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CSA Sign Up
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a vital part of what makes Flying Dog Farm run.
Your farm share provides us with the working capital we need to make everything on the farm happen.
In exchange, you receive a 10% discount on everything we sell (with the exception of half and whole animals).
How Does it Work?
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Where and when will I pick up my whole/half pig?The cut and packaged pork is usually ready 5-7 days after the pigs go to slaughter. Once the slaughterhouse lets me know it’s ready to pick up, I will be in touch with you to arrange a day and time for you to pick up on the farm. Generally I expect pick up within one week of the pork being ready. Smoked cuts such as bacon and sausage take longer than the fresh cuts, and are generally ready for pick up 4 - 6 weeks after the fresh cuts.
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Can I order a whole/half pig any time of year or are there certain times when you have these available?There are set times each year when I have whole and half animals available, although generally I will have some available both spring/summer and fall/winter. If it doesn’t say here when the next pigs will be available, the best thing to do is sign up for our Newsletter to get updates any time new products are available.
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Can you tell me more about how your pigs are raised?Certified organic means our pigs are only fed certified organic grain, graze and forage on land where chemicals and pesticides are never used, always have access to the outdoors, and are never treated with antibiotics, synthetic dewormers, or hormones. In the summer they graze and forage through the pastures and woods. In the winter they have a barn for shelter, and outdoor runs filled with wood chips and hay bales. We raise our pigs from birth to slaughter so we can control every step and ensure they are raised the way we want them to be from birth.
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What can I do with leaf fat and back fat?Leaf fat and back fat can be rendered into lard for cooking (leaf fat is great for pie crusts!) or even making into soaps. Some of our customers who do a lot of hunting use the back fat to mix with lean venison for making sausage.
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Do I get to decide what cuts I get and if so, how do I do that?Each type of cut comes from a different part of the pig, so that dictates how much of each cut you can get. For example bacon only comes from the belly, so we can’t just turn the whole pig into bacon. But where different types of cuts are possible you get to choose what you’d like. For example, from the loin you can choose boneless vs bone in chops. From the leg, you can choose hams, ham steaks, ground pork or sausage. Fill out the attached cut sheet to let me know your choices. Confused by the different options? I am happy to help you walk through it via email or over the phone
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How do I cook different kinds of pork chops?Loin, Rib, and Sirloin Chops can all be cooked the same way. We like to just season them lightly, with a little salt and pepper, herbs of choice, and throw them on high heat in a cast iron griddle or on the grill. Sirloin chops do tend to be larger and have a more irregular bone than loin and rib chops
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How much freezer space do I need to store my whole/half pig?About 8-12 cubic feet, or half to two thirds of a standard upright freezer.
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How long can I store meat in my freezer before it goes bad?Up to one year.
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What breed of pigs do you raise?We raise a mix of breeds and are constantly experimenting with different breeding to produce pigs with the mix of traits that best fits our farm. Some of the traits we breed for are good temperament (friendly pigs and gentle mothers), grazing and foraging, and meat quality and flavor. A few of the breeds in the mix are Idaho Pasture Pig, Large Black, Mangalista, and Ossabaw.
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What do you mean by "hanging weight"?Hanging weight is the weight of the pig after it has been killed but before it is cut up into individual packaged cuts. The hanging weight is about 60% of the live weight of the animal, since it does not include blood, head, hide, entrails and organs. When you buy a half or whole pig from us, you will pay the price per pound based on the hanging weight of the animal. The final cuts that you receive will weight about 65–70% of the hanging weight but if you choose bone-in cuts and opt to receive back fat, leaf fat, and all the bones your final weight will be closer to your hanging weight!
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Does Farm Share Credit Expire?Nope! Once you’ve signed up you can use your credit anytime.
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When can I sign up for The Free Choice Farm Share?Sign-ups are open twice a year in March/April, and September/October - Special for 2024 - Fall sign ups will be open until November 30th!
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Can I get a refund for unused balance?No. When you sign up you are committing to the full amount. We are unable to offer refunds. But, Farm Share credit doesn’t expire either.
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Is there anything I can’t use my Farm Share Credit for?You can use your farm credit for anything we sell with the exception of whole and half animals.
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How much meat does a CSA share get me?It depends on what kinds of cuts you choose. A small share will get you ~30lbs of ground beef or pork and sausage, 12-15lbs of prime steaks and pork chops, or 20-25lbs of a mix of everything. A medium share could be ~60lbs of ground meats, 25-30lbs of prime steaks and pork chops, or 40-45lbs of a mix of cuts A large share would be ~100lbs of ground meats, 50-60lbs prime steaks and chops, or 60-75lbs of a mix of cuts
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What if I don’t bring my card to the market?Don’t worry we can easily look you up by name too.
Hanging weight
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