Beef / Lamb

We raise and finish our herbivores on native pasture.  The soil is a living organism and, if one pays close enough attention, it will "speak" to them; therefore, we pay attention to the native weeds and grasses that grow on our land and strive to cultivate the symbiotic relationship among the flora and fauna on our pastures.  When that balance is maintained, everyone is happier.  We never treat our pastures with herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers; instead, we rely on putting organic matter (via manure and dry matter) back into the soil to get the most out of it. We thank the land for what it provides and refrain from "fighting" it to force it to give what we desire.  
 

We grow meat crops because we are meat eaters and want control/knowledge of how our meat is raised and cared for before we consume it.  We acknowledge that each animal is a breathing, sentient being and raise all those in our charge with the best husbandry standards available to us.  Because of our farming experiences, we now have a much higher appreciation for animals and gratitude for the sacrifices made by them to meet our sustainability needs.  In that, we strive to utilize as much of the animal as we can and waste very little—after all, the animal gave its whole self to us so, to turn down any part of it or only keep what "we want" would be an extremely offensive gesture in reply to such a generous sacrifice.  We also strive to stretch the yield of our meat into as many meals as we can in order to reduce the quantity of animals we process.  Processing day is never a happy day but, it is necessary so we face that day with prayers of thanksgiving and gratitude.

We share these views in hopes that our buyers will adopt the same views and principles when choosing our farm for their own sustainability needs.  When you purchase animals from us please remember that these animals were first our babies and we went through the pleasant and harsh times with them all the way through.  We only sell to individuals or farm to table restaurants; we never sell to feed lots.  And, we do not give second thought to refuse sales to non-appreciative, wasteful buyers.

Needless to say, we specialize in the sale of whole animals and encourage our buyers to obtain and use whole (or 1/2 if a whole is too large for their needs) animals and to make their purchases during our harvest months and in quantities that will last them until our next planned harvest dates (listed on our e-mail notifications and on our harvest schedule) as opposed to requesting meat by the cut only during times when it is convenient for them.  That being said, we do understand that some are not yet ready to make such a commitment or have yet to reach that mindset.  Or, maybe they want to sample or taste our meats before purchasing a whole or 1/2 animal.  And, that is okay too.  In that case, we do have USDA packaged meat for sale by the cut however, it is more costly (both for us and the buyer) since providing meat in this way requires storage and handling which increases our labor.
      Visit www.greenfamilyfarm.locallygrown.net, for sample packs avail. for purchase.  

BEEF

We raise zebu cattle for their hardiness, adaptability for our hot, dry Texas climate, and their smaller size which minimizes stress on the pasture, farm fences, and husbandry requirements all the way to the farm to table consumer who will not have to be overwhelmed with large quantities of beef after purchasing a whole or 1/2 animal.  A Zebu will finish out at an average of 250-350 lbs live weight and one can expect about a 60% yield after the animal is processed for consumption which is not an overwhelming quantity of meat to store in a personal home freezer (it is about the same as one pig).  

Zebu are not raised by your typical cattle rancher.  However, the genes of this breed are typically crossed (especially in Texas and other hot climates) with breeds that are more well known.  One may be more familiar with Zebu in these classifications:  Brahma or Brahman, Gir or Gyr and Guzerat, to name a few (so, one might of already had Zebu meat, at least in part, unbeknownst to them).  Zebu is the main classification of all hump backed cattle.  Our zebu descended from the Indian Nadudana zebu and have been domesticated for thousands of years.  They were not bred to conform to a specific standard and, therefore, are still in their original form.  Because of this, they are not massive in size.  They are typically no more than 42" tall and the largest weigh no more than 500-600lbs.  For that reason, they are classified as "miniature" however, this title was placed to distinguish them from the larger classes of zebu cattle (mentioned above), and does not mean to say they were bred to be "miniature" nor do they contain a drawf gene. 

Many cattle ranchers "cautioned" us not to raise these cattle stating we would be "unhappy" with the results.  On the contrary, outside of the U.S., Zebu meat is considered prime.  Zebu possess, naturally, the very traits that are desired in beef: a more ox-like, endurance animal that genetically is more marbled than other cattle breeds and has a lower-caloric, long-feed program that results in a finished animal in 30-36 months - almost double the time so, in other words: "slow cooked" which results in better flavor.  There is a saying among the spanish: "sin Cebu, no hay carne", which means without Zebu, there is no meat/beef.  

And, we are very happy with them.  Zebu are easy keepers which means less stress on the animal and environment and they can make use of the poorest, driest pastures without heat stress since hump backed cattle (known scientifically as the Bos Indicus) have well developed sweat glands that aid in keeping them cool.  Because of this, raising zebu, coincides with our philosophy to eat food that is sustainable rather than jump through hoops to force production of a breed based on our own desire.  

When we started this farm, we were told we could not do many of the things we do today (like use dogs to protect chickens and milk sheep) but, we went forward and now, those choices have proven to be the success of our farm.  We are breaking the rules of the typical cattle rancher and will stick by our choice to do so.  

Steer Project

   
I will leave the topic of Zebu beef here as there are many other resources and avenues for one to explore the topic further, if they desire.  I also list a link to the Bottelberghe steer project that show their findings after harvesting and testing Zebu beef from their Zebu ranch.  

For those interested in purchasing a whole or 1/2 steer please contact us or visit our market page at https://greenfamilyfarm.locallygrown.net.  As stated above, Zebu are slow growers and, therefore, we have a limited number of animals available for processing and can have as long as a two year wait list in between harvest dates.    

LAMB

We raise sheep for the production of milk.  The bi-product of that goal is lamb for meat.

After reviewing a selection of hair breeds, we chose to raise the Katahdin since their docile nature made them best suited to our milking program.  They have a high parasite resistance which minimizes the added challenges when utilizing an animal for a dual purpose - in this case, milk and meat.  We use a hair sheep for milking even though that is not their intended purpose (hair sheep are meat producers; wool breeds are milk producers) because, sans wool, they do not need shearing and are better suited for our Texas climate.  The milk yield of a Katahdin is 50-75% less than most wool breeds but, it is just as rich, nutritious and ideal when naturally homogenized milk with a higher fat content is desired; e.g. for making cheese, creamer for coffee or to freeze for later use, to name a few.   

The Katahdin is considered an excellent breed for meat quality.  For a stockier build, they are typically crossed with Dorpers (also a hair breed).  We recently added this cross to our farm through a co-farming partnership with our neighbor, Found Penny Farm (who raise Dorper sheep); we affectionately refer to them as "Kadorpins".  Unlike our pure Katahdin, we do not milk our Dorper/Katahdin cross sheep; we raise this breed exclusively for the purpose of meat.

Regardless of the specific breed, hair sheep are said to provide a milder flavored meat and is a prime choice for one who is tasting lamb for the first time or for those who do not like a strong, also referred to "gamey" flavor in their lamb meat.    

Our sheep are 98% grass fed their entire lives with the remaining 2% being non-GMO grain and minerals (in the form of salt licks).  Grain is mainly fed as a “treat” to our Katahdin ewes and lambs for ease in sorting lambs away from their mothers so they can be milked.  The lambs are only separated from the ewes once they are old enough to go without milk for the entire night.  They are returned to their mothers in the morning (after the morning milking routine is complete) and nurse from them throughout the day.  This allows the lambs to naturally wean from their mothers which is less stressful on both the ewe and the lamb, not to mention the shepherdess!  After the lambs are weaned, their main food source is from our pastures; once milking season is finished, our entire sheep herd rely on our pastures for their main food source.

Since we milk, our lambs are born once a year, as opposed to 3x / 2 years which is typical among meat herds.  We select the largest lambs for processing at 8 months of age and the remaining for processing at the start of our next lambing season (5 mos. later).  This schedule yields two lamb crops per year, once in the spring (around Easter) and another in the fall (late August).  Our spring lambs are the late growers from the prior year due to being birthed at the end of the season and are closer to 1 year of age; our fall lambs are our largest, earliest born lambs from the current year and, therefore are younger in age.  The typical, and prime, processing age for a lamb is 8 mos. of age.  A sheep older than 1 year is no longer considered lamb, instead, it is termed as mutton.  In hair sheep, mutton is realized at a later age: 18-21 mos. as opposed to 12 mos. 

Go to this link for some lamb recipes:  www.americanlamb.com

 

HOW TO ORDER

Both lamb and beef can be obtained from us by placing an order via telephone or e-mail then, securing that order with a good-faith deposit as a commitment to purchase. 

We start taking deposits on lambs 6 months to a year in advance and deposits on beef as long as two years in advance.  Therefore, please be prepared to place your order well in advance and understand that we rarely have meat available on an immediate basis.     

Once the animal is secured with a deposit, we will publish the processing date.  Final payment for the animal is due when the final growth weight is obtained (at time of processing).  Then, another payment is due directly to the processor based on your custom order which you will place with the processor - this payment must be satisfied before your animal can be picked up (usually 7-10 days after the lamb was dropped off).  

Or, for those who would rather obtain meat by the cut, you may order a sample pack, if avail. by visiting our market page at www.greenfamilyfarm.locallygrown.net

For those seeking to add zebu cattle to their farm or ranch: our zebu are of very high quality with a history of champion pedigrees and, from time to time, we will offer breeding stock for sale. Or, if sheep is what you raise, we may have ewes or rams (must be held via deposit if a breeding ram is desired) available for sale in the breed of Katahdin or Dorper (of commercial quality or, in certain cases, either fully or partially registerable) as well as Katahdin/Dorper crossed.  As with our meat, please notify us well in advance of your interest in a live animal as an addition to your farm/herd.