Jones Family Farms (Grass-Fed): Outdoor Adventure

Carrie Oliver Rating: Outdoor Adventure Beef™

This bold, broody grass-fed steak from Jones Family Farm conjures up images of its origin, beautiful Lopez Island, one of the San Juan Islands in Washington State. Tipped off about this beef by the team at the venerated HerbFarm restaurant, these notes are from our August 2010 Artisan Steak Tasting at Serafina-Cicchetti in Seattle, WA. If robust flavor and moderate complexity is your game, this is a great choice.

Tasting Notes:

This grass-fed steak had a nice chewy Texture, a layered adventurous Personality, and left a long-lasting Impression. It was juicy, dense and had notes of misty surf, exotic mushrooms, and caramelized vegetables. The fat was succulent (yes, I like fat).

Meet The Farmers

Nick and Sara Jones are true food entrepreneurs having founded three complementary businesses: the Barlow Bay Fish Company, Jones Family Farms, and Sweetwater Shellfish. Best known for their unique oysters they’re increasingly recognized for their grass-fed Angus – American Milking Devon beef, pastured Tamworth and Hampshire pork, and for their leadership in land renovation.
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Where to Buy It: The Jones’ grass-fed beef, pastured pork, fish and shellfish can be found on Lopez, Orcas, San Juan, and Shaw Islands, at their Farm Stand on Farm Stand at 1454 Mud Bay Road, and in select locations in the Seattle market.

Tasting Overview:

Taster:	Carrie Oliver
Date Tasted:	August 2010
Cut Tasted:	Sirloin Steak
Diet/Feed:	Grass Fed and Finished
Cooking Method:	Gas Grill
How Served:	Medium Rare
Seasoning:	Kosher Salt
Other Cuts Tasted:	n/a
Other Date Tasted:	n/a
Other Tasters:	40 guests from Serafina – Cicchetti Restaurants, Seattle, WA

Detailed Husbandry Practices:

Breed:	Angus -  American Milking Devon Cross
Growing Region:	Lopez Island, Washington
Farm/Ranch:	Jones Family Farms
Farmers/Ranchers:lllllllll	Nick and Sara Jones
Diet/Feed:	Grass-Fed
Raising Protocols:	Native pastures and some cover crops
Finishing Protocols:	Native pastures, some cover crops, and oat, vetch, and buckwheat in vegetative state
% Time on Pasture:	100%
Age at Slaughter:	30 – 40 months
Slaughterhouse:	Island Grown Farmers Cooperative (mobile slaughterhouse), Bow, WA
Butcher:	Island Grown Farmers Cooperative (processor), Bow, WA
Aging Technique:	Dry-aged (as carcass)
Aging Time:	14 days
Packaging:	Vacuum sealed
Never Use Antibiotics Ever:	-
Use Vet Approved Spot Treatment Antibiotics:	Only if sick (removed from program if treated)
Never Use Sub-therapeutic or Feed Antibiotics	✓
Never Use Added Growth Hormones:	✓
Never Use Ionophores:	✓
No Animal, Fish, Fowl By-Products in Feed	✓
100% Vegetarian Feed	✓
Practice Rotational Grazing	✓
Practice Managed Intensive Rotational Grazing	-
USDA Natural	✓
USDA Naturally Raised New Voluntary Certification	-
Third Party Certified Organic	-
Third Party Certified Humane	-
Other Third Party Certification	Island Certified Local
Other	Also raise and sell pastured pork, poultry and goat, shellfish, and seasonal fresh local fish stock

Tagged as: Artisan Beef, dry-aged, grass fed beef, grass-fed steak, Jones Family Farm, Seattle