We have been sort of slow on the uptake with stories from the farm because we have been anxiously waiting for the technical team to post some exciting new changes to the website to create a new look and feel. In fact they actually redesigned the entire site to allow us to connect with you in a more visceral way, by that I mean that it will be easier and faster for us to post updates and be more interactive. When you visit our homepage www.nimanranch.com, everything you want to know about Niman Ranch is laid out in front of you.
The first thing you will see is that it’s all about traditional family farmers treating animals humanely, protecting the land and our vital natural resources. This commitment to sustainability is easily seen in the photos posted here from some of the different farms in the Niman Ranch network. The picture of two mother pigs or sows in the foreground surrounded by their piglets in the pasture was taken here on the Willis Farm. We really liked this picture because you can see how the pigs are able to move freely in the pasture while the corn field behind them was planted on the ground where the pigs had been the previous year. This is part of the rotational system we use that enhances and replenishes the land.
Now that out website is up and running here is a brief outline of some of the highlights. On the left-hand side of the screen are different categories to choose from; About Niman Ranch, Raising Practices, Our Products, For Chefs & Grocers, Niman Ranch Community and Niman Ranch Online Store. These categories help you to navigate to find the information you are looking for, whether you want to find out more about Niman Ranch meat flavor and quality or how the animals have been raised you can find it here. Some of my favorite new aspects of the website can be found at the bottom of the page where you can easily find the latest news and update through the twitter, facebook and community tab live feeds.
The Niman Ranch Community Tab is where you will find my blog about what is happening on the Willis Farm or perhaps another one of the farms in the Niman Ranch network. I am going to include some links that will make it easier to keep track of news from the farm, Photos, Slideshows, videos as well as links to my Facebook and Flikr page, links to other Niman Ranch farmer’s pages and my favorite resources found on the internet.
I plan to update the blog post with “News from the Farm “at least once monthly. Sometimes it can get kind of hectic on the farm and it’s hard to set aside time to write about it but I promise I will do my best. After all, it’s what Niman Ranch is all about.
