Praise be, we have a well! And not just a dribble of a well, but a deep, high-capacity well that will be connected to water lines in all of our pastures. This is a huge, labor-saving development for our farm.

It's thanks to a conservation grant we received from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, plus the good faith and support of the landowners. The grant is also funding better fences and waterers.

The grantees know that supporting regenerative graziers like us, results in soil conservation, carbon sequestration, and protects surface and ground water.

"What do you do with ground lamb?", has been the frequent question at the farmers market. Burgers, Meatballs, Bolognese, Curry, Kebabs, and this month's featured recipe - Mediterranean Lamb Burgers. Here's your market shopping list - 

• Herbs & Veg from your favorite produce farmers
• Hummus from Adelle Foods
• Cheese from LoveTree Farmstead
• & Ground Lamb from yours truly

It's no surprise that we have had to raise our prices as our costs rise with inflation. However we can offer you discounts when you purchase in bulk. It saves both of us time and gas money when you purchase more at one time from our farm. Check out our Meat Bundles & Shares.

Water is life,
Tamara Johnson

While the days farming are long, the animals make them sweet.

Lambing season caught us off guard starting a week earlier than planned. The lambs have been really healthy this year, with only two needing to be bottle fed. We are up to about 73 lambs born on pasture in the last couple weeks.

Any guesses to this year's final total? 

Father's Day is just around the corner and we've put together a Father's Day Gift Bundle for Dad. You can choose to get the Father's Day Gift Bundle in a gift box for $54, or in one of our quality logo cooler bags for $66.

I'm renaming this month's recipe the Market Omelet, because it highlights some of my favorite ingredients at the farmers markets. Here's my shopping list for the dish - LoveTree Farmstead's Ricotta Cheese, mushroom's from R&R Cultivation, Burning River Farm's greens, Bacon ends from yours truly, plus eggs and chives.

Bon appetite!
- Tamara Johnson

P.S. Less than 3 weeks to get your Father's Day gift ordered.

We have plenty of grill-ready meats in stock for your Memorial Weekend Cookout -

• Brats & Hotdogs
• Spare Ribs & Brisket
• Burger
• Steak & Chops

Plus we have a new website for placing orders that I am really excited to share with you. It includes images of our products an approximate order total, so you have a better idea of what you are ordering.

CHECK IT OUT!

While our freezers will be stocked at the Northeast Minneapolis & Kingfield Farmers Markets this weekend, if you have a special cut in mind we recommend you place a Pre-order. 

Wishing you are nice Memorial Day,
Tamara

PS - Place your orders by noon Thursday for pick-up this weekend! Orders placed after noon on Thursday will be for the following week.

May is month full of excitement - The mama sheep look double-wide and are close to lambing. The cattle are jumping fences because you know, the grass is always greener. Spring flowers are buzzing with bees and the pigs are laying in the mud. 

Our family will be soaking in all these wonders this weekend, because May 14 is the kick-off of Summer Farmers Market Season. Tamara will be returning to -

• Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market
• Kingfield Farmers Market

Note that we will be taking the fourth weekends off June-September

We'll continue to take pre-orders for markets and for our Western WI followers Friday On-Farm pickups.

At this point we don't anticipate resuming our Stillwater deliveries. If you are a customer for this delivery site who'd like to see it continue please reach out to us. We are open to exploring other delivery locations and modes of advertisement in this area.
 
In hopes that spring will cooperate, we've put together a Grill Season Bundle. Save 10 % on some BBQ essentials. Plus check out the recipe below for Salt-and-Pepper Ribeye, because that and a hot grill is all you need for a good steak.

Happy grilling,
Tamara

P.S. Don't forget to place an order for the best Grassfed Meat!!!

I have an abundance of frozen Apple Cider each year thanks to my family at Baker Orchard. I love that I am able to combine their cider with our farm-raised ham to produce a local food center-piece roast each Easter. This recipe has been adapted from Cooks Country.

Ingredients1 cinnamon stick, broken into rough pieces
1/4 t. whole cloves
13 C. apple cider
8 C. ice cubes
1 cured bone-in half ham
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 C. packed dark brown sugar
1 t. pepper

Recipe
Cut the skin from the ham and trim the fat to a thickness of about one quarter of an inch. Score the fat in a crosshatch pattern, making sure not to cut into the meat.

In a large saucepan over medium heat toast the cinnamon and cloves for about 3 minutes. Add 4 cups of cider and bring to a boil. Pour the cider into a container large enough to hold the ham, the cider and an additional 4 cups of cider. Add the ice and the 4 additional cups of cider and stir until chilled. Place the ham in the container, making sure that the liquid nearly covers the ham. Refrigerate for 4-12 hours.

One and a half hours before baking remove the ham from the soaking mixture (discard the mixture) and place the ham in a roasting pan. Pour one cup fresh cider over the ham and cover with foil. Let the ham sit at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Bake ham until it reaches 100 degrees – about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan mix the remaining four cups of cider and the mustard. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until it has reduced to 1/3 cup (1-2 hours), stirring often.

Mix the brown sugar and pepper. Take the ham out of the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Remove the foil from the ham. Brush with the cider/mustard mixture and press the sugar/pepper mixture onto the ham. Bake for about 20 minutes – until the ham is dark brown and glazed. Let rest 15 minutes before carving.

I snuck away from the farm again, but this time it was business related. I had the honor of presenting at the MOSES Organic Farming Conference in La Crosse last weekend. It was two days ripe full of wisdom, inspiration and connection.

That said, I'm happy to be home. I plan to warm the kitchen this month with delicious roasts. You should too, as we are having a Sale on Roasts.

Normally I lean on the experts and provide a link to someone else's recipe in the newsletter. But this month you are getting one from my own kitchen. I threw together a pot roast for dinner and Farmer Chris said it was the best I ever made.

So despite not measuring a thing, I did my best to create a recipe for you below. Pot Roast, I know what your thinking - simple - but I get asked each winter market for a recipe. So here it is! 

Thank your for taking the time to read our farm news. We hope March provides you some celebration and the joyful anticipation of spring.
 
-Tamara & Chris Johnson

P.S. Plan ahead for your St. Patrick's Day Brisket & Easter Ham - Order them today.

​FARMER TAMARA'S POT ROAST
INGREDIENTS -

• 2-3 lb Arm Roast, trimmed
• Kosher Salt & Pepper
• Central Street Old World Seasoning (I was gifted this for Christmas and it's good!)
• Flour
• Butter or Lard
• Bay Leaf
• Thyme
• Onions - all the veggies are roughly chopped
• Garlic Cloves
• Broth
• Carrot
• Celery
• Sauerkraut, 1 cup - use red wine if you don't like kraut

DIRECTIONS -

1. Pre-heat oven to 325 F
2. Pat roast dry. Rub with flour, salt, pepper and Central Street Old World Seasoning
3. Brown roast in a Dutch Oven using butter or lard. I actually used booth
4. Remove roast and sauté onions, garlic, thyme and bay leaf
5. Add roast and broth to pot. Enough broth the cover 2/3 of roast. Place in pre-heated oven with lid on crock. Braise for 1.5 hours.
6. Remove pot from oven. Flip roast. Add roughly chopped veggies and kraut. Add more broth, if needed. Braise for another hour, or until meat is fork tender.
7. Eat and enjoy!

February is a month of love and I swoon over a nice sear! Therefore we are having a deliciously good SALE ON STEAKS. Our nicer steaks - Ribeye, Strip, Tenderloin, T-Bone, and Porterhouse and our Prime Ribs - are all 10% OFF. 

These cuts are not just for the grill. Enjoy them in winter by making a Perfect Broiled Steak.

Tamara's flying the coop and taking a vacation, which means we need your orders early for the Feb. 5 Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market. Please get them in by Sunday, January 30th. Farmer Chris will be in the market stand with our helper Em.
 
Wishing you a month of showing love for self, steaks, and one another.

Squeak, squeak, squeak. We can hear the animals coming from a mile away these days. With temperatures solidly in the single digits, the snow is squeaky and the animals are sporting ice beards.

Thankfully they are much hardier than us humans and are well suited to tolerate the cold winter weather. 

Our first Farmers Markets of the New Year are coming up -

• Sat., Jan 8 at Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market
• Sat., Jan 15 at Neighborhood Roots Winter Farmers Market

The outdoor winter markets are a fun and healthy place to shop for our Grass-fed and Pasture-raised meat. Pre-orders recommended.

PORK SHARES available for end of January - Receive a whole (~140 lbs) or half (~70 lbs) share of Pastured Raised, Heritage Breed Pork including Pork Chops, Pork Roasts, Coppa Steaks, Bacon, Sausage, Ham Hocks, Ham Roasts or Steaks, and more. Save 15% over retail. Sign-up at - https://www.johnsonfamilypastures.com/csa-shares.html

Winter Beef Bundles, Pork Sampler Shares, and the Johnson Family Favorites bundle are back in stock! Check out our order form for details.

This month's recipe is for Rice Noodle Bowls with Pork and Scallions - A recipe that both the Johnson kids and grown-ups love.
Wishing you a Healthy and Happy New Year,
Tamara & Chris Johnson

PS - Place your Pre-Order by Thursday at noon for PU in Mpls or On the Farm