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GrassRoots Meats Newsletter
May 2013
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In this issue...
-- The Project is Complete!
-- We Have Water
-- Mom's 97th Birthday
-- Baby Chicks -- May Specials -- In Closing ...
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The Project is Complete! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Finally, after much planning and many long hours of hard work, our irrigation project is complete. Allan and crew put in about 4000 feet of underground pipe, along with a new headgate, to allow for an increased, more efficient supply of water to this 125 acre ranch. The blue pipe you see in the picture is representative of that pipe, which had to be buried nearly 4 feet deep, including 100 feet where he had to channel through solid rock. Coupled with the livestock watering system he completed at the end of last year, this acreage should be lush and green within the next few years.
While it may be hard to imagine why this is such a big deal, one might compare it to the difference landscaping makes for a new home. Only this is beyond decorative. It is life changing in that it actually will produce and sustain life, both vegetable and animal. And in the end, human life as well. Irrigation water transformed the west, taking land that previously only supported limited numbers of livestock, and turned it into pastures that not only support more livestock, but will grow crops as well. We are thrilled to be a part of this process of helping to create and sustain life.
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We Have Water ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This last Friday the irrigation water finally reached us, and the pond rapidly filled with water, overflowing the spillway for awhile. While it is exciting when the water comes, it comes with such a torrent that at first you wonder if the creek beds and ponds can take it. Within 24 hours it settled down, ready to do it's job of bringing much needed moisture to the fields, alive with new growth. The ducks were also very happy to have expanded territory, as the pond quickly increased in size.
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Mom's 97th Birthday ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you have been getting this newsletter for more than a year, then you are already familiar with my mom, the woman who defies aging. I reported each year that I was going to Cincinnati to help celebrate her birthday on May 14th, and this year is no exception. Mom will be 97 years young, and is still in good physical health. My brother, who lives with her, reported that they took a walk the other day that honestly would have put me in the recliner afterwards (doesn't take much!) and she did well. She still does her "Sit and Be Fit" exercises, although perhaps not as often as she did a few years ago, when she did an hour a day.
Although her health is good, her mind is slipping. A few weeks ago she called another brother to tell him that her mom and dad were in town and supposed to be coming to dinner, but she hadn't heard from them and was getting worried. The sweetest thing is that sometimes she thinks my dad is still around, and is just out playing pinochle with his buddies. I think it must bring her a lot of joy thinking he is still with her. They were married for over 65 years.
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Baby Chicks ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's been quite a year for chickens, and I don't know where we are on the learning curve, but one thing is for sure, we have learned a lot the hard way. In the end we had only 5 chickens left. I don't know how many chickens we had total over the last year but I can tell you for sure it was A LOT MORE than we had left. On Thursday we bought 20 Buff Orpington and 10 Rhode Island Red pullets. While we know we will face setbacks, we sincerely hope that at the end of the next year we will be able to report better results.
Both of these breeds are egg layers as well as meat chickens, and we really like that flexibility. While pastured chickens that are truly free ranging can be a bit tougher than penned up chickens, I think the flavor compensates for the extra stewing time necessary to get them nice and tender. Unfortunately these chickens will not be laying in time for Farmer's Market, but I guess that is just the way it goes. Last year we were sold out within 10 minutes each week.
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May Specials ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In honor of Mom's 97th birthday, we are celebrating with Murt's Birthday Package. This beef lover's special includes about 2 pounds of Filets; 3 pounds each of Top Sirloin Steak, Top Round Steak, and Bottom Round Steak; a Rump Roast; a Chuck Roast; a pound of Beef Stew; and 4 pounds of Ground Beef - a total of about 27 pounds of meat for only $197, a savings of nearly $40 off the regular price.
We are also offering our Beef Primals, normally only available to our restaurants, for a terrific price:
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In Closing ... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lots going on here, and so very many things to be grateful for. We thank God every day for His many blessings, especially the opportunity to live on this lovely ranch. We believe that expressing our gratitude to the Maker opens up a storehouse of blessings that just flow and flow, despite how undeserving we are. May you also find favor and joy in all you do.
Lois & Allan
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Quick Links... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Contact Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Email:
grassroots@centurytel.net
Phone:
970-731-1471; 800-681-2260
Website:
http://www.grassrootsmeats.com
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