This is what I learned too. I grew up in the south and am now raising children in the Pacific Northwest and I am finding that history lessons differ a little bit depending on geography.
Yes they are soft, I think adding them an hour or so before you are done would be fine.
I will often put carrots and potatoes in whole at the beginning and then just cut them upon serving.
Here's how I do it
I have a large enameled dutch oven, I heat some oil on the stove in it till it's nearly smoking. I brown all the sides of the meat that I can until they are seared and release easily from the pan.
Then I dust the whole mess with *about* 1/3 cup of flour and turn the meat...
There are a few places you could check. I've seen smaller outfits advertise in the classified section of the newspaper or craigslist. You could ask a farmer you like at the farmers market if they know anyone who is raising beef. They are pretty plugged in to what other people are doing. You...
I do this too. I've had the same strings of lights for years on end now. Every year when I'm putting them away I think I might replace a few next year but I never do.