Meaty Milestones
No matter how old you get, as life evolves there are a number of ‘firsts’. Recently I’ve had a surprising number of them. Not all big momentous occasions, none of them were celebrated any further than the confines of my mind, but they were all firsts none the less, and milestones to mark in my life time.
The first first occurred at my barber shop. It’s a typical barber shop.Two older Italian men in control of the scissors, a fan spinning overhead, and the smell of cheap aftershave weighs heavy in the air. It doesn’t really matter what haircut you ask for, you get a short back and sides. Old school, just the way I like it. I know what I’m getting and it only costs me a couple of T Bones. As I sit in the chair eyes closed there is some babble about a girl in a bikini walking past the shop, the comb goes through my eyebrow then ‘snip’. “What did you just do?” I snapped. The old boy barked at me in broken Italian and before I had time to blink, the other side was trimmed too. I had reached a milestone in my life. For boys there are only a few real milestones (not necessarily in this order); puberty, first base, and the eyebrow trim. It’s just puberty that eludes me now.
The second first happened only this week. I bought my first brand new vehicle. After signing my life away, I watched the truck pull out from the yard. I didn’t have the pleasure of feeling the threshold of the gutter taking the 20k of depreciation away as it rolled onto the road (I don’t even have the correct license to drive it – yet). The arrival of the new truck signals a significant improvement in our logistical capability. Now we use forklifts and pallets and the heavy lifting that has given my osteopath and masseuse holidays to the French Riviera for the last few years is gone. Hooray!
The third first I believe is the most important, and the one most celebrated by all here at The Free Range Butcher. The winning of our medals at the Fine Food awards in the last few months, particularly the four that we received for our Pasture Fed Hams, is great recognition for the farmers, my dad included, that grow the prized pork that we sell. It is a fine achievement for our first roll of the dice at any competition, and the fact that this competition is held in such high regard is a credit to our team of butchers for their great work and attention to detail.
Segue now completed, it’s time to talk about ham and getting you organised for the festive season. December is days away and Christmas is fast approaching. Order your Award Winning Pasture Fed Ham online for home delivery or you can send an email to pick up at one of our many Farmers Markets across Sydney. You can of course place an order at any market or at our Mona Vale warehouse too.
Regrettably, each year some of our customers miss out. Don’t let this be you. Support your local ‘well-trimmed’ farmer and enjoy one of the best hams in Sydney, and the finest Pasture Fed Ham available.
