Firstly, thanks to one and all for a tremendous Valentines week. We hope that you turned all the JFF product into happy customers and bulging registers. For us early February feels like a great milestone--days are lengthening, fish abundance an variety is growing, algae is beginning to boom in our lagoon, and consequently oysters beginning to grow, livestock is beginning to reproduce, the garden is starting to come out of dormancy and sales are picking up with the turn of season. This year we are also marking a number of changes in our staff and internal organization. So the dawning of the year of the Monkey is a real thing at Jones Ranch, and we aim to mark it in style.
Ancient History
JFF is now 14 years old, sprung out of the union of Nick, seafood and fish oriented, chaos--loving west Coaster and Sara, farm, livestock and organizationally--minded offshoot of Cuba, New York and the Empire State Dairy industry. Over the years we have been many things and grown into many roles, lumber brokers, commercial fisher-folk, cattle farmers, hog farmers, shellfish growers, tendermen, fish brokers, caterers, parents, parents, again and again, geoduck seed producers, delivery drivers, plumbers, fence builders, serial committee members, sawyers, and more. And over this time we have grown to include a rolling assortment of helpers at all levels of the business. For 12 unbroken years we parlayed our lurching, universalist--protein creed into sway over a major chunk of the productive resources of our home island, a good slice of San Juan County locavore business, and a sliver of the booming Seattle restaurant market. Every year was better and more expansive than the one before and every year we added more and different activities, pursuits and staff. The sequence seemed logical at the time--when shellfish seed became scarce, we started a hatchery. When we found that we could not rely on other providers to cut meat, we bought Link Lab as a Seattle meat cutting beachhead.
Jones Farm before the fire.
2 Years Marks the Spot
Jones Farm before the fire.
2 Years Marks the Spot
Two years ago our long and winding winning streak took a serious detour. On April 24, 2014, our home, office and packing shed burnt to the ground, caused by an electric short in antiquated wiring. Following that, our geoduck seed crop, typically our largest source of annual income, failed. We moved back into a drafty, moldy house on the property and began an ongoing, pitched battle with our insurance company and started rebuilding. Our business structure and employee group were largely left on autopilot, and JFF, as an entity, began to drift.
18 Months in the Wilderness
Drift leads inevitably to atrophy and, in our case, years of rapid growth had created a shaky foundation that required constant inputs from us personally and required continual revenue growth. Following the initial shocks, and aftershocks and aftershocks beyond, various of our activities began to implode, most notably the shellfish hatchery--a highly risky venture at the best of times. Sales and distribution continued, but on a flat trajectory while we spent our time on various forms of crisis management. What had come fairly naturally and easily now needed to be rebuilt and re-imagined with our blood, sweat and tears, with marrow from our bones. We sincerely thank all our customers, suppliers, employees and investors who stuck with us through this time.
18 Months in the Wilderness
Drift leads inevitably to atrophy and, in our case, years of rapid growth had created a shaky foundation that required constant inputs from us personally and required continual revenue growth. Following the initial shocks, and aftershocks and aftershocks beyond, various of our activities began to implode, most notably the shellfish hatchery--a highly risky venture at the best of times. Sales and distribution continued, but on a flat trajectory while we spent our time on various forms of crisis management. What had come fairly naturally and easily now needed to be rebuilt and re-imagined with our blood, sweat and tears, with marrow from our bones. We sincerely thank all our customers, suppliers, employees and investors who stuck with us through this time.
Clawbacks are hell
If At First You Don't Succeed........
So, over the course of a few short months we found ourselves knocked flat and thrashing. In order to rebuild we knew that we needed to double down on the reasons we started down this path in the first place, namely focusing on products only we can produce. Beginning late summer 2015 things began to turn. First was successful hatchery production of a gigantic crop of European Flat Oyster seed. European Flats are perhaps the most storied oyster in the world--from Emperor Nero to MFK Fisher gourmands have sought out the flats. Due to a chain of adverse regulatory decisions, we are and will remain the only producers of European Flats on the West Coast. In November WDFW finally agreed, after 6 years of pushing, to allow a dive fishery on Pink Scallops. In December we began bringing premium Rhode Island fishes to Seattle.
Building Momentum
A major Seattle sales push and a very lucky sales manager find in Paisley Madison, coupled with the explosive growth of the restaurant industry, has pushed us farther and deeper into that world than ever before. Now, for the first time in almost two years, we are able to see far enough out of the weeds to begin steering ourselves again. It seems an opportune moment to remind ourselves and you, of what, exactly, it is that we aim to achieve. So we dusted off our whiteboard, poured a few rounds of whiskey, and cloistered the JFF executive committee to come up with a revised mission statement. Here goes:
JFF Mission Statement
Our mission is to produce, source and distribute the finest quality specialty proteins in the world and share them with customers who share our passion.
We are blessed to live in a corner of the world that naturally produces superlative product. We focus on systems and partnerships to maximize these natural endowments. We especially focus on product that others can not or do not produce. Outside of our production scope, we partner with like-minded producers to bring in the best, most sustainable, most unique seafoods from elsewhere.
Our customers are our partners and our friends. We select our customers as carefully as we select our partners and suppliers. We are blessed to work with an group of extraordinary customers. We salute your dedication, creativity and passion.
We are fully invested in our customers' success and will do anything in our power to accommodate, promote and partner with you.
Our business will grow organically as we grow our community of like-minded customers and suppliers. We will not compromise our sourcing or standards in order to pursue growth.
Our business is our life. If it ain't fun, we don't do it. If we can't do it special, we don't do it. If folks aren't fun to work with, we leave them alone. We aim to remain small enough to pick and choose our projects, products, employees and customers.
JFF and You
So there you have it. We cannot promise to be perfect, we cannot iron out all the supply kinks inherent in fresh proteins. We can, however, promise to work with you, grow with you and continually labor to bring you the best list of source-specified, specialty fishes, seafood and meats in the business. Looking forward, we have endless projects brewing, from ironing out the last kinks in the Pink Scallop harvest, local Halibut coming in 5 short weeks, to a re-release of European Flats coming in two months or so, to more specialty oysters ahead, to actualizing a steady supply of fresh, west-side origin meats, to expanding into specialty greenery, to future sales/distribution collaborations with Owen Roe Winery, Westcott Bay Ciderworks and San Juan Island Distillery. We love this business and we love you!
The Monkey Speaks His Mind
To celebrate the now arrived Year of the Monkey, to celebrate the upcoming election year, and to celebrate our re-focused state, we direct you to the link below, one of our favorite musicians, Dave Bartholomew, performing an original composition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNjuxtjtuWg
Building Momentum
A major Seattle sales push and a very lucky sales manager find in Paisley Madison, coupled with the explosive growth of the restaurant industry, has pushed us farther and deeper into that world than ever before. Now, for the first time in almost two years, we are able to see far enough out of the weeds to begin steering ourselves again. It seems an opportune moment to remind ourselves and you, of what, exactly, it is that we aim to achieve. So we dusted off our whiteboard, poured a few rounds of whiskey, and cloistered the JFF executive committee to come up with a revised mission statement. Here goes:
JFF Mission Statement
Our mission is to produce, source and distribute the finest quality specialty proteins in the world and share them with customers who share our passion.
We are blessed to live in a corner of the world that naturally produces superlative product. We focus on systems and partnerships to maximize these natural endowments. We especially focus on product that others can not or do not produce. Outside of our production scope, we partner with like-minded producers to bring in the best, most sustainable, most unique seafoods from elsewhere.
Our customers are our partners and our friends. We select our customers as carefully as we select our partners and suppliers. We are blessed to work with an group of extraordinary customers. We salute your dedication, creativity and passion.
We are fully invested in our customers' success and will do anything in our power to accommodate, promote and partner with you.
Our business will grow organically as we grow our community of like-minded customers and suppliers. We will not compromise our sourcing or standards in order to pursue growth.
Our business is our life. If it ain't fun, we don't do it. If we can't do it special, we don't do it. If folks aren't fun to work with, we leave them alone. We aim to remain small enough to pick and choose our projects, products, employees and customers.
JFF and You
So there you have it. We cannot promise to be perfect, we cannot iron out all the supply kinks inherent in fresh proteins. We can, however, promise to work with you, grow with you and continually labor to bring you the best list of source-specified, specialty fishes, seafood and meats in the business. Looking forward, we have endless projects brewing, from ironing out the last kinks in the Pink Scallop harvest, local Halibut coming in 5 short weeks, to a re-release of European Flats coming in two months or so, to more specialty oysters ahead, to actualizing a steady supply of fresh, west-side origin meats, to expanding into specialty greenery, to future sales/distribution collaborations with Owen Roe Winery, Westcott Bay Ciderworks and San Juan Island Distillery. We love this business and we love you!
The Monkey Speaks His Mind
To celebrate the now arrived Year of the Monkey, to celebrate the upcoming election year, and to celebrate our re-focused state, we direct you to the link below, one of our favorite musicians, Dave Bartholomew, performing an original composition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNjuxtjtuWg
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The Monkey Speaks his Mind, from 1957
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Pink Progress!!!
We saw the first real motion on Pink Scallops last week. Superstar Dive Master Joe Stephens took advantage of the break in the weather and found the first substantial populations of pinks in the area we have been given. A small handful are currently testing the scallop holding tank system at Jones Ranch. And the scallops are, in fact, everything we remembered them being. Further, WADOH is showing signs of being more flexible on certifying new areas. We are not yet to the Promised Land, but we are making steady progress. Look for more in the week ahead! Meanwhile, enjoy the following images and the video of swimming, or singing, scallops. Very winning.
20 years late but worth the wait.
We saw the first real motion on Pink Scallops last week. Superstar Dive Master Joe Stephens took advantage of the break in the weather and found the first substantial populations of pinks in the area we have been given. A small handful are currently testing the scallop holding tank system at Jones Ranch. And the scallops are, in fact, everything we remembered them being. Further, WADOH is showing signs of being more flexible on certifying new areas. We are not yet to the Promised Land, but we are making steady progress. Look for more in the week ahead! Meanwhile, enjoy the following images and the video of swimming, or singing, scallops. Very winning.
20 years late but worth the wait.
Scallops and Bone China
Merchandising Dept.
Once the scallops are eaten, the issue becomes what to do with the shells. In an earlier, less enlightened era, the answer would have been ashtrays. With a little clever embroidery they could surely serve as shower curtain, privacy screen or cape ornaments. Roach clips, tree ornaments, angels and air freshener holders are other popular choices.
Some people have too much time on their hands.
The Jones Boys have come up with a solution that doesn't involve hot glue guns or costly metal hardware. Moreover, it allows us, and you, to wear on our sleeves, our excitement for the return of the pinks!! Let everyone know you THINK PINK!!!!
Scallop Pinks!!
Scallop shwag available at deepwaterdawgz.com.
Chefs Corner
We have watched and applauded the Nordic Culinary revolution for years. After all, a cuisine based on seafood, seasonal herbage and lean, gamy meats is perfectly suited to our northern biome. Nick's (Russian origin) extended family spent decades in Finland and Sweden after the Russian revolution. Too, we have worked and consorted for years with Nordic Peoples in and around the seafood industry. Nordics are a highly effective race, and we salute them.
So it was with some interest that we read of a seafood industry-relevant archaeological find in Northern Sweden.
A well defined fish fermentation site was found in the 9,200 year-old settlement of Blekinge, Sweden. In this pre-trade route, pre-ceramics era, fish was fermented with pine bark and seal fat, then wrapped in uncured seal and wild boar hides and buried in pits. Be the first to feature true, Ur-Nordic fermented fish!! We have about 20,000# of frozen chum we would let go cheap for experimentation, as well as a steady supply of uncured pig skins.
Fishes Ahead, Fishes Behind. Meats Too.
Fish abundance and variety is building with the season. Our Rhode Island friends are enjoying the first lengthy weather break for quite some time. We expect a full range of Eastern fishes this coming week, and reasonable pricing. Local fishes are decently available for this week, including Rock, Dover, Petrale, Truecod, Cali-Hali and Alaska Troll Kings. Beef Pork and Lamb. Available as wholes, halves and in cuts.
Signed,
Your Loyal JFF Crew
Signed,
Your Loyal JFF Crew
