1. Three cheers for pastured lard!

n a huge victory this week, our meat inspector allowed us to once again produce and sell JakoPure pastured lard.  (It’s no longer considered a “potentially hazardous food product.”  Ha.)  

Pastured lard is one of the healthiest fats, has a high smoke point, and adds excellent flavor to whatever you’re making.  This was the fat of choice for our grandmothers, for good reason.  
 
Lard, considered the “king of fats” by Jennifer McLagan in her cookbook, Fats, was once the most-used fat in the kitchen because of its wide versatility from sweet to savory, fried to baked, or as a spread on foods.  A tablespoon of lard from pastured raised pigs is high in vitamin D, comparable to a serving of cod liver oil!

2. Beef Tallow is Back, too!

Thanks to that same inspector, JakoPure beef tallow is once again available in the farm store.  

Beef tallow, or rendered beef fat, is excellent for frying and cooking due to it stability at high heats.  It is also an excellent source of fat soluble vitamins such A,D, and K2. and adds diversity to the diet.
 
If we could recommend two fats to cook with, we’d choose grassfed tallow and pastured lard.  We’ve got ’em both! 

3. Kaydee, Welcome to the Farm

Kaydee Welchons is the newest face at Jako Farm, but she’s actually not that new around here!  Kaydee first worked at Jako Farm as a summer intern in 2007– a city girl from southern California with no farm experience– but she was quick to learn and eager to pitch in.  She’s been a friend of the farm ever since and has returned often to visit.   

 Kaydee has permanently relocated to Kansas and we’re so thrilled to have her working alongside the farm on some new projects with fresh energy. 
 
In addition to working at the farm, Kaydee is also a CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) and IBCLC (Internally Certified Lactation Consultant), specializing in nutrition and natural fertility. Read more about Kaydee at www.KaydeeWelchons.com.

Your Voice Was Heard in Topeka!

Thank you to everyone who called, emailed, or attended legislative sessions regarding SB 300 and 308– two bills aimed to make the sale of raw milk illegal in Kansas and significantly restrict labeling requirements, respectively.
 
Senators heard overwhelming support of raw milk and Kansas raw milk farmers.  In fact, one senator said, “We’ve heard from more people in support of raw milk than we’ve heard on any bill, ever!”  Many farmers, including our very own Daniel, were able to speak on the Senate floor in regards to these matters.  
 
We are incredibly thankful to the group of legislators who listened, asked good questions, let us weigh in on potential amendments, and crafted what we consider to be a very fair recommendation to present on the House floor.  They are as follows:
 
SB 300:  The legislatuire will NOT pursue action to make the sale of raw milk illegal in Kansas
 
SB 308:  The legislature will require that raw milk be labeled with the following or similar:  “This product contains milk that has not been pasteurized.” 
 
We will continue to watch how these bills progress through the House but feel very good about the outcome thus far.
Here’s to new things this season!
— from all of us at Jako Farm