Alpha Omega Ranch organic meat CSA

CSA Shares: For 2008 I am offering a limited number of CSA subscriptions for my humanely raised, guilt-free, Certified Naturally Grown heritage breed pork, lamb. turkey, chicke, gamebirds and more. Our animals are NEVER raised with growth hormones or steroids, antibiotics, vaccines, or other toxic chemicals or unnatural feeds. Nor are they sent to dirty, crowded, inhumane feed lots for "finishing". Since this is the first year of offering subscriptions for my clean, wholesome, all-natural, fresh-from-the-farm meat, I am suggesting the options below but am willing to consider other packages and combinations as may suit your needs or budget. Please don't hesitate to ask for something else, I can custom raise your meat for you if I don't offer something you'd like to see.

What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?
At their most fundamental level, CSA farms provide a pre-scheduled delivery of sustainably grown farm produce or products to consumers during the growing season. Those consumers, in turn, pay a subscription or membership fee in advance. By "pre-paying" for their food, the subscribers help the farmers defray the costs of production and also help the famer know that there will be a waiting market for their food. But CSA consumers don’t so much “buy” food from particular farms as become “members” of those farms. CSA operations provide more than just food; they offer ways for socially, environmentally, or health conscious consumers to become involved in the ecological and human community that supports the local, small family-run farms that make up the backbone of the natural food production.

All CSA members are welcome to visit the ranch and see where their food comes from. Overnight camping and B & B stays are possible. I will also consider trading a day's worth of labor on the ranch for a credit towards a package. Interns and volunteers are also welcomed for those that wish to learn more about multi-species, biodynamic farming in a hands-on sort of way.

Supporting local agriculture not only keeps small family run farms like mine alive, but it also helps ensure that not all of our food will be mass produced by large, industrial factory farms that place a premium on profit, not nutrition, taste or animal health and welfare. By buying our rare and endangered heritage breed meat you can also feel good about what you eat. Ironic as that sounds, by ensuring that there is a demand for these breeds we ensure that the breeds will not become extinct in favor of more "efficient" production breeds. As you will find out, grass-fed, heritage breed animals prodcue exquisitely flavored, naturally juicy and tender meat that is proven healthier.

CSA SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS:

PACKAGE 1: FULL SHARE
$975
Includes: 1 whole lamb, 1/2 pig, 10 chickens (or 1 turkey and 5 chickens) . *Approximately 180 pounds of meat once cut and processed (40 lbs lamb, 80 lbs pork, 60 lbs poultry).

PACKAGE 2: HALF SHARE
$550
Includes: 1/2 lamb, 1/4 pig, and 5 chickens (or 1 turkey ). *Approximately 90 pound of meat cut and processed.

SUBSTITUTIONS

CHICKEN-
You can choose between heritage breed, pastured chicken (different breeds) or a pastured meaty, broiler-type breed known as the Dark Cornish, an old English variety that is known for it's spectacular gamebird-like meat quality , or a combination of both. The two type together will allow for a variety of cooking and preparation methods. If not specified, we will decide and try to include a mix. In the next few seasons we will work to develop a heritage breed cross-bred chicken that will emulate the unsurpassed flavor of the famous French Label Rouge program chickens and will thrive on our ranch.
4 Chickens can be substituted for 1 Duck or Goose (while supplies last).
5 Chickens can be substituted for 1 turkey

TURKEY
Would you like to celebrate the holidays with an old-fashioned, flavorful but smaller heritage breed or a larger, more conventional (but no double-breasted unnatural breeds), pasture-raised turkey? Please let us know if you have a preference. Most birds are heritage breed and only a limited number of conventional turkeys will be raised for those that need a big bird. Heritage turkeys will likely range from 12-18+ pounds, conventional Bronze & white turkeys will be larger. Please specify a preferred size for your turkey if you have one: 12-14lbs, 15-17 lbs, 18-20lbs, 20+lbs. We will try to accommodate while supplies last.
1 Turkey can be substituted for 1 Duck or Goose and 1 chicken (while supplies last).

NO PORK OPTION
For those that would prefer not to have pork the following options exist:

No Pork Package 1
$625
Includes: 1 whole lamb, 1 turkey, 10 chickens

No Pork Package 2
$375
Includes: 1/2 lamb, 1 turkey, 5 chickens

NO LAMB OPTIONS
Our Icelandic lamb is redder, more flavorful but mild and noticeably less greasy that Australian/New Zealand lamb because of the nature of the breeds themselves as well as a grass-fed vs. grain-finished difference. We encourage you to try it. For those that would prefer not to have lamb the following options exist:

No Lamb Package 1
$675
Includes: 1/2 pig, 1 turkey, 10 chickens

No Lamb Package 2
$450
Includes: 1/4 pig, 1 turkey, 5 chickens

POULTRY LOVER'S OPTIONS
These packages can be added on to another package or purchased independently.

Poultry Lover's Package 1
$295
Includes: 1 turkey, 1 duck, 10 chickens

Poultry Lover's Package 2
$175
10 Chickens

OTHER AVAILABLE ITEMS:

Gamebirds (quail, pheasant, guinea hen, chukars).
These must be ordered early in the spring/summer so they can be raised and ready in time. Very limited numbers.

Ducks
Very limited numbers on hand, so reserve yours early. They make great holiday meals. All ducks pasture-raised with access to naturally flowing water.

Geese
Very limited numbers on hand, so reserve yours early. They make great holiday meals. All geese pasture-raised with access to naturally flowing water.

Rabbit
Very limited numbers so these must be ordered early. Our rabbits are raised with access to fresh grassy pasture and communal areas

Eggs (Chicken and Duck)
All from pastured poultry eating a natural diet. Very healthy with orange yolks and higher omega 3's and lower cholesterol.

Grass-fed Beef
This is raised by one of our associates in the Salmon area and has limited availability.

Goat/Cabrito/Chevon
This is raised by another of our associates in the Salmon area and has limited availability.

GRASS FED MEAT IS MUCH HEALTHIER THAN CONVENTIONAL STORE BOUGHT MEAT!!!
Love eggs & meat but are also concerned about lowering the cholesterol in your diet? Want to add more vitamins, minerals & omega 3's to improve your health? Concerned about antibiotic-resistant germs? Natural meat and eggs are the way to go!

To read about the proven health benefits of grass-fed, pastured poultry and meat, click here.

Want to learn more about the basics of grass-fed meat? Click here.

Interested in how grass-fed animals help protect the environment? Read this.

Learn how raising grass-fed pastured animals helps farmers and farm workers here.

Read about the petroleum-laced background and health implications of conventional, industrial factory-farmed foods and the reasons why a return to locally produced, farm fresh foods is in the best interest of everyone and the environment in Michael Pollan's NY Times best seller "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and his new book "In Defense of Food".

Want to have easier access to locally produced foods? Learn why the rules are stacked against the farmer and the consumer in Joel Salatin's anacdotal book "Everything I Want To Do is Ilegal: Wars From the Local Food Front".

General Details of our Program

In order to comply with Draconian regulations that all but prevent small independant farmers from selling their food directly to consumers without becoming part of the industrial food chain, our CSA works by you purchasing shares in a live animal. I then will custom raise it according to the the standards set forth herein, and will provide you with the service of arranging for processing. You will complete an order form from the butcher specifying exactly how you would like your meat cut and wrapped. I can provide the additional services of shipping and delivery for additional fees or you may pick up your meat directly form the butcher.

Our meat is primarily locally and humanely butchered to ensure that animals are not unnecessarily stressed by the process. To ensure that our animals remain as stress-free as possible, we will use a mobile butchering service which will actually come to the ranch. This way this is no stressful transport long distances. This keeps stress hormones out of the meat and prolongs the happiness of the animals.

USDA certified butchering can be done in Montana or Idaho for additional charges. This meat can then be shipped or sold by the piece. Advance notice must be made it you want your meat butchered this way. USDA -processed meat animals will have to be transported.

Prices includes butchering and processing to your specifications. The butcher can also process your meat into sausage, bacon and ham for additonal fees. Meat must be picked up at the butcher unless other arrangements are made. Poultry can be picked up at the ranch where it will most likely be processed. You can pick it up the day it is butchered or it can be frozen and picked up with the rest of your order.

Delivery to some areas might be arranged for additional S&H fees. I can also try to help subscribers coordinate pickup and delivery with others in their area. Right now delivery can be arranged for: Oregon, Spokane Washington/N. Idaho, Hamilton, Bozeman & Missoula Montana, Salt Lake City/N. Utah. I will consider Pheonix/N. Arizona and Nevada if enough interest exists. Members who live farther away from these areas can likely have their meat processed and shipped at staggered times. I will work with anyone who desires to put humane, heriatge meat on their table.

*Because our animals are not fed growth hormones or stimulants and are not finished on grain, growth and final weights are subject to natural forces and cannot be guaranteed.

Heritage breeds being offered this year include:

PIGS: Large Black, Red Wattle, and Yorkshire crosses

LAMBS: Icelandic, Navajo-Churro, Wenslydale-Finn crosses

CHICKENS: Lakenvelders, Dark Cornish (aka Indian Gamebird), Deleware, Blue Andalusian, Houdan, La Fleche

TURKEYS: Bourbon Red, Bronze, Blue Slate, Black Spanish, White Holland, Royal Palm, Broad Brested Bronze