Tell me about your operation, family, etc.
We have 240 acres, 160 of which is farm ground, the rest is pasture, that we graze our cattle on, 1 mile north and 2 miles west of Hawk Springs, WY. Paul purchased it in 2011 using the USDA beginning farmer program. We had a tough first couple of years, only producing crops for income. Between low commodity prices and hail storms, we had to find another way to cash flow. That was when we started purchasing livestock to feed our crops to and began to sell pork, beef, lamb, and chicken as our main income stream.

Some biographical information:
A little bit about yourself and your family. (Let me know who is answering the questions and how everyone’s names are spelled so my article will be accurate!)
Case Custom Meats may be notated at CCM from time to time in our answers.
Paul Case, age 34, when not working on Case Custom Meats endeavors, he works with his dad, Mike, at Castle Stone Granite
Beth Wood, age 32, works for the University of Wyoming Extension as a Cent$ible Nutrition Educator in Goshen and Niobrara counties, as a “9-3” job, but is helping with the farm, running kiddos around and CCM otherwise.
Paul and Beth met years ago (circa 2002ish) via FFA and showing livestock. Life happened and both did their own thing for almost 13 years. Then, via social media, and yet again, FFA, they reconnected and have been together for almost four years, and recently got engaged and our planning a wedding in 2021.
Gracie Case, age 9, loves soccer and tumbling, as well as, making sure the animals on the farm are her best friend J She is in her 2nd year of 4-H and has taken a liking to show pigs – she said after county fair that showmanship was her favorite!
Eli Case, age 7, loves dirt, soccer, and driving the side-by-side, as well as, keeping dad in check.

Where did you grow up and go to school?
Paul grew up in Cheyenne and went to high school at Central High School, then studied Animal Science/ Agriculture Business at LCCC and was a member of the Livestock Judging Team, before transferring to Fort Hayes State University for Animal Science and to Judge Livestock at the Senior college level, in Hays, Kansas, and finished school at the University of Wyoming. Beth grew up in Laramie and went to high school in Laramie, then went onto Casper College on a full-ride livestock judging scholarship. Upon graduating from there, she transferred to the University of Wyoming and earned her bachelor of science in agriculture communications, while competing on the collegiate shotgun team.

Who in your family is involved with your business?
Beth: All of us. The work of the farm and Case Custom Meats wouldn’t get done without each one of us doing our part. Those parts are always changing and moving as we grow, and the kids grow. We are also thankful for the additional help, from time to time, from both sets of parents, and my brother, Billy. It is nice to have their opinions and to vent to someone else, who may have a different perspective. But their extra hands are much appreciated when we need it. No farm operation can be run without many hands.

When and how did you start farming or ranching and producing products?
Beth: This question is a little two-fold. Both Paul and I were in 4-H and FFA growing up. Paul primarily raised market animals on his parents’ place, for the county fair. His great grandparents owned farms and his grandpa Don and his dad butchered meat for some time. I, on the other hand, am a fifth-generation farmer. Both my parents grew up farming. Then I have continued to do so since I was in 4-H and FFA. In FFA, farming and raising productive livestock were part of my SAE and helped me earn my State and American FFA degrees. I was also fortunate to be a WY FFA State Officer. So you could say, Paul and I both started producing products when we were kids. However, Case Custom Meats specifically started in 2017.

How long have you been raising pigs? How did you get started?
We have been raising pigs since 2011 and started with a small herd of 9 crossbred sows. We used Berkshire boars and started selling to friends and family. Paul worked at the Fort Hays Hog Farm in 2009 and really enjoyed being able to work through multiple breeding’s a year on one sow to see what worked best. Having a mostly cattle background at that time, it was great to see how a sow’s progeny would develop in under a year from breeding to slaughter.

Did you grow up in a farming family? If so, how are you doing things the same or different from your parents? If not, how did you get your start with the business?
Beth: (See question above also) We are a first-generation farm. I grew up on a farm, primarily livestock. However, my parents showed me the ins and outs of farming. My dad, Dale Wood, grew up growing mostly dry land pinto beans in south-west Colorado, and my mom, Mary Louise Wood, grew up in Powell, Wyo., raising a variety of crops. So, in terms of the same, I am growing beans, corn, and hay like they did. But advancements in agriculture have happened since they were farming. While I am a fifth-generation farmer, Paul, and I’s farm is a first-generation farm. We didn’t inherit it. It wasn’t in any of our families. Paul bought the farm in May 2011 with a dream to farm like the stories he had been told of his great-grandparents. When I entered the picture, he and I wanted to continue to advance the farm and pushed Case Custom Meats into full force. We have asked his grandpa for tips because of his lifelong butchering experience, and we love our extended family for any support they give us. We pushed CCM so hard because we know there is a need for locally grown and raised meat products. Plus, we want high-quality products our customers can’t get just anywhere. Our backgrounds combined allow us to see a bigger picture, plus we enjoy farm life. No, it is not always easy, but we can’t imagine doing anything else or raising our kids any other way. Additionally, we want our kids to grow up with agriculture. At their young ages, they are very aware of many things their classmates don’t know or take for granted.

How many sows do you currently have? 21

Where do you supply your pigs to?
The majority of our hogs go families in Wyoming, Colorado, and Western Nebraska. We also sell Berkshire pork by the package thru our website across the United States. Because of Covid-19, this year was a little different and 50 percent of our hogs were sold wholesale to 307 Meat Company to stock their retail store. In years past, we have supplied Berkshire pork chops, sausage, and ham to Yellowstone National Park. YNP featured our pork at Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Canyon Lodge. Yellowstone connected us with Quality Foods Distributing in Bozeman, MT and they have started introducing our products to hunting lodges in Montana. We are looking forward to next summer when YNP opens sit down restaurants again

Why did you choose to do Berkshires?
We chose Berkshires because of their meat quality. Our business is built on providing the best locally raised meat available and Berkshires fit that mold perfectly. Once we get someone to try Berkshire, they are hooked immediately. The quality is like none other and the flavor of the meat is fantastic.

I love seeing your posts on social media! What work goes into them? What advice do you have for those wanting to start promoting their meat more?
We try to post on social media at least 5-6 times per week. Mostly to keep our followers updated on what’s going on at the farm. Our goal is to keep everyone engaged, whether it’s with a funny meme or pictures of work going on at the farm. Case Custom Meats is 100% a family-run farm to table business, and we try to portray that on social media. Our biggest tip for producers wanting to promote meat more tells a story through your posts of how the meat gets to their table. Posting about sales or products constantly turns potential customers off. Keep your business at the front of their mind and when they are ready to buy, they will come to you first. Additionally, we don’t get political, we educate along the way, and we have fun. We don’t just post “fluffy” pieces because that’s not an accurate description of life – we want everyone to connect with us – through the good, funny, messy, bad, and realness that we are!

What is the biggest concern you see in the industry currently?
Paul: Pork is kind of a hard sell. Lots of our current customers did not like pork before they tried Berkshire. We have had numerous stories of dry tasteless pork that people have bought from the store. That poor experience makes it harder to sell an exceptional product like Berkshire at a premium price. Another concern at the forefront of any high-end retailer is in an economic downturn. Lower incomes for our customers could result in less frequent purchases.

What advice do you have for someone who wants to get started in Berkshires?
Paul: We would recommend building a herd around excellent maternal traits without sacrificing meat quality. Additionally, don’t be afraid to ask questions. There will be failures and setbacks – that’s life. But, reaching out to other producers and asking questions, or reading accurate information, can help make one become more successful.

Where do you see your operations in the next 5 years?
Beth: We expect our business to grow in the next 5 years. Since the pandemic hit, inquires about locally produced meat have skyrocketed. Since we grow 90 percent of our feed, our limiting factor will be how much corn, hay, and beans we can grow on our farm and neighboring farms. We are expanding our housing facilities and continuing to grow high-quality crops for the livestock. Furthermore, our children are getting older and wanting to help more and more, which in turn helps us grow. They want to add things and have their own ideas, as well. We want to foster that growth at a young age because we value Gracie and Eli’s opinions.

What’s your favorite holiday recipe?
We love food!!! Beth is always cooking up new and fun things to feature our meat. Gracie’s favorite thing to eat is pork spare ribs, Eli loves bacon, Paul enjoys anything that tastes good and Beth enjoys making food that warms the soul. One that will be cooked with holidays coming up and college football finally underway, is Bacon-wrapped Jalapeno Poppers:
Ingredients
6-12 large jalapenos
6-12 strips of Case Custom Meat Berkshire pork bacon
1 8oz. block of cream cheese
1-1 ½ cups of sharp cheddar cheese (a heavy hand is suggested)
½ Tbsp of garlic powder
½ Tbsp of onion powder
½ Tbsp Slap Ya Mama Seasoning
Heavy shake of black pepper
Directions
Cut and seed jalapenos. Set aside, along with bacon.
Mix all other ingredients in a small bowl.
Fill each jalapeno with the mixture, don’t be shy.
Wrap each jalapeno with a slice of bacon. Secure with toothpicks if necessary.
Cook on the smoker until bacon is crispy (this is our favorite way). Or, bake in the oven at 400º for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is melted and the bacon is crispy.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy with your favorite cold drink. Cheers!

Is there anything you are most proud of accomplishing with your business? Have there been any challenges you have had to overcome? What are you looking forward to in the future?
Paul: On the direct to the consumer side of the business, we are extremely proud every time we have a new customer call that is excited about buying a product because they tried some of our product at a friend’s house and say it is ‘the best they have ever tasted.’ That’s a rewarding feeling for both Beth and I. On the wholesale side of the business, we are excited to be entering our third year of sending pork to the restaurants in Yellowstone National Park.
Paul and Beth: The challenges we have had to overcome is acceptance into the local farmer’s markets, logistics of supplying Yellowstone, and farming during the busy summer months. Along with me (Beth) working in town, and raising kids. We are a busy family and aside from CCM, our children are our first priority. In the immediate future, we are looking forward to expanding into more households and businesses. We are looking forward in the long term to Eli and Gracie playing a bigger role in the business and having built the foundation for them to take it into the future.

Beth: We encourage anyone to like us Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and also check out our website, www.casecustommeatswy.com We are also available via phone.