Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the BBQ Beat Podcast featuring Jon Jackson of Comfort Farms.
More and more, Americans are taking an active role in learning about where their food comes from. Whether vegetables or proteins, companies are starting to increase the way they market and label their offerings to cater to consumers who want to know more about where and how it’s produced.
But is this enough?
Are the major food producers in America really buying into the idea of a slower food movement, or are they still, by in large, maintaining traditional high volume food production methods while still operating pretty much as they always have?
While I suspect that it’s a case of the latter, I’d have to speak with some of these companies personally to take a definitive stand.
What I can do instead, is focus on the goals and desires of a true food and community service visionary, one who seeks to serve his community and his brothers and sisters in arms.
I’m speaking here of course about Jon Jackson a United States Veteran who served his six combat deployments as an Army Ranger from 2003-2015.
Jon runs Comfort Farms as an Acute Veterans Crisis Agriculture Center in Milledgeville, GA – about 30 miles northeast of Macon.
Comfort Farms is named in Honor of Army Ranger Captain Kyle A. Comfort, (KIA, May 8, 2010), with whom Jon served. Comfort died at the age of 27 in Afghanistan from wounds he sustained when insurgents attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device.
Focusing on heritage breed animals and heirloom vegetable varieties, Comfort Farms raises animals like American Mule Foot, Keo Keo, and Roayl Jabalí hogs (the last two being Comfort Farms exclusives). They also raise heritage cross rabbits, as well as ducks, geese, and turkeys.
Vegetables featured heavily in the Comfort Farms lineup as well, with varieties ranging from beets, turnips, heirloom carrots, kale, Bok and Pak Choy, and herbs like fennel, rosemary, oregano, thyme, and mint.
But remember, the animals, vegetables, herbs, and spices raised by Comfort Farms represent just one part of their overall mission. There’s a therapeutic and healing element that forms the backbone of what they’re all about.
One of the mantras expressed at Comfort Farms is that we achieve growth through discomfort. While this might seem counter-intuitive to some, the message is a powerful one.
The idea is that we often need to get out of our comfort zone and recognize the fact that change – whether physical or mental, can only happen by being intentional about our lives. We also must realize that sacrifice is a part of life, and that the animals we eat are sacrificed for our well-being – and we need to honor that sacrifice.
Jon does an amazing job of sharing his story and the origins and mission of Comfort Farms in this episode.
If you enjoy what you hear, please consider sharing it with others!
Le Pied Du Mont Boucherie Festival
It’s still not too late to grab tickets to the 2020 Georgia State Boucherie festival benefitting Comfort Farms, known as Le Pied Du Mont Boucherie!
This festival serves as a fundraiser and educational gathering of Butchers, Chefs, Farmers and Veterans coming together to celebrate the start of our growing season. But most importantly we aim to support of STAG VETS INCs’, Agro-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy program to help combat veterans transition effectively into civilian life on our facility Comfort Farms, the nation’s first Veterans Acute Crisis Agriculture Center.
The Le Pied Du Mont Boucherie festival is a two-day educational event, designed to bring the community together to witness the craft of butchers, farmers, and chefs who work together throughout the growing season to prepare seasonal and delicious meals from local, sustainable and organic sources.
Not only to is this a celebration it’s an opportunity to learn. The onsite education portion of the event will consist of safe handling of livestock, humane dispatch, how to evaluate a healthy carcass, butchering techniques, understanding our growing season, identifying problems and solutions for a more healthy food system as well as how our veterans can take an active role to provide food security for our local communities.
Be Sure to Listen to More Episodes!
If you enjoyed this episode of the BBQ Beat Podcast, you can see the full podcast archive here. Or, simply catch up on some of the other most popular BBQ podcast conversations listed below.
- Razorracks BBQ on Winning Big with a Small Footprint
- Duce Raymond of Sweet Baby Ray’s
- Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue
- Ted Reader on Making it Tasty with Live Fire
- Chris Becker of CookinPellets.com
- Amy Mills – BBQ Business and the Legacy of Mr. Mike
- 2021 Hog Drop Champion John Lindsey
- Rusty and Anthony of the Pitmasters Podcast
- Montana Max on Food Sport and His BBQ Champs Academy Series
- Protecting Knives in Style – Talking with Mick Kerkham of Maka Leathergoods
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