Agricultural & Sustainability

To God be the glory.
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WHAT WE DO

VS has so much potential from an agricultural perspective. All Glory to God! VS Agriculture and
Sustainability Committee, aka the Ag Committee is committed to:

  • Develop and maintain the agricultural resources available at VS for our families and the local community.

GOALS

  • Produce sustainable food sources for the local community.
  • Provide learning opportunities for children and adults alike.
  • Develop a deep appreciation for Truth, Beauty, and Goodness by cultivating this land
    that we have been asked to steward.

BEYOND A ‘GARDEN COMMITTEE’

Let us use a common metaphor of a three-legged stool to illustrate the scope of this
Committee, each leg has a specific focus on sustainable food sources:

  1. Agriculture (the Mystical Rose Garden)
  2. Livestock (the VS Meat Sharing Program)
  3. Fishery (the Lake Splendor and Lake Lepanto)

JOIN THE COMMITTEE

We are a small team of less than a dozen people – and growing! Praising God for a growing team because for an effort of this magnitude to succeed, VS will need more folks to join the team over the years. If you have an interest in helping out with one of the three legs, or have construction skills, and/or physical strength join us. Rest assured, none of us are an expert in any of the three legs of our metaphoric stool, but we trust that God will, and does, provide. email us at agriculture.chairman@splendorhq.com

 

HOW WE WORK

The team meets once a week for 30 to 40 minutes, in person and/or online using ZOOM (some of us still live offsite or not close to VS yet). During meetings we strategize on the big picture and assign tasks to ourselves throughout the week to achieve the goals listed above. When larger tasks are planned, for example tree cutting, wood chipping, building out the fence line, constructing a basic irrigation or stabilizing the garden deck, then we have fun work parties – of course with donuts or pizza – to support the volunteer work crew.

The Three-Legged Stool

Agriculture - Leg 1

Here we grow! In 2023 our main goal is to establish the basic infrastructure and begin growing food in a humble  garden. In our inaugural year we are producing cucumbers, radishes, pumpkins, and acorn squash in less than a dozen garden beds. Like most gardeners, we plan to grow (pun intended).

God is blessing the Mystical Rose Garden, as we build the infrastructure i.e., securing the perimeter fencing, building interior fencing around garden beds, harvesting rain water from the barn gutters, connecting a water line to the well at Lake Lepanto, and executing on the garden design using various planting methods. We are  quite excited to produce a Pumpkin Patch for our children by October’s JP2 Oktoberfest!

Livestock - Leg 2

Holy cow! We have begun to form a partnership with a local family, the Popes, (that is right, their last name is Pope) who care for the dozen head of grass-fed cattle on VS property. The Meat Sharing order/fulfilment form below if you are interested in purchasing some healthy VS grass-fed beef.

Fishery - Leg 3

Coming Soon

Meat Sharing Information

Eligibility: VS Viculus East and West Lot Owners

Next Offer: Fall 2023

Cattle Breed:

  •  Steers: Angus and Brangus
  •  Heifers: Hereford and Crossbreed

Feed:

  • Cattle are 100% grass fed on open range on VS pasture
  • There are no pharmaceuticals or antibiotics

Cost:

  •  $9.77 per pound – Based on hanging weight: ~ 700 pounds for steer and less for heifers

Size and Quantity per Order:

  • Quarter
  • Half
  • Whole

Cuts of Meat:

  • Standard cut packages include
    • Ground Beef
    • Roasts
    • Steaks  – Ribeye T-bone, Filet, and Sirloin
    •  Brisket – only with a half or whole portion
  • Other – bones, fat, organ meat, and/or other parts depends on meat processor

Processing:

  • Cows weigh average from 800 to 1000 when finished and ready for processing.
  • There are four different processing partners depending on who is available at the time.
  • 3 weeks’ timeframe

Delivery:

  • Frozen meat will be delivered to the VS customers, or other arrangements can be made

Freezer Space Requirements:

  • One whole steer makes on average 300 pounds of meat
  • You can store up to 30 to 40 pounds of meat per cubic feet of freezer space, i.e.:
    •  An 18 cubic foot freezer can store 540 to 720 pounds
    • 5 cubic foot top freezer part of refrigerator can store 150 to 200 pounds. *ground beef packages take up less space than odd-shaped wrapped cuts.

Order Beef Here:


PRAYER TO THE MYSTICAL ROSE

PATRONNESS OF VS AGRICULTURE & SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE

 

Mystical Rose, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and His Mystical Body you came down to the earth to call upon us children to love each other, to unite and live in peace. Most dear Mystical Rose, you requested we practice prayer, make sacrifices, and offer penance. We thank God with all our hearts that He has given you to us as our Mother and Mediatrix in all our needs. Mary, full of grace, please help us. We beseech you asking you grant us our special intention to produce sustainable food sources, provide learning opportunities, and appreciate the land we are blessed to steward.

Agricultural

Sustainability