This week marks Sam's last week at the shop and we will bid him farewell as he moves on to other adventures in butchery and the culinary world. If you have been in at any point in the last year and a half you have surely met Sam and we will all be sad to see him go but are all a bit jealous of his next move.

We always love a reason to have a gathering and Monday the staff and friends will gather at Braeburn to share some food and take in the beauty of the farm. Many of you know that our meat comes from thoughtfully tended and stewarded farms but in reality, they really stand above and beyond the normal standards of most grass fed and pastured operations. At over 500 acres, Braeburn has been attentively cultivated over the last three decades to be the finest iteration of pastured beef production you can likely find anywhere. It's odd to think that the sight of lush, verdant grass on a farm would be unusual but it is absolutely not the norm in beef production. Frankly, most beef production looks about as close to the natural balance of life as a Slim Jim looks to a pastured pig. What we are able to do with the animals that we bring in is the direct result of farms that care fore and nurture every step of the process and know their product explicitly. When a quarter of beef looks unusually well finished, Doc will know exactly which cow that was and can comment on why that may be so. Don't you think that’s the meat you want to be feeding your family?

All this to say, we take great pride in the meat we offer and also the knowledge base we have cultivated from the intimate relationships we have with the farmers that produce it. If you have questions, esoteric or benign, bring them to us. We are happy to talk about all manner of what we do and always love to learn when we realize a gap in our knowledge. We also find it a privilege to provide meat to those who care as much as many of you do.

It's winter, so if you want something slow cooking put in an order early as those cuts have been finding homes fast. If you miss that opportunity or are just leaning different, let us know and we can point you in the right direction.

It's very cold and we're going to keep it quick today. The order form is up on our NEW website. We are still looking at how best to organize a few things on there but we are really proud of it!

Eliza will be at the Carrboro Market this Saturday from 9-12. If you would like any pork products sent along for pickup, put in an order and we'll make sure to send it along.

Thanks for continuing to come see us through the quiet, cold months. The holidays have passed but we are still here every day with all the great products you love. We will see you this week - maybe in the rain.

Hello this weekend! We have been moving through a backlog of projects at the shop and have the freezers well stocked with meatloaf, ham and bean soup, french onion soup, meatballs and many other quick options. If you wanted to buy some stock, season it well and float some thinly sliced hotpot style beef or pork in it, we've got you covered there as well.

We made a sausage this week that hasn't been at the shop in many years - Kasekrainer. A smoked beef and pork sausage similar to kielbasa, it is packed with white wine, fresh garlic and alpine style cheese. Its smoky, funky and delicious. Sear some up and serve it along with a hunk of bread, Dijon and a green salad for a quick meal.

If you have any special requests, please let us know. We are always happy to cut something unique for you and as usual, we are all ears if you are looking for something that we haven't made in a while or even something we have never made.

As you can see, the animals are looking phenomenal. See you around the village this week!

January is normally a slower season at the shop. The holiday's have passed and everyone is regrouping and finding some sort of normal pace once again. That's not to say that we slow down a great deal, our case and especially our freezers have more variety than ever. We spent the week making huge batches of bolognese, enchiladas con carne and the return of ham and bean soup. Your body needs those high quality fats and rich collagen on these winter days. You'll feel great!

Eliza will be at the Carrboro Farmers Market this Saturday, January 13th from 9-12 with lots of pork cuts and charcuterie. We will not be bringing the trailer this time around but should have plenty to choose from. If you would like to pick up your order there, pork only please, just put in an order online. She will be at markets every other weekend throughout the winter.

Lastly, if you are looking for a fun, relaxed and free event this week, consider coming out to The River Room at Haw River Ballroom on Friday night at 6 p.m. for a really talented and cozy musical improv night. Friends of the shop Morgan Siem and Gareth Leslie have put this event together as part of what will hopefully be a recurring series. Bring a cooler and grab some provisions then head over for a drink and some free music. We will be there!

Chorizo Verde will be rolling this week, see you soon!

We hope everyone had an amazing Christmas day! This was definitely our busiest Holiday season ever at the shop and it felt good to relax a few days with our families. If you were one of the many folks to get something from the shop for your holiday table, we hope it was a great meal.

Below is the order form for this week. Some years we take it easy after Christmas, but not this year- we'll have a full case for your New Years meals. Having said that, we are going to be closed on Wednesday (Dec 27th) in order to get our animals in and get butchering (we will be working Wednesday and can get frozen stuff for you no problem, maybe some fresh stuff too). But Thursday we'll be up again and be open through the weekend.

Thanks all and hope it's a great holiday week with friends and family.