Market at Iseley Farms- Burlington NC

For the past 70 years beef raised on our farm has been enjoyed by folks living far from Burlington. We have been raising beef cattle here since the early 1940’s. The process in the past has been to breed, calve, wean, feed then sell at auction steers, yearlings and some breeder cows. We have decided to take the next step to direct market our own beef.

Harvest records, from recent years, have shown that we are raising an excellent product. All of our beef graded 100% either prime or choice (the national average is 53% grading prime or choice). These records verify that we have an outstanding product that we want to sell directly to our farm customers.

As one producer in an alliance of four local cattle breeders with like-genetics, Iseley Farms has entered a more sophisticated beef production program. We have improved the genetics of the herd by investing in the best Angus and Simmental bulls affordable to us.

We use the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program to guarantee the good health of the herd. Our improved nutrition plan includes creep feeding and in order to make this affordable we have installed feed bins enabling us to buy feed by the tractor trailer load. A solar system to power the motor to drive the auger was installed in 2010. We are now in the process of fencing out 45 acres of woodland and stream buffers. Three new wells have been dug and water holding towers using solar powered pumps and gravity flow to serve 28 new waterers have been installed, thus ensuring clean water for the cows as well as clean run-off from the farm to our downstream neighbors.

Our Simangus herd is grass pastured and grain fed. No growth hormones are used on the cattle and the beef is USDA inspected. We are proud to offer our own beef on our own local farm. It will be available in June when we move to the Vegetable Barn. Watch our web site for more details and be thinking of sizzling steaks and juicy burgers as you clean off that grill for the season!

Those of you who visited the farm last year noticed the four varieties of blackberries planted on the beautiful new trellises in front of the Vegetable Barn. Well, this year, about late June, these berries will be ready for their first harvest. As it is with our strawberries, blackberries will also be a pick your own crop. We will provide containers for picking and carrying home.

Pre-picked berries will also be available for sale in the Vegetable Barn. We are pleased to provide the opportunity for you to pick this nostalgic fruit in an environment much improved from the picking experience of days past…no hunting for a patch on the side of the road, no chiggers, no getting stuck on the thorns…and a pretty remote chance of coming up on a long black wiggly creature! So think blackberry cobblers and ice cream and watch our website for the arrival of the berries.

Didn’t you just yearn for the juicy sweetness of a fresh berry during our long cold winter? The next best thing is that fruit preserved as jams or jellies and served on a hot buttered biscuit! We are excited that this year Michelle Morton of Michelle’s Kitchen will be creating delicious flavors of jams and jellies from fruits (and some vegetables) grown right here at Iseley Farms. Watch for these preserved products to be sold here at the farm and at Michelle’s Kitchen.

Every Thursday will be Bakery Day at Iseley Farms. A freshly baked delivery of an array of artisan breads from The Farm Fairy will be available each Thursday beginning soon. The breads will include crispy French baguettes, sour dough boulets, braided Challah and focaccia loaves as well as cinnamon rolls and croissants.

These delicious breads will enhance any of the meals you prepare from produce grown here on the farm…fresh foccacia topped with a mix of thinly sliced fresh tomatoes, basil and grated mozzarella cheese … crispy french bread as a side to delicious vegetable soups … or a heavenly scented cinnamon roll to go with that cup of coffee or tea. We are all looking forward to Thursday, Bakery Day!
http://thefarmfairy.com

Maple View Farm

Strawberry Ice Cream
Iseley Farms Strawberries + Maple View Farm Happy Cows = Strawberry Sweetheart Ice Cream

Honey Vanilla Ice Cream

Most of you are familiar with our famous strawberry ice cream, a perfect combination of Iseley Farms strawberries and cream from the happy cows at Mapleview Dairy. Through the years we have toyed with the idea of adding another flavor with produce grown on the farm. The perfect idea just buzzed right into our brainstorming. How about a flavor that combines the delicate flavors of everything that blooms on the farm? How about Honey Vanilla? Iseley Farms honey churned with Mapleview cream is another combination that can’t be beat! (or BEE-t?)

The ice cream is for sale at Iseley Farms from May until October.
www.mapleviewfarm.com

Iseley Farms
Jane has been raising bees since 1988. Our 10 hives produced a record high 600 lbs of honey in 2008.

The USDA estimates that insect pollinated plants (fruits, nuts, soybeans and vegetables) account for one third of our diet, and honeybees do approximately 80% of the work (other pollinators like bats, butterflies, moths, bumble bees, and hummingbirds contribute to the other 20%.)

The wide variety of fruits, vegetables, flowers and grains grown on this farm as well as blooming trees, shrubs and even organic tobacco blooms produce a taste of honey that is unique to our farm. Why eat local honey? It is the reliance on this regional flora and its pollens that is at the heart of new studies showing that eating local honey can help prevent allergies caused by the pollens in a particular area. And because it is all natural raw honey processed without chemical additives, it tastes better!