A Christmas Note

We at Ussery Beefalo want to wish all our bloggers a very Merry Christmas and the best of New Years, and all of 2013. The tragic events in Connecticut remind us of the invaluable
 importance of family and the need for "Peace On Earth". We urge you to keep those devastated family members, whose lives will never, ever, be the same, in your thoughts and prayers. Take care and all the best.

Ozark Fall Farmfest 2012

Another Fall Farmfest has come and gone.  We in the Beefalo community were very pleased with the way the three days went.  A lot of people came through our barn and those that stopped and chatted with us seemed to enjoy themselves.  As usual some were completely unfamiliar with Beefalo, but seemed to express real interest in what they were learning about the breed.

 

Fowler Beefalo and Circle Z were the other two farms represented this year and we had a total of twelve animals to display.  Vernon Zelch had 4 big bulls; I think he decided after cleaning up each morning that it might not be such a good idea to bring 4 big bulls again.  Fowler Beefalo brought 4 heafers that were born last Spring, and we had 3 heifers of that age plus a young bull of the same age. 

 

We all enjoyed our time at the Farmfest this year and we are interested if any of our readers have any suggestions on how we can do better next year.  Please feel free to let us know.  Until the next time take care. 

FALL ACTIVITIES

Mid September and we are getting ready for the Ozark Fall Farmfest October 5-7.  We will have more information on the Farmfest in our next posting.

 

Right now we are enjoying the recent rains and cooler weather as we prepare to sell some of our Spring calves.  We still have our young bull Yellow Jacket, whom we have pictured before, available for sale.  He is 19 months old now and definitely ready for the Fall breeding season.  The quickest, easiest, and cheapest way way for producers to get into Beefalo, if they already have cattle, is to purchase a purebred or fullblood Beefalo bull.  All of his calves will be more than 17% bison and will be Beefalo.  In addition to Yellow Jacket we also have a number of heifers we would sell; some are senior yearlings as well as just weaned Spring heifers.

 

We will have more information in the next two weeks about the Fall Farmfest.  Until then take care.

Simmered Smoked Beefalo Tongue

1 smoked beefalo tongue, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds
1 onion, sliced
1 celery stalk
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. black peppercorns

Put tongue in kettle and cover with water. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Cover and simmer 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until tongue is tender. Remove tongue, pull off skin, trim and remove bones. Chill in the broth (can be done to the point the day before); cut into thin slices.

Ozark Empire Fair 2012

The Fair has come and gone and for Beefalo it was another successful showing.  A few animals were scratched at the last moment for a variety of reasons, but we had exhibitors from Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Arkansas as well as Missouri.  It was hot, very hot, but we (animals and exhibitors) all fared rather well.  The Show was held on a Thursday this year instead of Saturday and that depressed the size of the audience.  That didn't stop one exhibitor from telling me he thought this was the best Show in Springfield. 

 

We showed four animals this year;  I say "we" because my son-in-law, Cleveland Williamson assisted me in washing and prepping the animals as well as personally leading two of the animals in the Show.  We were pleased with the results.  Our Winter bull calf and and senior heifer calf each placed first in their class, and our junior heifer calf and Winter yearling heifer each placed second.  Just as gratifying as their results was their behavior.  Two weeks before the Show they thought I was the only human in the world;  then my son,his wife, and their two children came to see them and they went nuts, but after twenty four hours of people and noise at the Fair they had adjusted quite well.

 

We enjoyed our time at the Fair this year and now we are planning for the Ozark Fall Farmfest which is October 4-7.  We hope to see you there.

Fair Time

It is Ozark Fair time again.  Wednesday Aug 1, is the day Beefalo arrive at the Fair.  We have less than twenty four hours to be ready to show our animals.  Show time is 1 P.M. Thursday Aug 2nd.

 

We are taking four animals this year; we have a young bull and a heifer that were both born this past February.  We are also showing a heifer born last Fall and a yearling heifer born in February of 2011.

 

We always look forward to re-establishing contact with our fellow Beefalo producers and working with them to make the Show a success.  As a group we aren't quite as personally competitive  with each other as some of the other breeds and that makes the time at the Fair more relaxing and enjoyable. 

 

Speaking of enjoyment we hope to see many of our bloggers at the Fair and the Beefalo Show.  Hope to see you there.

For more information, click here: http://www.ozarkempirefair.com/

Beef Barbeque

1 Chuck or round beefalo pot roast
1 tsp. salt
2 lg. onoions, sliced
1 c. catsup
1 can (6 oz.) tomato juice
1 1/3 Tbsp. Worcestersire sauce
1 Tbsp. dry mustard
1 Tbsp. Vinegar
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 clove garlic, minced

Remove any excess fat from meat. Brown meat slowly over hot coals for 20 minutes.
Combine remaining ingredients in a 2-cup measure.
Fold a five-foot length of heavy duty aluminum foil double. Spoon half of sauce in center of foil; place meat on top; cover with remaining sauce. Seal foil and cook over slow coals, seam side up, for 2 hours or until meat is very tender. Slice thinly to serve

Seasoned Sausage

2 lbs. ground beefalo
1 lb. pork sausage
1 tsp. mustard seed
1 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. curing salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. liquid smoke or hickory smoked powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper
1 c. water

Combine ingredients. Form three rolls or lengths and wrap with aluminum foil. Refridgerate overnight. Puncture foil. Bake on broiler pan at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

RAIN RAIN RAIN

Right now as I am wrinting this we are getting a good rain.  We received a good rain about two weeks ago at a time we were very dry and it was a big help, but by today we were getting dry again.  Ozark rocks don't hold moisture very long.

Despite the lower quality pasture due to the heat and dry weather the beefalo are still looking nice.  I guess it is the bison blood that helps them to not only survive, but thrive on sub-quality forage.  If the early warm, dry weather persists they could be tested this summer.

We sold some more ground beef to one of our repeat customers, Dave and Traci Hanson, this past week.  It is now the grilling season and we want to remind our readers we currently have a good supply of ground beef and some steaks available for sale.  In addition we have just sold a "half" of a live steer to be harvested next month.  If anyone is interested in the second "half" notify us as soon as possible.

 

Until the next posting here is wishing you all the best.

Beefalo Sausage

1 lb. ground beefalo
1 1/2 tsp. sausage seasoning, mild or hot
1/4 c. fresh dried sage, crushed, or 2 tsp. canned ground sage

Mix well. Shape into sausage-size patties. Fry as you would hamburger, but shorter time. Remember beefalo cooks in 1/3 to 1/2 the time of regular beef.

Jazzy Beefalo Bites

1/2 lb. beefalo burger
1 Tbsp. Catsup
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c. fine bread crumbs
salad oil
1 tsp. prepared horseradish
1/2 tsp minced onion
cheddar cheese cut in 1/4 cubes

Combine catsup, horseradish, mustard, onion, salt and dash of pepper. Let stand 10 minutes. Combine meat and bread crumbs, stir in catsup mixture. Shape meat around cheese cubes, making 3/4 inch balls. Broil or fondue.

Another New Sale

This week we sold a young bull, but not one of the two we have pictured on this blog (they are still available).  Laszlo and Kathy Nemeti of Rogersville, Mo. wanted a red bull and we had a younger one.  When we delivered the calf we saw why they wanted red;  they have some beautiful, great looking red animals.  This is the second bull the Nemeti's have purchased from us;  the first was probably about eight years ago.  We say "thanks" and wish them continued success.

Ussery Beefalo Update

My daughter-in-law, Gena, who posts this blog for me asked some time ago if I didn't think it was time to make another posting; I agreed, but am just now getting the information to her.

 

We are certainly enjoying the nice Spring weather and eagerly looking forward to the coming of lush green grass.  We now have over 20 new calves who should be ready to take off on the new grass.

 

We sold five cows to Roger and Kathy Cady of Ozark, Mo. last month.  They located the cows at Greenfield, Mo. and already have some new additions.

 

Cattle are still selling quite well at the sale barns and we sold thirteen last week.  Also, we delivered one animal to our local processing plant (Forrest Meat Processing) earlier this week.  That animal was purchased by John Waddell of Springfield, Mo.  For anyone interested in purchasing a beef we have a steer ready for harvest as of this writing.  He will probably weigh approximately 950 lbs.  In addition we have some younger males ready to turn out on grass and some young heifers  we would be willing to sell.

Finally, we have two young virgin bulls we feel would make good herd sires.  They are pictured at the end of this posting.  We will try to be less tardy in the future.

Yellow Jacket--DOB: 2-16-11,  37.09 % bison

Yuri--DOB: 2-24-11, 37.16 % bison