Rich Pastures Farm, the Richey Family

13 new bacon bits! Born in freedom on pasture. No farrowing crates here! .... These heritage pigs will each live a full, happy life outside on our rich pastures, free to express their natural instincts to root, graze and wallow. . And then, yes, they will nourish a family. I don't shy away from this fact. . It's okay to be an animal lover. I am too. . But if we're going to eat meat (and I think we should) we sure as heck better love them first and give them the very best life possible. . Through the most humane transition possible, they will nourish a local family with clean, high-quality protein that is absolutely delicious. . Maybe your family? . We'd love to stand behind you as your personal farmer. -Ben and Meghan Richey

Motherhood is kicking my butt this week! You? . Running kids to summer activities, trying to get my own farm work done, managing the house, getting homemade meals on the table ... it's a lot! . I can't imagine having to go to the grocery store right now to read meat labels, shop sales and menu plan. I'm so glad our freezers are stocked with healthy meat at the best price bc we buy in bulk from our own farm.... . Bc right now ... The farm is flooded. The house is leaking water too. I forgot to pack towels for water play at VBS. There were no FB posts or emails this week bc I was ragged. . But motherhood goes on! Work goes on! There must be dinner tonight! . The freezer is stock, thank goodness, so I'll just grab seasonal produce and be set! . MOTHERHOOD IS HARD! . Can I help make LIFE EASIER with TASTY MEAT you can TRUST from a LOCAL FAMILY YOU CAN TRUST? . I'm delivering Saturday 6/26 to KC Northland - Liberty and Smithville. Meat by the pound or convenient bundles. Order online by midnight and I'll meet you tomorrow for a quick pickup. . Reach out and I'll send your our 4-page guide: 8 WAYS BULK MEAT MAKES LIFE EASIER Hint- only 1 of them is that it saves money . . I'm going to need a quick dinner tonight though! Im thinking taco salad with our tasty grass-finished ground beef! . What's your favorite thing to make when time is tight? See more

I'm not a fancy cook, but I am a good cook. With simple meals of veggies + protein, ingredient quality matters. Not just for taste but bc my family's health matters. . But that means making choices. . I buy real maple syrup and raw local honey instead of getting a pedicure.... . I make vinaigrette from scratch with excellent olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar instead of Netflix and Friday takeout. . I plan ahead and pack homemade snacks and refillable water bottles, rather than grabbing prepackaged convenience snacks loaded with artificial colors and flavors, but empty calories. . And I put in the sweat equity to raise grass-fed proteins, even when I could buy mainstream options for cheaper than what I can raise them myself. (Yes, you read that correctly). . We have a modest home, wear thrifted clothes and choose one extra-curricular activity per kid, so there's wiggle room in the budget for these choices. . Even when my choices come with more work, they make me happy and align with my values. . Making meals from scratch is more work than takeout, no doubt. But it's worthy work. . Fast and convenient have their place (you've seen me post "charcuterie plates" that are basically grown-up lunchables!), but serving my family with my labors and with high-quality ingredients is a simple joy. . I have to make choices. But choosing quality feels great. . Your farmer and fellow tired mama, Meghan Richey . . PS -- I'm about to send out an email with more Father's Day specials and delicious staples for everyday family meals. Orders will be delivered Saturday to meet-up spots in Saint Joseph, Smithville and KC Northland. . Want to feel what it's like to choose quality? I'd love to add you to the email list :) Reach out. See more

Piglet Petting Therapy It's like goat yoga ... without goats, or yoga ;) . Do you have a critter companion that brings you peace and joy? Share a pic with me! And read on for thoughts on why these orphaned piglets are worth the struggle. .... First, can you believe they're already 4 weeks old?! (Sound on for piggy sqeals and grunts) It's been a blur of midnight feedings and diaper changes, err I mean straw bedding changes, but we're emerging from the newborn stage and entering the mischievous toddler stage. I'm sure there will be stories coming! . Honestly, it's been a hard road to get them here, that's why there haven't been updates. From syringe feeding milk every 2 hours, to teaching them to drink from a dish, and now I'm tasked with helping them learn to eat grain without the help of a mama pig for them to mimic. We struggled to bring them through an unusual and dangerous skin rash, and the vet told me to expect to lose probably 2 of them. But with perseverance, modern vet care, plus some essential oils () we have all 5 of them still here. . Some might ask why we've worked so hard to keep alive something whose purpose is ultimately death. Does that sound harsh? I'd defend it any day, because the way we raise animals matters. Yes, animal welfare matters and agreeing with that doesn't mean we have to ignore the circle of life and forgo diets with animal protein. As creatures of God, these piglets deserve the very best life possible, with outdoor freedom to express their natural instincts and a varied diet that includes foraging. And as someone called by God to be a steward of creation, it's my responsibility and privilege to make that possible. Plus, it's therapeutic . Now, let's see those therapuetic pet pics from your life! -Meghan See more

Thinking about taking a Vitamin D supplement this winter? Would you rather ... Pop a pill made from the oil in sheep wool? . (yep, all those are made from lanolin) Hold your nose to choke down cod liver oil? Or, Enjoy meals like these? ... . Lard from pasture-raised pigs is a surprisingly rich food-based source of Vitamin D, second only to pungent cod liver oil. I've tried giving my kids cod liver oil, and let me just tell you pastured pork is a much easier, much tastier option! . 1000iu of Vitamin D are in each 115-calorie tablespoon of pastured pork fat. And surprise again - it is predominately monounsaturated! . Lard from grocery store pork is not a rich source of Vitamin D because those pigs were raised confined inside slat-floor barns and never saw sunlight Don't be fooled by the blocks of rendered lard you can get at the grocery store either. They're hydrogenated, making them a source of trans fats! . Rich Pastures Farm pigs spend their entire lives on pasture, soaking up the sun and storing Vitamin D in their fat. . Toss your veggies in rendered lard instead of avocado oil and roast them in the oven. Make an apple crisp or pie with rendered lard instead of coconut oil or shortening. Lard, after all, is the traditional fat prized by French pastry chefs for their delicious crusts. Use lard to saute veggies in a pan or to fry an egg. And of course, Enjoy a juicy pork chop for dinner or Sunday bacon with the perfect combination of sweet, smokey and salty! . With real food raised the right way, you can ditch the pills and still nourish your body and support your immune system . Need some Vitamin D rich pork in your life? We're about to launch our new site with easy ordering for individual cuts and small bundles! Grassfed beef, pastured chicken, pastured lamb and heritage pork! Dropsite deliveries to Liberty and St Joseph! See more

Spatchcock Mojo Chicken When two customers send me the same recipe, I take note. And you should too! This Cuban-inspired mojo chicken will be an easy and delicious meal your family will love. I'm making it tonight! . Never spatchcocked a chicken before? No problem. It's fun to say and easy to do with just a pair of kitchen shears! Spatchcocking removes the backbone so the chicken lays flat, and results in an evenly cooked bird with a beautiful presentation. Directions ...are in the link. . Mojo Chicken Recipe and Spatchcock How-To https://www.bonappeteach.com/low-carb-mojo-roasted-chicken/ . Have you ever spatchcocked a chicken before? What's your favorite method for cooking a whole chicken? . Drop me a note if your freezer needs a few pasture-raised chickens for easy and nourishing family meals like this! We meet families in the Northland or St Joseph. -Meghan Richey See more

The first snow calls for comfort food! Even if your meat is frozen, you can still make Amish noodles and chicken in time for dinner tonight! . Did you know you can cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot without defrosting it first? Seriously, a whole frozen chicken can be cooked to tender, shredded perfection in just 8 minutes per pound! If you defrosted it ahead of time, a whole chicken needs just 5 minutes per pound in the IP. Have you tried it? . Comforting dinner is at ...your fingertips! With the taste and nutrition of pasture-raised! . What are you having for dinner on this first snowy day? See more

Thinking of stocking your freezer with local meats? Not sure how? The University of Missouri Extension has you covered with this free, online event tonight. You'll learn how to get tasty meals and peace of mind by buying bulk from a local farmer. If you don't have a local farmer, I'd love to chat with you to see if our pasture-raised meats are a good fit for your family's needs :) At Rich Pastures Farm in Stewartsville, we raise heritage pork, 100% grassfed beef, pastured ch...icken and lamb, all without antibiotics or hormones. We have meat cuts available individually by the pound, in small bundles, or bulk by the whole/half animal. Check out our farm page for easy recipes, candid pics/videos of our animals on pasture, and read 5star reviews from other local families. We would love to help your family eat well https://m.facebook.com/events/744521686104844?ref=m_notif¬if_t=event_aggregate

Sound familiar? Your schedule is packed, but you still want a family meal that tastes great without sacrificing nutrition. And budget friendly with leftovers that aren't a bore! Whole Pastured Chicken to the rescue . Hands-off cooking in the oven or the Instant Pot is a timesaver yielding a fantastic first meal where chicken is the star. Eat well with some simple veggie sides, then save the leftover meat for another night this week. .... Check below for 30 recipe ideas for leftover chicken that are Whole30 approved So many flavor possibilities, leftovers don't have to be boring! And since it's raised on green pasture, rest easy knowing you're fueling your family with quality protein and grassfed fats. . Then squeeze every last bit of goodness out of the chicken by making a nourishing and satisfying broth - an excellent base for soup, gravy or sauces. An easy task in the Instant Pot or Crock Pot, just cover with water and wait! . With our large family of 8, we get 3 meals out of each 5.5# pastured chicken. For average-sized families though, check out this blogger who gets 4 meals from each chicken. Suddenly a $4/# chicken becomes a budget savy move! . With the feeding schedule required by the orphaned piglets, planned leftovers have been a saving grace for our family this last week! Thank you to everyone who sent heartfelt notes when we lost their mama last week Let me know if you want to see another update on them as they grow . What is your favorite thing to do with leftover chicken? :) https://nourishedkitchen.com/1-chicken-5-meals/

PIGLET UPDATE #5: Looking at this pic of smiling faces, you'd never know that behind it is a 48hr story of hard-fought, literal blood, sweat and tears, punctuated with plenty of prayer and, yes, curse words from me. If you want the short version, just count 5 piglets in loving arms that can't wait to help me bottle feed. If you want the full story of how these became the survivors and of our prayers and plans to help them thrive, here it is. Grab a cup of tea and settle in fo...Continue reading

GOOD NEWS! Our 13yr daughter Charlotte got the stuck piglet out! I am so damn proud of her for stepping up to do this emotionally and physically challenging job. I had been trying for hours without luck and she volunteered to try. Another hour of perseverance later, and the piglet is out alive. Now, we try to save the rest of the unborn litter and support mama Cayenne in her healing. Not so good news: Help is not on the way. No vets were willing to come after all. To say we ...are frustrated is an understatement. But there's work to do and literal lives on the line, so we aren't giving up. This is a rough day, but we are still so thankful to be called to help the Lord steward His creation, and raise tasty, nourishing food in the process. Piglet Post #4/x UPDATE - Post #5 is up!

Stewarding creation does not always go as planned. I thought this was going to be a fun day of sharing the wonders of birth with you, but instead you get a glimpse of the heartache that sometimes accompanies farm life. I'm going to go cry again, then get back to work. Send some good thoughts our way as we try to save mama Cayenne, and encourage your animal-loving kids to become farm animal vets. They're desperately needed. That first born piglet is doing great though. Piglet Post #3/x Update! Charlotte got the piglet out! See post 4

Let's hurry back outside! The first piglet is here! Let me know how many you think she's going to have. Piglet Post #2/x

The Piglets are coming!! Meet mama pig Cayenne, grab your kids, and join us for updates throughout the day as we monitor the birth of her first litter today. UPDATE: The first piglet is here, see new post! Piglet Post #1

Summer meets Fall ... on a plate! Pasture-raised grilled pork chop Savory roasted apples with sage Summer tomatoes with basil Roasted acorn squash ... Are you clinging to summer or plunging into fall recipes? We rather enjoyed this mashup of both starring our pastured pork, veggies from neighbors and local apples from Schweizer's Orchard in St Joseph. Have you hit an apple orchard yet? Where do you like to go? --- We have half a pig available for custom butchering at Paradise Locker on Monday! Robustly flavored heritage-breed pork with the health benefits of grassfed fat, cut and packaged exactly the way you want it. (We can help you decide cuts that fit your family's cooking and eating preferences!) Message us for details. Pastured Pig Packages will be restocked Oct 15, both samplers and family packs. Want on the list? UPDATE- half pig is spoken for, but we have pastured chicken in stock now and will have 100% grassfed beef back next week - both ground beef bundles and individual cuts of steaks and roasts.

This is pretty much the farmgirl equivalent of running into the grocery for "just a few things" and thinking you don't need a cart Mamas, can you relate?

What's an easy meal you turn to when it's been a paper plate kind of day? I'm so thankful that even on the crazy days I can get an easy meal on the table that doesn't sacrifice nutrition. Real food can be real simple and still so delicious and nourishing. Grassfed beef roast in the Instant Pot ... Black beans and brown rice cooked in homemade chicken broth made in the IP The tailend of the summer tomatoes Glorious avocado High-quality protein, healthy fats, fresh produce. And superfood bone broth sneaking in there too Share one of your favorite easy meals with me, too! --- Bone broth kits available now if you'd like to plunge into all the cozy fall recipes! Grassfed ground beef bundles and other grassfed beef cuts restocking next week! Want on the list?