CALIFORNIA GRASSFED BISON Bringing them Home!

Transcription

1 CALIFORNIA GRASSFED BISON Bringing them Home! sustainability, farm to fork, healthcare, and clean, ethical, humane food production. We may be at a time, where the simultaneous emergence of multiple issues is giving rise to a new America. The catalysts may be driven by two simple human needs to : (1) survive, and (2) make a positive difference. This is coupled with the awareness and acceptance of a broken greed model. We re reminded of the saying If I keep doing what I m doing, I ll have what I have. In this light, many are seeking to abandon the familiar, in favor of the new, exchanging an age of convenience for personal hope. This sounds strange, yet as I write it, I know this is what happened to Ken and me. Now, in contrast to past dilemmas of what power shade of nail polish to choose, I glance down at my strong, callused hands and broken fingernails and smile. After a few hours at the ranch, I m covered with dirt and dust, which would give way to frequent sneezing if it weren t for allergy pills. Instead of lamenting convenience, I am content. Today Ken and I have a sense of hope and peace, which we didn t know was missing. Like many, we sometimes worry about paying our bills, yet we are able to pay them. The treasures, which were waiting for us, are beyond measure, and grow with each passing season. But we know this only happened when we left the familiar behind and struck out into new territory. Evening sunset, Heritage Ranch, July, BISON - ancient symbol of abundance & prosperity. Today s symbol of HOPE & RENEWAL. If not me, who? It is an exciting time for those involved in the sustainable food movement. We hope this newsletter finds that you, like us, have had a thoughtful summer, as we all steadily hold our own and navigate economic waters in a state of transition. And by now, we also hope you ve been inspired and empowered by the knowledge and choices we ve been given this summer. Two important food documentaries "Food, Inc." and "Fresh, the movie" were released in June. On August 31, a cover story appeared in Time magazine called The Real Cost of Cheap Food, also available online. When we despaired over the news release of grinder chicks, a friend forwarded us the url for Blessed Unrest, a short 2006 Bioneers video of the Peter Hawken speech, tailored after his book by the same name. The momentum is undeniable. Articles emerge routinely, with complimentary topics concerning carbon footprints, Our treasures include you, who, after many years now, tell us you depend on us for your 100% grassfed bison meat. Our shared connection with you, and reconnecting you with your meat source, is reinforced by our reunion at the weekly farmers markets. Farmers markets have unwittingly become the heart of a grassroots ethical food movement. The markets are successful because they specifically allow small family farmers and ranchers to sell their products. Typically, these same small farmers and ranchers are denied access to traditional food distribution channels. "For farmers, the certified farmers markets provide an outlet especially suited to moving smaller volumes of product, thus creating a marketing channel outside of the traditional large volume distribution systems." As traditional food channels dry up, be assured that large companies may try to follow food dollars by entering farmers markets. Some will try to emulate this successful, caring model, which has won the hearts, minds and dollars of individuals and families across the country. Today, everywhere we look, advocate systems emerge, explore and encourage a new awareness of the food we eat. Positive examples include organizations such as Weston A. California Grassfed Bison is a registered trademark of Lindner Bison. 1

2 Price, Slow Food, eatwild.com, localharvest.org, eatwell.org, acresusa.com, Bioneers and the American Grassfed Association. These organizations seem to radiate a core of enlightened knowledge, which lead us away from the status quo. Many acknowledge and advance the work of courageous pioneering journalists such as Eric Schlossberg, Michael Pollan, Joel Salatin, Jo Robinson, Carlos Petrini, Derrick Jensen and documentary film makers Robert Kenner and Ana Sofia Joanes, to name but a few. Unsung heroes include those who lost their jobs as a result of helping the filmmakers educate the rest of us: In particular, the third generation seed cleaner who was sued and put out of business by Monsanto, The Food Revolution will be Televised, Inspiring New Documentaries Contrast Industrial Ag and Real Farms september 2009 but not before extracting the names of friends and neighbors; Carol Morison, the chicken farmer, who was being punished at the time of the Food Inc. filming. According to Kenner, there were thousands fewer chickens than are normally at her farm. Joel Salatin, Polyface Farms, consistently reflects the passion he emulates. There is no need to follow a broken greed model, which demands empire building, higher volume each year, capturing and controlling market share and crushing competitors. Instead, he shows that ethical food production by small farmers is possible, practical and profitable. Bloomberg Venture, 9/12/09, 20 minute interview with Joel Salatin Part of Lindner Bison s goal is to inspire you to farm and to ranch. And to, in turn, inspire others to farm and to ranch. farming is not only honorable, it is emotionally, spiritually and financially rewarding. Today s small, ethical farmers and ranchers are no longer considered unschooled, uneducated laborers, dirt farmers and field hands. Today s small farmers and ranchers are the best of us. Ken and I began leaving corporate America at age 48 and began ranching at 55 without an agricultural degree, agricultural background, or large amount of cash. We believe others can too. The only way our grandchildren will be able to reclaim the land is by us working the land ourselves, now. We realize that there may be some readers who may feel uncomfortable reading our comments. This certainly is not our intent. We also understand not everyone is interested in a career in agriculture, nor have they ever considered farming or ranching. We believe for us to say nothing about the serious shortage of new, small farmers, only makes us part of the problem. We believe many of you just don t know. You don t know because no one is talking about it; how could you know? California farmers +65 years old, outnumber farmers +25 years old, by a ratio of 60:1. Today, California farmers over 65 yrs. old outnumber farmers +25 years old, by a ratio of 60:1. Many are unaware of this fact, reported by California FarmLink. As much as Ken and I would love to continue to ranch and sell our 100% grassfed bison meat to you for the next 50+ years, the reality is that we are 60 years old. Big Ag/Big Food/Big Meat corporations will simply outlive us. It is our experience that some corporations effectively use delay as a strategy to gain control of farmland, ranchland, and food production. Much of their success depends on our lack of awareness and action. Increasingly, we believe Californians are moving beyond the acquisition of knowledge and cheerleading from the sidelines. The facts are in. Many now know and understand there is a serious shortage of American farmers, especially in California. It is this shortage of independent farmers and ranchers, which continues to empower Big Ag/Big Food/Big Meat. Ken Lindner Jr., photo by Doug Butsko Grow your own food. Even if you start on your own balcony with a small pot of soil and seeds. A few tomato and lettuce seeds is far more economical than buying it at the supermarket. Today, farming and ranching is an invisible career option, as corporate food production gains control of America s farmland. We need to teach our children that ranching and An authentic reconnect between us and our food will be made by the visible numbers of caring, hands-on participants. This means many will need to exchange air conditioned day jobs for inconvenience, a shovel, a hay wagon and, perhaps, a farmer s market booth. This is a call to action which begs the question, If not me, who? Sincerely, Kathy & Ken California Grassfed Bison is a registered trademark of Lindner Bison. 2

3 believed in the myth of convenience, i.e., that it will all be there at the time it s needed. FOR US, FOR THE ANIMALS & FOR THE EARTH THE RECONNECT FACTOR To reinforce and strengthen a new connection between people and their food. With each reconnect, we find we are part of a plan much grander than ever imagined. -- ffo rr us WHAT DO I DO? WHERE DO I START? Lindner Bison believes these are reasonable questions for anyone starting on a new path. It is especially appropriate today, concerning sustainable and ethical food production. Previously, many who asked these questions were inspired to volunteer in related organizations. They joined those who champion small ethical farmers and ranchers. Still others create websites and blogs, heralding clean food finds, sharing recipes and the latest food news. Many dedicate themselves to buying almost exclusively at farmers markets. This is absolutely a welcome and wonderful start, but there comes a time in any movement, when more must be done. In this case, small, independent farmers and ranchers are not only retiring and dying, but are vastly outnumbered by those who stand and watch. Within the din of the cheering from the sidelines, there is a void, a vacuum. There is no one to take our place. In spite of aging farmers best efforts, ag land placed in trust may be taken out of trust, laws may change to serve the interests of the few. Even organizations created to empower farmers and ranchers are sorely understaffed and underserved. They cannot possibly stretch to accommodate all requests in a timely fashion. When we first began looking for land for our bison, we expected loan programs to be available, an agricultural and ranching support system to be intact, along with a community network to encourage and help us. On the surface, it seemed like there were multiple options. In reality, we found doors and minds guarded, and while momentarily opened, soon closed. They, like us, aren t bad people. Perhaps they just don t know any better. And perhaps, they, like us, mistakenly Rather than perpetuate this myth, based on our experience, here s what may be reasonable to expect for those with no ag background, who choose a new and independent career in farming or ranching: 1. Others may cheer you on, but no one will help you. 2. There will be those who will want to see you fail, especially if you do something outside the norm. 3. If your spouse or partner doesn t absolutely support you 110%, you will most assuredly fail. 4. You will be exhausted beyond measure, yet somehow find the strength to go on. 5. You will be highly and repeatedly inconvenienced, yet the new and diverse challenges will create a freeing sense of soul recognition, expansion and peace. 6. You will repeatedly ask yourself two questions: If not me, who? If not now, when? 7. You will encounter those who prefer to believe that farm and ranch work is for the uneducated, illiterate, socially inept and/or disadvantaged. It is wise to consider that they may be the ones who are ignorant and uneducated. 8. Once you move to a rural or agricultural setting, your motives may be questioned. Like any new job, you will need to prove yourself. 9. You will need to be persistent, courageous and step out on faith. 10. You will occasionally experience sleep deprivation, wondering if your crops, animals or land are secure. 11. The weather channel will be your favorite TV show. 12. You will experience a new awareness of the power of the human heart, once you touch the earth with your bare hands. 13. You will be inspired to empower others and share what you have learned. 14. You will become a beacon for and attract like minds and hearts. 15. It is all worth it. There are resources and groups online for beginning farmers and ranchers, with more emerging all the time. One is listed below. California's agricultural land is being developed at ever increasing rates. Meanwhile, California farmers age 65+ outnumber farmers under the age of 25 by approximately 60:1. Aspiring farmers face numerous obstacles to achieving their dreams. These include a lack of information about financing options and other resources crucial to their success. Retiring farmers lack information about proven, innovative ways to keep land in agricultural production, while simultaneously meeting financial goals related to retirement and estate planning. The number of California farmers under the age of 35 declined 43%, between 1992 and California FarmLink provides a range of services to facilitate a transition from one farmer or landowner to the next generation of farmers. California Grassfed Bison is a registered trademark of Lindner Bison. 3

4 Be diligent and respectful of their time. It takes focus and effort to wade through resources. Windows for accessibility to people and funds may both be limited, so be prepared for that. -- ffo rr tthe an iima lls A colder winter? The bison may be predicting a longer, colder winter this year. They began bulking up and eating much more than usual in late summer. To us, this is a signal that they expect an earlier winter, or perhaps one that may be longer or colder. Again, I had been out longer than intended. Instead of staying inside the bunkhouse until it got cooler, I grabbed Sam, our 11 yr. old Scottie, and went into town to pick up hydraulic oil for the wheel lines and pump. Getting back later than usual, I spotted Ken and Kat at the cargo container. They seemed engrossed in conversation, probably the repair of something. Rather than join them, I decided to go into the bunkhouse, turn on the air conditioner and just sit for a few minutes. If they needed me, they could see from the car that I was back. Once inside, I poured some cold water and opened a bar of chocolate. I had to do more weeding, but I needed first to just sit here. In a while it would be cooler. The bunkhouse is at the north end of our middle pasture. Small and comfy, and with the picture window Ken put in, it gives a great view of the Sierra's in the distance, with one of our stock tanks about 100 feet away. Right next to the bunkhouse, inside the fenced area, is a 3-sided shelter Ken built using shade cloth, posts and steel roofing. We keep our vehicles there out of the elements. In front of that is where the hay is stored, all inside an electric fence. Our bison began bulking up early for winter We sincerely hope that they are right, especially if it brings welcome extra moisture for spring grasses and restocks our aquifer! BISON STORIES This is just one of many stories we look forward to sharing with you. One by one, they light the way home. Margaret s Story by Kathy Off this area is a section of pasture, which has no irrigation. When we put out hay, we usually put it in this area, where there is little grass to harm. And we had put hay out all summer while we worked to restore our pasture areas, which had been hit hard by three years of drought and our pump going out last year. Savoring the chocolate, I looked out at the herd. Strange. There was a cow off by herself, obviously finding something to eat. Her head was down -- the same as the rest of the herd at the opposite end of the pasture. But it was odd she would find something left over from what we put out yesterday and that the others preferred to stay at the other end. A cow off by herself usually is a signal to us that they are getting ready to calve. Calving usually occurs May through June and it was almost September. We were well into the rut, so I knew that couldn't be it. I had worked too long in my ongoing crusade against thistle. We were nearly ready for our second cutting of hay, and with only two days to work, if I was going to remove it before the hay was baled up, it had to be done now, despite the hot weather. And it was hot. This year, I think I finally became one of those older people who can't take the heat. In spite of staying hydrated, in spite of consuming bottles of gatorade, I started having weird symptoms this year. Even after being sheltered in our air-conditioned bunkhouse, it had taken days to recover from the previous weeding expedition. May and June calves & moms California Grassfed Bison is a registered trademark of Lindner Bison. 4

5 Then I considered that she may be less dominant, so was keeping her distance, which they also do from time to time. But usually they won't be this far from the main herd. I watched her continue to eat and occasionally look down at the rest of the herd, about 1200 feet away. Oh well. They'll work it out. I took another bite of chocolate and reveled in the wonders of this marvelous magnesium delivery device. A sip of our ranch water was next, and talking always to Sam, who was now telling me he was hungry. A few minutes later, Sam had eaten and I sat back down in my chair looking out the window again at the cow. I saw a dark lump of something beside her, which seemed to collapse to the ground. My heart raced as I grabbed the binoculars by the window. Focusing, I found her. She was casually looking at the herd, and eating. But wait, she wasn't eating. She was nudging a small, dark calf to its feet. The bottom of my stomach dropped. Two days before, we had lost a cow. Though I know and accept these occasional losses, I can't help but wonder if it's something we're doing or not doing. We know bison are rough on each other. They establish and re-establish the pecking order on a regular basis when it comes to food, water, and sex. But there were no marks on the cow, except for track marks. (Track marks are what the bulls leave once they've bred a cow. The dew hooks on the back of their front legs, literally hook into the sides of the female during the mating, and for a day or two after, these fresh marks can be seen, sometimes bleeding slightly before they heal.) Art, our mentor, has always cautioned it's best to follow Nature's Law. Part of that law means that the strong survive, and for the strength and health of the herd, the weak do not. Intellectually, we accept this; emotionally, it may sometimes take days to reconcile. Now we had a calf that couldn't stand. God, please tell me this is not a sick calf! The cow nudged the calf to its feet again. The calf stood there weak and trembling. Then the cow turned sideways and against the sky, I saw her outline and her afterbirth. Oh my gosh! We just had another calf! We had a late calf in August. The cow hadn't been grazing. She had her head down licking the calf dry. I just couldn't see the calf through the brush. Relieved and suddenly not tired any more, I quickly wrote the time down on our wall calendar and went out to tell Ken. Kat had left for her chores, and he was in the cargo container by himself, head down, intent on fastening something to something. Thirty paces or so to the door, I walked into the container and over to where he was, with his head bent down, wondering how to tell him. "Hi honey. You know how you've been telling people we have 120 animals?" "Yes," he said without looking up. "Well, we don't. We have 121." "So, we don't have 120," he said, not wanting to lose his concentration. (By the way, counting calves is almost always a comedic marathon for us, which spans several days or weeks every spring. They move around so much and invariably the mature animals step in front to protect and you either lose count, under count or over count. Even the most experienced producers never really know how many they have for sure until the calves are older and allowed to wander a little further away from mom.) "We just had another calf," I said. He stopped and looked up. You're kidding," he said. "Just now, about 20 minutes ago." "Where?" "There," I said pointing toward a crack in the cargo door. Ken peered carefully around the door of the cargo container. She was only about 200 feet away, and we didn't want to intrude or alarm her. "It's that cow up there," he said. "I saw her there earlier." "I know. The calf is still wet." "Let's go take a look." We walked quickly to the bunkhouse and Ken sat down with the binoculars, while I lay down on the bottom bunk. "Let me know, I said. "I haven't seen the calf nurse yet. I'm happy to have you give me a report." Ken knows I tend to over-worry about our bison. I know they're extremely hardy and resilient. As their caretaker, though, I am accountable and responsible for them, as well as for the overall health of the entire herd. We both are. But on days when I'm tired, as I was today, I just couldn't stand the suspense of this late calf finding the colostrum with the antibodies it needed to survive. I was glad for Ken being there and watching the first few moments of its life unfold. "It's nursing." "Thank God," I said. California Grassfed Bison is a registered trademark of Lindner Bison. 5

6 "Yup. It's doing fine." Relieved, I relaxed and watched him smiling as he continued to look through the binoculars. "The cow is Margaret," he said. "You're kidding!" I said sitting up. "Nope. It's Margaret." I had written on the calendar, C&C for crooked and curved horn since the cow had no ear tag. But from my vantage point, the horns looked shorter than Margaret's. "Are you sure?" I asked. "Yup, it's Margaret," he said again, smiling broader. He put the binoculars down and looked over at me. Margaret 16, with late August bull calf. For a few minutes we just looked at each other in stunned silence. Margaret is one of our original cows, named after my great grandmother. It's not particularly smart on my part to have favorites and I try not to, but with Margaret it's hard not to. I realized too we were here a week earlier than we had planned. And Margaret had chosen to calve in the area close to the bunkhouse. Over the years, she seems to consistently manage to have the biggest bull calves, which we end up keeping for breeding. She, along with her three sisters, are the dominant matriarchs of the herd. Because she's an especially good mom, this gives her calves an edge in being first to get food and water. She was 16 this year, and increasingly looks pregnant year round. Nice and plump, perhaps like someone's sweet, old grandmother, in a bison-with-horns kind of way. This was the first spring she hadn't calved and she was the only one who, we thought, had come up dry. This usually signals getting toward the end of their productive years and meant we would have to watch her to see if it happened again next year. Ken took another look through the binoculars. "The calf just jumped around," he reported still smiling. "Already?" "Already." The moment took on a surreal tone to it as I struggled to assimilate the feelings of joy, humility, gratitude, wonder and astonishment. For years, Margaret had been easy to spot because she had somehow developed a bulging right eye. It was red and somewhat angry looking, so much so, that at times I wondered if she might lose it. We don't give antibiotics, since Art cautioned that bison are wild with an immune system so finely tuned, they become blind if given antibiotics. If they become blind, the herd will sense this weakness and either drive them off or kill them. "They're tough," he counseled. "Just leave them alone and most of the time, they recover just fine." After we brought her to our own ranch, within a few years, I couldn't readily spot her. I finally realized that her eye had completely healed. Her horns hadn't changed much, though, which still made her distinct from the others. One was crooked, shorter and sharp, the other one extremely long and regal. Bison can live for 30 years, and be productive beyond 20 years. We don't have experience beyond our 12 years with them, and Margaret, is one of the original four. As you can imagine, our first four hold special meaning for us and as matriarchs, keep the rest of the herd in line. Their success and the overall success of the herd is our report card. "Well, so it ain't over until the fat lady sings," I mused out loud to Ken. And as soon as I said it, I could hear Great Grandma Carlston taking issue with my familiar tone and use of the word 'fat.' "It ain't over until I say it's over, came her correction. Either way, it worked for me. Margaret was just fine. Her calf was fine. We were fine. The herd was fine. Another reconnect, another gift. That evening, we found ourselves looking out at the herd inspecting its newest member. While Margaret maneuvered to protect it, Ken and I reveled in the quiet. "Maybe we could do what Art did with 'Ol Curly Horn," I said quietly. "Maybe we could just keep her." "Maybe," he replied. (That s bison speak for 'yes.') The virtue of achievement is victory over oneself. California Grassfed Bison is a registered trademark of Lindner Bison. 6

7 -- ffo rr tth ee ee aa rr tth RANCH REPORT by Ken Siberian wheatgrass v. tumbleweed Unfortunately, we must report that the Siberian wheatgrass experiment did not work out as hoped. The tumbleweed emerged again as a clear winner. Some wheat grass did make it and where it did, it was a thick bunch grass, very lush. Unfortunately, you had to look hard to find the few places where the grass came up. As it turned out, it grew in some of the lower lying areas where a little more moisture accumulated. While June was cooler and a bit wetter than usual, the overall rainfall on the ranch this summer has been no more than about 1/2 inch total. In fact, most of this arrived in the form of brief rain or hail, from a few meandering thunderstorms. Perhaps the best way to look at it is that the moisture level was so low this summer, even the tumbleweed did not do well, so we will have less to gather and burn this winter. In the meantime, we remain hopeful the wheatgrass seed is still there in the ground waiting for a wet winter to bring it to life. This would mean the dollars invested in the seed is not lost, just deferred. New pump report It is good to report that the new pump is running well and the underground aquifer is healthy. With our three wheel lines and 13 K-lines running simultaneously, the pump is filling the system while running at about 45 PSI pressure. This provides better coverage than we have had in the past. For example, the previous year, the circular area covered by each K-line pod sprinkler was about 25 feet in diameter. This year it is easily 40 feet. With the drought continuing in California, our long term interest in a healthy aquifer, which we depend on for water, continues to grow. In July we sounded the new well to see how much of the water level is drawn down during a typical pumping cycle. The instrument used is a sensitive ohm meter with a sensor on a long wire. This is put into the well through a hole in the base of the pump housing. The sensor is lowered until it senses water level. As you may recall, our well is 500 feet deep, with first water at about 40 feet when the pump is off. The pump itself is set in the well at 225 feet deep, making it about half way down the total depth of the well. After running an 8 hour pumping cycle the sounding equipment found the water level at 125 feet. This means that the water level drops about 85 feet when the pump is running, but the pump remains covered with 140 feet of water even when pumping maximum volume for 8 hours. This is reassuring, but we will keep trying to find ways to conserve water whenever we can. Irrigation frequency On July 2nd, we decided to begin moving our irrigation equipment twice a day, and make each watering period eight hours long. This means our daily watering hours were increased to 16, from the 12 hrs/day last year, when we were moving the lines only once per day. During these drought conditions, we have found that if we move the water only once per day, we don t get the coverage needed to keep the ground moist. Grass will begin to come up, but then die when the water does not return fast enough to keep it alive. The net effect of watering only overnight, (our old 12 hour cycle), is a bunch of dead grass, accompanied by hefty seed and electricity bills. By increasing to two 8-hour watering periods per day, we cover twice as much ground as before. This provides much better results, while minimally increasing our watering. More bang for the buck and less seed wasted. Pasture restoration & weeds as a nursery crop We fenced off about 1/3 of the middle pasture this June with electric fencing powered by a solar panel. Here, we over-seeded with a dry pasture mix consisting of brome grass, intermediate wheatgrass, orchard grass and a special grazing type of alfalfa. The grasses comprise over 85% of the mix, with the small amount of alfalfa added to fix nitrogen in the soil for good grass growth. This is an area which has two dedicated two k-lines. Normally the k-lines will maintain established grass, but may fall short when planting new seed, which needs more water to get started. Our twice a day watering schedule did allow the majority of the new seed to get started in about 75% of the area seeded. The edges, which received less water, were less successful. The bison are not to allowed to graze this area at all for the first year, while the grass becomes established. Sounding the well with a senstive ohm meter California Grassfed Bison is a registered trademark of Lindner Bison. 7

8 a third cutting, for a total from our 50 acres of about 172 tons, or about 3.44 tons per acre. This is pretty respectable considering we overseeded only 3 years ago, followed by consecutive drought years. We are generally pleased. Our neighbor Chris Miller does the haying for us. Still, we were forced to buy hay for summer feeding, since we fenced off and reseeded part of the middle pasture. This helps take pressure off the remaining areas which were impacted by drought and the now infamous pump failure. Even though we don t pursue organic certification, we absolutely use no chemicals or drugs. This means we are also careful to source grass or stock hay without chemicals or sprays. Additional hay purchases may be necessary next year as well, depending on drought conditions and fencing off additional pasture to reseed and restore it. Solar panel and electric fence around new pasture While we work to crowd out the weeds by seeding new grass, the weeds are still useful for the transition. The weeds come up much quicker than the new grass and grow taller. We allow this to happen at first, as the weeds keep the hot sun off the tender new grass and help hold in moisture. In this way the weeds act as a nursery crop for the grass. Welcome help We had help with chores during our last trip. Long Beach customer Doug Butsko visited the ranch with his dad. The trick is to mow the weeds off before they go to seed. This prevents them from reproducing and reduces their height, allowing the grass to receive adequate sun needed to grow. Several mowings the first year of growth are needed to keep the weeds at bay. This technique has worked well in our hay ground areas, where most weeds are now crowded out by thick grass. In this manner, we convert areas to grass without the use of herbicides. It takes several years to achieve an acceptable final result, but it is well worth the wait and the extra work. The earth appreciates it too. Hay yield & purchase Our first two cuttings of hay yielded a satisfying tons. We still have one more cutting to go, but with the cooler nights now starting, the growth rate of the grass slows down. Hopefully we will get about 40 more tons in 2009 Lindner Bison, all rights reserved California Grassfed Bison is a registered trademark of Lindner Bison. Doug Butsko, helped us with tarping hay for the winter 8 Quarterly Newsletter, Jul/Aug/Sep

9 All ranch visitors are put to work, so Doug helped us tarp our hay for winter, haul sand from our pit to restore one of the stock tank bases, load hay for feeding and weed thistle in our hay pasture. Nose to tail eating = sustainable Steaks represent only 15% of an entire carcas. If we sold only steaks, 85% of a carcass remains. We would soon be out of business. Requesting only steaks originates with commercial conditioning. Big Meat makes an abundance of steaks and burger available, as limiting the available cuts is cost effective for them to process, cut, package & sell. (In a commercial meat setting, cutting is actually referred to as fabricating. ) Lindner Bison offers over 40 different cuts for nose to tail eating. In this way, we honor the animal by using everything. When we use everything, there is less waste and fewer harvests are necessary. Doug took plenty of pictures, which he graciously gave us permission to use. Look for his name on photo credits. FOR THE RECORD Items you may find interesting. Big Ag/Big Meat & Big Pharmaceuticals March, Congress considering limiting nontherapeutic use of drugs in meat January, 2001 Study shows that 70 percent of All Antibiotics Given to Healthy Livestock May, 2009 CA FarmLink operates throughout the state of California and offers loans up to $100,000 for operations and $250,000 for real estate purchases. All loans are guaranteed by the USDA and the loan program provides low-interest capital to farmers who may not be immediately bankable by traditional lenders. Applicants are provided with technical assistance, as well as continued coaching and support to ensure the long term sustainability of their farm businesses. This is all in addition to the work that CA FarmLink does to advocate for farmers on a governmental level and to link retiring farmers and landowners with aspiring and beginning ones. Sources The Real Cost of Cheap Food, 8/31/09, Time cover story Blessed Unrest, Peter Hawken, Bioneers 2006 conference The Food Revolution will be Televised, interview with filmmakers Kenner (Food Inc.) and Joanes (Fresh); to download pdf file: Bloomberg Venture, interview with Joel Salatin, Polyface Farms Order your Holiday Roasts now! or klindner@lindnerbison.com We are taking orders for CGB 2010 Calendars! $9.50, plus tax. California Grassfed Bison, Bringing Them Home! is a quarterly newsletter put out by Kathy & Ken Lindner on a not so quarterly basis. In between newsletters, we can be found either selling to our wonderful customers at the farmers markets, shipping to our wonderful customers, at the ranch seeding, weeding, feeding, or enroute between Heritage Ranch & LA. It is our passion, our privilege to help strengthen the reconnect between you and your food by sharing our ongoing journey of producing 100% grassfed bison meat & helping to restore a native heritage animal to California. We thank you so much for your support! Kathy & Ken Lindner Photographs by Ken Lindner, Jr. unless otherwise noted. California Grassfed Bison is a registered trademark of Lindner Bison. 9