Mark Your Calendar! on October 30th, 2011

What better way to start a week off right than to join a group of like minded folks for a movie and good food. On Monday, November 7th we will be co-hosting a showing of “Fresh” the Movie at La Scala in Lafayette. La Scala is a restaurant that enjoys supporting local farms. Paco and Kirsten Serrano came to me with the idea at a wonderful time. I had just scheduled a visit with Diana Endicott who was featured in the movie mentioned.  I am very excited to announce that Diana Endicott of Good Natured Family Farms in Kansas City will be visiting during that time period and will be present during the viewing.  Diana has been instrumental in developing a successful local food system in Kansas City over the last 10 + years. She is a wonderful woman. We are blessed to have her as a mentor and are excited about her visit to Indiana. Please come out and show her a warm welcome. Nothing could be more fun than dining with old and new friends alike as we watch a movie that sheds light on our food choices.

When:  Monday November 7th

Time:  6 pm

Where: La Scala in Lafayette, IN

Special Guest:  Diana Endicott of Good Natured Family Farms, Kansas City

Sponsored by:  La Scala Restaurant and This Old Farm, Inc

Now Hiring! Still Growing Strong! on October 2nd, 2011

Build it and they will come. Field of Dreams was a movie that left a long term phrase behind. One that encouraged us to rebuild. Now each time someone walks in the door, we are thrilled to know they do care about what they eat! People do want good food. On Saturday I talked to a very excited middle aged man. He sat down in a chair in the office and bought 1/2 grass-fed beef as he picked up 1/2 locally raised hog. He told me that just a year ago he would not have been able to sit in that chair. He told me that just a year ago he would have been huffing and puffing after walking from the parking lot inside. He was excited to share his story of going from 400 lbs down to………….. ok he didn’t share his weight but he looked terrific. He bragged on his wife and told how she gave him a new lease on life by just motivating him to eat wonderfully yummy home cooked foods. All he did to loss a great amount of weight was get rid of the processed foods. Wow, that was a testimony to me. I know this has nothing to do with the title, or does it? America is waking up. You want good food. We need more people to help process good food so we continue to hire. Here is what we are looking for……………

Part time house keeping/wrapper. This positions hours are from 3 to 6 pm daily. All day Thursday and some Saturdays. A student could take on the cleaning portion and we could fill the Thursday work separately. Housekeeping in a meat processing facility is so important. Our current staff has been doing it but they are often tired after a long days work processing. It is time to hire.

Part time experienced Venison Processor. The past few years we have done venison processing with our normal staff but we are just too busy with livestock to take it on without additional help. Maybe you just need extra hours to prepare for the Christmas season. This would be perfect if you know how to process venison.

Please send a short resume to jessica@thisoldfarminc.com We look forward to talking with you about being part of a team that makes locally grown a reality. Good food raised and processed the way you desire!

It is a Dirty Job, but It is What Sets Us Apart. Welcome Jacob Brown! on October 2nd, 2011

Jacob Brown came to us not long ago searching for work. My brother had recommended him after getting to know Jacob through their worship team at church. Jacob was very familiar with our processing facility as his Grandpa had brought beef in for years. His family was also some of the many families that lost hard earned work when we had our fire as their beef had been dry aging in the cooler at the time the fire broke out. As we sat down to explain to Jacob what we were looking for, new light was shone on the particular job we were hiring for. You see we were hiring for help on the slaughter floor, hoping that some day Jacob could be trained to manage the floor. As I explained to him the importance I thought of all those that work to give us choice.

Most American’s like to keep their knowledge of food’s history low. They like to imagine that the chicken really does come from a grocery store. They like to eat as many boneless items to forget the past of the protein that is nourishing their bodies. I spent a short time of my adult life as a new mother and wife too grossed out to cook a whole chicken because it looked too much like a chicken. Hmmm….. I think that is what I was trying to feed my family, chicken. But I preferred at that time to take chicken nuggets out of a bag and microwave them because it kept me separated from the chicken that it was. Then it was just protein. This is even the case in many butcher shops today. There is disconnect. The butcher shops have even gone to getting in boxes of meats from federally inspected large slaughter plants, cutting down or repackaging the meats and calling them different than what can be found in the large grocery stores. There is disconnect. When we want good meat, we have to know its history. We can’t begin to know that history unless it has been locally grown and processed in house. This all begins on the slaugther floor. The key to what makes us different lies on the slaughter floor. Small scale, humane handling, and 100% traceability set us apart and it all starts with the job Jacob Brown was applying for.

Now back to Jacob. I was able to explain to him just how important his job would be. No, it is not glamorous but it is the key to good local food raised and processed the way you desire. Jacob, like other men that work for us, was willing to dedicate his work to doing a good job to offer us choice. We are pleased that he joined us. He has become an excellent part of the team. The next time you drop off livestock, say hello to Jacob. The next time you eat some retail meat, think about the connection between farm and plate. It has to be processed and we work to offer you the best processing service we can.

Fall is the Perfect Time to Fill Your Freezer! on October 2nd, 2011

The leaves are turning already. The fields are being harvested. Travel in the country is just a little slower as you wait for the big machinery to pass. The temperatures are dropping, in fact this morning there was a solid frost at our place. Wow, it happens fast. All of these signs of changing weather make me think of one thing, good home cooked food. Nothing can be more convenient than having a freezer full of meat. It makes life so much simpler. No need to worry about frequent trips to the store. The quality is like nothing you can get there anyway. Here at This Old Farm we offer choice. Let us help fill your freezer with what works best for your family. Whether that is 100% grass-fed beef, local traditional beef, pastured pork, local traditional pork, grass-fed lamb, or pastured poultry we can get it in your freezer now. Give us a call. We will take a $50 deposit, go over cutting instructions after choosing what type of meat works best for you. A quarter of a beef starts at $600. A half hog starts at $250. A dozen pastured chickens can be had for just $120. A small investment in your journey to eat locally grown, healthful foods. Don’t forget………..Meat also makes the perfect gift to those you love. Call (765) 324-2161

Welcome Julia! Julia Welcomes You to This Old Farm. on September 11th, 2011

I first met Julia, when her and her husband Rich came out to the farm looking for information about our alliance of growers.  Rich and Julia live outside of Darlington on a homestead and have chickens and pigs of their own.  Julia often tells of her afternoons filled with putting up produce or fruit, all locally grown of course.  We are blessed to have employees that believe in what we do making it more than just a job.  Julia came to us at the beginning of summer to help with the Eli Lilly Corporate Health and Wellness Initiative.  We have since extended her position to help with invoicing and customer service.  She is a true joy to be around.  Please welcome Julia to the This Old Farm team.  She is making it easier to find locally grown, natural foods.  Call her today at (765) 324-2161 to say hello and welcome her.