I just updated the beef page with what we have, and what we have not. While we still have a lot of beef on hand, we are already starting to sell out of certain cuts. Also, we are into spring onion season which means we will not be finishing any cows till summer (ever had onion flavored beef?) so what we have is all we’ll have till then.
We WILL run out of beef between now and then, there is no way around it. We will NOT run out of pork though so plan on cooking up some pork chops and sausage this spring, unless you get by here soon for your beef fix.
I found this blog post randomly (Thank you Facebook for helping me waste time instead of doing what I was supposed to be doing 5 minutes ago).
I thought it was interesting, and telling.
The author is a milk farmer in the mid-west. She farms conventionally, milks fora co-op, and her milk is sold to major manufacturers through the co-op. She found her way to a product by one of her buyers that contains her milk and the milk of her fellow farmers. What she found on the bottle for claims about her milk were alarming for her, and unfortunately common for the rest of us. You can read the blog post here.
What I see in my head whenever someone says “marketing.”
You can do everything right, but if your product goes to a corporation with a marketing department, all bets are off. If you are looking for something healthy in the grocery store, it ALL came through a marketing department.
Sunday we had SWMBO’s father to the farm to see the operation and see his grandkids. The weather was gorgeous! We took the opportunity to go fishing even though the water was still pretty cold and the fish were pretty lethargic.
Grandpa and Spork fishingWildflower and her fish
The only fish caught that day was by our newest fisher, little Wildflower (dad helped slightly).
Kiss him good bye!
It’s tradition here at Ninja Cow Farm that when you catch your first fish you have to kiss him good bye. Wildflower was informed, after her catch, of this rule. She wasn’t too keen at first but with plenty of support from her siblings (read: heckling) she puckered up and then sent the little fishy on his way.
The Princess, with her “catch of the day.”
The Princess was eager for a catch of her own. Shortly she had the biggest catch of the day, herself! There was no blood or drama, she’s actually laughing in this shot. I was laughing as well, because while the hook readily came out, the earth worm smushed in her hair, not so much.
King goes fishing
King tagged along to the pond, along with Ruby. Ruby was hooked by one of the fishing rods within two seconds of arriving which is par for the course for her. King took a record 3 minutes before he was hooked. Three young kids, one puppy, one idiot dog, I’m surprised we ever got a line in the water but we had fun. How could you not with the sun shining and warm air for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime.
Oh, I guess I shouldn’t mention bacon to the piggies. Oops.
Just a quick picture of breakfast for one of the groups of pigs. We use no commercial feeds for our cows and pigs. They get what they forage and what you see here.
Today King went along with us to enjoy the good weather. He was able to see much more of the farm and most importantly, he went along on a couple of tours today which meant he made it out to the cows. Remember King is an Australian Cattle Dog and cows are what he is about.
King wasted no time going into the paddock and giving the cows what for. He barked, backed them up, made the rounds, and then laid down on their pile of hay to enjoy the sun and dare any cow to try to take his space back.
The cows wondered about this short, brown cow with all the attitude and seemed to think we was cute if a little daft in the head. But they humored him, at least till one of the moms ran him out of the paddock because she’d had enough.
Still, it was good to see King out all day doing farm business and taking such an interest in the cattle. Hopefully he’ll be taking more interest in the future as we begin training him as an actual working cattle dog.
I bought the Princess a hog killing shirt from Piggly Wiggly last year when we were in Charleston. She wears it routinely and I always try to comment on it when she does. There nothing cuter than a cute little Princess who is is merrily dressed in her killing attire.
However last week SWMBO one upped me on shirts and the above picture is the result. A pink pig, wearing a tu-tu and a crown. That’s about as Princessy of a hog killing shirt as a girl can get.
It looks like I better find a hog that needs killin’ so she can properly christen this new shirt.
The new puppy, King, has made himself right at home. I mentioned before that he was shy. Apparently that ship has sailed.
King and Ruby have been rolling around on the floor all day wrestling. He’s chasing the kids around and playing like a puppy should.
He’s also pooping and peeing in places he shouldn’t. And chewing the rug.
But at least I had a chance to take him in the truck this morning and spend some quality time. Of course, he threw up IN my jacket, and on the seat, and on the floor. But at least now I know he’s getting plenty to eat.
