We want to take a moment to wish everyone a Happy Easter. We are thankful He is risen!
Here’s the weekly roundup from Watson Farms and your direct connection to your farmer. Enjoy the latest edition of Pasture Posts!
We feel very fortunate that our farm business is much different than not only many other farms but also many other businesses in general. The driving force behind this difference is our customers.
We truly feel that when a customer makes a purchase from Watson Farms that they have joined our team.
When our customers choose to source their proteins from animals that were raised with respect, it allows us to raise more animals in this manner. When more animals are raised like this rather than in confinement and knee-deep mud then eventually fewer animals will fill these confinement barns and feedlots. Our farm is a perfect example of this as we have re-purposed our confinement turkey barns after quitting the turkey business in 2020. This transition was only possible by enough consumers joining the Watson Farms mission.
You join us in land-healing by encouraging and enabling us to continue using practices that regenerate natural resources rather than deplete them. As more consumers make these kinds of choices, more land is converted from monocrop agriculture, which relies on tillage, chemicals, and excessive amounts of diesel fuel, to regenerative pasture-based systems that don’t rely nearly as heavily on these things.
Another effect of consumer choices like this is the very close connection our farm has with the partners we call customers. In industrial agriculture, the end consumer is most times a very remote concern and many times viewed as a liability by most farmers. In our model, we speak with, shake hands with, and exchange emails with consumers on a daily basis. This direct contact keeps us very responsive to the needs and desires of our customers. When customers consistently requested that we use non-GMO feed several years ago, we responded with a solution that allowed our costs to stay comparable while converting to 100% non-GMO grains for our chickens and pigs. We now work with local farmers to source non-GMO grains and we grind and mix our feed rations ourselves so that we know exactly what is in them and what isn’t which has also become more important in recent years as questions arise as to the integrity of industrial feed ingredients.
Since moving away from contract poultry production to completely pasture based direct-marketed livestock we find that we are indebted to fewer entities outside of our customer base. Integrators in the confinement poultry industry dictate – down to the most minute detail – the methods and protocols that farmers must adhere to on their own farm. This heavy handed approach never allows for thinking outside the conventional wisdom. All the innovation therefore has to come from the top. Needless to say, the industry is not a place for those who think outside of the box. While the bank, the government, and the insurance company are some other entities that come to mind that we must still satisfy, we look forward to an ideal of being independent from these one day as well. The only way this can happen is with a committed team of customers like yourself who stick with us and choose to opt out of the conventional food system.
Scroll to the product spotlight for a little gesture of thanks to our Pasture Picks Box customers who are some of our most consistent. If you’re not a Pasture Picks subscriber, then there’s still something for you as well such as our Whole Broiler sale that continues right now.
Product Spotlight
Our Pasture Picks Box Subscribers are some of our most consistent customers, and we wanted to make sure that you know that we appreciate you. So here’s an exclusive coupon that will only work for those who have an active Pasture Picks Box Subscription. Save $15 on qualified orders!
Terms
- The coupon can only be used on a separate order from your existing subscription.
- Minimum cart subtotal of $75 is required.
- Coupon expires May 31, 2023
- One time use only
- Only for active Pasture Picks Box Customers as of 3pm on 4-8-2023
The Sale Continues!
Save over 25% on Whole Broilers!
We were unable to get enough chickens cut up into parts last year due to some labor issues so we had to put more whole birds in the freezer than we wished. Save money and help us clear this inventory before our new flocks are ready to harvest. It’s a great way to get boneless skinless breasts at a great price – you just have to cut up the chicken in your kitchen!
-
4 Whole Broilers (UPS)$139.00 -
Whole Broiler$24.94 – $34.38
Spring Farm Day
Don’t forget that our Spring Farm Day will be held on Saturday, April 29 from 10am to 2pm!
We will have vendors, hay rides and more!
Be sure to save the date and follow along for more details in the coming weeks.
Order Deadlines and Store Hours
Here’s a friendly reminder to get your orders in by the deadline. We have changed our workflow some to help reduce errors, so we have to begin the process of staging orders for the next day’s delivery very soon after the deadlines below. Help us serve you better by ensuring your order is placed in time!
Charleston Area: 12 noon Mondays
UPS Orders: 12 noon Mondays
Columbia Area deliveries now occur on Wednesdays.
Deadline for the Columbia Area: 12 noon on Tuesdays
GSP: 12 noon on Wednesdays
Charlotte/Fort Mill/Rock Hill Areas: 12 noon on Fridays
Farm Pickup: Please wait until you receive an email stating that your order is ready to be picked up (usually 1 business day from when you place your order). Farm pickup is done during store hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10am to 6pm
Saturday: 10am to 2pm
Closed Sunday and Wednesday
Tell a Friend!
It’s now easier than ever to Give $15 and Get $15 through our Referral Program. We don’t spend a lot of money of advertising, but rather we focus on producing products that people love and are willing to tell others about. So we depend on word of mouth to find new customers and ultimately to heal more land.
So in an effort to streamline this process we have made it easier to tell others (via email, Facebook, or Twitter) about Watson Farms. And it’s all automated on the backend, so you don’t have to rely on us to issue the store credits manually. Just head over to our Referrals Page and start sharing!
We re-use packaging!
We’ve seen a good response to our efforts in re-using packaging! Thanks and keep it up.
You can help us reduce our carbon footprint by returning your CLEAN egg cartons and meat boxes.
The main reason that we switched to plastic egg cartons a while back was because they are so much more durable than paper which could only be used once. They also protect the eggs much better!
So if you have some egg cartons or boxes to return, you can just place them on your porch on your home delivery day. Farm pickup customers can, of course, drop them off when you come to pick up your new order.
***We can only re-use OUR cartons or boxes. Please re-use or recycle other boxes or egg cartons elsewhere.***
We redact your personal information found on your meat boxes when we re-use them, but feel free to redact to redact it yourself without damaging the box if you would like.
Thanks for helping us re-use our packaging!
Did you know that we have a webpage that displays all the reviews we have received?
Check it out!
Check out this ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review:
“I ordered several different cuts of beef from them. They were all excellent. Delivery went smoothly. Everything was packaged well and cleanly. I’ll definitely be a regular customer and look forward to trying their other products like ham. It’s nice to be able to buy from a local, family farm.”
We would greatly appreciate it if you would be kind enough to leave us a review. It helps first-time customers purchase with confidence.
Thanks again for being partners in this endeavor of local, pasture-raised proteins that has truly transformed our farm. We look forward to continuing this transition while serving you long into the future.
Sincerely,
The Watsons
Pasture Posts is written by Matt Watson.