July 2023
Boy, the summertime has ARRIVED! Here in south Louisiana it has been hot and dry these past few weeks, and the biggest challenge for us lately is making sure our cows have enough fresh water and plenty of shade.
As temperatures soar, heat stress becomes a significant concern for our cattle. Unlike other animals, cows are not very efficient at cooling themselves off. For one, they don’t sweat, so instead they rely primarily on respiration and cool themselves off by breathing. If they get too hot, there is a real danger they might get sick or even die from heat stress. To avoid that, we take a lot of precautions to minimize the effects of high temperatures and help them stay as comfortable as possible when the temperatures start climbing.
First and foremost, we make sure they’ve got a lot of natural shade. We’ve got enough pastures in our rotational grazing program to be able to move them to areas with lots of trees and lots of shade. We also make sure they have plenty of fresh water. Making sure they have access to shade and water is absolutely crucial.
We also only work our cattle in the mornings or evenings, which is called strategic grazing. We make sure they are getting all their nutrients and electrolytes and that they have everything they need to keep cool.
Even in this summertime heat, we’ve worked hard to keep our pastures well maintained. This means clipping the grass, controlling weeds, and maintaining our drainage ditches. We’ve also been doing dirt work to manage low pastures and fix ruts. We want our pastures to last a long time, so we’re always taking care of them.
We are committed to sustainable agricultural practices that work with nature instead of against it. We thank you for your continued support, and wish you a successful and productive July!
All the best,
Shannon Gonsoulin, DVM
August 17, 2023
Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse is once again transforming itself into an indoor picnic, complete with Louisiana grass-fed beef.
Chefs from Dickie Brennan and Company Family of Restaurants will expertly prepare various cuts of Louisiana beef to showcase their creativity.
A Louisiana picnic would not be complete without libations! Cocktails, craft beer, and wine from our partners, Glenfiddich 12 year, Hendrick's Gin, Rabbit Hole Bourbon, and Great Raft Brewing.
Click here for more info and to buy tickets. We hope to see you there!
GLC In the News
Gonsoulin Ranch featured on Emeril Lagasse's show “Emeril Cooks” - The Daily Iberian, June 10, 2023
Local agricultural producers to be featured on ‘Emeril Cooks’ - The Daily Iberian, June 19, 2023
We’ve got lots of fresh vegetables at the Farm Store, and more are coming in every day. Lately we’ve been getting fresh corn, okra, eggplants, cantaloupes, and cucumbers from our local farmers. Stop by and see what’s fresh!
Weekly Specials: Plan ahead!
Quantities are limited so don't wait!
July 3-8
Ground Beef - 25% off
Regular price: $8/lb
Sale Price: $6/lb
July 10-15
Chuck Roast - 25% off
Regular price: $8.65/lb
Sale Price: $6.49/lb
July 17-22
Short Ribs - 25% off
Regular price: $9.20lb
Sale Price: $6.90/lb
July 24-29
Top Round Steaks - 25% off
Regular price: $12/lb
Sale Price: $9/lb
This is Your Brain on Food by nutritional psychiatrist and trained chef Uma Naidoo, M.D., discusses the link between mental health and nutrition science. The field of nutritional psychology shows how to improve mood and mental well-being by eating nutrient packed foods and cutting back on nutritionally “empty” foods. Making these adjustments reduces brain inflammation, regulates dopamine and serotonin, and causes other mood-boosting reactions. Over 90% of our body’s serotonin is produced in the gut. In addition to limiting sugar and increasing colorful vegetables, nutritional psychology recommends grass-fed beef for its omega-3.
Newly published research in the scientific journal Future Foods discusses the legal recognition of grassfed beef as a source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Cows with a diet of grains and cereal by-products produce less omega-3 fatty acids and more of the less desirable omega-6 fatty acids when compared to grass fed cattle.
Braised Short Ribs
“Short” ribs come from the beef chuck portion of a cow and there are usually five of these small pieces of meat that are too small to be sold as good steaks. So, they are exactly what the name implies; short ribs.
Braising is a cooking method where you brown the meat and simmer it on low heat. You don’t need any special equipment to braise ribs. First, brown or sear the ribs at a high temperature then cook them in liquid at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. This is an excellent cooking method for tougher cuts of meat that will become tender after prolonged cooking!
Ingredients:
2 pounds grassfed short ribs
Vegetable oil, for searing (or other neutral oil)
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (See Note)
1 quart unsalted or low-sodium beef stock
3 dried bay leaves
Instructions:
1. Heat the oven to 350˚F.
2. Heat a thin layer of oil in a Dutch oven or other large oven-safe pot with a lid over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, pat the short ribs dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper.
3. Sear the short ribs (in batches if necessary) until browned all over, adding more oil as needed, and then transfer to a platter.
4. In the same pot, add the onion, thyme, and some salt and pepper (and more oil if the pot is dry), and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften, a few minutes.
5. Sprinkle with the flour and cook for about 1 minute more while stirring.
6. Add the beef stock, bay leaves, and browned short ribs back to the pot, let come to a simmer, cover, and place in the oven until tender, about 2 hours.
7. Serve.
Enjoy!
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