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The Soapbox
There are those who SAY they support local and then there are those who actually DO support local. The challenge for everyone, including us, is to "walk the talk". Specifically, in the last month, Pine View Farms lost two key wholesale accounts. One is Saskatoon Co-op stores who will no longer be carrying our fresh ground beef. Head Office decided to purchase all its meat from one of the biggest beef processors in Canada and eliminate all of all the local meat processors in Saskatchewan who used to supply the Co-ops. Naturally, we are very disappointed as many of our customers appreciated the convenience of fresh beef at the Co-op. Moreover, this does not fit with Co-op's "Community Builder" slogan and image as a strong supporter of local business. Secondly, for a brief time this summer, Prairie Ink Restaurant at McNally Robinson was using our chicken breasts and steaks on its menu. Again, a central head office decision was made to source all its beef for the entire chain from one multinational supplier based in Pennsylvania, USA, in order to control portion sizes and gain economies of scale. We understand that corporations and cooperatives have various business needs. And at the local level, we have enjoyed good working relationships with store managers and appreciate their support. However, simply said, our food system is generally focused on providing cheap food at the expense of farmers and the environment. This is not sustainable in our view. Any of you who have seen Food Inc. or read "The Omnivore's Dilemma", "In Defense of Food" or "Fast Food Nation" have some perspective on this. Five years ago, Pine View Farms adopted the slogan "Buy What You Believe" because we firmly believe that our purchases reflect our personal values and hence, send a clear message to the marketplace about what kinds of products and businesses we want to exist. If you believe the same, then please make your voice heard to the food stores and restaurants you patronize.
Ask them where their meat comes from and let them know your preference for local. Consumers ARE the drivers of change. Let the words of your wallet speak loud and clear! Good businesses listen to their customers and respond. Where Can I Buy Pine View Farms' Meats?
Of course, you are always welcome to shop at our Farm Store, only 15 minutes north of Costco (see www.pineviewfarms.com for map) or shop online at www.pineviewfarms.com/store with home delivery options. We have a supportive network of stores and restaurants in Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert and LaRonge who carry varied selections of PVF meats. Our website has a complete listing at www.pineviewfarms.com under "Store Locator". We ask that you give them your support. In light of the Co-ops not carrying fresh PVF beef, we have begun Fresh Fridays at PVF's Farm Store where we have a selection of seasonal fresh cuts. Souleio Foods, (www.souleio.com), now carries our fresh product line including chicken, beef, pork and lamb. Fresh product meat arrives weekly at Souleio. A notable new addition to our distribution network is The Green Ranch, Tim and Carla Schultz, at the Regina Farmer's Market. Christmas TurkeysWe are now taking orders for fresh, free range Christmas turkeys. We strongly encourage you to pre-order your bird to guarantee supply. The turkeys will average 15 lb. with the range being from 13 - 18 lb. E-mail us at sales@pineviewfarms.com or call (306) 239-4763 to reserve your bird. Pick up dates will be: Saturday, December 19th 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Monday - Wednesday, December 21-23 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. daily Thursday, December 24 9 a.m. - noon Sizing Up a TurkeyHow big should my turkey be to feed my crowd? We get asked this question alot. Our rules of thumb are:
Remember, that a protein serving should be about the size of the palm of your hand, 6-8 oz. and our eyes are usually bigger than our stomachs! Souleio Christmas FeastDon't want the stress of cooking Christmas dinner for the clan? Let Souleio do the work for you! Reserve your Christmas turkey dinner by calling 979-8102. Dinner for 10-12 guests includes:
Spatchcocking PoultrySpatchcocking chickens or turkeys is an easy way to cook a whole bird quickly. Also known as "butterflying", spatchcocking is simply removing the backbone of the bird so that the bird lies flat on a baking sheet, which facilitates quicker and more uniform cooking. With the backbone out of the way, carving is easier too. Moreover, it takes less space in the oven, leaving you room for side dishes to cook. It works great for birds headed to the BBQ too. To butterfly a chicken or turkey, cut out the backbone by placing the bird breast down on the counter. Cut along both sides of the backbone starting at the tail end. Set aside backbone and save for soup stock. Take hold of newly cut edges and open the bird. Turn the bird breast side up. Break the breast bone by placing your hand on one side of the breast, close to the bone and push down firmly until you hear a crack. Repeat on the other side. Flatten the bird by pulling thighs and legs outward. Now it's ready to roast. A 12 lb. turkey will cook in about 70 minutes. Butterflied whole chickens are available at PVF's Farm Store. Turkeys can be spatchcocked for you by advance order. New Meats at PVFDuck is a holiday tradition for many and now they are available at Pine View Farms! Ducks are sold frozen, whole only and weigh approximately 5 lb. Call to reserve yours! This summer, we experimented with processing rabbit. You'll find our rabbit on Calories' and Willow on Wascana's menus this winter. They are also available at our farm store for purchase. Chicken burger patties, seasoned and MSG free are proving to be a hit as a quick meal solution with no messy preparation. Farm HappeningsNeedless to say, the garden is long done! Our boys thank you for supporting them in their first year of market gardening. What a fantastic learning experience! Plans are underway for next year. Our wind turbine is scheduled to go up in the next few weeks. Raum Energy has tinkered with the prototype a few times which has delayed construction but we think we have a functional turbine now. We are butchering chickens for all of November and the first part of December. Then, it's turkey time and Christmas! Whew! The year has flown by. We plan to take a few days of rest between Christmas and New Years; however, we will be open for business on Tuesday and Wednesday, December 29 and 30, so you can shop before New Year's. 
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In This Issue
Fresh Fridays at the FarmFresh cut beef, pork, lamb and chicken available for the weekends at PVF every Friday! Share The News!If you know someone who may be interested in receiving this newsletter, you can easily forward up to five copies at once. |
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