Is sourcing your meat from a local farm that ethically raises animals important to you?  Are you overwhelmed by the options and not sure what will work best for you?  Let me help you sort this out!  
First, answer these questions:
1. How much meat does my household prepare on a daily/weekly/monthly basis? 

Every household has unique habits and needs!  Determining both how many meals per week typically include meat, and how much meat at each meal, will give you a rough idea how long a bulk purchase might last you.   Are you cooking for 1 or 2, or 6 or 8?  And are those teenagers (aka bottomless pits) or seniors with smaller appetites?  Does one pound of ground beef make one meal plus leftovers for a second, or will you need two pounds to get everyone fed tonight?

2. How much freezer space can I dedicate to meat storage?

The freezer of a typical fridge/freezer can easily hold any of our CSA shares, or one of our 20lb bundles, in addition to a “normal” variety of other frozen items.  If you’d like to try ordering a ¼, ½ or whole animal, more freezer space is necessary.  Chest/upright freezers can be a great investment, especially if you also want to store fresh fruits or produce harvested in season.  You can often find them used on Craigslist or Marketplace, though I’m wary of any that are more than 10 years old (likely limited lifespan and less energy efficient).  Try to choose a size freezer that you will fill at least once a year – freezers are most efficient when they are full! 

Another option is to rent freezer space as needed.  The Ithaca Meat Locker (http://ccetompkins.org/agriculture/buy-local/local-meats/the-meat-locker) offers lockable bins for $3-5/month.  Our local grocery store also offers the same service – check into what might be available in your community!  

3. How fussy is my household about the cuts of meat we cook with?  

Do you only like to cook with your tried & true favorite cuts, or are you open to trying new things?  Both our CSA shares and 20 lb bundles include an element of surprise – you do not have complete control over the items you receive.  Both DO include staples including ground beef, bacon, and sausage, but the balance of the order will vary.  They’re a great opportunity to experiment, perhaps learn a new technique for a new recipe, and push outside your comfort zone on occasion!  You can also plan your meals around the meat cuts you receive, rather than having to plan everything from a blank slate.

In contrast, each ¼, ½ or whole animal purchase is cut specifically for your order, so you can choose exactly the items you receive.  However, you receive the cuts in proportion to how many are in one animal.  There’s only so much bacon & so many steaks in each animal.  Your order will also include parts like the shoulder and rump.  There’s flexibility in how these parts are processed – they can be cut as roasts, less common steaks, or ground for more sausage/ground beef.  You need to be willing to cook with all of the cuts (in some form) or you’ll soon find you’ve used all of the bacon and still have 7/8 of a pig in your freezer!

4. Can my budget handle larger, infrequent outlays for stock-ups, or do I need to purchase on a weekly/monthly basis?

Ordering a ¼, ½ or whole animal is a one-time purchase that will range from $325 to $2400, but because you’re buying a large volume it’s the most cost effective way to purchase our meats.  We offer these options every 2-3 months, so you can plan your purchase in advance, perhaps to coincide with a time that you have more cash available (like your tax return!) .  We also gladly accept EBT or credit cards.  

Teaming up with a friend, neighbor, or family member is another great option for capturing bulk pricing while making the cash outlay and freezer space requirement smaller.

Our CSA shares are a 6 month commitment, which can be paid up front or in monthly installments, making it easier to budget evenly.  Our freezer bundles are a one-time purchase with no ongoing commitment, and can be ordered anytime!

Just how much is a ½ pig or ¼ beef? 
A ½ pig is roughly 60 lb of meat for your freezer, and might look like 6 lb bacon, 15 lb ham/ham steaks, 10 lb shoulder roasts/steaks, 15 lb chops/loin roasts, 8 lb sausage, 3 lb ribs, 1 lb hocks, 2 lb heart/liver (or more cuts can be ground for more sausage).   You’ll need 3-4 cubic feet of freezer space for a 1/2 pig.  Double these numbers for a whole pig.

Our beef vary more in size from animal to animal but 150lb is a typical hanging weight for a ¼ for our farm.  This might be 35 lb ground beef and/or patties, 10 lb chuck roasts/steaks, 5 lb stew beef, 5 lb soup bones, 4 lb brisket, 10 lb premium steaks, 5 lb sirloin, 10 lb round/rump roasts/steaks, 4 lb short ribs, 4 lb organs. (This is just an example – you choose how it’s cut!)  You’ll need about 5 cubic feet of freezer space for a ¼. Double for a ½, double again for a whole beef!

To summarize: if you have freezer space and the ability to make larger, less frequent purchases, stocking up with a ¼, ½ or whole animal is the most cost effective way to purchase local meat.  You can place a reservation for pork or beef today! If your freezer space is limiting, our monthly CSA shares divy that purchase up into smaller deliveries.  Or, if you’d prefer to not make a monthly commitment, you can order a 20lb bundle whenever it’s convenient, or you can pick and choose by the cut from our current inventory!  Hopefully these questions have helped you think about your households’ eating & buying habits and will help you to make the meat purchases that suit you best!

I have a confession – we could care less about football in this house.  It would have been cool to see Buffalo make it all the way, just because they’re in our backyard and have been SO FAR from it for so long, but otherwise….The first Sunday of February is just another day.  

But football game or not, classic comfort food to warm up from winter weather IS key to survival in this house.  Mac n cheese, meatloaf, and chili all make appearances.  We make them in large quantities and then feast on the leftovers or toss some in the freezer for quick meals on busy nights.  This favorite recipe for Beef Roll Mozzarella adds an Italian twist on a classic meatloaf.  Let us know what you think!
(You can stock up on our ground beef at a great price here!)
Beef Roll Mozzarella
1 ½ lb ground beef
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 egg, beaten
½ C dry bread crumbs
4 oz chopped mushrooms
Liquid from canned mushrooms or ½ C water
½ green pepper, chopped
1 ½ C shredded mozzarella
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
 
Combine beef with next 5 ingredients.  Add enough water to mushroom liquid to make ½ C.  Add to meat mixture with mushrooms and peppers, mix well.  Line 9x13 pan with wax paper.  Press meat mixture out flat on top of paper in pan.  Sprinkle cheese on meat, leaving one border free of cheese.  Roll meat with cheese as you would for a jelly roll, removing paper as you roll.  Place seam side down in same pan.  Spread ½ of tomato sauce over the roll.  Cover with foil & bake at 375 for 35 min.  Remove foil, spread on remaining sauce, bake 15 minutes more.  

What the Heck is a Hock?
If you’ve ever studied our product list and wondered “what exactly is a hock?”, this post is for you!  One of the benefits of sourcing food directly from the farmer is that we offer access to nearly every part of the animal, including things you might not find in most stores. 

Hocks are the joint on the rear leg of the pig. Sometimes called ham hocks or pork knuckles, they’re adjacent to the shank and then the ham (the rear end of the pig).  

Hocks have a good amount of meat attached to bone, so perfect for slow cooking to release the collagen.  Because the hock is a joint, there’s a lot of connective tissue, which needs to be cooked low & slow to tenderize.  The moist, tender meat is covered in a tasty layer of fat & skin.  We generally offer them smoked, which brings a delicious flavor to your table.  Hocks star in traditional dishes of many different cultures, but here are two basic recipes to get you started.  What's your favorite way to prepare hocks?
Hocks & Beans
1 lb dry beans of your choice (pinto, navy, etc).
1 large smoked ham hock (or 2 small)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 diced red chili peppers (optional)
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

1. Place beans in a bowl with enough water to cover, and soak overnight.
2. Drain beans, rinse, and remove any debris.
3. Put beans in a stockpot (or slow cooker) with 12 cups of water.  Add rest of ingredients.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low & allow to simmer for 90 minutes.  (If using crockpot, cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5-6+ hours.  Stir occasionally.  Meat will fall from the bone.
5. If a thicker broth is desired, continue to simmer up to 6 hours.
6. Serve with or without broth.
7. Variation: Sear the hock in oil in skillet until browned on all sides, prior to adding to beans.

Creamy Potato & Ham Hock Soup
10 C chopped potatoes
2 lb smoked ham hocks
2 C chopped yellow onion
1 C chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
5 C water or broth
1 C heavy cream

1. Place potatoes, hocks, onion, celery, garlic, salt, pepper and water in a stock pot or slow cooker. Cover, bring to a boil then simmer until potatoes are tender (cook on high in slow cooker for 4 hours).  Remove hocks and place on a plate to cool.
2. Puree soup in pot with immersion blender until creamy but chunks of potato remain.  Add cream & stir.  Remove meat from hocks, chop, and stir into soup.   (If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can pour the soup into a blender in batches).  

​Healthy eating around the holidays is always a challenge.  Whether we are “eating to live” (consuming nutrient dense foods only necessary to maintain our bodies) or “living to eat” (making food a more central focus of our daily lives) has been in my thoughts this week.  My opinion: Everything is okay in moderation.   Indulgence is okay, in moderation.  Is filling up on empty calories of junk food worth the health consequences? No!  But there are too many foods that are absolutely delicious, that are treasured family traditions, that sharing them with loved ones makes memories and life worthwhile.  Whatever those foods are for your family, embrace them and indulge! 

Here are 4 of our family’s fast & favorite dip recipes – the perfect accompaniment to family game night or watching the ball drop on New Year’s Eve!
Tomato Dip
8oz Morning Glory Original
1 quart canned tomatoes
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
Allow cheese to come to room temperature.  Heat tomatoes to a simmer in saucepan or microwave.  Drain most of juice from tomatoes.  Place tomatoes, cheese & pepper in blender and pulse until smooth, scraping sides with a spatula as needed.  Refrigerate until serving.  Best with fresh veggies or potato chips.
​
Bacon & Swiss Dip
8oz Morning Glory Original
½ C mayonnaise
4oz Butternut Baby Swiss, grated/cubed
2 tbsp chopped onion
8 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled
Reserve a handful of bacon crumbles, then mix all other ingredients.  Place in a small greased loaf pan.  Top with remaining bacon.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until browned on top.  Serve hot/warm.  Best with bagel chips or crackers. 

Cheesy Crab (or Chicken) Dip
¼ C butter, softened
4 oz Morning Glory Original, softened
1 C shredded Goblin cheese (or NY cheddar)
1 C sour cream
½ Tbsp minced dry onion
8 oz crab meat or cooked chicken, shredded
Mix all ingredients in bowl, spread in casserole dish.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.  Serve warm with tortilla chips, crackers, bread bowl, etc. Yield: 4 C
 
Glorious Fruit Dip
8oz Morning Glory Original
¾ C packed brown sugar
1 C sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp lemon juice
1 C cold milk
1 small pkg instant vanilla pudding
Beat together cheese & sugar til creamy.  Add rest of ingredients & mix until smooth. Cover & chill.  Serve with fresh fruit!

This week was Charlie’s birthday.  Birthdays, when you farm, are like most every other anniversary, holiday or special occasion – not much different than any other day.  He spent an enjoyable day (his words!) making a big dent in our manure spreading project. 
Lyle & my mission was to make Dad his favorite treat – rhubarb pie.  We also needed to load a semi-trailer with hay that we’d sold. 

The truck appeared just as the pie was ready to go into the oven – perfect timing. You can load a tractor trailer with 44 round bales in less than 50 minutes, right?

Turns out you can, but when the phone alarm went off I didn’t rush inside. Our oven always seems to cook a bit slower than the recipe requires, so I figured a few extra minutes would be a safe bet. 

Got the load strapped & headed out the driveway, then went in with Lyle to check the pie.  Of course the oven picked today to work super efficiently & the pie was definitely overdone.  Not totally ruined, but the crust edges were on the verge of black. 

Charlie was a good sport & pronounced it “not that bad”.  Lesson learned…pay attention to the alarm! 

Pie crust is a big deal in both Charlie & my families…today I’m sharing my mom’s recipe.  You can fill it with rhubarb if you have it in the freezer – or since we’re at the peak of apple season, go for Maple Apple! 

If you ever want feedback on your pie, our household will gladly sample!

Happy baking!
Sarah, Charlie, Lyle & Hannah

DONNA'S PIE CRUST
5 C flour
2 1/2 C shortening
1 Tbsp salt
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 egg, beaten plus enough ice water to total 3/4 C
Mix dry ingredients.  Cut in shortening with pastry blender.  Moisten with egg & water.  Mixture will be sticky so use lots of flour to roll out dough.  Makes approximately six 9" pieces.  Roll out on plastic sheet or between 2 pieces of waxed paper.  
MAPLE APPLE PIE
~5 C apple slices
1/2 C sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Dash salt
Dash nutmeg
3/4 C Morning Glory Maple cheese
Pastry for double 9" pie crust
Bring cheese to room temperature. Line 9" pie pan with bottom crust. Combine dry ingredients & sprinkle 2 Tbsp over bottom of crust.  Add rest of mixture to apples & cheese, stir.  Turn into crust & cover with lattice top (cut top pastry into 1" strips and weave into lattice).  Bake at 425 for 15 min, then reduce temp to 325 and bake 45 min longer or until nicely browned.  

SWEDISH MEATBALLS     Servings: 4-6
3 lb ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 C seasoned dry bread crumbs
½ c fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley (or 1 Tbsp dried parsley)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
GRAVY: 4 Tbsp flour
2  ½ C beef consommé or broth
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 C milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
12 oz medium egg noodles, cooked
¼ C butter
3Tbsp fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley (or1/2 Tbsp dried parsley)

1. Thoroughly mix together ground beef, onion, eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt & pepper. Form into ¾ -1” meatballs.
2. Heat large non-stick frying pan over med-high heat (a Dutch oven or electric frying pan can also work well). Brown meatballs on all sides, in batches if needed.  Use slotted spoon to remove meatballs to plate, leaving drippings in pan.
3. Sprinkle flour over drippings and whisk until combined.   Cook for 3-4 minutes or just until flour turns light golden brown.
4. Slowly whisk in consommé/broth and Worcestershire.  Add milk, salt and pepper while whisking constantly to prevent lumps.  Cook for 5- 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, or just until gravy starts to thicken.  Add meatballs & juices back to pan; gently toss to coat meatballs.  Lower heat to medium and simmer uncovered  for 10-15 minutes or just until meatballs are cooked through.
5. Toss hot cooked egg noodles with butter to coat.  Divide noodles among plates and top with meatballs & gravy.  Sprinkle with parsley.

 
BEEF & POTATO MOUSSAKA    Servings: 6-8
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
¾ C water
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1 tsp salt
½ tsp dried mint (optional)
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp pepper
Parmesan sauce:
¼ C butter
¼ C flour
2 C milk
4 eggs, beaten
½ C Parmesan cheese, grated
½ tsp salt
5 medium potatoes, peeled & sliced

1. Cook beef, onion, and garlic until the beef is no longer pink; drain.  Stir in water, tomato paste, parsley, salt, mint, cinnamon, pepper.  Set aside.
2. For sauce, melt butter in saucepan over medium heat .  Stir in flour til smooth, gradually add milk.  Bring to boil; cook & stir 2 minutes or until thickened.  Remove from heat.
3. Stir small amount of hot mixture into eggs.  Return all to saucepan, stirring constantly.  Stir in Parmesan & salt. 
4. Place ½ of potato slices in a greased, shallow 3-   qt baking dish.  Top with ½ of the Parmesan sauce & all of the meat mixture.  Arrange rest of potatoes over meat, top with rest of sauce.
5. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.  Let stand 10 minutes.

 
 
GROUND BEEF & CAULIFLOWER HASH      Servings: 4
2 ½ + C frozen cauliflower (defrosted & drained) OR fresh cauliflower OR summer squash, chopped
½ C bell pepper, chopped
¼ C onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef or sausage
2 C shredded cheese (Goblin, sharp cheddar, mozzarella – or a mixture)
¾ tsp garlic powder
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

1. In a large skillet, cook pepper & onion in oil or butter over medium-high heat. Cook until onions are translucent and peppers are tender, 3-4 minutes. 
2. Add ground beef or sausage; cook until no longer pink. 
3. Add cauliflower, garlic, salt, pepper; cook until tender.  (If using fresh vegetables, add ¼ C water and cover pan to steam).
4. Top with cheese; turn heat to low, cover pan and allow cheese to melt.