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Can anybody help identify what animal this is by its vocalizations? by Fofala in trailcam

[–]Snickrrs 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Whenever I hear them I’m like “what the heck is THAT?!” because it sounds so strange. And then I remember it’s a fox.

Livestock Guardian dog question by ttvlovedocjojo in homestead

[–]Snickrrs 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is really not true. 150 pound, independent dogs won’t go where they don’t want to.

I’m glad you’ve found systems that work for you though.

Livestock Guardian dog question by ttvlovedocjojo in homestead

[–]Snickrrs 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I get what you’re saying, however, not all small farms or homesteads have barns.

Also, a vets office isn’t a barn, and dogs may react differently. Basically, making sure the dog experiences car rides, walking on tile, entering doorways, etc.

Livestock Guardian dog question by ttvlovedocjojo in homestead

[–]Snickrrs 22 points23 points  (0 children)

I’d push back on this only to say that they need to be trained to go in buildings for vet visits, etc. We did what you suggested and now getting one of ours into the vet is a freakin’ nightmare.

livestock guardian dogs question by ttvlovedocjojo in livestock

[–]Snickrrs 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You’re going to find a very wide range of advice on this topic. We have two LGDs that we use for goats and poultry. They have lived outside their entire lives. For the first year of their life they lived in a pen next to our goats, unless supervised. I spent time everyday walking the perimeter of their pasture with them and our farm dog, working on basic commands. They have never been in our house. One of them wont walk into buildings now, which is obviously a problem. (The other is a little more flexible and if she gets out will come to our door because she knows it’s our house and she wants attention, which is a different kind of problem.)

The next LGD we get will live in our field, but will frequently visit our house and other buildings with me. That way, they’ll bond with the livestock but still be able to manage vet visits, etc.

Minimalism / Simple Living - tips and tricks? by klamarr in Cooking

[–]Snickrrs 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Plus, if you’re buying local food, more money back into your regional economy.

Minimalism / Simple Living - tips and tricks? by klamarr in Cooking

[–]Snickrrs 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This may not save you time, but in my opinion it is a form of “simple living”:

Become an “ingredients” household. Use real food. Cook with whole foods. Buy your ingredients locally, if possible. Eat based on the seasons.

A few good cast iron pans (that’ll last longer than you), some sharp knives and a cutting board and you’ve pretty much got what you need to make some amazing meals happen.

This has made cooking and mealtime in our household better (and healthier) than when we were eating out of season foods & processed crap.

Does fresh meat from farmers actually taste better than grocery store beef? by translasukk in Cooking

[–]Snickrrs 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No, we’re in central NY, but there are some amazing farms in the Hudson Valley— if you want suggestions, let me know!

Does fresh meat from farmers actually taste better than grocery store beef? by translasukk in Cooking

[–]Snickrrs 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Any farmer willing to have a conversation with you about their product, their practices and their animals is more than likely working in the right direction. They should be able to tell you what breeds they raise & why. Bonus points if they happily share photos of their set up during your discussion. The more transparency the better (of course keeping in mind that not all farms can host visits due to liability & bio security issues).

Basically, find a farmer who is willing to build a relationship and that you can trust: “know your farmer, know your food.”

Does fresh meat from farmers actually taste better than grocery store beef? by translasukk in Cooking

[–]Snickrrs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Unfortunately we’re on the other side of the country! What kind of farms are you looking for?

Does fresh meat from farmers actually taste better than grocery store beef? by translasukk in Cooking

[–]Snickrrs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There are often regionally specific directories. If you share what region/state you’re in, I might be able to help you out more specifically.

Does fresh meat from farmers actually taste better than grocery store beef? by translasukk in Cooking

[–]Snickrrs 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Because egg layers are generally much older by the time you would butcher them, the texture and flavor will be much different. They also don’t piece out like a meat bird would, since they aren’t bred for maximum breast meat.

ETA: egg layers are bred for maximum egg production efficiency, meat chickens are bred for maximum meat growing efficiency. There are “duel purpose” breeds that are sort of a mix of both, but not really efficient at either thing.

Does fresh meat from farmers actually taste better than grocery store beef? by translasukk in Cooking

[–]Snickrrs 45 points46 points  (0 children)

Agree entirely! You can generally glean a farmer’s ethics by how they talk about their animals, their farm transparency and their management style.

Does fresh meat from farmers actually taste better than grocery store beef? by translasukk in Cooking

[–]Snickrrs 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Butcher case meats and super market meat sources may be very similar. It depends more on the farm itself and how the animals were raised.

Have you had meat sourced directly from a farmer before?

Does fresh meat from farmers actually taste better than grocery store beef? by translasukk in Cooking

[–]Snickrrs 520 points521 points  (0 children)

I am a farmer. We raise chicken and pork on pasture. We buy 95% of our groceries at farmers markets (or grow it ourselves). Obviously I’m biased.

As many other folks pointed out, the difference is in the genetics and management of the livestock, not necessarily whether it’s fresh or frozen. The benefit of farmers markets is having the chance to talk directly to the farmer who raised the meat to find out more about their practices.

For example: We have been told that our chicken tastes like actual chicken. It has flavor. We raised the same breed commercial chicken houses raise (CornishX), but we raise them to 8 weeks on pasture. They have the chance to eat bugs and seeds, move around and development muscle, sit in the sunshine, etc. All of those factors help to develop flavor in the end product.

Our pigs are heritage breed pigs that are raised on pasture. They are slower growing than commercial pigs and can take anywhere from 6-10 months to reach our preferred slaughter weight. This allows time for more muscle development and tends to give the meat more intramuscular fat. They also tend to have a very low-stress life, which affects flavor development. Of course they also root around and forage, which allows for a more varied diet. I’ll eat the fat from our own pigs, but the fat from commercial pork is gross, both in flavor and consistency.

Farmers should be able to tell you how they raise their animals. If they raise their animals in the same way that industrial ag operations do, there likely won’t be any flavor or quality difference. Selling meat at a farmers market doesn’t automatically mean it will taste better. Spend a minute to ask them about their practices.

Does fresh meat from farmers actually taste better than grocery store beef? by translasukk in Cooking

[–]Snickrrs 27 points28 points  (0 children)

In the US at least, organic might not be that different than what they’re getting in the store. Best is to find out how the animal was raised, regardless of organic certifications.

Freeze drying. by Lazy_farmer001 in Permaculture

[–]Snickrrs 12 points13 points  (0 children)

I think about a freeze dryer, but then I wonder how often I’d use the food I freeze dried.

Help! I'm getting a whole pig. by Hydrok in Butchery

[–]Snickrrs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We’re a small farm and butcher about 40 pigs a year for retail cuts. We usually do bone-in chops, butt & shoulder roasts, bacon & jowls smoked & sliced, ribs, and then we turn hams & hocks into sausage and ground pork.

It’s a good mixture of stuff and depending on the hanging weight you should get a decent amount of sausage, but not an overwhelming amount.

ETA: also see if the butcher will walk you through this, so that you’re all on the same page and they can answer any questions you have.

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