What happens after the pasture?
posted on
December 15, 2022
Ever wonder what happens in the time between the pasture where the animals live and your plate when you enjoy a delicious cut of meat? This is our version of the food chain.
Humane Processing
Avon Locker in Darlington, WI, is our farm's processing partner. This is where the animals go when they are done on pasture. At Avon they are humanely and quickly dispatched.
Andrew and his crew then skillfully process the animals. After a cooling and hanging period for meat quality, they take the carcass to the cutting room. This is where the magic happens.
When the animal leaves the cutting room, it is in the form of chops, roasts and sausage. Hams, bacon and other smoked products take a bit more time and finesse.
Picking up and Storing the Meats
When everything is ready and labeled, they call me up and let me know "your meat is ready to pick up!" I then make the short drive to Darlington and pick up the fruit of all our months of labor and care.
After the meat is home, there is a couple hours of busy work. We sort through, inventory and inspect every package. Most of the meat is put in boxes and stored at Badger State Cold storage in Monroe. Just a few minutes from the house. It is a family affair.
Packing and Processing Orders
When you place an order, we pack it from our 8 freezers here at the farm. Your box of meat is then shipped to you. When inventory of any item is low at the farm, we restock from cold storage in town. This is how we can keep such a large variety of cuts in stock and still keep it all local!
We also stock meat such as seafood from a couple partners who share our vision. The food chain for them looks a bit different. But this is what happens between the pasture and your plate for Sparrow Hill Farm beef, pork, and lamb. Enjoy!
As always, eat well and stay healthy.
