October 14, 2007

Never thought I would be raising meat for the table

Filed under: Uncategorized — Linda @ 4:35 pm

A vegetarian for about 10 years and almost vegan for about the last 3 years.

I think it was a variety of things that put me off meat. We drove by the slaughter ranch on the I5 often to get to Bakersfield when we lived in Southern California. The smell and site of those cows standing in manure with water spayed over them. It made me sick. Then reading about how animals are treated and reading about the hormones and chemicals in the chicken that you get at the super market. Well just put me off. And I have survived a long time without meat protein. One problem a few years ago I noticed I was gaining a lot of weight. I read somewhere about how bad soy is. Woops, I was eating it all the time….breakfast sausage, soy ice cream and soy milk. Soy imitation burgers. What was I thinking?

Soy is not meant to be eaten like that. Not to mention the chemical process it goes through to make beans into well anything. I think I read somewhere they used it to make the gear shift in the Model “T” Ford. http://www.hbci.com/~wenonah/new/soybean.htm Who knew? I just don’t want to eat it anymore. Do you read the labels on the food you buy? Soy is in everything. Why is it in Tuna? I want to know. And I don’t think I will go into Canola oil here but avoid this too at all costs!

Anyway I gave that up. And I gave up dairy about the same time. Lost a lot of weight. I eat a lot of eggs and veggies and bread….

BUT now I raise sheep. And I just had to try my own grass fed lamb if I am to sell it. I have never had lamb so good in all my life. You might not know me personally so in that case you would not know that I am English. A Brit. And growing up for Sunday lunch we would have a leg of lamb. I liked it, but this meat I am raising here is WONDERFUL!

And even people who say that they don’t like lamb are being converted to this meat.

Will I ever get used to the killing though? It is not as bad as I thought. I think when someone said that animals have no knowledge, therefore no fear of death and that my butcher is fast and they really never know about it. Like anything I guess you get used to it. Sheep raising and lamb eating is ancient. Early settlers domesticated sheep for milk,meat wool and pelts. It is as old as BC.

I have tried raising Turkey’s but without much luck. If the Geese will stay in the field, then watch out Christmas 2008 and we might have a Christmas goose on the table. I wonder how I would cook it? I plan to put an AGA in the kitchen http://www.universal-akb.com/585agafoovco.html and I don’t think one would fit!

I know I promised photos of the babies but it will have to be tomorrow. They all seem to be doing ok now. Keep a good thought.

Made it through the night

Filed under: Uncategorized — Linda @ 8:51 am

Got up early, who needs sleep anyway? All the lambs still alive! I think the electrolyte supplement really helped. One of the little girls is still not drinking as well as I would like and the little boy although better not quite right yet.

It is very foggy this morning and next week there is rain every day in the forecast. I am planning on burning some of the small brush piles and cleaning up.

I had an idea last night that I need to use the Knitters loom to make articles for the bazaar. If I had a bit of help around here I would have more free time. Every day I get just a bit more done…

Photos later..