December 1, 2013

Email Changes

We are currently making BIG changes in how we send out email to you.  By now, you've probably received an email from me asking you to sign up for Mail Chimp.  Please, please follow the link and fill out the form.  There is also a place to choose a delivery location.  If you choose one of these towns, you will also receive delivery updates.  After the first of the year, we will no longer use our personal email account to send The Cattle Rattle or delivery updates - our following has grown big enough that when I send it out, our email server thinks I'm spamming!  By using Mail Chimp, we hope to avoid that problem.  Also, I'm finding that I can format an email to look like a "real" newsletter and insert pictures!  There are also great links to our facebook page, our price page and a nifty little button to forward to someone else.  Hello, 21st century!

Here is link to the new format if you'd like to see what you're missing.
Here is the link to sign up for our Mail Chimp newsletter.

I'm also working on how to transfer the email newsletter over to blogger (including the links) - give me a few weeks and I'll be there!)

Lard and Tallow?
Over the last few months, several of you have asked about lard or tallow.  We do have both available - however they are NOT rendered.  Because we don't currently have a licensed kitchen, we can't render the lard and then sell it.  However, each can be purchased unrendered for $5/pound.  I may get a little stingy with the lard though since we also use it in soapmaking.  Rendering fats is really pretty easy.  Google it and you will find all different kinds of tutorials (that's where I learned what to do - because you can find anything on the internet, right?).  My favorite method is the crockpot!  We use lard and tallow for allll kinds of things - frying eggs, in the deep fat fryer (tallow makes the best fries - just like McDonald's use to be), in cookies, in doughnuts, well, you get the picture.  Here is a great article about the benefits of pastured raised lard - so much better for us than Crisco!  (in moderation, of course!)

Upcoming Delivery Dates
We are currently working on a delivery schedule for 2014 and based on the feedback we got from our Survey Monkey survey, we are planning on making monthly trips east (to Wichita) and west (to Dodge and possibly Garden).  Added to that will be a quarterly trip to the Olathe area.
For now though, this is what we have planned:
December 6th - Dodge City (tentatively), Greensburg and Pratt
December 11th - Dodge City, Lindsborg, McPherson
December 17th - Wichita (including Greensburg and Pratt)
Don't worry, I'll send out reminders!

Beef
Beeves won't be ready for the processor until mid-June.  If you find that you're going through beef faster than you anticipated or have sampled our beef and found out what I already knew - Kurt raises the best beef around - we do have a few options to see you through until June.
1.  We offer several samplers (usually 5-8 pounds) OR a beef bundle which is 50 pounds of your favorite cuts ($330).  See our price page for more specific details.
2.  We have a few pre-cut quarters.  I've figured out dollars and pounds on all that we have left - a few of them are very large quarters (115+ pounds) and run $600-$650, a great deal on steaks!

Hogs
All of our December hogs are spoken for.  However, we do still have some available in January.  Holler if you want your name on one.  We are changing the pricing on our hogs just a bit - it comes out to about the same money but makes it more fair to you and us because it will account for the size of the hog.  We'll charge based on hanging weight ($2.10/pound) just like we have been on our beeves.  This way if you get a smaller hog and less meat, you pay less.  If you get a large hog, we get compensated for all the feed it ate.
Any smokers out there (not cigarettes, sillies - meat smokers!).  Kurt is thinking about have a few smaller hogs processed, saving the bacon, tenderloin and ribs and then having the remaining meat cut into 4-6 larger cuts - perfect for the smoker and crowds.  Interested, let me know.

How to Order
Several new customers have asked how to order.  For right now, the best ways to place orders is by email or phone (although sometimes there may be kids in the background). 

Farm funny
It's always hard to narrow it down to just one.  Natalie has observed (and she doesn't miss much) "we're a family that likes to laugh a lot."  We try. 
Friday, we drove to Attica to spend part of the day with my mom.  The girls walked downtown with Grandma to mail a letter and found out that Santa was coming to Attica that evening.  "Please, please can we stay!!"  After much pleading, we sent the children away so that we could make a good decision.  While we were talking logistics without interruptions, the girls were planning their case in the basement - reasons why they should get to stay at Grandma's for the night.  Even though we had made our decision, they insisted in presenting their case - in musical form.  No logical, lawyerly argument.  Not for my goobers.  Nope, Broadway all the way baby.
Other items in the new newsletter that don't translate very well and you're missing out on some great pictures!

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS
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*Handmade soaps
*Gift basket - 3 soaps + bag
*Summer sausage
*Beef sticks
*Jerky
*Beef sampler
*Beef quarter
Check out our price page for more info.

PERFECT CUTS FOR ENTERTAINING
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*Pork or Beef roast - both lovely centerpieces
*Whole roast chicken - not only great for the first meals but can you say chicken & noodles!
*Ground beef - can be used in so many ways - chili, Mexican, spaghetti. . . . .
*Pork loin - perfect for pulled pork - yummmm!
*Super special meals - Standing rib roast - heaven in your mouth!
Only 3 left in stock!
*Holiday breakfasts - bacon or zesty breakfast links

Let us know how you like our new format.
Happy December!
Andi