Miles

written by

posted on

May 5, 2022

Three weeks ago, on a snowy afternoon, a special little calf bull was born. We had been keeping a close watch on the mama cow, who was giving many signs that she was ready to calve. The process was taking longer than usual, which was telling us something wasn’t right. Doug prepared by slip-tying rope that he could cinch around the calf’s legs if needed. He walked to the pasture, stood at a distance, and observed the scene.

The cow was trying; her calf’s feet were showing, but nothing else was happening. The intention set, Doug roped the calf and began to pull. After what probably seemed like a long time, a healthy, BIG bull calf was on the ground, and his mama was licking him. The excitement, calm, beauty, and pure love vibrated through the pasture. The herd was watching, and the snow began to fall. Magic!

We learned quickly that this bull calf was much larger than most newborn calves, and his mama was on the petite side. This caused issues with him understanding and finding her teet to start suckling for milk. So, Suzy prepared a bottle of warm whole milk.

The amount of patience and love that went into the days that followed this calf’s birth was limitless. Bottles morning to night, regularly checking on his health, always trying to teach him how to suck. A good chunk of our days has been spent on chatting and tending to this little guy, whom we now call Miles.

From milk in the bottle to electrolytes to boost his immunity and strengthen his body, Miles was becoming a little too dependent on seeing Doug or Suzy and knowing they were what made his tummy feel good.

After many attempts of showing Miles how to suck from his Mama, Doug did it! Watching Doug for reassurance, he followed his lead over to the mother cow, and from there grabbed on and did what he needed to do to fill his belly.

There's no doubt the connection between Doug and Miles was formed as soon as that little stuck calf heard Doug’s voice, telling him he could do it! Miles clearly didn’t want to sever that bond, so Doug continued to show him all the love and patience he needed to grow into the best little bull calf he could be!

- Jayme

Wild Meadows Farm

Blog: On The Farm

Grey County

Durham, Ontario

Calf Being Born On A Farm

From Pasture to Price Tag: Understanding the Rising Cost of Meat

I consider myself very fortunate that I rarely go to the grocery store (we have one in our backyard, and for the things we don’t have here, Rebecca is usually the one who goes). When I do find myself there, though, I usually linger in the meat aisle to take a look at the prices. For the record, when we set prices for our products, we do not consider prices in stores or those of competitors. We determine prices based on our costs, plus a markup that we know will keep our doors open and the business sustainable. I do, however, find observing grocery store prices interesting and telling of what the commodity meat system produces and how it is priced. Just a few years ago, I often thought to myself how amazingly inexpensive meat was at the grocery store. Products like ground beef, chicken, and many pork cuts were so cheap. More recently, prices in stores are definitely up across the board. While our prices are still higher (and justifiably so, due to the quality of life our animals experience and the quality of meat our customers receive), the difference isn’t as great as it used to be. So why have grocery store prices increased so much? 1) Inflation is affecting everyone.Inflation is affecting everyone, including farmers, butchers, transport companies, and even grocery stores. Out-of-control money printing, higher energy costs, higher taxes, and wages that don’t keep up are a recipe for higher food prices—and for the general public to feel the strain financially. 2) Supply and demand are out of whack.Several factors, such as drought in the West, an aging farmer population, and higher beef prices (which discourage farmers from maintaining breeding stock), are leading to a lower cattle “inventory” in North America. That means fewer calves and a lower overall population, reducing supply. No one really knows when beef prices will come down, but the best-case scenario appears to be early 2028, based on what I’ve heard. Traditionally, chicken and other less expensive proteins have helped replace beef as prices rise. While it’s true that more people are choosing chicken as an alternative, beef demand has remained strong despite higher prices. Additionally, increased demand for chicken, combined with population growth and Canada’s restrictive production system (supply management), is projected to raise chicken prices by 25% in 2026. 3) Demand for meat isn’t slowing down.Experts often claim that more people will turn to “alternative” proteins as prices rise, and perhaps this is true for some. But you can’t beat the real thing, and I believe most people understand this. The public outcry over news that cloned meat could enter the supply chain without labelling is a good indicator that people do not want their food tampered with. So while I believe our products exist on a different playing field than their commodity and mass-produced counterparts, it’s interesting to observe how markets are changing and to track how these shifts may impact our customers and our business. Thanks for following along, and I hope you find my insights into our food system useful.

Food Debates Are Getting Wild – Here’s Why It's A Good Thing

You have some people who won't eat anything that comes from an animal, and others who eat almost nothing else. Both groups say they feel great and insist the other extreme is sick; they just don't know it yet. These strong opinions show how deeply food choices shape how we see ourselves and others.

Cloned Meat? Never on Our Farm!

Over the past week, I've received quite a few messages about Health Canada's recent announcement. They have deemed cloned meat, specifically beef and pork, as safe. This means there will be no labels identifying it as cloned and no warnings to consumers...

Miles

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From Pasture to Price Tag: Understanding the Rising Cost of Meat

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Cloned Meat? Never on Our Farm!

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