FAQS

Soy-free means that no soybeans or soy-based products are included as part of an animals’ feed ration. Most industrial raised animals (chickens, pigs, dairy cows and feedlot beef cattle) are fed diets high in soybean meal and roasted soybeans for protein sources. Along with being high in protein, soybeans are also very high in omega-6 fatty acids. 

This is concerning because research indicates that consuming a diet with a high omega 6:3 ratio promotes inflammation and many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and autoimmune diseases [2]. The omega 6:3 ratio in the modern Western diet may be as high as 25:1 and optimal recommendations are typically stated at less than 5:1 [1]. 

It is more expensive, requires special accommodations, and requires more labor to feed animals without using soybeans. However, at Forgotten Flavors we feel that the extra time, money and effort is more than worth it in the end. 

For example, USDA’s National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference for Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acid ratio for industrial raised chicken is 15:1. Chickens raised with the same feed diet, but kept out on pasture instead of in a barn causes the Omega 6:3 ratio to drop to 8:1. And if these same chickens on pasture had the soybeans and soy products removed from their feed diet, the omega 6:3 ratio would fall to an incredibly healthy 3:1 ratio!—Now, that is a health food truly worth fueling your body with!

References: 

[1] Kris-Etherton PM, Taylor DS, Yu-Poth S, Huth P, Moriarty K, Fishell V,Hargrove RL, Zhao G, Etherton TD. Polyunsaturated fatty acids in the food chain in the United States. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Jan;71(1 Suppl):179S-88S. Review. PubMed PMID: 10617969

[2] Simopoulos AP. The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids. Biomed Pharmacother. 2002 Oct;56(8):365-79. Review. PubMed PMID: 12442909. 

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (Release 26). Full Report (All Nutrients): 0507, Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast,  meat and skin, raw. http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/850. 

The stunning orange egg yolks that look like the sun rising in the morning, and the rich, buttery yellow tallow in Forgotten Flavors Wagyu beef come as a result of all of the live, green, and actively photosynthesizing plants that they are consuming each day. The fresh chlorophyll (or juice) from these plants causes much higher levels of minerals, one of which is beta carotene, to be deposited in the eggs and tallow of the meat. Beta Carotene is the same component that gives carrots their orange color. It converts to vitamin A in your body, serves as a powerful antioxidant, and has been shown to help maintain eye health and reduce cognitive decline. (Harvard Study 2007) 

Nope! And we’re proud of that fact.

Vegetarian-fed birds sound good but chickens are omnivores, so whenever we see packaging that states the chicken or eggs were “vegetarian-fed,” we know that means they only ate a diet of corn and soy and probably didn’t get access to the outdoors. 

All of the animals at Forgotten Flavors are pasture-raised. And so, for our meat products especially, we want them to be able to graze on our diverse pastures for a long season, to accumulate and capture as much nutrition, flavors, and health benefits as possible for you. 

At Forgotten Flavors we feel it is worth the extra time to synch ourselves to Mother Nature and her seasons to raise a truly special product that is not only visually different, but is packed full of health, medicinal qualities and benefits, and is exploding with flavors!—a product and unsurpassed quality that can only be captured by animals actively grazing and feeding on green and growing plants. 

The soil is the foundation for everything we do here at Forgotten Flavors Farm. We are what we eat. What we eat comes from the soil, which is only a shadow of what it used to be. The health of your food can only be as good as the health of the soil that it was raised in or on. At Forgotten Flavors we are committed to regenerating and creating healthy soils and grasses that our animals graze and feed on throughout the year. 

Farmer Matthew Willenbring is the third generation to operate this family-run farm in Cold Spring, MN. Learn more about Farmer Matthew and why he is committed to pasture-raised animals and regenerative farming.

At Forgotten Flavors, we are a working farm. So, for safety reasons, we offer farm visits by  appointment only. We custom design our tours to address the interests and knowledge levels of  those wanting to visit. Please reach out to us, so that we can learn more about you and your interests. 

Email, call, or send a text message to set up a time to meet Farmer Matthew.  
– Email: forgottenflavorsfarm@gmail.com
– Call or text: 320.250.1624