Surviving a Minnesota Winter...

Happy February!!

For most of the world, this month is filled with red hearts, sweet candies and appealing commercials for Valentine's Day. But this year at the Bar Five homestead, February looms in our mind as just another busy, cold winter month going into 2014.

Already, some parts of MN have received an annual amount of 10 inches in 2014! But with record snowfall hitting the Mid-West, nothing can stop the Bar Five family from doing what they love. 

Below is a hardy, mother goose...taking shelter in the hallow part of a hay bale. Talk about free range in winter! Dedicated to her babies, she sits on her nest of 6 eggs that will be hatching in late February. No matter how much snow mother nature pours down on us, this mother stays with her babies through cold, wind and lots of snow! We created a walking path for her to easily access fresh water and food. 

So how does a farmer in MN make it through the winter... or their animals make it? From the littlest animal to the larger animals, we take many precautions when feeding, bedding and watering in the cold temperatures. These baby ducklings are only 1 week old... we offer them warm water three times a day to keep them warm from the inside out! Around their heat-lamp we also put straw and hay bales, this is to ensure the heat stays close to the ducklings and blocks any drafts. From the happy expressions on their faces, I think the ducklings are pretty comfy! 

Sometimes new born babies need a little help with all the snow and cold temperatures. Jake, the youngest member of the Bar Five Family, found this little shivering lamb in the hay.

We made a warm bed under a heat lamp in our home, where he was bottle fed and dried off for the first couple days to become stronger before we placed him back with his mother. What a great new addition to our family!

We hope you've enjoyed our blog on keeping the family and farm going in the cold winter. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and check us out at the Winter Farmers Market.

Location                                                            Days                                                             Time
Minneapolis (HWY 55 & Lyndale Ave N. )  Every other Saturday starting Feb 1       9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
St. Paul          (Downtown 5th and Wall St.)   EVERY SATURDAY!!!                      9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For any questions or ordering please call, 507-964-5612.

Thank you!

Small Business... Why Support Local?

After the recent 2009/2010 "Big Business Scandal", many individuals and communities are pushing for everyone to "buy local", "support small businesses" and "be local".

But why? Here are today's top 10 reasons to! 

1. Buy Local  = Support yourself: Several studies have shown that when you buy from an independent, locally owned business significantly more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers and farms -- continuing to strengthen the economic base of the community.
2. Support community groups: Non-profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from smaller business owners than they do from large businesses.
3. Keep our community unique: Where we shop, where we eat and have fun -- all of it makes our community home. Our one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character of this place. Our tourism businesses also benefit.  “When people go on vacation they generally seek out destinations that offer them the sense of being someplace, not just anyplace.” ~ Richard Moe, President, National Historic Preservation Trust
4. Reduce environmental impact: Locally owned businesses can make more local purchases requiring less transportation and generally set up shop in town or city centers as opposed to developing on the fringe. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.
5. Create more good jobs: Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally and in our community, provide the most jobs to residents.
6. Get better service: Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling and take more time to get to know customers. 
7. Invest in community: Local businesses are owned by people who live in this community, are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the community’s future.
8. Put your taxes to good use: Local businesses in town centers require comparatively little infrastructure investment and make more efficient use of public services as compared to nationally owned stores entering the community.
9. Buy what you want, not what someone wants you to buy: A marketplace of tens of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term.  A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based not on a national sales plan but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantees a much broader range of product choices.
10. Encourage local prosperity: A growing body of economic research shows that in an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.

Source: http://sustainableconnections.org/thinklocal/why

How does buying local help small businesses? 

1. Cheaper is not always better.2. Cheaper is not always cheaper.3. Mom and Pop, "Family Owned" shops care about you – yes, you.4. It’s an economically, morally smart move.5. They give your city character.6. Community Well-Being7. Local Decision Making8. Keeps Jobs and Wages within the Community9. Fuels Entrepreneurship and More Unique Small Business Opportunities10. Invites New Product Diversity 

Sources: http://www.ilsr.org/why-support-locally-owned-businesses/

http://socialmediatoday.com/lilyentrust/559552/5-reasons-why-you-should-support-mom-and-pop-small-businesses

NEW WEBSITE!!!

Greetings Dedicated Followers!

You asked... and we made it possible. We now have a full-functioning website.

Features include:

• How-To Videos on cooking and preparing various dishes!
• Full Product Listing
• Bulk Meat Packages Offered
• Various Pictures of Family and Animals
• Weekly Location Finder 
  
  
• Much Much More! 

http://barfivemeats.com

GRAND OPENING OF SAVAGE FARMERS MARKET!

ATTENTION! ATTENTION! 

GRAND OPENING OF SAVAGE FARMERS MARKET….

You heard it here! At Bar Five we are excited to have Savage’s friendly and bustling farmers market open this Sunday, June 2nd! 

With rows of white tents shading various locally grown products, Bar Five attends this niche spot behind the old train depot for various reasons:

• Bar Five has been attending this location for its third consecutive year!
• Dedicated supporters have requested our return!
• Each week new unique products become available
• Family-centered markets allow us to teach kids about farming and animals!

What you can expect this coming Sunday!

Make sure you check out Bar Five’s newest items:

• ALL Beef Hot dog! 
• Apple Jack Chicken Brat: Juicy chicken sausage with pepper jack cheese and Granny Smith apples!
• Free colored Bar Five frisbees for the first 30 customers (available until gone!) 

If you have any egg cartons or plastic t-shirt bags, we do recycle and reuse these items!

Also, don’t forget to bring your Bar Five Red Punch Card!

Every time you bring your reusable bag you receive an extra punch on your card! 

For any additional information, please feel free to reach out! 

Golden Friday! by Liz Wemeier

At the Bar Five Ranch, the house, the farm and all its inhabitants can breath a deep sigh of relief, for Friday marks the first Friday off since April. For new readers, allow me to explain; Bar Five is a family-owned business with deep roots in value, tradition and customer satisfaction. We (meaning the family and I) bring farm-fresh products to the Farmers Market in Downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis every Saturday and Sunday throughout Spring, Summer and late Fall (and even WINTER!) Working as a farmer is easier said than done! Alone with the changing weather, harsh temperatures, spiking electric and gas prices makes sustainable farming in the 21^st Century un-ideal for a small business.

On top of growing crops and animals, there is also a growing family; with 4 kids all ages spread out through college to junior high school the parents and owners at Bar Five have learned to juggle their dynamic lifestyle for 11 years!

The busy season for Bar Five runs from April 1^st to October 31^st, hitting all three seasons Spring, Summer and Fall, they can be found at 7 markets a week on average! They specialize in fresh poultry, pork and beef products along with hand-made chicken sausages in a variety of flavors not found anywhere else.  Their name, family, surrounding vendors and customers are all unique, which is reflected in the meat. The dynamic and large offering of meat varieties within the brat category alone is astonishing! 

But to relate why this Friday, November 25, 2011 was called “Golden Friday” instead of Black Friday is really quite simple: it marks the end of the busy season and the beginning of relaxation and rest. By the time I have eaten my share of turkey on Thanksgiving and have come out of my “turkey coma” I feel the exhaustion of the past 5 days. In 5 days my family’s business processes, cleans, packages, labels and delivers turkeys to our dedicated customers at the farmers markets either a day or two before Thanksgiving. Along with most of the family being in school and some at college 70 miles away the production seemed much harder this year. But not to fear, having worked with family in tighter situations has brought on manageable teamwork and great experiences for all at Bar Five.

While some families decide to brave the crowds and shop early Friday or other families decide to enjoy their relatives company, Bar Five is outside tidying up the far-too-long neglected house. Friday allowed for John and Jake to work on the cattle drinker. One of the most important and necessary elements animals need to survive in the winter is: water (clean water). John and Jake fixed the float and small heater that keeps the water from freezing in our Minne-Snowta weather! Jess and Liz hauled in small square bales for the chicken, duck/goose, turkey and sheep pens and insulated the inside corners and floors for the coming cold.  Later Jake hauled in the rest of the large round bales from the fields; Jess and Liz worked to remove posts from the temporary fences that were put up earlier in spring, summer and fall. The night ended on a good note as Jess and Liz found a surprise in the cattle’s hay this evening: 3 large goose eggs! 

THANKSGIVING TURKEYS!

BAR FIVE is once again providing

“Farm-Fresh, Free-Range, All Natural”

Thanksgiving Turkeys!

"Happy Thanksgiving" 

from the

Bar Five Family! 

HOW WE GROW FARM-FRESH

WE DON’T USE ANTIBIOTICS, HORMONES OR ANIMAL BIPRODUCTS!

(WE WANT TO EAT TURKEY TOO, SO WE DON’T ADD ALL THE JUNK!)

FREE-RANGE ALLOWS FOR 24/7 ACCESS TO PASTURE

WE GROW THEM OURSELVES

Market Pick-Up Days and Times for Turkeys

Minneapolis Farmers Market

HWY 55 & Lyndale Ave

Tuesday, NOV. 22^nd 9a.m. to 12

St. Paul Farmers Market

Downtown St. Paul, 5^th & Wall St.

WEDNESDAY, NOV 23^RD 10 A.M. – 4 P.M.

Fall on the Farm

 Fall is often regarded by many Minnesotans as their favorite season, for the astonishing colors of yellow, red, gold, and green are only available for viewing in a short, abrupt season.

 Cool, brisk morning air with the sun barely peaking over the horizon, streaking the sky with pink, purple and blue ripples across the Minnesota blue sky.

 The BAR FIVE family eagerly starts the day to take care of the animals and start the harvest season!     Everyone this fall season seems to be enjoying the nice warm weather that has carried us into the middle of October. The intimidating apprehension of winter occupies the minds of farmers and fellow Minnesotans alike.

   With soybeans, corn and hay to reap before the nice warm weather turns to freezing cold and the rush of finding a home for all crops and animals to bunk is occupying the minds of all farmers. 

Turning of Seasons

As schools begin anew, the weather changing to accompany the fall harvest season, the leaves painted with beautiful displays of autumn colors.... Bar Five also prepares for the coming months.
With the Farmers Markets on the weekends, the family at Bar Five never ceases to continue the family tradition of excellence and brings "farm-fresh" meats and eggs to its customers!

Check out these fall time pictures of the farm and all its occupants! :)
Notice the fall color of brown, green, and yellow.

Soybean Field

Hay Meadow