Dear Bloggers,
Please stop by our store on Saturday for a "FREE" coffee tasting. We are working on introducing a number of new flavors and need your help. We will have organic flavors, decaf flavors, and of course some regular flavors.
Also, we will be showcasing our new pastry chef Jayme who is going to put together a basket of fresh muffins, pastries for you to sample as well.
I will be there from 8-11 a.m. and would love to see and visit with you. I will also be handing out free coupons, door prizes and etc., for your time.
Hope to see you there!!!!
Sherene
Friday, September 26, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Birthday Parties Catered by Udder Delights
A message from Farmer Casey at Superstition Farm--
We had our first birthday party of the new season today. When the reservation was made last month it sure was hot! We were pleased to wake up this morning wishing we had a sweater as we did our morning chores. Ok, it was probably in the low 70's - but this is Arizona......
Sherene (my best friend and partner at Udder Delights) and I interviewed a pastry chef - Jayme. As luck would have it, she applied for the job as we were getting ready for the party. Her interview was to decorate these cakes! The theme was farm-ey as the family actually has a ranch in New Mexico. How did she do? We hired her! :)
The family enjoyed the farm tour and animals. Yes, Carmichael was on his best behaviour today - although he was trying to pass his goat droppings to kids as Milk Duds. Some went in our arena to ride the horses while udders camped out on the hayride as a comfy home base.
We had a photographer from the San Tans News come out to take some photos they will use for a story about our farm. Gordon Murray aka "Flash Gordon" (I swear I am not making this up!) came out and saw the party, our local food tasting we prepared for our Organic Food Club and sampled some of our homemade Ice Cream. I wonder if Carmichael will make ANOTHER news story?! I need his publicist......
Sherene (my best friend and partner at Udder Delights) and I interviewed a pastry chef - Jayme. As luck would have it, she applied for the job as we were getting ready for the party. Her interview was to decorate these cakes! The theme was farm-ey as the family actually has a ranch in New Mexico. How did she do? We hired her! :)
The family enjoyed the farm tour and animals. Yes, Carmichael was on his best behaviour today - although he was trying to pass his goat droppings to kids as Milk Duds. Some went in our arena to ride the horses while udders camped out on the hayride as a comfy home base.
We had a photographer from the San Tans News come out to take some photos they will use for a story about our farm. Gordon Murray aka "Flash Gordon" (I swear I am not making this up!) came out and saw the party, our local food tasting we prepared for our Organic Food Club and sampled some of our homemade Ice Cream. I wonder if Carmichael will make ANOTHER news story?! I need his publicist......
Arizona Republic/September 4th
Awesome article in the Arizona Republic
by Angelique Soenarie - Sept. 4, 2008 02:31 PMThe Arizona Republic
Casey Stechnij is carrying his family's legacy one dairy product at a time.
The 1989 Gilbert High graduate owns Superstition Dairy Farms in east Mesa. A third-generation dairy farmer, he's finding ways to stay in business through farm tours, cheese, butter and an ice cream store in Gilbert.
Situated on 30 acres, Stechnij's is one of 88 dairy farms in Arizona. He oversees 1,000 cows, and knows each by number and personality. And with subdivisions and big-box retailers cropping up closer, being a farmer is tough.
"Traditionally farms have to get bigger, and as margins shrink and as costs increase farmers have had to do it by buying more land and getting more cows. And where we are out here, we're not able to expand any more. So we had to look at ways to diversify to survive our business," said Stechnij, 36.
"The other option would be to sell our land and move somewhere else to expand our dairy operation. But being a fourth-generation native of Mesa, this is my home and I like to stay here. And I think the community does, too," he said.
Two years ago, Stechnij began offering farm tours to urban dwellers. His hayride tours start at the barn and educate visitors on how milk is produced. The tour ends in front of Mooster's Mootique, with its homemade ice cream, cheese, butter and other cow and farm-themed gifts. Visitors can pet and feed goats, rabbits, chickens and a horse. The store also serves as a forum for other farmers to sell their homemade specialty products such as salsa, jams and pasta.
"To open up our place and share it with the community was an important part of our new direction," he said.
All proceeds from his side business go back into the farm. According to Stechnij, a milk producer receives 25 to 30 percent of the retail price of milk sold.
Expanding off the farm "Farms like to have a lot of space around them, but you work with what you have," he said.
But recently Stechnij took it a step further and opened a dessert shop a year ago in Gilbert called Udder Delights at Val Vista Drive and Warner Road. "We really wanted this to be a part of the community," he said. "It's where we can take ingredients off the farm and put into desserts and treats." The milk is taken to the local cooperative in Tempe where it is pasteurized and bottled.
Stechnij, then buys the milk from the cooperative. He makes daily more than dozen flavors from cotton candy to Oreo mint. "I can see it being a huge part of our operations. I can see Udder Delights being just as important making a finished product just as the cows are making the raw product," Stechnij said. He's responding to increasing cost of producing milk.
"You look at what a car costs, what a house costs. And you start translating that into farm equipment and land prices. Look at what a gallon of milk costs over the last 20 years. It's stayed very stagnant and we've seen very little changes. We're getting paid the same for our milk while our costs are increasing. And that's why farms have got to get bigger or diversify or sell out," he said.
Stechnij is hopeful of his budding dairy business and sees a bigger picture.
"We're in our infancy stage, but year after year our reliance on the cows to make the money and to support our families is going to be less as we see our diversified products," he said of his farm tours, specialty boutique and ice cream shop. "That is going to be the future of our farm for sure."
by Angelique Soenarie - Sept. 4, 2008 02:31 PMThe Arizona Republic
Casey Stechnij is carrying his family's legacy one dairy product at a time.
The 1989 Gilbert High graduate owns Superstition Dairy Farms in east Mesa. A third-generation dairy farmer, he's finding ways to stay in business through farm tours, cheese, butter and an ice cream store in Gilbert.
Situated on 30 acres, Stechnij's is one of 88 dairy farms in Arizona. He oversees 1,000 cows, and knows each by number and personality. And with subdivisions and big-box retailers cropping up closer, being a farmer is tough.
"Traditionally farms have to get bigger, and as margins shrink and as costs increase farmers have had to do it by buying more land and getting more cows. And where we are out here, we're not able to expand any more. So we had to look at ways to diversify to survive our business," said Stechnij, 36.
"The other option would be to sell our land and move somewhere else to expand our dairy operation. But being a fourth-generation native of Mesa, this is my home and I like to stay here. And I think the community does, too," he said.
Two years ago, Stechnij began offering farm tours to urban dwellers. His hayride tours start at the barn and educate visitors on how milk is produced. The tour ends in front of Mooster's Mootique, with its homemade ice cream, cheese, butter and other cow and farm-themed gifts. Visitors can pet and feed goats, rabbits, chickens and a horse. The store also serves as a forum for other farmers to sell their homemade specialty products such as salsa, jams and pasta.
"To open up our place and share it with the community was an important part of our new direction," he said.
All proceeds from his side business go back into the farm. According to Stechnij, a milk producer receives 25 to 30 percent of the retail price of milk sold.
Expanding off the farm "Farms like to have a lot of space around them, but you work with what you have," he said.
But recently Stechnij took it a step further and opened a dessert shop a year ago in Gilbert called Udder Delights at Val Vista Drive and Warner Road. "We really wanted this to be a part of the community," he said. "It's where we can take ingredients off the farm and put into desserts and treats." The milk is taken to the local cooperative in Tempe where it is pasteurized and bottled.
Stechnij, then buys the milk from the cooperative. He makes daily more than dozen flavors from cotton candy to Oreo mint. "I can see it being a huge part of our operations. I can see Udder Delights being just as important making a finished product just as the cows are making the raw product," Stechnij said. He's responding to increasing cost of producing milk.
"You look at what a car costs, what a house costs. And you start translating that into farm equipment and land prices. Look at what a gallon of milk costs over the last 20 years. It's stayed very stagnant and we've seen very little changes. We're getting paid the same for our milk while our costs are increasing. And that's why farms have got to get bigger or diversify or sell out," he said.
Stechnij is hopeful of his budding dairy business and sees a bigger picture.
"We're in our infancy stage, but year after year our reliance on the cows to make the money and to support our families is going to be less as we see our diversified products," he said of his farm tours, specialty boutique and ice cream shop. "That is going to be the future of our farm for sure."
Psst! yeah you. Wanna try some handmade cheese? How about some butter? As you may know, Superstition Farm and Udder Delights are starting an organic food buying club (sign up here! http://www.superstitionfarmtours.com/organic.html ). We have been working on some butter and cheese recipes to offer all our friends on the farm and Udder Delights. We are at the point of getting some products out in limited quantities while the final details are ironed out and we go through the regulations of becoming a food manufacturer.
Currently, one can purchase nest run eggs at the farm and Udder Delights. Did you know all our baked goods at Udder are made with our eggs fresh from the farm? We also only use milk from the farm cooperative in our foods and at our 30 flavor Milk Bar. You can also buy real milk at both places - when was the last time you had real whole milk?!
So to our friends we are offering up a special treat. Sign up for the organic buying club by August 5, 2008 and get some special treats! We will be giving away some farmstead handmade butter and cheese to all our friends who join the club. We want your feedback! Tell us what your taste buds tell you! We are excited about offering up some unique products and flavors - Agave butter, anyone? Rosemary cheese? Get in my belly!
If you are not able to join the club, send me an email. While delicious, tasty and nutritious organic foods are not for everyone, dairy products certainly are! If you are interested in some local artisan butter, cheese and ice cream (special flavors not found at Udder Delights) let me know and I can keep you all updated.
Be a part of a our local movement. Your taste buds will never be the same.
Farmer Casey
Currently, one can purchase nest run eggs at the farm and Udder Delights. Did you know all our baked goods at Udder are made with our eggs fresh from the farm? We also only use milk from the farm cooperative in our foods and at our 30 flavor Milk Bar. You can also buy real milk at both places - when was the last time you had real whole milk?!
So to our friends we are offering up a special treat. Sign up for the organic buying club by August 5, 2008 and get some special treats! We will be giving away some farmstead handmade butter and cheese to all our friends who join the club. We want your feedback! Tell us what your taste buds tell you! We are excited about offering up some unique products and flavors - Agave butter, anyone? Rosemary cheese? Get in my belly!
If you are not able to join the club, send me an email. While delicious, tasty and nutritious organic foods are not for everyone, dairy products certainly are! If you are interested in some local artisan butter, cheese and ice cream (special flavors not found at Udder Delights) let me know and I can keep you all updated.
Be a part of a our local movement. Your taste buds will never be the same.
Farmer Casey
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