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Happy new year…at last…
…the scene we wait all winter to see! The main Thistle Hill herd moving from the western to eastern pastures to begin strip grazing. Here temporary fencing already has been put in place. That will allocate roughly one acre paddocks per day. The confined space increases the trampling effect….the cows pointed toes grinding in some of the grass…the result is organic matter and food for the soil. This is the first pass over the eastern pasture…and if Mother Nature is good…there’ll be one and maybe two more. That’s Church…our manager/foreman…supervising the herd. Someone tell him he needs a haircut! (Inside family joke) David
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The Thistle Hill Alumni Assn…
…well maybe not technically. But he was bred here and went on to serve at Rich Hamilton’s Elim Springs Farm for the past 8 years. His name is Rojo and he’s been used in the Elim Springs meat business for the past decade and is still going strong. Rich uses him as a terminal sire on his Senepol cow herd and it’s a winning combination! Rojo’s pedigree on the dam side is packed with well-known Devon greats including Noyl Boy, Buckeye and Kinloch. As for his sire, he is the first bull that made a major impact on our cows: Watson. We found Watson at Don and Heather Minto’s farm…
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There’s nothing we like better…
…almost…than seeing the final result of what we do at Thistle Hill on a customer’s table. (Well maybe being invited over for dinner is a little better!) Thanks to Jim Houck, he orders halves and wholes to share with his family, for sending this photo of a Thistle Hill rib roast. Jim says the flavor was “amazing”! Not many of our customers ask for the standing rib…preferring smaller steaks instead. But Jim is a contractor and needs his protein! We’re about to harvest a beevein a few days but there’s only a quarter left! Contact Church quick for your amazing eating experience! And contact Jim if you need a contractor. …
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Make yourself at home…
..and our new piglets settled right in this weekend. Grandson Church gave a welcoming scratch of the head. The source of the newcomers was Indian Summer Farm near Lynchburg, Virginia. And these piglets are certainly a testimony to superior breeding and care. Three are pure Berkshire and two are Berkshire/Tamworth crosses. I’ve been partial to Tamworth but Berkshire probably is the breed of choice for growers of gourmet meat. The combination is exciting to anticipate! David
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A picture only a farmer…
…can love. A spade full of our western pasture taken at random. The worms (I count six!) confirm a lot’s going on out there. We’re planning on improved organic matter readings with more hooves on the ground in the coming year. Here is what it looks like right now too…over in the eastern pasture. Church is holding back the herd…wants six more inches of grass before he starts strip grazing. A few more days like today and he’ll be putting in the temporary fencing. Love the clover. It’s the second year for this stand. That’s nutrition for the cows…the ground…and those worms! David