Bluebird CSA

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Newborn Lambs Galore!

We have 7 new lambs in 3 days here on the farm.  It's been perfect weather- sunny, 60 degree days. And all the ewes have had their lambs in the daylight, so we can check on the lambs and so that the lambs don't get cold too quickly.  Everything is better with sunlight involved.
Fuzz and her twins at 1 hour old

Sweet Pea licking off her lamb

Fuzz and her twins!

Wooly Bear and her triplets at 1 hour old.

Triplets nursing!

Sweet Pea (all black sheep) and twins (1 black, 1 white) meeting the flock after sleeping overnight in the "Maternity Stall"

Friday, December 13, 2013

No Charlotte market for us 12/14 Maybe lambs on the farm!

The whole crew in the revamped pasture area!

Charlotte Regional Farmers' Market

8am-noon, 1801 Yorkmont Rd. 

As you may have seen on the weather reports tomorrow is not predicted to be very pleasant.  Here in the foothills we expect it to be barely 40 degrees and raining!  Unfortunately (and unusually for us), we are going to let the weather scare us away this time.  All spring and summer you can count on us through rain and weather.  But when its cold and wet---well we have a good excuse.  

All of the ewes, the mother sheep, are pregnant.  We expect three of them to lamb any day now.  When its cold and wet it is very important for us to be able to take care of the lambs as soon as they are born.  The sheep flock is still out on pasture.  They have shelter that works great for adults, but not the newborn lambs.  So we will be at the farm tomorrow making sure all the animals stay as warm and dry as they can (we might get a little soggy and cold, but that's our job!)


We plan to attend next week's market on the 21st.  We apologize for any inconvenience, but we hope you'll pre-order pork and beef for next week!


Photos from the day's projects preparing for the rain



Getting Started early.

Bedding for the layers form the sawmill down the road

Moving the chicken palace to higher ground.  Keepin' their feet dry!

Hay bedding (and a snack) for the pigs

This is actually haylage.  Hay that's baled wet and fermented to improve its nutritional value (think sauerkraut)

The hens like the haylage just as much as the pigs.  Because its baled wet the rolls are several times heavier than dry hay.  The bobcat is a necessity for moving them around.

Hens under the palace.  They are scratching up the spilled bedding.




Sunday, December 8, 2013

Winter Orders! Order now for Wed the 11th pickup in Morganton and Hickory

Hickory Special Order
Location: Youssef 242 restaurant 242 11th Ave NE, Hickory, NC
12/11 Wed.  noon-1pm

Morganton Special Order
Location: Morganton Natural Foods (Nature's Bounty)

12/11 Wed. 4-5:30 pm

Order your Pastured Pork and Beef at our website

You can order as little as 1 pound of sausage to as much as you need to stock up!  Of course, we will have extras of our meats, but it helps us for everyone to order ahead, and we'll set your order aside.

We'll schedule dates for January-March Special Orders starting in the New Year!

Marie and winter projects
Marie doing some heavy lifting

Pastured Pork

We have a full selection of our delicious pastured pork. Our hogs are fed GMO-free certified organic grains and raised outdoors on pasture.·       

Order a Family Pork Pack and stock up for winter!  

Thick bone-in chops
Country sausage
Bratwurst
Shoulder roasts
Boneless ham roasts
Spare ribs and country backbones
Spicy chorizo sausage
Sweet Italian sausage
Thick sliced side meat
Ground pork

Pastured Beef

Our steers are raised on grass pastures without medications.
Our animals are moved to fresh, healthy new pastures every week for the best growth from grass.   We supplement the steers with small amounts of organic corn, alfalfa, and wheat to help supplement just the right amount of fat to ensure juicy beef.  

Ribeye, NY Strip, Filet, and Sirloin Steaks

Beef Roasts, Ground Beef, Stew Beef,Beef Kabob

Beef Marrow Bones

Summer Hogs


2013 MEAT PACKS
♦Our meat animals are fed certified organic grains, over 70% of our organic grains are grown in North Carolina!
♦All our livestock is raised outdoors with forages, fresh air, and sunshine.
♦No hormones or sub-therapeutic antibiotics.
♦Meats are individually labeled, vacuum-sealed and frozen, keeps well for 1 year from pack date.
 
~Most Fall Meat Packs can be picked up at the Farmers Market or at the farm, except ½ and Whole Beef (farm only). 
 
           
PASTURE PORK
Available: All winter
 Our hogs are raised outdoors and root through brush, pastures, and deep hay bedding.  Fed certified organic grains.  Vacuum-sealed, frozen.
1/2 hog All the best cuts! Approx 24 thick pork chops, 4 roasts, 1 tenderloin, and a great supply of your choice of sausages.  You can also have your pork cut just the way you’d like it. After you place your order, we'll help you decide your custom cuts. ½ Hog weighs approximately 85 lbs hanging weight. You’ll get about 65 lbs of cut, vacuum-sealed, labeled, and frozen meat.  $5.88/lb hanging weight. (15% discount from retail price)  Approx $500.  $100 deposit is required when order is placed.
 
Large Family Pack: This assortment of delicious pasture pork is a 10% discount from retail and costs approx $260. $100 deposit is required when order is placed.  Weighs approx 30 lbs, includes:
12 Pork Chops (2/pack) • 4 Pack of Ribs • 2 Roasts (3 lb each) • 8 Country Sausage (1 lb/pack) •4 Sweet Italian (1 lb/pack) •4 Bratwurst (1 lb/pack)
 
Small Family Pack: This assortment delicious  pork will fit in your refrigerator’s freezer and is a 10% discount from retail and costs approx $130. Weighs approx 16 lbs, includes:
•6 Pork Chops (2/pack) • 2 Pack of Spare Ribs • 1 Roast (3lb) • 4 Country Sausage (1 lb/pack) •2 Sweet Italian (1 lb/pack) • 2 Bratwurst (1 lb/pack)
 
Sausage Sampler: 3 lbs each of Country Sausage, Sweet Italian Sausage, and Bratwurst Sausage, approx $70, 5% off retail price
 
 
BEEF
Available: November and December
 
Our beef is always grazed on pastures and is finished with a small quantity of certified organic corn, wheat, and alfalfa for lightly marbled, healthy, lean beef.  All beef hangs and ages for 14 days before being cut, vacuum-sealed, labeled, and frozen. All prices include all butcher costs.

Beef Quarter: A quarter is 15% off retail price, weighs approx 85 lbs, and costs approximately $575. $100 deposit is required when order is placed.
A typical quarter includes:
Thick Steaks:      Roasts:                                                 Other Cuts:
6 N.Y. Strip          1 bone-in chuck                                45 ground beef (1lb/pack)
6 Ribeye               2 Sirloin tip                                        9 stew beef
4 Filet                                                                                 4 beef kabob (1 lb/pack)
1 Skirt steak                                                                      2 Short Ribs (2 lb/pack)
1 Flap steak (similar to skirt steak for fajitas)
1 Flank steak                                                                                                     
 
Beef Value Package: A Value Pack is 15% off retail price, weighs approx 45 lbs, and costs approx $293. $100 deposit is required when order is placed.  A typical package includes:
Thick Steaks:      Roasts:                                                 Other Cuts:
2 N.Y. Strip          1 bone-in chuck                                25 Ground (1lb/pack)
2 Ribeye               1 Sirloin tip                          5 stew beef
2 Filet                                                                    2 Short Ribs (2 lb/pack) 
1 Sirloin Steak                                                                                   
 
Beef Sampler Package : A Sampler Pack is 10% off retail price, weighs approx 20 lbs, and costs approx $162. $100 deposit is required when order is placed.  A typical package includes:
Thick Steaks:      Roasts:                                                 Other Cuts:
2 Ribeye               1 sirloin tip                          12 Ground (1lb/pack)
1 beef kabob                                                     2 stew beef
1 Sirloin Steak                                   
 
Ground Beef:  10 lb box, 10% off retail, $6.12/lb. Each pound of ground beef is individually packaged, labeled, and frozen. Our ground beef is lean and flavorful.
 
Mix and Match Package: Select 25 lbs. of your choice of roasts, ground beef, short ribs, and stew meat and save 10% off retail.  Steaks not included.  Shop and select from available items on our online farm store selection, and we will discount your total upon pickup. Example: 12 lbs ground beef, 8 lbs of stew meat, and 2 chuck roasts.)

½ Beef Butcher Day Special: $4.15/lb hanging weight, 20% off retail price. Approx 285 lbs hanging weight, yields about 180 lbs of dry aged, cut, vacuum-sealed, labeled meat.   Enjoy a variety of steaks, roasts, and ground beef when you make a custom order.  After you place your order, we'll help you decide your custom cuts.  Farm’s scheduled pickup/delivery dates. Approx $1185. $200 deposit is required when order is placed.
Farm Pickup Only: Email for available butcher dates
 

½ Beef: Other 1/2 beef pickup/delivery days can be scheduled, price is $4.45 lb hanging weight. Approx $1268. 15% off retail price. $30 delivery fee between Hickory and Morganton