Farm News: Winter 2023
Note: This News Update was written in January 2023 for the paper newsletter which Dan Allgyer prints for a select group of Prairie Foods local customers. It has been adapted for online readership.
“While the earth remaineth seedtime and harvest and cold and heat and summer and winter and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 9:22.
We are once again reminded of this beautiful promise God made after Noah came out of the ark, as the seasons have once again changed, winter is upon us, and a new year has come. What a wonderful promise. Thank you Lord. No matter what man may try to do to this world, we have this promise that God will provide seedtime and harvest. We would like to take a moment and thank God for the abundant harvest we had last year. We are not worthy of praise for something God has so mercifully given us. Also a big thank you to everyone else. No matter how good our product is, if nobody would buy it, we could not grow it.
We are enjoying the slower pace which winter has brought. The cattle are all put up in the barn, and are being fed hay and haylage twice a day. We are also busy harvesting and processing fat cattle. Demand continues to be very strong. As the price for grain fed cattle and meat has risen significantly, we are seeing a lot of people turn to local grass-fed beef - and since our price has not changed much, we can price compete better than we used to be able to. Although our goal is not to have the best price, but to be profitable, we do have an unfair advantage. Prices for fuel, grain, seed, fertilizer, insecticides, equipment - and all the other inputs grain farmer are trapped into paying for - have gone through the roof over the past several years, forcing them to keep raising their prices. Since we use very little of any of these expensive inputs, our monetary inputs have not changed much. This really is the beauty of a regenerative grass-fed operation. We can be price makers, not price takers.
Online sales continue to rise as more people are finding us, telling their friends, and coming back to order again. We have added a farmer to our staff to fulfill all our dairy product needs. All dairy products will continue to be 100% A2/A2 grassfed.
Another change that will happen in March is that we are moving to Indiana County to pursue cheaper land, and more land availability. All the packing, shipping, storage, and production for Prairie Foods (except for the beef) will stay in Clinton County. Nothing will change in the ordering or shipping systems. We will be raising and processing beef in Indiana County, and bringing them here to Clinton County for storage and shipping. We will also still have cattle in Clinton County on 120 acres which we currently graze, and which our friend Leroy will manage for us.
The Michelle Pero event (October 2022) was a very interesting and informative event. Many thanks to all who attended. If you were not able to make it, be sure to listen to the recording. [Editor’s note: Dial (757) 841-1065 Access code 542578# Reference number 42#] Unfortunately, only the first topic came through clearly, but I'm sure you will find that topic informative.
Thanks and God bless,
Dan