Local Abundance: Stand Fast Farm Forestville, New York

CLIMATE; THE CONVERSATION

MISSION STATEMENT

As conversations of weather occurrences and suggested anomalies become more frequent and mainstream in the scientific community, as well as at the grass-roots-level, the need to embrace and index substantive information into an authoritative conduit to encourage more research and development~~~IS IMPERATIVE.

Pertinent themes as Global Warming, Climate Change, and Melting Ice Caps has stimulated discussions, seeded forums, and spawned additional research, all to foster consensus, and recommend courses-of-action. 

The intent of CLIMATE; THE CONVERSATION, is to be The Bulletin Board, The Platform, The Podium,  and The Credible Source & Bibliography for such astute, sincere, and scholarly considerations. 

Sincerely;

Administrators:

Andrew M. Marconi

Lou Marconi (SuiteLou0819)

Local Abundance: Stand Fast Farm

Forestville, New York

Cattle caught Tim Grant's early on: his earliest memory in life is of his brother's horned Hereford steer standing in an apple orchard, ready for a local 4-H competition.

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Tim to learn about life on Stand Fast Farm, where more than 85 cattle graze and forage freely on open pasture, eating only natural grasses. We're proud to have carried his beef for more than three years and to provide local, sustainably-raised beef to our shoppers. 

""""" We started grazing today after three yearlings decided to graze the roadside.  Luckily I had set up a paddock last night so I returned the vigilantes to the herd and moved them all onto fresh grass. the sound of grass tearing is sweet music to a grazer's ears."""" 

""""It Just Makes Sense""""


Tim grew up in Fredonia, New York, on a grape farm. Farming didn't seem like a future for him, so he went to college to study biochemistry. One day he looked up from his lab bench out of a window to a sunny field; he knew that was where he had to be. So when he graduated, instead of continuing on as a biochemist, he did an internship in Idaho on a free range cattle ranch. Unlike factory farming, raising grass-fed, free range cattle not only produces better quality beef, but it puts less strain on both the animal and our environment. When Tim returned to western New York, he bought his first cattle and began building his own grass-fed, free range cattle ranch.

 Tim feels a very personal conviction about raising his cattle in what he considers a more sane, sensible way.  The grass-feed beef movement in the United States came to prominence through the advocacy of farmers like Joel Salatin, a leading voice for the use of holistic management methods for animal husbandry. In fact, Tim went with his father to Virginia to visit Salatin's farm to learn right from the expert about how grass-fed cattle raising is done.  

 TYING TRADITION TO SUSTAINABLE FARMING

 While following a commitment to new methods of sustainable farming, the traditions Tim inherits also remain valuable guides for him. For instance, the farm's name, "Stand Fast," derives from the Scottish Gaelic motto that coincides with his Scottish last name, Grant. He chose this because it represents the commitment he has made to showing that grass-fed cattle raising (along with other sustainable farming methods) can be a viable means of livelihood for farmers in western New York. A practicing Christian, Tim believes that raising cattle in a sustainable way is in sync with God's intentions. 

NO     EASY   WORK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It's certainly not easy, and it can take a lot longer than other methods, but I think it's worth it," Tim explained.

Caring for nearly a hundred cattle is very hard work. Luckily, Tim is surrounded by his family, who help with the important tasks that are fundamental to operating a viable agricultural business. Rachel, his wife, manages the farm's Facebook page, where you can get a great inside look into life on the farm. Tim's brother also helps with the arduous task of putting up hay, a key aspect of grass-fed cattle raising since it sustains the animals through the winter on the pasture-grown grasses.

"If I didn't have the support of Abundance and Lexington [Buffalo's NCGA co-op, visit their website here], I wouldn't be able to do this," Tim said to describe how much he valued the market opportunity that food co-ops can offer small, entrepreneurial farmers like him. We're certainly grateful to be able to sell his local, humanely raised, and quality beef.

Tim and Rachel have a little boy named Micah. 

StandFast Farm:  Exclusively Grass Fed Beef Local(Forestville --- just 40 miles to the Co-Op!!), Grass-Fed Beef that is Antibiotic and Hormone  Free!!

Tim & Rachel Grant raise their cattle on grass only. 

"By exclusively grass fed----we mean thatr our cattle only consumes grass or their mother's milk. We don't finish on grain or ever use grain at any point on our farm. the omega 3 levels in the meat begin to deteriorate the day cattle are removed from the grass.  This is because grass is high in omega 3 fatty acids and the grain is not. It seems pointless to lose all the health benefits that omega 3's provide.  They are important for brain and heart health.  Docosahexanoic acid is an omega 3 fatty acid that has been shown to help brain function especially for infants and the elderly.  It makes sense to me that when cattle consume a healthy diet, they are healthier and pass that on to us when they become dinner"

Cooking grass fed beef is not as hard as people might think.  The key is to not cook out the juices.  Because grass fed beef tends to be leaner, the juice needs to be retained for the beef to be tender and flavorful.  Don't squeeze out the juice in hamburgers or steaks.  Just cut into the meat a little to see if the the inside is cooked. to your satisfaction.  It also helps if you can handle meat that is medium-rare to medium done.  We cook a lot on the grill with medium heat.  I have also seared steaks on high heat and then cooked on a lower heat.  

Grass fed roasts are the best in a crock-pot, but then again so are corn fed roasts.   I can't over emphasize the need to protect the juice in grass fed beef.  It contains most of the flavor and makes the meat SO MUCH MORE TENDER."

Tim Grant

"""":"PS:   Thanks, Lexington Co-op---for the hard work you do to support us---and other local farmers"""""

 Another example of how a singular initiative, once effected and given the time and place to demonstrate its cause-and-effect intentions in a positive way, can influence implementation on a larger scale. Its impact on the economy, pollution, and the focus on Climate; The Conversation---makes this worthy of continued enthusiasm and consideration

Lou Marconi (SuiteLou0819)



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