Seasonal changes abound here on the Rancho. Birth may be associated with Spring, but our fall is full of rebirth. We harvested our first crop of 100% organic heirloom beans last week. It was a dusty job but fascinating to learn how to operate a 1948 bean harvester that our talented shop crew has brought back to life. We're harvesting smaller plots of various beans and so our regular harvester was just too big for the job. Our ancient grains premiered at the National Heirloom Expo and have made their way to a few local miller/bakers and craft chefs to great response. Our pigs are settled into their newly reclaimed barns. We were able to bring life back into cedar barns used over 80 years ago for the same purpose. Our weaning rates attest to the fact that our ancestors knew how to raise animals in the open air better than we do now. Walnuts are deepening in color and sweetness, nearing harvest time. The land prepares itself to welcome the hundreds of thousands of migratory waterfowl that descend upon our marshes, lakes and ponds during the great Pacific Flyway of the fast-approaching winter.
V I S I T U S at the SF Ferry Plaza Farmers Market!
We are pleased to announce that we are now at CUESA’s Farmers Market located at the Ferry Building in San Francisco. Every Saturday from 8 am to 2 pm, rain or shine, we will be selling our responsibly-raised Llano Seco pork, sausage, bacon dogs, bacon, beef cuts, ancient grains, and heirloom beans.
We guarantee a better holiday season with a Llano Seco applewood smoked ham. We are ready to take your pre-orders at any of our Farmers Market stands (see below for locations) or email Jamie here by Nov 15. Hams are half, bone-in (7-8 lbs each) for $7.80/lb or Whole Boneless Pit hams (11-12 lbs each) for $8.12/lb. Pick up will be at Farmers Market stands and payment will be due upon time of pre-order and will be based on estimated weights.
Last day to order is Nov 15. Pick up at your local farmers market:
Ferry Plaza Farmers Market: Saturday Nov 21
Chico Farmers Market: Saturday Nov 21
Fort Mason Farmers Market: Sunday Nov 22
December holiday hams must be ordered by Nov 29. Pick up at your local farmers market:
Ferry Plaza Farmers Market: Saturday Dec 19
Chico Farmers Market: Saturday Dec 19
Fort Mason Farmers Market: Sunday Dec 20
W E A R Y O U R L O V E of Llano Seco
We still have Llano Seco merchandise available. Wear your love of whole animal butchery and celebrate the offal in all of us. We have men’s and women’s styles available, sizes range from small to 2XL. Email Rebecca to purchase yours.
Crafted Meat
Crafted Meat documents current developments in today’s new meat culture for both epicures and makers. The book offers must-know information, recipes, and expert tips for cooking enthusiasts and conscientious eaters. Llano Seco’sOffal Wonderful, the annual campaign celebrating the insides of the animal, is featured as an example of unique meat culture happenings. Crafted Meat is an international publication conceived by well-respected Berlin publishing house Gestalten, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be featured alongside many of our heroes and colleagues such as Dario Cecchini and The Meat Hook. US book release is late October 2015 and you will be able to buy online.
Feed Your People
Our products and recipes will be featured in upcoming book about community gatherings and big batch cooking for friends and families by Leslie Jonath and 18 Reasons. Look out for info on upcoming pig roast featuring our piggie and Ryan Farr of 4505 to benefit the book.
A B U S Y A U T U M N of events
Llano Seco is proud to support the California local food community. Listed below are events attend as food purveyors or engaged community members.
Livestock Conservancy Conference
A National Conference celebrating heritage breeds. Join us as we explore forgotten uses and flavors that will bring value added income to farms. 6th-generation Llano Seco proprietor and Director of Llano Seco branded products Charlie Thieriot will be speaking at the Plenary talk on Sat morning as part of a panel discussion on offal, underutilized cuts and older animals. Llano Seco is a passionate about whole animal butchery, and we work with chefs and butchers who strive to use all parts of animals. This passion led Llano Seco to begin the
Campaign which is held once a year in conjunction with the Eat Real Festival in Oakland to promote use of often discarded animal parts.
Flamingo Resort, Santa Rosa, CA
Llano Seco joined in the Farm to Fork Festival, which is held once a year in celebration of Sacramento’s food shed while bringing awareness to local food production, consumption, and sustainability. We had a chance to converse with people about sustainable farming in the Sacramento area while serving our summer Farro bean salad. We look forward to participating each year in this educational event.
Once a year the public has the opportunity to explore Butte County local farms and wineries through the Sierra Oro Farm Trail Passport Weekend. Rancho Llano Seco welcomed visitors with El Pastor and chile verde tacos made with Llano Seco pork, grilled Italian and Argentine sausage, and samples of Summer Farro Bean salad. People dined at our picnic tables while listening to the soothing music from Mark Johnson and Cello John. Visitors were able to meet a couple of our resident piglets and play ping pong and bean bag toss on the grass. Our hay-ride circled Perkin’s lake, allowing for views of some of our organic and GMO-free fields, hog farms, all the while learning history of our farm.
Rancho Llano Seco, Chico, CA
Kitchen Table Advisors Fundraiser
Kitchen Table Advisors held their annual fundraiser, Grazing at the Kitchen Table, celebrating local farmers and the community which supports them. Some of the Bay Area’s finest chefs came together and created delicious dishes that featured food grown and raised from local farms. The dinner featured some of our donated Llano Seco pork, beef, grains, and beans.
Dogpatch WineWorks, San Francisco, CA
As brand new members of CUESA’s
Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
Llano Seco was honored to donate some of our heirloom beans and participate in CUESA’s annual dinner, the Sunday Supper. Sunday Supper is 4 course dinner that features more than 40 of the Bay Area’s well-known chefs. Half of the funds collected from this event go directly into the community through CUESA’s healthy food system educational programs.
Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA
