I thought I knew what tallow was. Then I went looking for a tutorial on whipping it, found three different explanations on YouTube, and started questioning everything I learned in culinary school. So what's the difference between suet, beef fat, and tallow? Let's clear up the confusion, talk about cooking versus skincare, and explain why Riley might think I smell like a dog treat.
What do two ridiculously expensive Wagyu steaks in Chicago have to do with the future of Fluffy Butt Farms? Apparently, quite a lot. From comparing Wagyu with our grass-fed Irish Dexter beef to bringing home our first Akaushi cattle and a Black Wagyu bull, here's how a little "market research" turned into a whole new adventure in raising beef.
March brought a whirlwind of activity to Fluffy Butt Farms! From Goats On The Go® training and booking our first job to welcoming twins and triplets during an unforgettable kidding season, here's a look at the excitement, challenges, and everyday chaos of spring on our Michigan farm.
We were supposed to buy a couple of feeder pigs every spring. Somehow, that turned into 13 mommas, 45 piglets, and a whole new appreciation for heritage pork. From fluffy Mangalitsa pigs to hardy Red Wattles, here's how we accidentally became pig breeders, why our pork looks so different from grocery-store pork, and what we've learned along the way.
I didn't set out to become a beef farmer. I just wanted a few cows to help manage parasites in our Kiko goats. Somehow, that turned into a herd of Irish Dexters, a whole lot of lessons about grass-fed beef, and one unforgettable steak that made me call Chris and say, "We need more." Here's how these little Irish cows became the heart of Fluffy Butt Farms.
The first few times I cooked one of our pasture-raised Freedom Ranger chickens, I was convinced I'd undercooked it. It was THAT juicy. Turns out our customers were noticing the same thing! Let's talk about how we raise our chickens, what makes Freedom Rangers different, and why a meat thermometer might just become your favorite kitchen tool.
Should you wash raw chicken before cooking it? I never understood why people did, especially considering some of the questionable cooking habits I grew up around. Let's talk about where chicken washing came from, why it's no longer recommended in home kitchens, and what you should actually do with that beautiful farm-fresh chicken before dinner.
When did we start calling stock "bone broth"? After learning classical cooking techniques in culinary school, I was a little confused when bone broth suddenly became the next big thing. Let's talk about the real differences between broth, stock, and bone broth, and why a humble package of beef bones might be one of the most useful things in your freezer.
What happens when you raise a 50-pound Thanksgiving turkey named Taradactyl? At Fluffy Butt Farms, it meant an unforgettable holiday, a very early morning, and a cooking disaster that taught us a valuable lesson. Here's our story about heritage versus commercial turkeys, dry brining, and why we always use a meat thermometer when cooking farm-fresh poultry.
Some weeks on the farm are harder than others. During our April 2025 kidding season, a powerful storm, flooding, a generator failure, and several struggling newborn goats brought one of the most heartbreaking weeks we've experienced at Fluffy Butt Farms. This is the story of those difficult days, the lessons we carried forward, and two little survivors named Priscilla and The Duke.
As we welcome 2025, we're looking back at five incredible years of Fluffy Butt Farms! From a surprise family trip to Japan and our first employee to a long-awaited commercial kitchen, fresh chicken, and the support of our wonderful customers, here's a look at the lessons, accomplishments, and big dreams shaping the next chapter of our Michigan family farm.
Big changes were underway at Fluffy Butt Farms in spring 2024! From expanding our heritage livestock operation and introducing egg subscriptions to opening our commercial kitchen, preparing fresh chicken and farm-made foods, and welcoming our first intern, here's a look back at an exciting chapter in our Michigan family farm's journey.