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Bison:
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Continued from Page 8
traditionally grazed grasslands in the Great
Plains. Garrett said bison would eat some of
the grass in an area and then move on, which
allows the grass to recover between grazing
cycles.
He says the same will happen with his
system of moving the bison from fi eld to
fi eld.
“They’ll be on fresh ground every day.
Their natural tendency is to graze and
move,” he says. “You impact it, then leave it
alone for awhile.”
Garrett’s goal is to manage the grass in a
way that allows grazing clear into Decem-
ber, which means the ranch won’t need as
much hay for winter feeding.
As for the cold, well, the bison don’t
mind temperatures that often dip below zero
in Baker Valley. In fact, they prefer chilly
weather.
Garrett provides this fact about hair fol-
licles: bison have 15,000 per square inch,
while cattle have 5,000. Denser hair means
more insulation.
“They’re built for cold,” he says.
FOWL CONTRIBUTIONS
The chickens will also play a part in
Aurora Meadows Ranch’s agricultural prac-
tices. The Virtues converted a livestock
trailer to serve as a mobile chicken coop,
which enables them to pull it to a new pas-
ture to let the birds forage for bugs.
The fl ock will be moved into a pasture
after the bison leave it.
Kerbie says the chickens, by scratching
the ground in search of food, disintegrate
the bison manure piles, which spreads the
natural fertilizer.
“They’re tilling with their claws,” she
says.
She said the chickens also eat fl y larvae,
which means fewer fl ies to bother the bison.
BISON MEAT
The ranch’s long-term plan is to sell and
ship bison meat to consumers around the
country.
For now, the meat is available only in
Eastern Oregon. The farm off ers free deliv-
ery within Baker City, or farm pickup for
those who live elsewhere.
Cuts can be ordered through the website,
www.stellarprovisions.com.
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the cooking, Stellar Provisions ground bison
is now served at the Latitude 45 restaurant
in Baker City.
Although the bison herd won’t be as vis-
ible to the public at the new ranch, the Vir-
tues want to ensure that consumers stay
connected to this local source of food.
“People can always reach out if they want
to see them,” Kerbie says.
EGGS
With a fl ock of 300 chickens, Kerbie is
gathering around 200 eggs every day.
Eggs can be purchased in several ways.
Weekly delivery is available on Tuesdays
($5 per dozen) either as a one-time purchase
or a subscription for regular deliveries.
Customers can also purchase eggs on
farm pick up days ($4.50 per dozen) from
8:30 a.m. to noon on Mondays or 1 p.m. to
3 p.m. on Thursdays.
Farm pickup is located at 18632 West
Campbell Loop.
Kerbie will also sell eggs by the dozen at
the Baker City Farmers Market this summer.
To stay updated, follow Stellar Provi-
sions on Facebook and Instagram, or visit
the website, www.stellarprovisions.com.
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