Category Archives: projects

Farm Store Kickstarter Project

Farm Store Kickstarter

The cat’s out of the bag–we’re finally building a farm store! Our store will provide a pleasant and convenient place to shop here at the farm. It will include a commercial kitchen, which will allow us to expand our product selection to additional goods like bone broth, breads, prepared meals, fermented foods, etc. In addition to the delicious and wholesome meats, eggs, and veggies we already offer, we also plan to stock our favorite whole-food pantry goods, supplements, homemade soaps, and lots of other goodies. It’s an exciting time of expansion for us, and we need your help to get there!

As with any new building, a pretty good amount of capital is required to purchase wiring, plumbing, roofing, insulation, fixtures, etc. We’ll be doing pretty much all the work ourselves and with helpers, even milling our own lumber from trees harvested here at the ranch, as well as doing the design work (thank you, LeTourneau University, for the engineering degrees!).

Help kick-start our project by advancing $1000 by September 21 (happy birthday to Jerica!), to be used as product credit with the ranch, which will lock you in to special discounts to use during the life of your credit, even on top of already-discounted bulk packages or sale items. You can start purchasing immediately! Our Kick-Starters will receive the following discounts on all purchases until their credit is used up:

  • 5% off Grass-fed Beef
  • 10% off Soy-Free Pasture-Raised Chicken
  • 15% off Soy-Free Forage-Fed Heritage Pork

Kick-Starters can use their credit to make purchases delivered through our standard delivery routes or for pickup here at the ranch. Just order and pick up as usual. No gimmicks. It’s sort of like buying a big fat gift card with perks for yourself (or perhaps an early Christmas present for a loved one?). We’ll keep the books. You do the eating. Please plan to use your credit up within a year. We’ll bug you until you do. 🙂

Contact us by phone at 903-665-7076 or email Jerica or use the following contact form to pledge your help and receive instructions on how to send payment. We thank you for your support and are honored and blessed to serve you by raising the best food in the world. 

Name
Email
Comments

Volunteers help complete walk-in freezer

We are grateful to the energetic and hardworking youth of Faith Baptist Church in Longview that gave up one of their last summer Fridays off from school to come help us finish our summer project–a new walk-in freezer!

The job was to use a bucket brigade to carry concrete into the double-insulated shell of a refrigeration truck-trailer that Matt and our farm hands had modified to meet our needs. On the coldest August day in many years, many hands made light work. Well… lighter work, anyway.

The first step is to gather your crew and show everyone what they'll be doing.

The first step is to gather your crew and show everyone what they’ll be doing.

After all, it's a big job. Here's a view from the inside.

After all, it’s a big job. Here’s a view from the inside.

The helpers set rocks up to hold down reinforcement rebar.

The helpers set rocks up to hold up the reinforcement rebar. After they busted block up with hammers, of course. Which involved only a few minor injuries…

The interns made sure all the cracks were sealed.

The interns made sure all the cracks were sealed.

Micah made sure all the siding was thoroughly attached.

Micah made sure all siding was thoroughly attached.

Now you start mixing up the concrete. Let someone strong lift the bags.

Now you start mixing up the concrete. Let someone strong lift the bags….

Because there are a bunch of them.

…because there are a bunch of them.

Add a little water... just the right amount!

Add a little water… just the right amount! It’s an art, you know! Hannah was in charge of this job.

Oh, and use a Bowie knife to cut the bags open. Courtesy of Zack.

Oh, and use a Bowie knife to cut the bags open. Courtesy of Zack.

The mix 'er up and pour 'er out!

Then mix ‘er up and pour ‘er out!

Then the next crew scoops the mixture up with shovels...

Then the next crew scoops the mixture up with shovels…

and puts it into buckets.

…and puts it into buckets.

The buckets are then carried along support boards into the back section of the freezer.

The buckets are then carried along support boards into the back section of the freezer.

And a helper carries the empty bucket back out to be refilled. Rinse, repeat.

And a helper carries the empty bucket back out to be refilled. Here’s Rachel, who also provided deliciously flat chocolate chip cookies. Rinse, repeat.

Zack skillfully smooths the concrete.

Zack skillfully smoothes the concrete.

No helper is too big...

No helper is too big…

...or too small!

…or too small! And yes, those are jackets in August. It was crazy cold that day!

It even comes with a special safety feature...

It even comes with a special safety feature…

...an electric bell in case you lock yourself in! But don't do that because someone has to be able to hear you.

…an electric bell in case you lock yourself in! But don’t do that because someone has to be able to hear you for it to work.

The next morning, voila! A sturdy freezer floor!

The next morning, voila! A sturdy freezer floor!

Matt likes it so much that he likes to sit and ponder its majesty. (Just kidding. He was making something for the door, I think.)

Matt likes it so much that he likes to sit and ponder its majesty. (Just kidding. He was making something for the door, I think.)

We are quite pleased with the completion of this project, and grateful for the hard work and good attitudes of our young helpers. It was fun!