Breadbox Media

Bonus episode this week! We talk with Brandon Sheard from Farmstead Meatsmith. Bacon, curing, smoking meat, and faith. A fun episode - if you want to know more about these topics, make sure to subscribe to their podcast, A Meatsmith Harvest here. #CheerstoJesus

About our topic: 

Brandon Sheard’s company, Farmstead Meatsmith, is the only abattoir, butchery, and educational operation of their kind in the country.

He generally harvests for small family farmers who raise a couple of pigs, a few sheep or a flock of various poultry for their own household.  Think very small scale. The animals never leave the land they know, he uses peaceful and humane kill methods specific to each animal’s nature, and he offers every part of every animal back to the farmer.

Unlike many processors, he doesn’t know the meaning of trim.  Well, he does, but that is why he doesn’t do it.  He makes sure the quality fat you meant for your animal to have, stays there.  Consequently, you will get all your meat back.  And by that, he means 100% of hanging weight.  The standard industry procedure is to dispose of as much as 50% of hanging weight.

Currently he reaches farms in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.  A handful of farmers and associations have flown Brandon to the east coast, the midwest and the UK.

Because the dinner table is where the rubber meets the road, particularly with unfamiliar cuts, innards and extremities, Brandon makes himself available for advice long after he leaves your farm.

About our guest:

Brandon and Lauren met in the spring of 2007 in southern California while finishing up their graduate degrees; Brandon in Renaissance English Literature, Lauren in Religion and Theology. They dated that summer and fall, introducing each other to Kierkegaard, Milton and de Lubac and by Christmas of that year, were engaged. On the very date of their engagement they were introduced to a home-building project on Vashon, where Brandon’s parents had just migrated to from Ventura County (where Brandon grew up), and they made the move to the Island the following February. They were married June of 2008, when Brandon simultaneously left his job at Whole Foods in the supplement department, in search of more rural work closer to home.

A month later, Brandon was hired by Sea Breeze Farm on Vashon Island. There he was introduced to the arts of small scale animal husbandry, abattoir, butchery and charcuterie and worked there from August 2008-August 2010. After one year on the farm and managing markets, Brandon transitioned to la Boucherie, their restaurant and butcher shop, as head butcher and charcutier. While pregnant with their first child, Lauren helped Brandon in the shop by wrapping meat late into the night before market days, reading various culinary books on the shelves and taste testing recipes (and house made wine) at mid- work day lunches.

As their family expanded (John Luke was on the way), in the fall of 2010 Lauren and Brandon created Farmstead Meatsmith. They work well as a team; Brandon on the front lines of farmers’ fields, butcher blocks and home larders, and Lauren as the accountant, scheduler and professional washer of greasy cutting boards. They both are visionaries for the business and, above all, love witnessing good food brings people together.

Drinking: NA

Gear: NA

Discussing meatsmithery

Sometimes it's hard to be humble, even when we pray! In the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, Jesus reminds us that prayer isn't about telling God what we've done for Him, it's about humbly speaking with our Creator! This week on The Gary Zimak Show, we'll look at the readings for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time and let the Lord teach us about humility.

Cada vez que alabamos a Dios, nos unimos a toda la comunión de los santos.

Para una reflexión más profunda sobre las Bienaventuranzas, mencionadas en este podcast, lee el PalabrasVivas "Viviendo las Bienaventuranzas" en https://gnm-es.org/crecimiento-espiritual/crecimiento-espiritual-vivir-las-bienaventuranzas/.

Suscríbete para recibir las Reflexiones de las Buenas Nuevas por correo electrónico o por mensaje de texto a tu celular en https://gnm-es.org/reciba-las-reflexiones-diarias/

Nuestra confianza en el amor de Dios, derrota nuestras emociones negativas y produce gozo eterno. ¡Elige confiar!

Para leer más sobre el tema de este podcast lee: "Todo está lleno de la actividad de Dios" en https://gnm-es.org/alimento-para-fe/fe-lleno-de-actividad/.

 Suscríbete para recibir las Reflexiones de las Buenas Nuevas por correo electrónico o por mensaje de texto a tu celular en https://gnm-es.org/reciba-las-reflexiones-diarias/

No hay mal que Dios no pueda derrotar o no vaya a derrotar redimiéndolo en algo útil para su Reino.

Suscríbete para recibir las Reflexiones de las Buenas Nuevas por correo electrónico o por mensaje de texto a tu celular en https://gnm-es.org/reciba-las-reflexiones-diarias/

Vuélvete a Jesús para que te auxilie y permítele que use tus sufrimientos para el bien de los demás.

 Suscríbete para recibir las Reflexiones de las Buenas Nuevas por correo electrónico o por mensaje de texto a tu celular en https://gnm-es.org/reciba-las-reflexiones-diarias/

Todos estamos en diferentes niveles de santidad y crecimiento espiritual, pero todos somos igualmente hermanos en la familia de Dios.

 Suscríbete para recibir las Reflexiones de las Buenas Nuevas por correo electrónico o por mensaje de texto a tu celular en https://gnm-es.org/reciba-las-reflexiones-diarias/

Somos justificados por nuestro amor a los demás.

 Suscríbete para recibir las Reflexiones de las Buenas Nuevas por correo electrónico o por mensaje de texto a tu celular en https://gnm-es.org/reciba-las-reflexiones-diarias/

Every time we praise God, we're joining ourselves to the whole communion of saints.

For further reflection on the Beatitudes, read the Good News WordByte

"Living the Beatitudes" at https://wordbytes.org/spiritual-growth/living-the-beatitudes/. 

And for a printable copy or for distributing it to others, please go to Catholic Digital Resources: https://catholicdr.com/faith-enrichment/living-the-beatitudes/. 

Subscribe to receive the Good News Reflections delivered to your email inbox or texted to your phone @ https://gogoodnews.net