TONIGHT OUR FARM TO TABLE SENIORS CONTINUES LOOKING AT
LOCALLY SOURCED MEAT.
WALNUT LANE FARM IN DUDLEY HAS BEEN RAISING GRASS FED CATTLE TO
PROVIDE VARIOUS CUTS OF MEAT TO SELL IN THEIR FARM STORE.
RECENTLY THEY PARTNERED WITH B.T.'S SMOKEHOUSE IN STURBRIDGE.
>> BT'S SMOKEHOUSE IS IN STURBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.
STARTED OUT AS ALTSES SHACK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS A
CAMPGROUND IN BROOMFIELD AND HAVE GROWN INTO FOUR RESTAURANTS
IN STURBRIDGE.
>> WE TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN FROM SCRATCH USING LOCAL
PRODUCTS WHEREVER WE CAN.
WE WERE JUST RANKED NUMBER ONE BARBECUE JOINT IN NEW ENGLAND,
NUMBER 20 IN THE COUNTRY.
SO KIND OF GOTTEN A NICE LITTLE FOLLOWING.
>> THE FARM HAS BEEN IN MIKE'S FAMILY SINCE 1910.
I'M PRESENTLY THE FOURTH GENERATION.
MY CHILDREN WILL BE THE FIFTH IF THEY ARE INTERESTED.
WE'RE TRYING TO REINVENT THIS FARM TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL GOING
FORWARD.
WHEN MY FATHER WAS A KID THERE WAS 45 DAIRY FARMS IN THIS TOWN.
WE'RE THE LAST ONE LEFT.
THE COST OF RUNNING A FARM HAS RAISED SO MUCH YOU HAVE TO HAVE
MORE COW UNITS TO PAY THE BILLS, ESSENTIALLY.
THERE ARE STILL FAMILY FARMS BUT MUCH LARGER THAN THEY EVER WERE.
WE'RE TRYING TO USE OUR LAND BASE THE BEST IT CAN BE USED.
>> WE WERE AT A NETWORKING EVENT PUT ON BY THE SOUTHERN WORCESTER
COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
BRIAN IS ON THE PANEL.
WE STARTED TALKING TO HIM ABOUT IF THERE WAS ANY WAY HE COULD
USE LOCAL BEEF.
HE USES TOO MUCH BRISKET.
WE COULD NEVER SOURCE THAT MUCH FROM OUR SMALL HERD BUT HE CAME
BACK A FEW WEEKS LATER WITH THE IDEA OF A LOCAL BURGER AND WE
HAVE BEEN SELLING GROUNDS BEEF EVER SINCE.
>> THE MEAT I GET STRAIGHT FROM THEIR FARM.
I GET IT FROM THEM ONCE A WEEK.
I DON'T DO A WHOLE LOT TO IT.
SALT, PEPPER, HOT SAUCE THAT WE USE, WORCESTERSHIRE, BUT REALLY
I TRY TO LET THE MEAT SPEAK FOR ITSELF.
WHAT I ADD TO IT JUST ENHANCES THE FLAVOR.
TO BE ABLE TO KNOW WHERE YOUR MEAT COMMENTS FROM LIKE THAT IS
PRETTY AWESOME.
I WISH I COULD DO THAT WITH EVERYTHING THAT I DO, BUT THE
PRICE BECOMES AN ISSUE.
THE EASE OF GETTING IT.
SO THEIR -- MY DEMANDS FOREGROUND BEEF FOR MU BURGER
SPECIAL THAT I DO.
I'M A SMALL BUSINESS.
I LIKE TO PROMOTE OTHER SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES.
I THINK WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS AMAZING THE WAY THEY CARE ABOUT
THEIR ANIMALS, ABOUT THE MEAT.
>> WE HAVE OUR OWN CALVES HERE.
WE HAVE A DOZEN CALVES THIS YEAR.
THOSE WILL PRODUCE MORE LATER.
THE BULLS WILL BE MADE INTO STEERS.
WE PICKED THESE BREEDS BECAUSE THEY MARBLE EXTREMELY WELL
WITHOUT A LOT OF GRAIN FED.
IN FACT OURS HAVE NO GRAIN FEEDING AT ALL.
IT'S 100% GRASS FED RIGHT NOW.
>> WE GET ALL VARIETY OF CUTS BACK FROM ALL OUR ANIMALS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GROUND BEEF BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE SELL TO
BRIAN AT BT SMOKEHOUSE.
THEN A COUPLE OF OTHER RESTAURANTS LIKE GROUND.
RETAIL ON THE FARM WE SELL EVERY CUT YOU CAN IMAGINE FROM BRISKET
AND SHANKS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CUSTOMERS JUST INTERESTED IN BUYING MARROW
BONES TO MAKE THEIR OWN STOCK WITH.
RIGHT UP TO THE HIGH END FILET.
>> IT'S TAKEN A FEW YEARS TO GET IT GOING.
IT'S NOT LIKE RAISING CHICKENS, WITHIN A MONTH YOU HAVE PRODUCT.
THIS TAKES A COUPLE YEARS.
A LOT OF INVESTMENT.
FREEZERS.
PURCHASES OF THE CATTLE, BUILDING YOUR HERD.
SO GOING FORWARD THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE.
>> BEHIND ME ARE THE DAIRY COWS, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING
SINCE 1940S ON OUR FARM.
WE STILL MILK JUST UNDER 80 COWS EVERY DAY TWICE A DAY.
WE WHOLESALE THE MIRACLE TO LOCAL CHEESE MAKER.
MOST MADE WITH OUR RAW MILK AND SOME HAVE BEEN FEATURED ON THE
LOCAL BURGER.
SO WE HAVE OUR BEEF ON THE BURGER AND CHEESE MADE WITH OUR
MILK ON THE BURGER AT THE SAME TIME.
>> OUR MOTTO IS WE LOVE TO DO WHAT WE DO.
SO BEING ABLE TO PRODUCE A BURGER LIKE THIS IS JUST AN
EXPRESSION OF OUR LOVE FOR PEOPLE AND THE LOVE THAT THE
PEOPLE HAVE FOR US.