January 2022

 Welcome to our January Newsletter, and Happy New Year!

Here at the ranch, our new year has been BUSY!
Nutrition is a huge part of our program. Most of the native grasses die off during the winter here in Southwest Louisiana, so we have to plant forage crops to feed our cows until the native plants return in April and May. The main grasses we plant are Ryegrass and Clover, and they allow grazing until the native grasses (mostly Bermuda) return. 

However, there are still some gaps we need to fill. The most important gap is from when the native grass runs out in November until the ryegrass and clover mix is ready to graze in February. We use only high quality feed hay to maintain the body condition of the cows. We feed alfalfa hay and strip graze stockpiled Bermuda pastures. These are both part of how we manage everyday practices, but they are intensive!

In addition to managing rotational grazing, we are also starting our calving season! Our mama cows are in the same rotation I described above, but we also have to process and tag calves every day. Right now we have a 60-day calving season, so all cows have calved during this time frame. We have 150 mama cows, so that means on average we have 2.5 calves born each day!
Hay is put out every day, and we move the cattle to a new strip of stockpiled Bermuda grass pasture every day. When the ryegrass is available, we "limit graze" them, which means the cattle are put in the ryegrass/clover pastures for about 2 hours every day for about 2-3 weeks to get their rumen acclimated to the new forage. They are fed either Alfalfa or Bermuda dry hay the remainder of the day.

Finally, we have to prepare the Native grass pastures for new growth, so that means we do a lot of clipping, drainage work, chopping fields and fertilizing.
This winter has definitely been the busiest time of the year here at the ranch. So far, this winter has been dry, which is both good and bad. We need rain for the ryegrass and clover, but we don't need so much rain that it makes our daily chores more of an issue! So far, so good, and again, Happy New Year!

All the best,

Shannon Gonsoulin, DVM

 

 

 Gonsoulin Land and Cattle is proud to join with over 600 partners as a participant in the Ochsner Eat Fit Program!


A non-profit organization of registered dieticians, Ochsner Eat Fit works to make the healthy choice the easy choice across the state of Louisiana by increasing access to nutritious meals and food items. Eat Fit is located in 6 regions: New Orleans, Northshore, Acadiana, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, and Monroe.

Eat Fit menu items in partnering restaurants meet specific nutritional criteria that are ideal for folks looking for something nutritious as well as those monitoring chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes.
Eat Fit also has an app to help you find an Ochsner Eat Fit restaurant with Eat Fit menu options and full nutritional facts. It also has shopping guides, recipes, and more!



Download for Android and iPhone here:



Check out the Eat Fit Cookbook here!

Follow Eat Fit Acadiana on
Facebook and Instagram

And be on the lookout for this logo on our products!

 

 Weekly Specials
Quantities are limited so don't wait!

December 29 - January 4
Ground Beef and Beef Blends - $5.75/lb

January 5 - January 11
Soup Shanks - $7/lb

January 12 - January 18
Steaks - 15% off

January 19 - January 25
Round Steak - $9.50/lb

January 26 - February 1
Stew Meat - $6/lb

 


A Butcher's Guide to Making Healthy Bone Broth, January 13, 2022

Pasture to Plate: A Culture-Driven Beef Business, December 27 2021

American Grassfed Association Producer Profiles: Gonsoulin Land and Cattle, January 3, 2022

 

 Pork and Pinto Pozole from @louisianalocavores

Traditional Mexican pozole is a rich, brothy soup made with pork and chilis. Toppings, like herbs, vegetables, beans, or cheese, are then added to the bowl. It’s easy to make—the secret is all in the quality ingredients.

Ingredients:
3 lb Gonsoulin Pork
1 white onion, roughly chopped- from Fightingville Fresh Market 
6 cups broth
2 cups water
salt, pepper
3 Poblano Chiles (cut in half lengthwise, seeds and core removed) - from Fightingville Fresh Market 
3 Jalapeño Peppers, seeds removed- from Fightingville Fresh Market 
2 Serrano Peppers, seeds removed- from Fightingville Fresh Market 
7 Garlic cloves- from Fightingville Fresh Market 
Goat Cheese Crema from  Ewing Farms Dairy
1 lb Pinto Beans from Camellia Beans

Instructions

  1. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper on all sides. In a large Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, pan sear the pork over medium heat for about 6 minutes until browned on all sides. Work in batches if needed.
  2. Add all the seared pork into the Dutch oven, then add water, broth, and chopped onion. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 1-2 hours (or until the pork easily breaks apart with a fork).
  3. While the pork is simmering, prepare the Verde sauce. Roast the peppers by laying them out on a rimmed baking sheet and placing them in the oven on a high broiler. Keep the door slightly open and watch for them to start looking black and blistered. Flip the peppers and add back into the oven until the other side is black and blistered. Alternatively, if you have a gas range you can blister the peppers over an open flame, just make sure they don’t catch on fire. You can also use your grill to blister them.  After roasting, put them in a blender with the cilantro and garlic, then pulse until fully combined. In a separate saucepan over medium heat, add 1tbsp of cooking oil, then add the peppers and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, or until it becomes a deeper green.
  4. Return to the simmering meat and remove any bones and excess fat. Take the larger pieces of pork and shred them.
  5. Add the Verde sauce and pinto beans to the Dutch oven and stir. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer and let simmer for about 30 minutes.
  6. Serve the Pozole Verde with the goat cheese crema and enjoy!

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