“Farm School” Helps Sell Meat, Produce

“Farm School” Helps Sell Meat Produce FARM HOME Food Karl and Nancy Falster’s “students” watched and listened carefully as the farm couple led them through the how-to’s of poultry processing For a $40 fee each student gets an afternoon of hands-on education farm-grown snacks and a stewing chicken with recipes to take home “We don’t do it so much for income as for education ” says Nancy Falster about their farm’s education efforts She and her husband specialize in raising miniature cattle breeding stock Falster says the classes and events have proven to be a good way to advertise the beef pork chicken vegetables and honey they produce organically The Falsters set up a work station on their concrete driveway next to running water and freezer access and they use a killing cone and a mechanical plucker built by a friend to process the chickens They limit the class size to 10 Falster says she “advertises” by sending out an email to nearly 2 000 people on her list and through social media People come from as far as 3 hrs away in Dallas and Shreveport so classes start in the early afternoon In addition to poultry processing the Falsters offer classes for cheese making lard rendering soap making and making bone broth stock They also hold a farm day with educational stations about herbs pasture-raised pork compost tea chicken tractors and other farm topics “We offer educational opportunities to folks so they can begin the journey toward real health with real food ” she says Besides teaching at their own farm the Falsters are available to teach at mini conferences for other producers Falster adds that one of her most interesting “classes” started when she challenged supporters to skip going to the gym and work out at the farm Since then a Falster Farm Fitness group has formed and members will be on hand for spring cleanup to pick up limbs and clean pastures for a “good bicep workout ” “The world is hungry for real life and real food ” Falster says “It’s up to us farmers to introduce people to opportunities ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Falster Farm & Cattle Ranch 2112 County Road 4778 Winnsboro Texas 75494 ph 903 629-3034; www falsterfarm com

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