbage

Bunching Onions

Apples

Red Leaf Lettuce


Place a Special Order Here
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