Blog - J&L Green Farm

August 2021 Newsletter

Our Full Speed Summer The grass is tall and the weather is steamy here! During the summer months, our cows move weekly to new pasture, the pigs rotate through both fields and woods, and the chickens go to a fresh patch of grass each morning. We're adding fresh chicken to the freezer weekly, and new batches of piglets are being born. It's always busy around here! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Piglets! Our momma sows give birth to piglets twice each year. With many groups of sows spread out across the farm, we sometimes have several sets farrowing (giving birth) at once! Piglets might be our favorite animals on the farm. They love to nibble the fresh pasture and explore the woods nearby, but they never stray far from their moms. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chickens on pasture Our chickens rotate to fresh pasture each morning. They happily eat the mix of grasses and hunt for stray bugs! We are "sold out" on the benefits of pastured poultry - it makes all the difference for the chickens, for the land and for our customers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanksgiving Turkeys We're already preparing turkeys for your Thanksgiving table! Pasture raised turkeys live in the field till they are 15-20 weeks, taking in many months of grass and sunlight during the spring and summer. These turkeys offer a nutrient dense, lean meat packed with flavor. Look for all our turkey cuts available on the website! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contented Cows Our Cows enjoy a total pasture-raised lifestyle. This means we use a rotational grazing technique so that they are moved to graze on patches of fresh, pesticide-free grass every few days. Why do we choose pasture-raised? We're ensuring that our cows are eating a nutrient-dense diet of seasonal forage and grasses, while naturally fertilizing the soil on our farm! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Last Tour of the Season is Soon! Our final farm tour for 2021 is August 28th! Be sure to bring your family and friends for a guided walk around the farm to learn about how we raise our animals in step with nature. Bratwursts are available for preorder with your ticket! As always, kids come free! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recipe: Chicken Enchiladas These chicken enchiladas are a family favorite. Packed with tender shredded chicken in cream sauce, they're very easy to make, and great for making ahead as a freezer meal. View Recipe ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stock up today on your favorite chicken cuts, sausages, pork chops, steaks, stir fry and more. Your next nourishing meal starts here!

July 2021 Newsletter

Grass Fed GirlsWe're well into Summer and that means our cows are enjoying a mix of lush grasses.We feed our cows only grass and hay, never grains, because we believe that herbivores are meant to eat grass! The Cows are some of our favorite animals here on the farm - we enjoy their calm, steady presence. Some are shy and some are quite friendly, but they're all excited to see us when it's time to move to new pasture! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Moving the Herd We take full advantage of the healthy, vigorous pasture during warm weather and move our herd often to fresh ground. The cows look forward to their regular moves, and stroll over to the next section of untouched grass with only a few calls from Jordan. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------What Makes our Beef Operation Regenerative?We believe that grass is the best natural diet for ruminating (grazing) animals. And healthy animals produce healthy meat!By rotating our cows constantly through fresh pasture, we also naturally fertilize the soil on our farm and improve our pasture land.We honor the herbivore by offering fresh grass with frequent moves to produce healthy meat and healthy land!----------------------------------------------------------------------------------How to Cook Grassfed Steaks Have you ever worried that you might “mess up” your beautiful, grass-fed steak by cooking the wrong way? It’s true, grass fed beef should be cooked a little differently than conventional grain-fed beef, in order to achieve that tender, juicy experience we all love.Click the link to read how we cook our grass fed steaks.View Recipe----------------------------------------------------------------------------------"Grass Farmers" First and foremost we call ourselves “Grass Farmers”. Do you know why?It's because grass is the foundation of all animals raised on our farm.Our cows especially benefit from the dense, healthy pasture that we’ve cultivated over the years (as this is their only food source). The cows also help the grass as they eat, disturb, and fertilize! It’s a beautiful, symbiotic relationship that gets better every year.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Reserve your Bulk Beef Now!It's time to reserve a half a cow for your family! We are now taking reservations for custom Half Beef orders to be ready in September, October and December. We Make Buying in Bulk a Breeze:- Ordering made simple- Pick up and delivery options to suit you- A freezerful of delicious cuts at your fingertips Reserve today! See Bulk Beef Dates

June 2021 Newsletter

We birth, raise and manage pigs year round on our farm. We rotate groups of pigs throughout our forest and pasture, offering them a varied diet and ensuring the ground gets the right amount of disturbance.Throughout each month, one or more of our groups of momma sows is preparing to have their litters. We love seeing them learn to be gentle, nuturing moms!Each week we grind fresh feed to supplement the pigs' foraging, move sets to fresh ground, and do maintainance on their feeders and waterers. This month, we finished fencing in some new space just for pigs and were excited to finally move several groups into virgin forest! New PigletsOne of the most fun parts of being a "Farrow to Finish" farm is the birth of baby piglets throughout the year. Momma pigs give birth (or "farrow") under shelter in winter, and in the woods or pasture during the warm season. We always give them a big bale of hay to snuggle into and make a nest for their babies. A mother sow can give birth to as many as 14 piglets in a single litter! Move to the New Property! We introduced several sets of pigs to some new, untouched forest last week. Here, they are settling into their new space and beginning to root through the woods for snacks.We're looking forward to seeing them improve this new ground with their rooting and nesting!Recipe: Orange Pecan Glazed Pork Loin Roast This flavorful Pork Loin recipe is simple to make and totally delicious!The key is marmalade for a sweet, citrusy glaze that complements the pork. Click below for the full recipe.View RecipeFarm ToursHave you been wanting to visit the farm, meet your farmers and see howwe put our principles into practice?We have 2 more upcoming Farm Tours! Click the link below to reserve your spot for our July 3rd touror our September 4th tour.

May 2021 Newsletter

It's Poultry Season Again!It's officially spring time here, and we have chickens and turkeys in the field, enjoying their daily grass and sunshine and eating all the bugs in sight. Almost weekly, a batch of chicks is old enough to be moved out to grass, and new day-old chicks soon replace them in the brooder. It's fun to see them grow and develop. We will have chickens and turkeys in the field until the weather turns cold again in early November. Poultry season is always busy and always exciting!-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------New Chicks in the BrooderThese chicks were born this morning. When we introduce them to their new home, they are ready to drink on their own and immediately find their food and start munching. When they aren't snacking, they alternate between running up and down the fresh wood chips and stopping for a quick nap!-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chicks Head Out to PastureOnce they're about 2 weeks old, the chicks have grown their feathers and are ready to go out onto fresh pasture.They enjoy the bugs, grass and sunshine, and get moved to fresh ground daily. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------RECIPE:Chicken Curry Rub Our family's favorite dry rub, delicious on beef and pork too!Toss legs and thighs with curry rub and bake in a hot oven. Chicken skin will be crispy and the meat will be tender and falling off the bone...Recipe Here-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Upcoming Farm TourOur next Farm Tour is May 8th! Come learn about how we raise our animals in order to provide you with the highest quality meats while healing the land. As always, kids come free. Sausage Dogs are available to purchase ahead! Bring chairs or a blanket and enjoy relaxing on the farm with family or friends after the walking tour. Get Your Tickets-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------New Sausage Links - Yum!Missing Bratwurst? Our new Country Style 4oz links are a great substitute! With a garlic and sage flavor profile, these are our current favorite "Sausage Dog", an easy weeknight supper baked, grilled or panfried. Shop Now-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Time to Reserve!Whole Hog and Half Beef Slots now AvailableHave you considered reserving a half beef or whole hog this year? Whichever you choose, you'll have delicious, healthy cuts at your fingertips for months to come. Take the guesswork out of shopping and stock your freezer with good-for-you meats! Early Summer dates available. See Custom Slots

5 Things You Need to Know About Pastured Turkeys

Is purchasing a pasture-raised turkey worth it? We sure think so! In this article we dive into 5 reasons to consider purchasing a pasture-raised turkey for your Thanksgiving meal.