September 21, 2016 0 Comments
Joyce Farms Poulet Rouge Fermier® chickens have it pretty good. Not only do we raise them naturally and according to some of the same standards used in the French Label Rouge program; We also make sure they live a happy life, doing what chickens like to do, growing in their own space and at their own pace.
What’s a typical day like for a Poulet Rouge® chicken? It starts early – they’re up with the chickens. Not because we make them get up, but because, well, they’re chickens. They roam freely in a small, comfortable poultry houses, surrounded by their fellow chickens. The flocks are small, so each bird has plenty of room, and all of the birds are sure to get the care and attention they deserve.
They’re given access to the outdoors from 9 a.m. until dusk, so the birds can have their own version of “recess” — running, socializing, or just relaxing and catching some rays.
They’re given music to listen to (usually classical, which seems to soothe them), and toys to play with, like these hanging CDs. Chickens love bright shiny objects.
Occasionally they might even engage in some yard games, like this friendly staring contest.
August 26, 2016 0 Comments
Joyce Farms is an authorized dealer of Grizzly coolers because they’re the best, and if you’ve tried any of our poultry or beef products, you know we’re sticklers for quality! When we decided to add premium coolers to our offerings, we did our research and chose to partner with Grizzly Coolers. Here’s why:
All Grizzly coolers are manufactured right here in the USA, in the small town of Decorah, Iowa. That’s not always the case with other premium cooler brands. Yeti coolers, for example, are manufactured in China, the Philippines, and the United States.
Grizzly Coolers are made using RotoTough™ rotationally molded construction for maximum durability. The “roto-molding” uses heat and rotation to evenly disperse plastic material within a mold to create the cooler body. The process helps ensure that Grizzly coolers are tough enough to withstand almost any conditions or abuse. It also produces very little waste (most excess material can be reused), making it economical and environmentally friendly.
Speaking of durability, Grizzly coolers are certified to be bear-proof by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee. They’re put through strict IGBC Bear Resistance testing to make sure cooler contents and the animals are kept safe.
A cooler’s most important attribute is its ability to keep things cold for a long time, and Grizzly coolers do just that. The cooler’s roto-molded construction and pressure-injected foam insulation work together to hold internal temperature extremely well. A Grizzly cooler will keep ice frozen up to 6 days!
When you invest in a premium cooler, you want it to last. Grizzly coolers are come with a lifetime warranty (compared to a 5 year warranty offered by some other premium brands like Yeti).
From chefs to fisherman, there is a growing community of Grizzly enthusiasts who stand behind the brand as the best premium cooler (see some of their ambassadors here). Now we are among them. In addition to selling Joyce Farms Grizzly coolers on our website, we frequently give them as gifts, prizes and use them in our own day to day operations. Our farmer partners love them because they are perfect for keeping produce, drinks, or anything else long, hot days outside. Our sales team loves them because they keep sample products cold during long food shows or as they travel around the region visiting customers. Our customers love them because they are great for travel or any outdoor activities — that’s why they’re the “Outdoor Everything Cooler.” Whether it’s in a field under the blazing sun, on your tailgate during the game, or at your campsite for days, the Grizzly won’t disappoint.
July 26, 2016 0 Comments
Look out for us in the August issue of The Local Palate! Read about our unique heritage poultry operations, slow growth breeds, traditional methods, and how we achieve that unbelievable flavor.
click image or here to read
July 20, 2016 0 Comments
According to a study by the International Food Information Council Foundation, the majority of shoppers say taste has the biggest impact on their food choices — more than price, convenience, sustainability, or even nutrition. What that means for producers of grass-fed beef is that they can tout its nutritional and ecological superiority all day long, but if it doesn't taste good, people won’t eat it.
One of the biggest complaints about grass-fed beef is inconsistent taste and off flavors. The reality is, grass-fed beef can taste as good or even better than grain-fed beef — the difference comes down to three key variables: grass, grazing, and genetics.
If grass-fed beef doesn’t get the right forage – the perfect cocktail (as we call it) of mature grasses and legumes – it doesn’t always taste good. A lot of grass-fed cattle are raised in what’s called a “monoculture pasture” where the grasses are at a single root depth, and they draw their mineral content from only one layer of soil. The result is meat that can have a metallic flavor. However when grass-fed cattle are raised in multi-culture pastures, eating forage made up of a variety of grasses and legumes that provide a balanced mineral intake from multiple root depths, there is no metallic taste in the meat.
It’s not just the variety of things the cattle eat that matters. It also matters when they eat them. Grass-fed beef can have an off-flavor that tastes of liver or game when the cattle’s forage isn’t mature enough and contains too much protein and not enough carbohydrate (sugars). To prevent this, the forage can be measured for Brix. Without getting too scientific, Brix is a measurement of the sugars, amino acids, oils, proteins, flavonoids, minerals and other nutrients in a food. By monitoring Brix levels closely, the cattle can be brought to pasture for grazing when the forage is at optimum maturity, so they only eat the sweetest grass and have the best tasting meat.
Producing great-tasting grass-fed beef isn’t as simple as just switching to a grass-fed diet; you have to start with the right cattle. Most beef produced in America today comes from modern cattle that have been selectively bred to produce larger animals that finish well in a commercial feed lot; they just aren’t built for a grass-based diet. In fact, less than 5% of cattle genetics in the US will produce quality beef on grass.
Our Heritage Beef comes from true Aberdeen Angus cattle raised exclusively in multi-cultural pastures eating forage that is mature and sweet. Joyce Farms maintains a bloodline of this prized heritage Aberdeen Angus breed – the original Angus of 18th century Scotland.
There are a lot of different grass-fed beef producers out there, and it’s important to know that not all grass-fed beef is the same. At Joyce Farms, we go to these lengths because we’re just like you – if we’re going to eat our grass-fed beef (and we are), we want it to taste delicious (and it does).
July 15, 2016 0 Comments
Here's a sneak peak at our healthy, happy, heritage turkey poults! They're only 1 week old, but they're already feeling right home on our farms with lots of TLC from our dedicated farmers.
These special birds carry the heritage genetics of the traditional Spanish Black turkey, a slow-growing breed believed to be one of the first developed from Native American stocks. We raise them free range on our farms with nothing added, ever — no added hormones, steroids, antibiotics, or anything artificial.
June 16, 2016 0 Comments
Written By Dr. Allen Williams, Ph.D.
A champion of the grass-fed beef industry as well as cutting edge grazing methodology, Allen helps restore natural soil water retention and reduce runoff, increase land productivity, enhance plant and wildlife biodiversity, and produce healthier food. He also serves as Joyce Farms' CRO (Chief Ranching Officer). Learn more about Allen
In addition to being part of the Joyce Farms team as Chief Ranching Officer, it’s my privilege to serve on a number of industry boards and committees, including the board of directors for the Grassfed Exchange. The Grassfed Exchange is a volunteer, non-profit organization of regenerative ranchers and grassfed industry supporters that holds the largest grassfed industry conference held annually in the U.S.
Each year the Grassfed Exchange Conference brings together farmers, ranchers, industry professionals and experts, university personnel, and USDA personnel for the exchange of ideas and information through seminars, farm tours and educational presentations.
They also use the occasion to give out awards to the “best of the best” in our industry. The 2016 Grassfed Exchange Conference was held in Perry, GA on April 27-29, with attendees coming from 42 different states and 5 different countries. I’m proud to say that at that conference, Ron Joyce and Joyce Farms were unanimously selected as the Grassfed Exchange Distributor/Marketer/Retailer of the Year.
The purpose of these awards is to recognize and honor those who have made significant contributions to the production of good food and agricultural stewardship, and Joyce Farm’s dedication to offering the consumer not only healthy products that are good for the land, the animals, and us -- but also products that are tender and delicious – was one of the major reasons for their selection for this award.
In naming Ron Joyce and Joyce Farms the winners, the selection committee cited their 50+ years of contribution to regenerative agriculture, revitalization of the rural economy, production of high attribute proteins, and commitment to providing consumers with a healthy choice in grassfed beef and poultry.
Receiving this award is a significant achievement, and I’m delighted Ron and the team here were chosen. Working with them, I see their hard work and dedication to quality every day, and it’s nice to see it recognized by our peers. It’s also a compliment to Joyce Farms customers, because when you choose Joyce Farms products, you’re choosing the industry-recognized best there is.
June 07, 2016 0 Comments
We don’t rush our chickens. They eat all-natural food, roam freely, and get nice and healthy on Mother Nature’s schedule. That’s how we’ve done things for many years, but it isn’t the industry norm. So earlier this year it was a pretty big deal in our industry when Whole Foods announced they ’re supporting new Global Animal Partnership (GAP) standards that will require all chicken producers to move away from fast-growth breeds if they want to be certified under GAP’s 5-Step® Rating Program. By 2024, Whole Foods will require their chickens to have a 23% slower growth rate than commercial, factory-farmed birds.
So what’s the problem with fast growth? Well, in the last 100 years or so, standard commercial chickens have been bred to grow faster so they’re ready for market sooner (allowing the producers to increase the number of birds they sell each year) while consuming less feed (cutting the cost to raise them).
A century ago it took about four months to grow a standard chicken; today the average for most commercial breeds is 42 days. That’s great for producing a lot of chicken, but not so great for the animals or consumers.
When chickens grow too fast, they can develop before their bones are ready to support all that weight, and many develop problems with their legs and joints, some to the point where they can’t walk. So the chickens suffer. In fact, Whole Foods predicts that this shift to slower growing birds will “improve the lives of 277 million chickens.”
The shift is also better for consumers because fast-growth chickens don't taste as good as slow-growth chickens. The slower growing process gives intramuscular fat time to develop in the meat, producing a juicier, more flavorful chicken with a superior texture (which is why slow-growth birds are preferred by chefs).
We learned all this a long time ago – we have many years of experience in slow growing chickens. Our Poulet Rouge Fermier™ chicken grows 100% slower than commercial breeds (84 days vs. 42 days), which far exceeds the Whole Foods and GAP standards. That’s why we’re excited that Whole Foods and others are switching to slow-growth chickens – it’s how we think all chickens should be raised.
Does all this mean that the poultry industry is doing away with industrialized farms and returning to more natural methods? No, but it's a step in the right direction, starting the industry down a path we’ve been forging for a long time, and we’re happy to see that happen.
May 25, 2016 0 Comments
The Joyce Farms Poultry Science Scholarship was established in 2007 to support students pursuing careers in agricultural science at NC State University. Each year, students from the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences submit applications and essays for consideration. One outstanding applicant is selected to receive $1,000 from Joyce Farms to help fund his or her education.
It’s a difficult task to choose just one from our many qualified candidates. We consider academic standing, past achievements, and demonstrated passion, skill, and determination.
This year, we are pleased to announce Ray Borzotra as the 2016-17 recipient of the Joyce Farms Poultry Science Scholarship!
Congratulations and best of luck to Ray and all of our impressive applicants!
Find information on how to apply for future scholarship consideration here.
April 26, 2016 0 Comments
Did you know that genetics directly affect the flavor of meat, poultry and game?
One of the major changes in the meat and poultry industry over the past century has been the development of faster-growing genetics that are cheaper to produce. These modern genetics are the industry’s response to the mass-market demand for more meat at the lowest possible cost.
The unintended effect of increased production efficiency has been the loss of flavor in the process and it has created a number of animal welfare issues with these faster-growing breeds.
This chart from the National Chicken Council shows that in 1925 it took 112 days to produce a chicken that weighed 2.5 pounds live (less than 2 pounds dressed). Today, with modern genetics, it takes only 48 days and significantly less feed to grow a chicken that weighs 6.2 pounds live (over 4.5 pounds dressed).
By using genetics of a bygone era in all of our Heritage breed animals, Joyce Farms produces table fare with superior culinary characteristics when compared to modern commercial genetics. The longer time and slower growing process allows intramuscular fat to develop in the meat, yielding a juicier and more flavorful bite, like a well-marbled steak. The texture of the meat is far superior, and the very thin skin (a characteristic of the Cou Nu, or “naked neck”, breed) is highly sought after by chefs.
Our Poulet Rouge Fermier® chicken, an authentic Label Rouge heritage chicken from France, takes 84 days and 15 pounds of feed to grow to 4.75 pounds live (about 3.5 pounds dressed).
Modern cattle genetics have also suffered at the hands of production efficiency. Steers are being grown larger and faster, but the beef does not taste like it once did. Our success in producing Heritage Grass-Fed Beef that grades USDA Prime and USDA Choice is in large part due to our focus on quality genetics. Dr. Allen Williams, our Chief Ranching Officer, selectively bred cattle to produce genetics going back to the original Aberdeen Angus breeds from Scotland in the 1840s, and the bloodline developed is traceable to its Scottish roots. This particular breed is a much smaller carcass than today’s commercial cattle genetics, and consistently finishes very well on grass, as nature intended.