Blog Slacker Part 2 ~ Meat

Chore time is trimming down nicely. After exactly 8 weeks, and 0% losses the chickens were processed and we filled our freezer with 30 birds averaging 6-8 lbs each. 

After distributing a few of the pre-ordered birds, I've delved into winter cooking mode, stocking up on stock, chicken soup, chicken and dumplings and paprikash. Last spring's beef was put to good use by stockpiling chili and using the last of the garden to make stuffed pepper soup. Everything goes with mashed turnips...and carrots...and zucchini. I think I planted too many. Again.

There's such a difference in these birds that we raise solely on grain, veggie scraps and milk. No greasy stringy dark meat, excellent flavor. Boy can they eat! We were flying through feed, 50 lbs at least 2-3 times a week.

Variety is the spice of life! Alpaca chops for dinner. Taste and texture of beef, zero gamey taste, maybe just a hint of smoky flavor. Very lean and healthy. Again with mashed turnips...and carrots.

Remember when the pigs were cute? For about 5 minutes? They quickly turned into destructive eating machines. They tossed, yes tossed and chewed up the 18" x 18" x 2" pavers in their pens. They lifted the 100lb rubber mats to burrow under them to sleep. From birth to 250 lbs in a little over 5 months. Overall very efficient. Raised mainly on milk, a little hog feed, whole oats, cracked corn and garden scraps, they cost only about $100 to raise to 500lbs live weight and yielded nearly 70% in meat. We finished them on acorns after reading that most of the world's best Spanish hams and cured pork products are finished on acorns and on wooded forage. 

A great angle...check out those hams! 

Now all is well in the world, our freezer is stocked with fabulous beautiful bacon, roasts and chops. The acorns were a good move, the flavor is fantastic. Aside from the odors and sometimes daunting displays of strength, they really were fairly easy to deal with. Loading and unloading went smoother than expected, no one was hurt! Recent news stories reminded us to respect those hogs...

Baxter and Bettina are now Baxter I and Baxter II. Fall feather displays  are suggesting that they are both male. They are growing very large, very quickly, and yes, I am scared of them. When we reach in to feed them they are right at eye level. I hope they don't realize Thanksgiving is right around the corner... No worries there, they truly are incredibly unintelligent. They pace back and forth behind their enclosure in the wind and rain, too dumb to walk around and go inside the shelter.

The last of this years surplus goat meat has been distributed and orders are filling for next year. My pumpkins, so promising early on this year turned into a total bust. Little black beetles burrowed under every last one of them and destroyed them. Maybe next year...no time or motivation to carve one, it would probably blow away anyway!