Calving Season

Calving Season on the Farm

It's calving season on the farm, which means there are babies popping up everywhere! Along with making sure the calves are nursing well, we also make sure the mamas have the nutrients they need to pass on to their babies. Right now, they are receiving high quality grasses such as prairie hay, buffalo grass, and crab grass. We will move them to different pastures to meet the needs of their diet at any given time.

This week we brought some cattle in to be pregnancy tested. These cows have been in the pasture with a couple of bulls for a few months now. First, we pull the bulls out of the group. Then we test the cows for pregnancy. Once we get the results back, we will separate the ones who are pregnant from the ones who are not and prepare for the next calving season.

The process is pretty simple. We draw a small amount of blood from the base of the tail and send them on their way!

BF-Farms, LLC, Oklahoma's source for 100% grass-fed beef and lamb.

Customer Hall of Fame

Chatoya Franklin

We would like to introduce Chatoya Franklin to our "Customer Hall of Fame"! We have been so blessed by the overwhelming feedback from our customers on the taste of our grass-fed meat and how much the history of our farm means to them. We value every amount of feedback given. The thing is, we don't want to keep these wonderful comments to ourselves. We want to share them along with the faces they came from with everyone and thus, created the "Customer Hall of Fame".

Each month, we would like to feature one of our customers on the blog, on Facebook, or through our newsletter sharing about their BF Farms experience! This month, we have chosen Chatoya Franklin. Here is what she has to say:

Why have you decided to choose grass-fed meat for you and your family?

Due to health issues, I eliminated all grains from my diet about a year ago. The more research I did into my new diet and how much pesticides/hormones/antibiotics are used in mass production, I knew I had to switch to grass-fed meat to truly be grain free. I like knowing who raised my food and what it ate before it got to me.

What is your favorite meal to make with BF Farms' grass-fed lamb?

I love pan-seared lamb chops! I sear them in a cast iron skillet and then finish them off in the oven for a few minutes. But, I'm going to try braising one of the smaller roasts Moroccan style...I will let you know how it turns out!

What is your favorite thing about BF Farms?

Jayne!! :o) She is so helpful and passionate about what she does. Also very open with communicating when the meat will be ready. I also love that the farm is local and sells directly to the consumer to avoid any additional fees or markups. It's so nice to know that excellent service still exists!

BF-Farms, LLC, Oklahoma's source for 100% grass-fed beef and lamb.

Lamb: A Dining Delicacy

Lamb: A Dining Delicacy

Lamb is and always has been a dining delicacy for many cultures and has recently been making its way into mainstream American restaurants with great flare! We are now seeing lamb burgers, rack of lamb appetizers, pickled lamb tongues, lamb sausage and more! Not to mention, the rising awareness of the importance and health benefits of grass-fed meat.

Why? What's all the hype?

Food has become a hobby. The most unique, authentic, and well displayed foods tend to give "foodies" and those who love to navigate the cuisine of the area great conversation and something to brag about! Grass-fed lamb is becoming quite popular, and not only for dining out.

Thanks to the internet, Pinterest, and food bloggers everywhere, we have access to some of the most imaginative recipes from kitchens in homes all over the world. With a small search, anyone can find a new and exciting lamb recipe to experiment with.

I recently spoke with one of our most valued customers about her family's upbringing regarding lamb and she emphasized how valued and special it was when they were able to consume lamb at the dinner table. While others gathered around the typical turkey or ham, her family brought in lamb. "It was a delicacy! We were privileged to be able to have it."

Can you imagine that possibility for your family? What about hosting dinner parties or even barbecues? Is it time to do something different? Offering the highest quality grass-fed lamb is something we are very proud of here at BF Farms and we love that we can help bring it to your dinner table!

BF-Farms, LLC, Oklahoma's source for 100% grass-fed beef and lamb.

Grass-Fed Lamb Chops

Grass-Fed Lamb Chops with Beer Gravy

This recipe for grass-fed lamb chops with beer gravy comes from one of our very dear lamb customers, Keyton Williams. Thank you, Keyton, for passing on this mouth watering recipe! We love to hear how our grass-fed customers are cooking their meat and what their favorite recipes are. If you have a recipe to share, please let us know!

Ingredients:

• 2 Grass-Fed Lamb Chops
• Soy Sauce
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Sage
• 1 TBS Butter
• 1 Cup Dark Beer
• 1/4 Cup Beef Broth
• 1/2 TS Flour

Preparation:

Take two lamb chops and sprinkle with a very light amount of soy sauce to enhances meat flavor. Add pepper and braise them in a pan for the juices - About 5 minutes each side on medium heat.

Put the chops in the oven and let them bake for 20 minutes on 350 degrees. "I also love to put the chops in a pressure cooker and cook them that way, the meat LITERALLY falls off the bone and is SO tender delicious."

While the chops are in the oven, put 1 TBSP of butter in a small sauce pan and let it slightly brown for flavor. Add 1 cup of your favorite dark beer. "Any dark beer works, I personally love a good dark that has coffee notes in it, it really brings out the lamb flavor." Place it in the small sauce pan along with the drippings and 1/4 cup of beef broth to cut the beer and add flavor. Warm to medium heat.

Add about a 1/2 teaspoon of flour to thicken.

Add a pinch of sage, salt, and pepper to taste. Let it simmer until the chops are done, out of the oven, and plated. 

Pour the gravy over the chops and BAM, Lamb Chops doused in delicious Beer Gravy!

BF-Farms, LLC, Oklahoma's source for 100% grass-fed beef and lamb.

Winter on the Farm

A Grass-Fed Winter on BF Farms

We have received many questions lately about how we keep the animals fed and cared for during the winter on the farm. These are great questions. With all of the ice and sleet everywhere how do the animals get the "green" they need to maintain their "grass-fed" status?

In order to answer those questions we followed Kamie, our Ranch Manager, during one of her morning rounds. She told us that they plant rye and barley with turnips and radishes which are green in the winter and the sheep and cattle eat right through the ice to get to the nutrition they need. The ice doesn't phase them a bit. In fact, it provides some extra hydration while they eat. They also receive salt and mineral, along with water that has to be broken up every now and then from icing over.

Our cattle handle the cold very well. Nature has a way of protecting animals from cold. Cattle will naturally grow thicker and longer hair for winter. In fact, cattle are a good indicator when a cold winter is coming as their hair will become even heavier. Then in spring they shed that winter coat of hair. Our sheep on the other hand have access to shelter under one of our large barns. Sheep have the tendency to suffocate if covered in ice, and therefore need the option of covered shelter during these cold months.

Have no fear! At BF Farms we plan ahead so our animals get exactly what they need when they need it. It takes a lot of work behind the scenes to care for the animals properly and to maintain our "grass-fed" status, and we wouldn't have it any other way!

BF-Farms, LLC, Oklahoma's source for 100% grass-fed beef and lamb.