Summer Share Week 5 & Independence Day Specials

Good Afternoon

Today is really quite enjoyable. We had to catch broilers this morning for harvest, and the 50 degree mornings are gentle on the birds and our staff. Keeping livestock comfortable - especially during transport - is an important part of the equation for a humane and successful harvest.

Today, it is sunny with a cool breeze. It makes farming seem like a vacation. But not all days are like that. Last week we had a few days in the mid-90s, and that challenge the farmer in a different way - thinking about how to keep his livestock comfortable. Read below to learn a bit more about how animals stay cool.

Also, this week we have a few promotions:

1) Some meat bundles designed to stock up your freezer

2) An "Open to the Public" week. This means you can tell a friend to try us out - either the weekly share or our bundles - at no commitment. Please help us spread the word!

Lastly, our farm kitchen is buzzing with activity. Today's new project - blueberry pie with lattice crust. This sweet and tart pie is bursting with flavor, just in time for any holiday celebrations this weekend.

Enjoy!

Trevor and the FFM Staff

Late Signups

If you or a friend are still considering joining, we would love to have you!

Late signups are pro-rated, you'll only pay for the weeks you receive (full upfront rates will adjust automatically). Weekly payment also available.

For full details, including pricing and pickup locations, visit here: Summer Season Info Page

Easy Online Signup Here

Don't Miss Your Share

We know it is a holiday weekend and you might have plans. However, it is too late to enter for a vacation hold this week. Vacation holds must be entered by Saturday at midnight. The food is already ordered for the week.

If you can't make it to your normal location you are welcome to show up at any of our 20+ pickup locations, Wednesday thru Saturday (before or after your usual pick-up time). You don't even need to tell us. You can also send a friend of family member to pick-up in your place (they can also go to any location) -- all they need is the name on your account + account email address.

Here is a link to all the pickup locations, days, times, and addresses.

SUMMER 2022 PICKUP LOCATIONS

Sweat it Out

It cracks me up when someone - particularly those who sit inside all day - complain about the heat. Changes in weather are all part of the ecosystem that provides Ohio with such a lush landscape that is capable of producing an abundance of some of the finest foods around.

On a farm, hot days require additional coping. While pumping water to the vegetables is the easy thing, here is a little about how the different animals make do.

The Honeybee spins its own fan. A colony of bees can generate quite a bit of heat, and they don't have central air conditioning. So what do they do?

The bee is really creative. The hive is divided up into different roles. The worker bees do everything from collecting food to cleaning the hive and keeping it cool.

But how do they cool the hive? The bees have figured out how to use the honeycomb as a kind of diaphragm. Together, a swarm of bees can gently push the comb back and forth to help the hive "breathe." In one motion, the motion pushes out stale air from the hive and on the return motion it pulls in cool air from outside.

This creative "concentric venting" - to steal a term from my HVAC guy - allows the hive to stay at a comfortable temperature.

Beef give a whole new meaning to the "meat sweats"

Managing beef in the summer is also a challenge. They like to stay cool as well. Therefore, shade trees are a premium. On the down side, a shade tree doesn't offer much good eating.

A full grown cow can generate up to 4,500 BTUs of body heat per hour. For comparison sake, your home furnace is probably 80,000 BTU, and that just kicks on and off a few times per hour.

So these are the weird things I think about. How many cows would it take to heat my house? I'm guessing 10 lazy cows lounging around would do it!

So thinking about that, it's a hot day and the beef create a lot of heat....what to do?! Let me throw one more challenge in there. If I'm pushing my beef hard - pushing the protein that is - they can get the "meat sweats." Protein is the most difficult compound for the body to break down and causes them to create additional heat. Protein is also necessary for the beef to gain weight.

A pasture too rich in protein will cause the beef to overeat and overheat. If I see a group of beef standing tightly together in a circle panting hard, I know they've had too much protein. They are trying to cool themselves and their buddies down. The solution there is to try moving them more frequently and giving them a little at a time so they don't over eat all at once. If given too much pasture, they will pick out the best tasting forage - the high protein clover, alfalfa, and young grasses - and give themselves the belly ache.

In general, to answer the basic question here of how bovine stay cool - drinking water, panting, and shade. I can help them by managing their diet.

A Pig Has No Sweat Glands.

We all know pigs like mud and to wallow in it. The mud helps keep them cool.

But each Monday when we haul hogs in for harvest, there isn't a mud puddle on the trailer. The really hot days - like last week - are really challenging on moving livestock around. It's also the days where you cross your fingers and hope that you don't have a breakdown on the side of the road.

We start by loading the beef and hogs at sunrise. Beef go on the trailer first and you can immediately feel the temperature difference. They are kept in the front compartment and the hogs go on next.

After sorting out the hogs we want, they get moved onto the trailer. The clock is now ticking. Almost immediately, you can hear them starting to pant.

Before hitting the road, the next stop is a shade tree and a garden hose. The hogs get sprayed down with cool well water for about 15 minutes to help them get comfortable. Once they are cooled down and soaking wet, I give them the old Model 2x55 air conditioner (yes, old man joke about 2 windows, 55 mph).

Celebrate your sweat

Next time you are sitting on the deck sweating in the afternoon sun, be thankful that you don't have to dive in a puddle of mud, spin your own fan, or breathe on your buddies to stay cool!

Place a Special Order

Summer Meat Bundles

We have been finally able to catch up on our meat inventory, so this week we have some bundles designed to help you stock up and save.

Here are some bundles we have available for pickup THIS WEEK! Summer Share members, place your order by 11:59pm tonight!

Cluckin Good Deal: $145

There is no disputing the quality difference between our pasture raised chicken and store-bought chicken. Use this bundle to stock up at a steal of a deal! ~25# total

2 packages Chicken Breast

(~ 3#, 2 breast per pack)

2 packs Chicken Thighs

(~ 3.5#, 4 per pack)

2 packs Chicken Drumsticks

(~ 2.6#, 4 per pack)

2 packs of Wings

(~ 5#, 10 per pack)

2 packs of Mild Italian Chicken Patties

(~ 2.5#, 4 per pack)

2# Ground Chicken
1 whole chicken (~4#)
1 bag chicken bones/back for broth (5#)
1 quart Chicken Stock

Get Grilling Bundle: $130

This package incorporates our best cuts for the grill. Fast cooking, high heat cuts that take well to grill marks. ~12# meat

- Pork: 2, 2 packs Boneless Loin Chops (approx. 3#)

- Beef: 2 Steaks (Ribeye or T-bone) (approx. 2.5#), 2# Ground Beef

- Chicken: 2, 2 packs Chicken Breast (approx. 3#)

- Grassfed Beef Burger Patties (4 patties, 1.25#)

1 pack nitrate free hot dogs (1#)

Smokehouse Bundle: $95

This offering is brand new and very limited this week. In fact, we hope we can get it done in time! No kidding. The birds were just walking last Thursday and the pork is being cut this morning!

This is our attempt to respond to some of the feedback we get both at OCP and FFM. Here is how we can help with the more challenging, but also rewarding, cuts:

2# Marinated Pork Country Style Ribs

2# Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

2 slabs (approx 3#) BBQ Rub Baby Back Ribs

3# pork butt roast

2# (approx 12 ct) smoked chicken wings

1.25# grassfed beef steak burger (4 ct)

4 pack burger buns

The idea is these items are ready to cook. The western ribs have been brined with a marinade under vacuum. We "tumble" them in our vacuum tumbler to tenderize the meat. A quick oven braise will set them up, then finish them on the grill.

The drumsticks and wings are both tumbled with our balanced poultry brine. They are seasoned. The drumsticks are raw and the wings are smoked to perfection, ready to reheat on the grill and toss with your favorite sauce.

The back ribs are in a dry rub, ready for the smokehouse or grill.

Burgers. Need I say more. Trim from the ribeye, strip steak, and tenderloin make a flavorful and juicy treat.

The butt roast is a family favorite. Flavorful and easy, it's equally as good smoked or in the slow cooker.

Sausage Sampler Bundle: $60

Our sausages are all made with our original recipes using pasture raised pork and chicken. Bundle includes 1 package of each sausage listed below.

4 links per pack, ~1.2# per pack. Hot dogs are 8 links per pack, 1#.

Caramelized Onion, Apple &

Bacon Poultry Brat

We start with chicken and turkey, grind in uncured bacon, and naturally sweeten this brat with caramelized onions and applesauce. No sugar added.

Green Onion Brat

A fresh brat ready for the grill, bursting with the flavor of fresh green onions.

Italian Sausage Link

Pasture raised pork seasoned with the classics of fennel, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. This mild Italian is perfect stewed or on a bun.

Smoked Kielbasa

A smoked Polish classic, featuring a balance of black pepper, garlic, and marjoram. Great with kraut, mustard, or served alongside potatoes or pierogis.

Feta Spinach Chicken Sausage

Pasture raised chicken, ground with fresh spinach and goat feta for a healthy and light flavor.

Mild Italian Chicken Sausage

Pasture raised chicken with crushed black pepper, salt, and garlic for a mild Italian sausage, great on the grill or on a pizza.

Beef and Pork Hot Dogs

We start with our grassfed beef and pasture raised pork. A 60/40 blend of beef to pork produces a hot dog with a balance flavor and nice texture. The hot dogs are made with a natural cure of celery salt, smoked lightly, and the casings peeled off. These skinless dogs are favorites of man and child alike!