Here’s the weekly roundup from Watson Farms and your direct connection to your farmer. Enjoy the latest edition of Pasture Posts!
Why do we feed corn and soybeans?
As we identify trends in customer feedback we like to address those trends here in Pasture Posts from time to time. One trend we have seen in the past several months is the question of why we feed corn and soybeans or even grain at all to our monogastric livestock (chickens and pigs).
This discussion does not involve our cattle at all, as they never receive grain and are 100% grass-fed and grass-finished.
So first off, we addressed the issue of feeding grain to chickens and pigs back in Pasture Posts #36, so be sure to check that out.
As to why we use corn and soybeans, there’s several reasons. Here are the main ones:
Proximity
We are able to source our non-GMO corn that we use in our grain rations from a neighboring farmer. This is usually grown within a five minute drive of our farm! Corn is the ingredient that we use the most of in our rations so it is the most important that it is grown as close to us as possible. The miles that this ingredient travels are next to nothing which saves fuel, time and money!
Non-GMO roasted soybeans are a more rare commodity so we have to source them from a bit further away, but we still consider it local. We source these from Barrier Farms in Mt. Pleasant, NC, which is about a 2 hour drive with our truck.
Availability
The ease in which we can find the ingredients we use in our rations is also a key factor in the recipe we choose. We have already narrowed the pool of acceptable ingredients significantly by adhering to only non-GMO grains, but if we were to rule out corn and soybeans, then we would have to find a very reliable source of ingredients like field peas, flaxseed meal, barley, wheat, and/or milo.
Field peas and flaxseed meal would likely have to be sourced from hundreds of miles away. The others could be sourced fairly locally, but there are issues with some of them such as the tannins that can be in certain milo varieties.
Benefit to the local economy
By sourcing grains that local farmers can easily grow, we are circulating money through our local communities which helps to support local economies. We pay a premium for non-GMO grains and we would prefer that these extra dollars stay closer to home.
Cost
The more specialized the ingredients that we use the more cost we will incur whether in freight or in the price of the ingredient. Everyone has felt the sting of inflation over the last few years and we know that with every price increase we have to make that we will price a certain number of customers out of the market for our products.
We have a fine line to walk when it comes to keeping our prices attainable to enough people so that our farm can sustain itself while making sure that our practices are truly regenerative.
We view it as imperative that we are open and transparent with our customers, and we hope that this discussion helps give some insight into the decisions that we make when it comes to what we feed our chickens and pigs.
Of course, things that are never in our feeds are antibiotics and growth promotants. The industry, on the other hand, uses these regularly, but that’s a discussion for another day.
As always, thank you for your continued support!
Product Spotlight
We have a good supply of beef right now and all of our bundles are in stock! We have everything from ground beef to roasts to organs.
Grass-fed Beef
100% Grass-fed and grass-finished beef raised on our family farm.
Grass is what cattle were designed to eat, and that’s what our cattle get. But not all grass is the same. The quality of the grass depends on the quality of the soil, which is why we use regenerative practices in managing our cattle. Perhaps the most important practice that we use is mob grazing where we keep the cattle in a large group and move them daily. This mimics nature and makes excellent beef that you can feel good about feeding to your family.We also allow the cattle enough time to reach their true potential rather than harvesting them before they are finished. We only harvest our cattle off of the best grass and never allow them to lose weight at any time. These methods ensure that the beef you purchase tastes great and is good for you.
And for a limited time, you can get our Beef Family Bundle for $20 off!
We started offering this bundle over 10 years ago as an easy way to get an assortment of our 100% grass-fed beef for a great price. Both UPS Customers and Home Delivery Customers can take advantage of this great deal!
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Beef Family Bundle$315.00 -
Beef Family Bundle (UPS)$319.00
We’ve received a lot of new reviews lately!
Check them out!
Check out this ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review:
“Watson Farms is beyond good, they are GREAT! The beef is so delicious and tender. Their pasture chicken and eggs are delectable! Professionally packaged. All meals we make with their meats are devoured immediately. I love their delivery service as well! Once a week I have brought to my door everything we need. Purchasing an additional freezer for their whole cow now! Order with full confidence – bon appetite!”
We would greatly appreciate it if you would be kind enough to leave us a review. It helps first-time customers purchase with confidence.
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: 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!
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.