Silence from the herdsman can really only mean a frenetic pace from sun up to sun down on the farm. It is with apologies for a long break in correspondence but also a great heave of relief that we have successfully transitioned into summer grazing season that I greet you: the dear shareholder.
Very first, I want to send my sincere thanks out to the many of you who took time out of your busy lives to come to one of two shareholders meetings held in Red Deer and Calgary at the start of May. At the meetings we went over a bit of Prairie Gold’s history, our farm practices, our land tenureship arrangement, the processing of the meat, and we looked into the financials of the farm business. The meetings were held in order to further the transparency that an integrity based food system demands. My hope is to continue to build trust on the producer/eater relationship as well as help to show where your food dollars actually go. Can you say where your money goes once it leaves your hand at the grocer’s?
This e-mail comes much later than usual. In the past we have begun selling this year’s beef shares in March. While this is partly true for 2015, last year’s shareholders have already had “first dibs”, we have not begun issuing shares beyond the inner circle. Now is your chance (if you wish) to take part in this one of a kind herd share program. If you are interested in accessing beef that has been grown beyond its second birthday, fed strictly a grass-based diet, fattened on rapidly growing high-sugar grasses and legumes, slaughtered in a way that dignifies the life of the animal, dry-aged, and carefully butchered then I would encourage you to become a shareholder. We are already nearly 60% pre-sold and the remaining beef shares will go quickly.
It has been very busy on the farm – an update: all creatures are on green grass, enacting this year’s pastoral play. Our calf crop is on the ground and healthy. We are at the tail end of our lambing season. The pigs ended their hivernal stay in Steel Pony’s garden plot, spent a few weeks rooting through the residual feed from the cattle and have since returned to the woods for the summer. The chickens have been eating green grass since April and the flock has grown to our legal limit of 300 laying hens. (WE ALSO NEED A GOOD RAIN).
(Precipitation aside), Ang and I are very much excited about the season at hand. As our farming operation has grown, more is demanded of me in the field and I am able to give less in the office. Meanwhile on mat-leave, Ang has rebuilt our website (www.prairiegoldmeats.ca) and will be handling much of the behind the scenes clerical work. Your replies to this e-mail for example, will be sent toadmin@prairiegoldmeats.ca where your rapport with Ang will commence (unless of course, you are an existing egg customer in which case you are already well acquainted). Additionally you will be able to reserve your beef share on our website, sparing this herdsman’s notorious leaky inbox.
As past shareholders we thank you for asking serious questions about grocery store fodder and the industrial food complex. We thank you for joining Prairie Gold Pastured Meats and future shareholders in an equitable food future. We look forward to hosting you at the farm for a personal tour and especially for our Tamara Ranch Fall Field day again this year with the date to be announced.
Have a great start to your summer! Your herdsman,
Blake