Organic Beef, YUMMY...
What will be reality for many in Holland is already a reality for a few including Dana and myself.
Dana (on the right) is enjoying a Hamburger cooked with organic beef from one of LaMountain’s cattles that was part of his prize Hereford herd that grazes on the green hills of the Huguenot Farm in Oxford; it is the best Beef you can eat..
Peter Frei
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Comments:
Posted on 4 Jan 2010, 6:23 by James P. LaMountainYummy
The land these cattle run on in Oxford is the most Prime Real Estate in the town of Oxford. The beef from these cattle sustain many families over the course of a year.
We consider local food production and farming to be a matter of national security. According to the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and the United States Department of Agriculture should our transportation industry ever undergo a catastophic interuption the Commonwealth has enough food stored to last only 3 days. How do you determine who gets to eat after that?
I am sure our local officials would not ration the food to anyone but their own families. Even if the unthinkable does not happen it is not healthy to eat beef from the midwest feed lots that is pumped up with growth hormones and antibiotics.
The Cow that burger came from was born on our farm and was Prime when processed. It gave us about 800 lbs of dressed beef.
I hope you cooked that beef properly Peter Frei.
Enjoy!
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Posted on 4 Jan 2010, 12:22 by Dana
Can I buy a cow?
Jim-
I know that currently all the cattle you raise are sold to people who expressed an interest in being able to buy organic beef. I also know it takes several years before you actually see any meat because...well... the cow has to be properly fed and raised.
Knowing all this, I am just wondering how long do you think it will be before you are able to expand your herd so that new people like myself could purchase a cow?
What is the approximate cost up front and per year of feeding and caring this investment?
And... 800 pounds of beef is too much for me and my 2 daughters... Would it be possible to buy a cow with one, two or even three other people that are also interested in having chemical free meat? I think feeding my kids GOOD food is very important.
Can I be put on a waiting list? And last, is there anyone out there that would be interested in splitting a cow with me?
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Posted on 4 Jan 2010, 15:11 by James P. LaMountain
Waiting List
Dana, That is a good question.
In the past we marketed our beef to a select few loyal customers as we can only sustain so many head on our Oxford Farm. Once a customer gets on our list they stay there.
And as you say most people by a half a cow. We had to do it that way in the past because we did not use a USDA slaughterhouse. We would sell on the hoof and deliver to the slaughterhouse the client wanted. Usually Sterns in Charlton or Pioneer in Spencer.
We will have 4 calfs only this year. And we need to replace a cow that was barren so if we are lucky we will not have all steers. But to answer your question it would take 24-30 months from the time the calf is born in July. Maybe a couple extra months in the sun and then some finish time in the stantion. We like to get them up to around
15-1600 lbs on the hoof. Never more than 3 years old.
Any older cattle such as Loyal and proven old Cows who no longer calf go to the sale barn for auction and McDonalds or some other heavy user will buy em.
BUT GOOD NEWS !!!! We now use a NEW USDA approved Facility to process our Beef. Now we can sell Select and Choice Cuts , as much or little as the customer wants. As you know the beef is second to none and it goes very fast. You have eaten our Hamburger so now you are hooked.
As far as expanding goes ...You know Holland refuses to allow us to conduct agriculture in town even though the law does not allow them to do that.
The Cattle for Holland will take a few years to grow in those pastures on the hill. We still need to fence off and open up the Southern Slope some more. We have water and the timbers to build the cow sheds are in hand. So now we need some weather and we need the town to leave us alone and stop interfering with our RIGHT TO FARM.
But what we do we do as part of a muti-generational plan and we would be happy to put you on the client list. We will have our first Pork grown on the land processed and packaged this winter. I can't wait to taste it.
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Posted on 4 Jan 2010, 18:47 by James P. LaMountain
Frei Farm?????
Hey Dana, Peter Frei has 5 contiguous acres, so he too has the "Right to Farm" his land. You guys should clear an acre and buy a calf and raise him there.
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Posted on 9 Jan 2010, 12:49 by James P. LaMountain
The "LOOK"
I have seen the same "LOOK" that Dana has on her face several times.
It happens the first few times People bite into the Hamburger from our Cattle raised without growth hormones or antibitics on the Green Grass grown on the Hills of the Huguenot Farm@Bondet Hill. I think it speaks to the quality of our beef. The "LOOK" will become familiar here in Holland once we move a few head out here to Graze.
Northeast Concept/Huguenot Farm@Mashapaug. Formerlly known as Blodgett Farm. circa 1730 Founded by Joseph Blodgett.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holland,_Massachusetts
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