Pinnacle Pastures Spring 2012 News:

We are enjoying a very early spring here on the farm! It began with a lot of mud...several loads of gravel later...we have a whole new yard! Spring is always a fun and exciting time as the grass begins to grow; planting plans fall into place and livestock move out to graze fresh green pastures. The very best -- babies entertain us with their playful antics! Planning how the farm will grow over the course of the year is always part of farm life. Our newest addition is a group of 60 dairy heifers. There will be some construction as we prepare to be organic dairy producers. Important items to know about Pinnacle Pastures Farm and our products:

Our home farm is USDA certified organic and rented parcels are certified organic or in transition.

Beef and lamb are 100% grass-fed and finished on clover/grass mix pastures.

Poultry and swine do have grain as a part of their diet and it is corn and soy free.

No hormones are used -- in feed, as injectables or implants.

Antibiotics are only used when animals are ill and alternative medicine has not worked.

Our animals are not yet certified organic.

We do not have a local processor who is certified organic yet.

BEEF
Our first calves of the season have arrived (Snowstorm and Prancer, pictures on Facebook) and are British Whites from Black Angus cows. Beef is available year-round and moves fast. Most beef is sold as quarters or halves, so we do not always have cuts available at the farm. All animals available this year are half British Whites with Angus, Hereford, or Angus/Hereford cross dams. If you are interested, get orders in early!

PORK
Five of our sows expect to deliver this week (March 15th), so we should have 60 piglets and entertaining antics very soon! Three more sows are due around May 1st. We have two boars, Onyx is a pure Duroc and Coco is a pure Berkshire. Most of our sows are crosses of Chester White, Hampshire, Berkshire, and Duroc. Bonnie is a pure Berkshire who we acquired last year. She has a very sweet disposition and we have retained five gilts from her first litter to be part of our sow herd. They will have their first litters this fall. We have chosen Berks and Durocs because of their exceptional meat quality. Our hogs enjoy the outdoors, get lots of exercise and have lots of roughages available to keep them entertained. We do not clip teeth or ring noses. When our hogs are purchased for roasts folks are always surprised at how little fat there is compared to store bought pork. Diet and exercise make the difference!

LAMB
We have chosen the Katahdin breed which is a hair sheep. They are more resistant to parasites than their woolly relatives and milder in taste. They do well with cattle since they prefer to eat plants that cattle do not care for and are in turn protected by cattle in times of danger as part of the 'flerd'. Our ewes feasted on clover/grass baleage over winter with the beef cattle and are due to lamb mid-April. We had a few singles, several sets of twins and triplets, and one set of quads last year. Lamby, a bottle baby from last season has become quite the ambassador having been raised, trained, and socialized by the children next door!

GEESE
Sebastopol and Toulouse goslings are expected to hatch beginning in early April. We prefer the Sebastopol as they are rare, friendly, and beautiful. They are stunning in the pasture over summer with their curly white feathers. They also very loudly sound the alarm during times of impending danger--hawks, cats, strange dogs, etc., which is much appreciated by the smaller birds. Crossed with the larger Toulouse, we get birds that are very good for the Christmas dinner table.

DUCK
Ducklings will be hatching a month later as ducks have just started laying. All eggs hatch between 3 and 5 weeks depending on species with Muscovy ducks requiring the longest incubation at 5 weeks. Muscovies are colorful, fly well, and eat lots of flies which is much appreciated by EVERYONE. They are very lean and do not QUACK as they have no voice. Silver Appleyards and Saxonies are heavy, fatter ducks who have a very pronounced waddle and are unable to fly. They do QUACK a lot! Runner ducks (who resemble tall slim bottles) do not fly either and have very little meat. They are fun to watch though!

CHICKEN
We will have White Mountain and heritage breed broilers again this year. Let us know early if you will want more than just a few. They will be on pasture once they are feathered out with a no soy-no corn grain mix.

TURKEY
We have decided not to raise turkeys this year. If you have ever had one stand on your car or sit in the seat--you know why!

EGGS
Chicken eggs are available year around. Laying hens will be kept in a mobile unit and follow the dairy heifers on pasture this year.

Duck eggs are larger, available seasonally and are available now. They are especially good for baking!

GREAT PYRENEES DOGS
Cymba and Zima have done a wonderful job protecting the poultry from predators. They are truly gentle giants. Cymba knows he should not tip children over and tries very hard to please, although he does occasionally tip over the unsuspecting toddler. Zima worries about keeping her hair clean and dry when she isn't working. They will be having puppies (big white bundles of fun!) sometime in June.

We have updated our Local Harvest page and are updating our website. Follow us on Facebook for news and sales.

Hope we see you at the farm soon!

Cody and Wendy

Cuts currently available:

Broilers

Baby back ribs

Spare ribs

Bacon

Tenderloin

Country ham slices

Fresh ham steak

Lard (makes the finest, flakiest pie crusts!)

Currently sold out but will be available:

Beef cuts

Lamb

Duck

Goose

Click here to sign up for our mailing list to be updated on seasonal offers and other farm news!

Pinnacle Pastures Farm has been in the family for 60+ years. Cody oversees daily management of the farm which is in organic transition. Animals never receive hormones or sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics.

Cody has planted clover / grass pastures as well as pastures especially for hogs-allowing them to graze fresh greens and root out turnips as nature intended. Hogs are bred and fed for exceptional meat flavor and high nutrient density. Piglets are raised on pasture during the summer and in deep straw bedded huts in our barn during winter. Very little lard comes with our finished hogs as they get lots of exercise!

Pinnacle Pastures also offers grass fed Angus cross beef and Katahdin lamb. These lambs are milder in flavor than standard sheep breeds. Geese, ducks, guineas, and chickens reside with the beef and hogs who offer protection from predators. Great Pyrenees guardian dogs offer further protections.

It is a privilege to care for livestock and nurture their instinctive behaviors. Calves, kids, lambs, piglets, chicks, ducklings, and goslings are raised by their mothers. Beef and hogs available by whole, half, bundles, and smaller quantities. Nitrate-free bacon is available. Visitors are always welcome.

Interesting Articles & Nifty Links:

Discovery Goes Out on the Farm - News Article

Brochure on Pinnacle Pastures

See my article on Organic Valley:
Animal Husbandry and the Organic Rule

An interesting article on fats in grassfed animals.
Another article on vitamins in grassfed animals.

President's Cancer Panel Report

Click here to read our article by The Country Today.

Pinnacle Pastures Farm sets the bar on quality, locally grown meats.

Find us on Facebook under Cody Fulwider Pastures or Pinnacle Pastures.

Pinnacle Pastures, Cody Fulwider
W11780 County Road KK
Ripon, WI 54971
(920) 539-0789
pinnaclepastures@gmail.com

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