A New Year, Farmer’s Dinners, and Omega-3’s

As I write this the snow squalls are howling and I realize that winter has indeed settled in and has decided to call this place home. Well, that is just fine. On my farm I really enjoy the frozen ground and a fresh blanket of snow. As for the animals, they are far more healthy with the sanitary conditions that winter creates. I am sure they are dreaming about greener pastures, but at least they have good quality hay before them.
We have been truly thankful for this past year and have leared a lot. I feel that I can relate to Forrest Pritchard’s comments in his book, Gaining Ground pg.313, “We rarely got it right the first time, We often didnt get it right the second or third time, either. But we didn’t stop trying…”. 2014 has had it’s success’ and here are a few of them:

Our First “Farmer’s Dinner” was held at the Four Season’s Cafe Boulud with Chef Tyler Shedden. I was privileged to have a sold out crowd to appreciate my offerings, along with sharing my table with Bonnie Stern, Jonathan Gushue, Mark Schatzker, Richard Bazinet and Norm Hardie.
Tyler Shedden is a chef of such amazing talent and quality.

A few weeks later, we attended another Farmers Dinner closer to home at The Culinary Studio in Kitchener, where we supplied the pork for a roast. Again, tonight we are invited to another “Farmer’s Dinner” where we are supplying three types of meat. We are really excited to taste the artwork from this studio!

In short, here are things that went very well and we hope to do more of in 2015:
Grow more duck! With predators not a real threat, duck are a real treat to raise. They have amazing temperament, good feed conversion, and after a season of foraging – they have proved to be an excellent flavoured bird. Turkeys also fall into this category. Such wonderful birds to grow.
Expect even better beef! In 2013 I really paid attention to what genetics that I was selecting for my herd of Angus cattle. In 2015, I see the results and notice a positive difference. Grass fed type genetics are a smaller framed, easier keeping animal that put on more gain than larger animals. Simply, we want our cows to eat grass and be completely comfortable in doing so.
Bring the Bacon! Everything has improved in 2014, but I would have to say that the pork has really stood out in the area of flavour. It’s very exciting to hear the comments, especially on the pork chops and bacon.

We wish you an amazing New Year from Blackview! We hope you stay healthy and make time for your family and with what’s most important. This is coming from a farm where we focus on using just grass for raising our animals, and using NON-GMO grains where we have to (pigs, poultry -never beef).
Our friend at the University of Toronto says this about our beef regarding the omega-6 (linoleic acid, found in corn, grain etc …) to the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (found in grass, canola, flax etc …) , “Your samples are a remarkable 3.4:1 (feedlot beef is 20:1). This is top notch! Nutritional guidelines vary a bit, but the most common recommendations is 5:1 – you exceed that.” (Richard Bazinet).

Now with that, I will go tend to my beef soup bone broth that is brewing and enjoy that tight omega ratio goodness!