Eileen (Shinn) Kutinsky, who is 93, still makes hay and does many of the farm operations. She was born in a farmhouse on the farm in 1928, and her Dad was born on the farm in 1902. During the Great Depression that went from 1929-1939 many farms were lost. But this family buckled down and made every square inch of the farm produce! Known as Grandma K by her grandchildren, she was a science teacher,
farmer and part-time missionary. What she discovered in her life-time is still being protected on the farm. Here are a few “discoveries” that make our beef so incredibly valuable today. Most of the farmers today use fertilizers on their fields. Ever put fertilizer on your hand for a few minutes? You’ll notice it will begin to burn. (Same reason fertilizers are used in bomb making). And earthworms hate it enough to refuse to live there. We feel that what may have been gained in fertilizing the plants, has cost greatly in the natural conditioning of the soil. And I personally don’t think fertilizers are good for you. So, on our farm…no fertilizers are used. But we have rich productive soil and, we have lots of earthworms when we want to go fishing. Grandma K witnessed things like newspapers and even concrete being ground into the feed going to cattle. Our beef is fed just two things; grass that we raise ourselves with no fertilizers, pesticides or chemicals of any kind. And a very small amount of grain that comes from Schott Feed and Supply which uses no filler’s preservatives or chemicals, and who we have been using since my Grandpa was farming. Plus, we only give them a “taste” of grain daily. This grain is their “dinner bell”, it works to simplify the process of moving them from pasture to pasture without having to scare them. Third, No Anti-biotics. This is a “biggy"! Grandma K witnessed, in her life-time, farming move largely from small family farms to large corporate farming. Because of the “when one gets sick they all get sick” environment, it just became “safer” to keep them all on anti-biotics. Do you know why anti-biotics have becoming less effective? Because we have all been consuming second-hand anti-biotics in large amounts for years. Now, even small family farms in proximity to large farms must have their beef on anti-biotics. Not so with our beef. No anti-biotics, ever. Don’t need them. When cattle are raised on the right stuff, in the right environment, they don’t need it. Their immune systems work just fine, thank you. Our farm is bordered on 3 sides by nature preserves and the 4th side by Berlin Reservoir. It’s peaceful, serene and protected. And our cattle are pristine. And the last important factor in good healthy meat is the processor. Many processors are NOT state inspected, and many rush the processing without giving enough hang-time. We use Kiko Meats in Minerva, OH. They’ve been around for decades, are State inspected and have a stellar reputation. We also use a little longer than normal hang time, which causes a more tender product. Plus, our beef is shrink wrapped for better frozen storage. Shinn Family Farm sits on the shores of the Berlin Reservoir, relatively close to a number of cities including Cleveland, Youngstown, Akron, Canton, and the smaller town of Alliance. It's also in the middle of nowhere amidst tiny towns and many acres of farmland. There's a lot of state owned wildlife areas and bike/walking trails around the lake.
