NEWSLETTER #18 - PINK BOX UPDATES and AG'S LATEST BUZZ WORDS

Sustainability

It means many different things to lots of different people and comes in lots of different categories… environmental sustainability, economical sustainability, social sustainability.
 
But Oxford Languages describes it as the “avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance”. Which I think is a fantastically apt description of sustainability and its meaning within the agricultural sector.
 
Carbon neutrality is a term that is very much at the forefront of the sustainability conversation at the moment. While it is definitely a large part of helping our industry and world to be more sustainable, there is a lot more to sustainability that being carbon neutral.
 
We should not forget the things that farmers have been doing for hundreds of years in order to ensure that their property and business remains both environmentally and financially sustainable, as these two things go hand in hand. If a farmer wants to be financially sustainable then she/he must ensure that they are environmentally sustainable as well. Therefore we:

• Fence property up into manageable paddocks so that we can then shift our livestock to ensure even grazing. This simple practice makes sure that there is always grass left in the paddock ready to continue growing after the next shower of rain. This growing grass then sequesters carbon into the soil which helps to improve environmental sustainability, and financial sustainably as we are able to graze that paddock again more quickly.
• Spread manure from cattle yards and feedlot pens out across our paddocks. The spreading of manure helps to re-stock the important nutrients and minerals needed in the soil for ongoing grass production. This again allows for improved fodder production = carbon sequestered and feed for livestock to eat $$$.
• Build large dams in order to catch overland flow using contour banks. This manages erosion and provides water for animals and crops.
• Implement irrigation systems so that we can more consistently grow crops which again sequester carbon and increase livestock feed.
• Harvest and store fodder in years of high rainfall and good production to ensure that in years of drought we can continue feeding livestock and maintaining our business.

1. The “Rain Gods” appear to have turned off the tap after the predicted La Nina has failed to arrive. (When I grow-up I want to be a weather forecaster 😉)

2. We have prematurely cut our forage sorghum (at about belt height) as it had started to dry off and die. It wasn’t all lost though as we chopped about 800 tonnes of silage off of the pivot. This will equate to about 260 days worth of silage at the Mamaree feedlot. We still have a fair bit in left in storage which is great news.

3. We are continuing working on the feedlot underneath the shed. All the posts have been cut and pushed in. This means we are about to get really serious on the welders and start putting in rails and punching out gates.

4. We are celebrating Jemima’s 21^st birthday! Wooohooo, party time!

Pink Box UPDATE – April Delivery 14th/15th/16th
As a result of customer feedback, this delivery we will be trialing taking the bones out of the t-bone, and instead providing you with sirloin and eye fillet steaks. See above for the new contents of your boxes!

If you have purchased a box from us in the past and were a bit disappointed with the cut of the T Bones, we would love it if you would give us another try!  We are real!. We are an authentic family business who genuinely wants to connect with our consumers so they know where their food comes from. 
 
Please order now so that we can start to make plans about how many bodys will need to be processed. Remember, we have also created the MINI which is a half of the original Pink Box. There should still be lots of extras available, so shop up!

Don't forget that we also sell a 10kg bulk sausage box of 10x1kg packs, perfect for parties, picnics or just snag lovers!

We've recently been feeding a 22 year old boy who is working for us.... turns out boys eat A LOT so the bulk sausage deal is fantastic for feeding them!

 CLICK HERE to order yours now!
 

Once again, thanks for reading. We hope we have shared some more insights into why we do what we do! 

If you have an April order we look forward to seeing you on the road. Catch up soon!  

The Penfold Family 🐮
Dan, Kar, Bonnie, Molly, Jemima and Matilda.