Have you always wanted to invest in your health by purchasing meat in bulk—but don’t have the freezer space to make it work? We hear this all the time. Many families love the idea of buying high-quality beef, pork, and lamb in bulk for better value, better nutrition, and peace of mind—but limited freezer space stops them from moving forward. We’re currently exploring a convenient, secure, and food-safe storage solution designed specifically for families who want the benefits of bulk meat without the need for a large home freezer. We’d love your feedback: 👉 Would you or your family consider buying bulk meats if you had access to a safe, reliable place to store it? Your input helps shape what we build next for our community. #agriculture #homesteading #keto #beef #ranchlife #bbq #meat #ranch #CDA #farm #farmtotable

Some of the toughest moments on the ranch are harvest days. We’ve been putting off the final day for two rabbits, a rooster, and a Muscovy duck. These animals lived full lives, and now they will nourish our pets. The dark red meat of the Muscovy always amazes me—so different from what most people expect from poultry. The rabbits were quickly and respectfully dispatched, their pelts saved and sent off to be tanned. The nicest feathers from the birds were set aside as well. Nothing is wasted. Everything has purpose. This is the circle of life on the farm—honest, humbling, and deeply grounding. #RanchLife #FarmLife #CircleOfLife #RespectTheAnimal #NothingWasted #FarmHarvest #HonestFood #RealFood #HomesteadLife #BackyardFarming #SustainableLiving #RegenerativeAg #FromFarmToBowl #CountryLiving #RuralLife

🐄 Beef Measured from: Hanging (hot) weight • Typical yield: 55–65% • Industry planning standard: 60% • Conservative number: 55–58% Example • 1,000 lb live steer • ~600 lb hanging weight • ~330–390 lb freezer beef What affects beef yield • Bone-in vs boneless cuts • Fat trim preference • Grind percentage • Aging time (dry aging reduces yield slightly) 💡 60% of hanging weight is the most widely accepted and defensible number. ⸻ 🐖 Pork Measured from: Hanging weight • Typical yield: 65–75% • Industry planning standard: 70% • Conservative number: 65% Example • 300 lb live hog • ~210 lb hanging weight • ~135–160 lb freezer pork What affects pork yield • Bacon thickness • Cure/smoke loss • Bone-in vs boneless • Sausage vs whole cuts Pork yields higher than beef due to less bone and different fat distribution. ⸻ 🐑 Lamb Measured from: Hanging weight • Typical yield: 50–60% • Industry planning standard: 55% • Conservative number: 50–52% Example • 140 lb live lamb • ~70–75 lb hanging weight • ~35–45 lb freezer lamb What affects lamb yield • Heavy bone proportion • Fat trim preferences • Size of the animal Lamb has one of the lowest freezer yields pound-for-pound. ⸻ 🐐 Goat Measured from: Hanging weight • Typical yield: 45–55% • Industry planning standard: 50% • Conservative number: 45% Example • 90 lb live goat • ~45 lb hanging weight • ~20–25 lb freezer goat What affects goat yield • Very lean carcasses • High bone-to-meat ratio • Minimal fat Goat yields less than lamb and beef — expectations must be set clearly. ⸻ 🐓 Chicken Measured from: Live weight • Typical yield: 65–75% • Industry planning standard: 70% • Conservative number: 65% Example • 6 lb live chicken • ~3.8–4.5 lb whole bird What affects chicken yield • Head/feet removal • Giblets in or out • Water retention (air-chilled vs water-chilled) Whole birds yield higher than cut-up birds. #homesteading #freezerbeef #lockerbeef #ranchlife #meat #farm #farmtotable #farming #northidaho

When we first started selling direct-to-consumer, we did what most small farms do—we gave our customers every option under the sun. Different cuts, different sizes, different flavors, different ways to split, customize, tweak, and adjust. On paper, that sounds like great service. In real life? It was overwhelming—for them and for us. The Problem With “More Choice” Most people today are already mentally maxed out. Careers, kids, finances, health decisions, screens everywhere. When it comes time to order food, they don’t want another complicated decision tree. We saw it happen again and again: - Customers hesitated - Orders stalled - People said, “I need to think about it” - Or worse… they simply didn’t order at all This isn’t a failure of the customer. It’s decision fatigue—and it’s very real, especially for a generation that didn’t grow up ordering beef by hanging weight or understanding cut sheets. What We Changed (On Purpose) So we made a hard but intentional shift: - We removed sausage flavors and kept it simple - We have butchers pre-split animals into clear 1/4 sections - We standardized portions, pricing, and expectations - We stopped asking customers to become mini-butchers just to buy food Instead of asking “What do you want?” We started saying “Here’s what works.” Why Simplicity Wins People don’t come to us because they want 42 choices. They come because they want: - Clean food - Fair pricing - Trust in the process - And someone else to handle the complexity When choices are simple: - Customers order faster - Conversations are shorter and clearer - Expectations are aligned - Errors drop - Stress drops - And confidence goes up Less Choice = More Sales This surprised some people—but it shouldn’t. When customers aren’t overwhelmed, they don’t freeze. They move forward. We’ve learned that most people would rather: - Say yes to a clear, proven option - Than risk choosing the “wrong” option from too many

For decades, Americans were taught to trust the food pyramid as the gold standard for healthy eating. Over time, that pyramid didn’t just evolve — it was replaced, rebranded, and reshaped, most notably into MyPlate, under the guidance of the United States Department of Agriculture. What changed on paper quietly reshaped how food is purchased, prescribed, and served across the country. Food Stamps (SNAP) As nutritional guidance shifted toward grain-heavy, calorie-dense, low-cost foods, SNAP purchasing patterns followed. The result? Ultra-processed foods became easier to justify as “nutritionally acceptable” while real, whole foods — quality meats, fresh produce, dairy from real farms — became harder to afford. The system rewards shelf stability and volume over nutrient density, pushing families toward foods that fill bellies but fail to truly nourish. Doctors & Dietary Advice Many doctors still lean on outdated or institutional dietary guidance, often recommending “low-fat,” “whole grain,” or “plant-forward” diets without distinguishing between whole foods and industrial substitutes. This disconnect leaves patients confused: rising obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disease exist alongside advice that tells people to eat more of the very foods that spike blood sugar and inflammation. When nutritional policy is shaped more by committees than by outcomes, patients pay the price. School Lunches Perhaps the most visible impact is in school lunch programs. What qualifies as a “balanced meal” often includes flavored milk, refined grains, seed oils, and processed proteins — while real meat, eggs, and full-fat dairy are limited or discouraged. Kids are taught early what “healthy” looks like, and too often it looks nothing like the food their grandparents ate to build strong bodies and working lives. The Bigger Picture The shift away from the original food pyramid wasn’t just about health — it was about scalability, cost control, and industrial food systems. When guidelines shape government purchasing power, they shape farming, processing, and consumer behavior nationwide. Small farms, ranchers, and nutrient-dense foods lose ground, while large processors thrive.