New 10# Beef Sampler Available

We are now offering a smaller 10# beef sampler.  This is perfect for giving as a gift or for just giving our beef a try without a big financial commitment.  A 10# sampler might consist of a roast, 2-3 steaks, 1# stew meat, 1# wieners & 3# ground beef. Give it a try you may find that you will refuse to ever buy grocery store beef again!

Autumn Photos

Fall is a beautiful time of year on our farm.  Below are a few of my favorite pictures from the past couple weeks. 

The girls collecting apples in the front yard.

Caramel apple creations

Harvesting gourds with Grandma and Oliver

Third crop hay. We had a nice third crop of hay this year.

Riemer Family Farm is a multi-generational sustainable farm in South Central Wisconsin

Cheese Days 2012

Back in 1914, the concept of Cheese Days originated from the notion that if some little town in Illinois could have a festival commemorating sauerkraut, then a celebration based on cheese would be an even better idea.

Visit the Cheese Days website at http://www.cheesedays.com
We even have a Cheese Days mascot named Wedgie...no I'm not kidding!

Every small community in Wisconsin has their festival.  This is one of the things that this Illinois girl loves about WI...(not to mention the Packers, sorry Bears fans). If Byron can have the Turkey Testicle Festival then we can celebrate cheese and all things swiss.  

I think the lyrics to "The Cheese Days" song sum it up best!

Come to Cheese Days in Monroe.
That’s the place for you to go.
Music, dancing, yodeling, too.
And a big parade for you.
And we know you will be pleased.
When you taste Green County Cheese.
Come to Cheese Days, come to Cheese Days,Come to Cheese Days in Monroe!I think the lyrics to "The Cheese Days" song sum it up best!

Join us this weekend in Monroe, September 14-16 for the Green County fun!

Photos of our cattle

Cattle hanging out by the watering hole

"Handsome Irwin" the nice bull and one of his cow "friends"

Cow with a muddy face!  Awesome, that means there are puddles!

Riemer Family Farm is a multi-generational sustainable beef farm in south central Wisconsin.

Free Range Goats

Q: What do children, chickens, cats, dogs and goats have in common?

Misty and Princess wandering around the yard during morning chores

A: They all love to wander around our yard and play!  

We have come to love our summer...now fall evenings in the yard when the weather cools down everyone comes together to hang out in the yard.  Even the goats.  We spent many hours fixing tiny escape routes in their fencing, but finally realized that when they did get out they were really not bother.  So the goats range around as they please.  I'm convinced that they believe they are cattle and will not stray to far from their herd.  They enjoy getting out and finding some new patches of grass to eat in the yard, but always saunter back to there Hereford buddies.  

So I say...Goats be free & enjoy life!

Rib-Eyes from the Grill

In the Riemer house Rib-eye steaks are a favorite! They are so full of flavor and so versatile.  Here are a couple of my favorite summer Rib-eye recipe's from the grill.

Rib-Eye Steak with Tomato-Basil Relish

Ingredients

• 
  
• 4 boned beef rib-eye steaks (1 1/2 in. thick, 12 to 16 oz. each; see notes)
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound firm-ripe tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• Salt and fresh-cracked pepper

1. Preparation 
2. 1. Trim excess surface fat from steaks. Rinse steaks and pat dry; set in a single layer on a plate. In a small bowl, mix half the vinegar and half the olive oil. Rub mixture all over steaks to coat. Let stand for at least 15 minutes, or cover and chill up to 4 hours.
3. 2. Meanwhile, rinse, core, and coarsely chop tomatoes. In a bowl, mix tomatoes, basil, garlic, and remaining balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Add salt to taste.
4. 3. Lay steaks on an oiled barbecue grill over a solid bed of hot coals or high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds); close lid on gas grill. Cook steaks, turning once, until browned on both sides and done to your liking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 10 to 13 minutes for medium-rare.
5. 4. Transfer steaks to plates. Let rest in a warm place for 3 to 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and garnish with tomato-basil relish.

Sunset 
SEPTEMBER 2004

Grilled Steak with Avocado and Red Onion Salad

Ingredients

• 2 Rib-eye steaks (1 1/2 lbs. total)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet smoked Spanish paprika
• 2 ripe avocados, sliced*
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/2 cup cilantro sprigs
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 small jalapeno chile, seeded and very thinly sliced
• Warm flour tortillas

1. Preparation 
2. 1. Heat grill to medium (350° to 450°). Brush steaks with 2 tbsp. oil and season with 1 tsp. each salt and pepper and the paprika. Grill steaks until done the way you like, turning once, 10 to 12 minutes total for medium-rare; transfer to a cutting board and let rest a few minutes.
3. 2. Toss avocados in a large bowl with onion, cilantro, remaining 2 tbsp. oil, the lime juice, jalapeño, and remaining 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Slice steaks across the grain and serve with salad and tortillas.

Adeena Sussman, Sunset 
MAY 2012

*I realize that Avocados are definitely not local to WI, but this is one super-food I make an exception for in my commitment to buy my food locally.

Riemer Family Farm is a Multi-Generational, Sustainable beef farm in South Central WI

Women Farmers-Soil Sisters

One thing that I (Jen) have come to appreciate about our community here in South Central Wisconsin are the passionate, creative and motivated women who are making this area better in so many ways!  I am attaching a two links for events that I am going to take part in.  These are organized by and focused on women farmers.

http://soilsisterswi.org/

Many of the "soil sisters" are friends of mine and I am proud to be a part of this community of women through the "Green County Women in Sustainable Agriculture" group. I will be helping out at the Sugar River Emu Farm.  I was not ready to be on the tour this year due to having a newborn.


Please join in and celebrate local agriculture on August 5 by visiting small family farms as part of a tour led by Wisconsin women committed to a healthy, fresh future for our children.


One more organization doing great things for women in agriculture is the Women, Food and Agriculture Network (WFAN). There are hosting events through their Women Caring for the Land program.


http://womencaringfortheland.org/wisconsin/

Join in, learn and celebrate women farmers.

Riemer Family Farm is a multi-generational sustainable farm in South Centeral Wisconsin

More Water Please! Drought & Cattle

Our main job on the farm over the last two months has been to keep the animals watered and shaded.  Everything else is just details!  The drought has been very hard on our pasture land and the heat has not helped either.  Hereford cattle are thankfully very hardy and have fared okay in the heat and drought.  We run about 1/4 mile of hoses to their tank to keep them well watered and they receive shade from some large trees in the pasture.

Many pastures and crops around us have been completely killed by the conditions.  Some recent rain has saved our crops from total loss.  The rain also has revived our pasture just enough to not need to feed them valuable hay quite yet.  We need our hay for winter feed!  All in all it's been quite stressful.  My father-in-law whom we farm with has said "who needs gambling when you can farm?"

Riemer Family Farm is a sustainable multi-generational family farm in south central Wisconsin

Poultry on Pasture

Here are a couple pictures of our meat birds on pasture.  We have them in a 164 foot electric netting with a portable shelter that we moved every day last year.  The way we are raising them now is called a "day range" model of pastured poultry.  They come out during the day and spend the night in their shelter to stay protected from predators.  I like this model a lot better because it makes chore time easier and gives the chickens space to roam and keeps them cleaner!  They can nibble on the grass, but prefer their feed. Last year when we kept them in the portable shelter all the time, we had to move them 3 times a day the last two weeks of their lives.

The worst predator we have seen this summer has been the 100 plus heat for days on end.  We lost a few birds to heat exhaustion, but have been doing everything we can to keep them alive.  We have even had a sprinkler in their pen.  They are not fond of water, but it does keep things cooler when we run the sprinkler on mist setting. We also need to make sure they always have fresh water and shade.

We will butcher these chickens in about a week.  Nothing compares to the taste of pastured poultry!

Riemer Family Farm is a sustainable multi-generational family farm in south central Wisconsin

Nobody can resist a cute chick!

 Here are just a couple pictures of our baby chicks.  They are now just over a week old and doing quite well.  We brood them in the garage in old cow water tanks with pine chips for bedding and heat lamps.  The important things to watch when raising chicks from a day old is to keep them the right temperature and give them lots of fresh water and food.

The chicks we are holding (and resting on the giant baby belly) are laying hens and will lay their first eggs at about 20 weeks.  The little yellow chicks in the brooder could be your dinner in just 8 weeks.  They will all move outside at week 4.

Peonies in bloom and Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp

Our Memorial Peonies are in full bloom almost a full month early.  Most everything is early this year, I love all the early bloomers but don't love mowing the lawn so much already! I do wish we still had the wonderful smell of lilacs outside our front door.  I guess you can't have it all though!

We harvested some rhubarb this morning and have this wonderful Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch in the oven.  It uses less sugar than most recipes, but still tastes fantastic with fresh fruits.  We had to buy the strawberries, but it looks like we should have our own in a matter of a couple weeks! Enjoy the recipe!

Six new calves and counting!

These two bull calves are not twins, but brothers. The mamma belongs to the calf on the right, but is being an attentive surrogate as the other calves mother eats. The calf on the left is only hours old and both are doing great.

I am amazed at the ease that a Hereford cow gives birth. Don't get me wrong...I'm sure it's hard work, but in my current state (8 mos pregnant) I can not help but admire the mamas in the pasture. We are getting a new calf of two almost every day.  There really are very few things in this world cutter than a baby calf.

Pink Slime Still Making Headlines

This Cow Thinks Pink Slime is Yucky!

The dollar menu at fast food joints along with unhealthy school lunch for children is driving the obesity epidemic in both children and adults in this country. Pink slime is one of the culprits. This is also known as " LFTB (lean finely textured beef)" a less offensive phrase used by the huge factory farms and slaughter houses.

Here is a link to a short article in a Dallas Newspaper blog highlighting one farmer raising his beef on a sustainable and healthy scale. It's called "Pink Slime Economics: A Local Cattleman on How Beef Prices Will Rise, and Why That's OK" He had some good thoughts on pink slime and it's detrimental effects on the food industry.

The article concludes with: ...But, Hamilton says, "I think it's important for people to finally begin to understand why the price of my beef is so high. ... Because when you look around, we're the sickest country in the world."

Grilling Special-$100 Beef Bundle

Grilling time is here! This means picnics, party's reunions and just beautiful weekend afternoons around the grill. We have made up some special beef bundles intended for your grill. It's a $115 value for only $100!

$100 Grilling Bundle includes:

2# Rib-eye steak

1# NY Strip and/or Tenderloin Fillet

1# Porterhouse or T-bone steak

1# Sirloin Tip Steak

1# Top Sirloin Steak

4 One pound packages of 1/4lb pre-made burger patties

3 One pound packages of natural all beef wieners

4 One Pound packages of ground beef

As always our beef is raised with great care and free of antibiotics, hormones, steroids and other unnecessary junk. Please contact me (Jen) at 815-494-2821 or riemerfamilyfarm@gmail.com if you are interested. We are always willing to arrange deliveries.

Just because it's the first day of spring here is a bonus picture of one of our hens eggs standing on end due to the Vernal Equinox. The girls decided to stand many other food items on end as well:)

Corned Beef Brisket in the Pressure Cooker

Our St. Patrick's day dinner is Corned Beef and Cabbage. I make it the quick way though in the pressure cooker. If you don't have time to slow cook, or if you want to make use of one of the handiest items in the kitchen use the pressure cooker!

So throw your corned beef brisket in the pressure cooker and enjoy some March Madness this St. Patrick's day! Brisket is the cut corned beef is made from. It is from the chest and upper front legs of the beef which can be quite tough, so it needs to either be cooked slowly or cooked in a pressure cooker to make it tender.

1. Place a 3-4lb brisket in the pressure cooker. Our processor preseasons the corned beef. If it is not seasoned it should have a spice packet included. Put enough water in the pressure cookers pot to just cover the beef and bring to a boil.

2. Place the lid with the rocker on the cooker and set so that there is a slow steady rocking motion on the rocker for 1 hour. Watch it for a while to make sure it does not blow out steam...these new pressure cookers can be testy! I wish I still had grandmas old style one (ugh...I sound old).

3. Take off of heat and let stand 5 minutes in order to release pressure. Cut and eat.

4. I roast potatoes, cabbage and carrots separately so they are all done at the same time. Grab a Guinness and a slice of Irish Soda Bread and you are good to go!

"The first corned beef was packed in salt, and sometimes spices, in order to cure it. It got its name from the corn kernel-sized grains of salt it was packed in."

Today, corned beef is usually made by soaking a brisket roast in a brine of water, salt, and spices. While it's not traditional in Ireland, corned beef is what most Americans prepare for St. Patrick's Day." taken from www.allrecipes.com

Note: This is a post taken from last March, but I thought it was worthy of reposting.

Winter Squash Black Bean Bake

I am trying to finish off the winter vegetables I have stored in my root cellar. We had a bumper crop of Butternut Squash this year, so we are finding ways to get them used up before we begin getting tender spring greens in the next couple months.

Here is one of the recipes that I make often and hear: "Mom can you make this all the time" I think it originally came from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It puts a seasonal spin on the classic tamale pie.

1lb Riemer Family Farm Ground Beef

2 C 1/2" pieces peeled pie pumpkin or winter squash

1 medium onion, coursely chopped

1 15 oz can black beans, or 15 oz rinsed and soaked black beans

1 C frozen corn

1 4oz can diced green chilles

1/2 t salt

1/2C beef broth

3 oz cream cheese

8 1/2 oz pkg corn muffin mix (use a natural or organic brand, corn muffin mixes can have scary ingredients in them).

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup pumpkin Puree

1. Heat oven 400 degrees. In large skillet cook ground beef, pumpkin/squash, and onion over medium heat until meat is browned and onion tender, breaking up ground beef with spoon. Stir in black beans, corn, chiles and salt. Heat through. Stir in broth and cream cheese until blended. Gransfer mixture to 2 1/2 quart baking dish.

2. In medium bowl stir together corn muffin mix, egg, milk and pumpkin puree until just combined. Spoon over beef mixture.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into topper comes out clean.

Serves 6

Meet Zinnia

The new calf has been named! Thank you to those of you who made suggestions on Facebook! Elli choose the name from the list and happened to choose her 7 year old cousins suggestion. I guess 7 year old's think alike, or maybe it's a genetic connection.?

Zinnia is doing great and enjoying the sunshine. She has about an acre paddock and a portion of the barn which she shares with her mommy and two goat friends.

New Inspiration, Friends, Car and the First Calf of the Year!

What a week it has been! I finally feel like I have landed on this Saturday afternoon! We have had so many great experiences this week starting with the MOSES Organic Farming Conference in LaCrosse last weekend. We were inspired, educated and encouraged by other farmers who care about sustainable agriculture right here in the mid-west. We learned a lot about how to make our farm better. I hope to share in more detail in later posts but for now, here is a little pic. of our hens taking advantage of the small piece of bare ground they could find. They are not big fans of snow!

We were able to connect to another great entrepreneurial couple in the are who grow a vast amount of vegetables with the purpose of donating everything back to the Green County Food Pantry. Visit them at Bountiful Hope Farms. We also went to two Monroe Chamber of Commerce events to learn of all the great business going on in this county and gained a greater appreciation and excitement for life and business in this county. We even heared Casey FitzPatrick, olympic gold medalist speak and...he even had the gold medal to show off. It was awesome!!

This was also car shopping week, due to the fact that I (Jen) totalled our trusty CRV a few weeks ago (everyone is fine!). We found a great used mini-van that had fairly low mileage and I'm pretty sure we will have until our 7 year old starts driving. That is unless I drive it into a guard rail in the next 9 years.

The best news of all though is the fist calf of the spring! She is a healthy little Hereford Heifer and came before the snow storm, so is happily residing with her mommy and two new found goat friends in the barn. There is a conversation about what to name the calf on my facebook page. Please give your opinion. So far I think the best name is "Seven". My 3 year old nephew came up with it. I think it's cute!

Choosing Chicks for 2012

We are having a hard time deciding what egg laying chicks to get for 2012. Our current 23 lovely ladies will continue to lay eggs through the next year or two, but due to demand for eggs we are going to order about 25 more and have a whole lot of cackling (and poop) in our yard!

Help us choose - clicking on their name for more information: These are the three finalists. The smaller bird in each picture is the hen (female egg layer) the larger is the rooster. We will not be getting any roosters! I like to sleep! We will likely get a few Americaunas which lay blue/green eggs and then two of the following:

Speckeled Sussex


Golden Laced Wyandotte

Black Australorp

Which one is your favorite?

These images and links are from Meyer Hatchery Website where we usually order our birds.