Hello to all!  Hope this week finds you all enjoying this glorious week of sunshine, dry ground and cool breeze...it seems the weather man has skipped right over the unbearably hot humid August for which GA is famous and has gone straight to an early and pleasant fall. 

This week we'd like to start with a big...

THANK YOU.

...A big thanks to you all for your support - whether in mind, body, or spirit - for this past weekend's Fields of Promise Dinner!  The Dinner, hosted by the Oconee Farmers Market, was a huge success - selling out of it's some 200 tickets before the event and raising a sizable, charitable donation for our local chapter's FFA college scholarship fund.  The incredible outpour of communal support and encouragement has ensured that this become an annual event to foster the love of agriculture and community with future generations.

A link to the preliminary report of the event can be found on the Oconee Farmers Market website...

www.oconeefarmersmarket.org

the mother un-LOAD-ing...

That's right, folks!  A kiln unloading looms - and this one is the mother load...  

This round of wood fired beauties will feature the work of not only John Bradford of Bradford Pottery - but also the impeccable work of Geoff Pickett and the illustrious JB (Jeff Bishoff).

These boys are currently in the process of "stoking the beast" - attending the kilns' insatiable, round-the-clock appetite for wood as it reaches temperatures in excess of 2300 degrees - creating pottery varied in it's tactile and earthy tones.  As you drive by the farm on Colham Ferry Road - you may recognize "the beast" as that strange, smoke-burping igloo.  If the fire is a-goin' feel free to stop on by and peak in!

The unloading is scheduled for Saturday, August 31 - door comes down at  around 5:00 at 1941 Colham Ferry Road, Watkinsville.  We invite you all to come by and witness the birth of the work from this dynamic trio of potters.  

It's quite the experience as an assembly line of pots is formed... pots being passed from kiln, to hand-to hand, until the pots come to their resting place on a bed of pallets - where they are then lovingly inspected and cherished by the potters and pottery lovers alike!  

It is one of the most unique and intimate ways to experience the pottery process and even to find that very special piece - still warm to the touch - that fits so perfectly, nestled in your very own hands.

savor the summer.

This labor day weekend savor the dog days of summer with a cookout sourced from your local farmers and vendors at the Oconee and Central Bishop Farmers Markets!

Grab some Pastures of Rose Creek Piedmontese Ground Beef, Short Ribs, Pears, Figs & Watermelons to complete your Labor Day Cookout Menu!

Try these recipes and really wow your guests with your locally sourced Labour Day spread! (recipes attached below)

• Piedmontese Burgers with Figs, Caramelized Onions, & Goat Cheese
• Piedmontese BBQ Short Ribs
• Pear & Pomegranate Salad
• Watermelon Basil Agua Fresca (beverage)

"the beef" on our beef.

...Turning non-beef eaters to some of our most consistent "regulars" who come back week after week for their Piedmontese fix...for "cholesterol-watchers" who previously could not thoroughly enjoy their red meat - our Piedmontese beef is allowing them to guiltlessly enjoy a steak again.  And for the beef "foodies" - the connousieurs - and the average joe looking for something to turn their palate on - Piedmontese is invariably the answer!

So, here's "the beef" on our beef -  we half regretfully, half happily announce that we are temporarily sold out of steaks.  

We are thrilled that the Piedmontese has been so popular and consider this first round our "test market" which has been absolutely successful!  

With that being said, we are NOT sold out of everything!  We still have:

• short ribs & ground beef to supply your Labor Day Cookout
• succulent roasts, stew meat & bones to appease the early fall dinner menus
• cubed, round steaks, and liver for your down home grub.  

this week.

We will be at our beloved, 3 local markets this week with our delicious beef, eggs, and whatever veggies and fruits are garden produces!

• Today, Oconee Farmers Market, downtown Wat-town, 4-7 pm
• Thursday, Central Bisho Market, downtown Bishop, 4-7 pm
• Saturday, Oconee Farmers Market, downtown Watkinsville, 8 am - 1pm

Be there or be square!  :)

For the love of community and all things farming,

Your local farmers,

Will, Matt, John & Dana

The Pastures of Rose Creek, LLC
1051 Rose Creek Drive
Watkinsville, GA 30677
706.254.9391
575.613.2029

"Cave Man Good."

Hello all!  Hope this week finds everyone well - at least better than our poor summer garden - which has not really enjoyed the sudden, sunless cold and excessive rains.

But hey! - we have not thrown in the "trowel!" - fall seeds are in the ground and young onions and cabbages are sprouting their oh so sweet first little leaves.  We whisper and coo in their green little ears, coaxing the next round of delicious veggies into fruition.

So, although most of our summer crops have decided to pack up shop, and take their vacation early in search for some fabled summer sun -  our market table is not veggie "lite" for long.  The next round of amazing greens and things are on their way! 

...and speaking of "lite"...

Have you heard about our amazing Piedmontese Beef?!?!  It is incredible.  So incredible in fact that I am offering this anonymous quote from a newly realized Piedmontese enthusiast who said...

"It was so good, I ate it like a cave man - with my hands.  It was just too good for a fork and knife.  Best steak I've ever had."

Well there you have it folks, "Cave Man Good" may be the highest praise a piece of meat can receive!

The flavor and tenderness of Piedmontese beef is incredible. This is true.  But it's the cholesterol and fat content that is astounding.  

It may be "Cave Man Good" but it's also "Less-Than-Chicken Lite."  A Piedmontese-Cross comes in around 60 mg of cholesterol compared to 70 mg for skinless chicken breast!  Even for grass fed beef (which tends to be a leaner cut) - that is LOW.  The American Heart Association has actually endorsed Piedmontese Beef as a heart healthy food.

In fact, one man blogged about how Piedmontese Beef helped him lower his cholesterol...

 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2010/04/14/can-piedmontese-beef-help-lower-your-cholesterol-one-mans-story/

It is the miracle beef - you can have your steak and eat it too - a lean, tender, flavorful beef, all at the same time!

Try it this week with the "Soy Citrus Kabobs" - recipe below.

Soy Citrus Kabobs.

ingredients.

• 1 lb Piedmontese Beef cut into chunks (any cut will do - filet, sirloin, stew meat)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• your fave veggies...tomatoes, peppers, onions

method.

• If using wooden skewers - soak in water for at least 30 minutes
• In a smal bowl, stir the marinade ingredients together
• Place kabob meat in shallow dish or plastic, sealable bag
• Pour marinade over meat.  Turn meat over or shake it in the bag to coat it evenly.
• Place in fridge to marinate for 1-2 hours
• Preheat grill to hot - 400-500 degrees
• Skewer meat onto kabobs with veggies and grill skewers 2 minutes per side (turning 4 times)

find us this week...

• Tuesday, 4-7 pm, Oconee Farmers Market, downtown Watkinsville
• Thursday, 4-7 pm, Central Bishop Market, downtown Bishop
• Saturday, 8 am - 1 pm, Oconee Farmers Market, downtown Watkinsville

Hope to see y'all there!

For the love of community and all things farming...

Your local farmers,

Will, Matt, John & Dana

The Pastures of Rose Creek, LLC
1051 Rose Creek Drive
Watkinsville, GA 30677
706.254.9391
575.613.2029

Burgers with "Pear-sonality"

Hello all!  

As many of you already may know - this week marks our second week featuring our Grass Fed Piedmontese Beef!  We are thrilled to be receiving enticing and delectable reports from those who have tried the Piedmontese.  

"Wonderful.  Great flavor, tender, beautiful meat.  Can't wait to try the other cuts I purchased!" - one very satisfied customer, Watkinsville

This week we will be at the Thursday Central Bishop Market from 4-7 pm and the Saturday Oconee Farmers Market from 8 am - 1 pm.  Stop on by to try out the amazing new beef!  

Read on to learn more!

A special offering.

This week, we put our best "food" forward and class up your burgers with Piedmontese beef and a delicious recipe inspired by "Food 52"...

PEAR & SAGE BURGERS

This recipe combines succulent summer pears & the fragrant, earthy essence of sage all in one luscious and tasteful burger - great for entertaining guests or simple self indulgence.

So, this week stop by our market table to give your burgers some "pear-sonality" and pick up the primary ingredients and the recipe for $12!

This package includes: 1 recipe, 1 lb Piedmontese ground beef, 2 pears, sprigs of sage, a scattering of dried cranberries, and honey from our friends at Covenant Valley Farm!

THE BEEF.

An extraordinary, Italian heritage breed...

The only breed known to carry the "double muscling" gene - a gene that would make even Hulk Hogan balk.

Besides shaping a magnificent animal -  this gene also creates a beef containing LESS cholesterol and fat than poultry (we're talking leaner than skinless chicken breast!) while preserving an unparalleled tenderness and flavor.  Personally speaking, the sirloin alone is comparatively tender to any filet I've had from any other breed. 

Whether heart health conscious or not - this beef is an excellent low cholesterol meat without sacrificing tenderness and flavor.

Furthermore it is a rare and valuable breed with a fascinating history- one whose migration to the Piedmont of Northwest Italy can be directly traced all the way back to the Late Stone Age.  25,000 years ago - when giant sloths and large saber toothed cats roamed.  

Fast forward to today, nestled in the lush rolling hills of the Italian Piedmont, a small and discerning association of farmers preserve one of the most pure and ancient bloodlines of modern cattle.  For the sake of posterity, these farmers maintain tight control over this breed - resulting in the rarity of this beef outside of northern Italy.

And so - from the Piedmont of Italy to the Piedmont of Georgia - we bring you "a cut above the rest" Grass Fed Piedmontese Beef from our very own, certified, Piedmontese sire - Al.  It is some of the healthiest, most tender, succulent meat you can find!

our market offerings.

• Piedmontese Beef (all cuts!)
• Pasture Raised Eggs
• Keiffer Pears
  
• Figs
• Tomatos
• New Mexico Green Chiles
• Asparagus Beans
• Cucumbers
• Watermelon
• Pottery from Bradford Pottery
  

Hope to see you all this Thursday & Saturday!

For the love of community and all things farming,

Your local farmers,

Will, Matt, Dana & John

The Pastures of Rose Creek, LLC
1051 Rose Creek Drive
Watkinsville, GA 30677
706.254.9391
575.613.2029

From the Piedmont of Italy, to the Piedmont of Georgia...

Hello All!  This week, the weekly blog was delayed - but oh!, is it worth the wait!!!

We are very excited to finally reveal the best kept secret on our farm - heck, the best kept secret in the beef business too!  The ace up our sleeve, our secret weapon, our blessing - Piedmontese Beef.

As many of you already know, we are a burgeoning grass fed beef farm and are very excited to be selling our first "by the cut" Piedmontese beef at the market! 

an introduction to our beef business.  

What you may not have known is that we raise two varieties of beef cows:

One you may already be familiar with - the Limousine Angus cross - a delicious, more traditional style of grass fed meat of which we have sold and will continue to sell in bulk orders (as it comes available by the 1/4, 1/2, and whole).  We also look forward to selling this meat's ground beef at market!

The other?  Our new and exclusive Northern Italian heritage breed Piedmontese. A rare and valuable breed known for containing less cholesterol and fat than poultry while preserving unsurpassed tenderness and flavor.  

This week we sell our Piedmontese beef at the market by the cut - meaning you can purchase by the individual cut and style of meat.  

Read on to learn more about this rare and exciting breed and look for it this Saturday at our market table!

FROM THE PIEDMONT OF ITALY TO THE PIEDMONT OF GEORGIA...

ancient origins.

25,000 years ago - the Late Stone Age.  A time when homo neanderthalensis and homo sapiens coexisted in a primordial world...wooly mammoths lumbered along and saber tooth cats moved stealthily.  The last of the glacial period was still at its peak and the very first colonization of North America was taking place.

It was during this time, some 25,000 years ago, that historians trace the first migration of what is today known as "Piedmontese" cattle into the Piedmont region of Northwest Italy.

naturally lean & tender.

It wasn't until much later (the 1870's in fact), that the "double muscling" trait was identified.  "Double muscling" is a trait directly linked to a natural variation in the myostatin gene - a trait unique to the Piedmontese breed.

The result?  Beef containing LESS cholesterol and fat than poultry while preserving unsurpassed tenderness and flavor.  This gene is rich in protein and vitamins, while consistently reducing fat and yielding tender beef without "stringy fibers."

rare & valuable.

In the U.S., it all started in the 1970's with a few progressive farmers, 1 bull & 4 cows brought over directly from Italy.

Today, the Piedmontese population is at 15,000 - totaling less than 1% of all cattle in the U.S.

For the sake of genetic preservation, Piedmontese are still a rarity in the world outside of northern Italy.  There, in the rolling hills of the Italian Piedmont a small association of farmers maintain tight control of what may be "the most unique gene pool of any breed of cattle in the world."

hybrid vigor.

We are one of the only Piedmontese Beef operations in the state of Georgia.  Our Piedmontese beeves are sired by our magnificent and gentle bull, Alrigo - Italian for "Ruler of the Estate."  ...Or Al for short - a purebred Piedmontese bull, bred to "mom's" of various breeds who are chosen for their propensity to grass finishing and flavor.

We choose to crossbreed in order to tailor our beef for superior qualities.  The "double muscling" gene, however, is dominant and is the influencing factor in our Piedmontese beef.  

You won't find a healthier, more tender & succulent piece of beef anywhere else!

dinner for two.

This week we offer a "Dinner for Two" special for $40 - a great deal for 2 gourmet steaks and a roasted fig recipe!!   (recipe and ingredients all inclusive)...

• 2 piedmontese ribeye steaks (0.5-0.7 lbs each)
  
• Roasted figs - featuring goat cheese from Blue Moon Creamery & honey from Covenant Valley Farm!
• 1 lb field Peas & Okra

So pick up your dinner tomorrow at our market table!  (offerings are limited)

 this week at the market.

Piedmontese Beef! - all cuts AND look for our limited offer - "dinner for two"

Lim-Flex ground beef

cucumbers

tomatos

okra

asparagus & field beans

new mexico green chiles

figs

watermelon

pears

farm fresh eggs

Hope to see y'all there!

For the love of community and all things farming,

Your local farmers,

Will, Matt, John & Dana