Besides arranging for our first homestead seminar in May, we’re taking care of our year’s meat. Last week, we hauled our big, 1,400-pound steer in to the processing plant. To pay for the expense of raising this steer, we sold the front two quarters and we’re giving our son, Bill, a hindquarter. So we’ll still end up with a lot of beef. But we like a variety of meat, not just beef, beef, beef — no matter how good it is! David also did some hunting this year. We didn’t need two deer; one would do. He wanted a buck, but finally, on the last day, he picked a big doe with no fawns. This last week, I’ve been canning venison and making jerky too. Only one hindquarter to go, and I’m done with that. Then we get to butcher our extra roosters from our experimental home-bred Cornish rock crosses. They’re all big and meaty, although not as big-breasted as the commercial Cornish rock broilers. But they can walk, are vigorous, and are plenty nice for us. We also have a pig to butcher in January, so that’ll round out our meat for quite a while.
Seed catalogs are already coming and we spend evenings drooling over tomatoes, peppers, and other great things we just have to try this year…as well as a lot of varieties we’ve grown for years. Planning a spring garden sure makes winter go by faster! — Jackie
Ralph,
We crossed white rock roosters with cornish hens and were happy with the results. We’re still experimenting; we’ll keep crossing back and forth and see how we do.
Jackie
Agree about the catalogs. We’re sure getting a lot of them! I, too, canned stew venison this year… from the 5-point I shot… thanks to learning from you Jackie! Best to you both!
Jackie
Can you remind me what you used in your cross for the broilers?
We tried Barred Rock rooster on Buff Orpington hens this year. Didn’t do too well. Really spindley and boney
But this last batch of “hatchery” broilers has had a really high death loss. I might want to have another go at ” homemade” broilers.
A good local butcher is worth his weight in gold! A quality butcher job is as much as an art as a science. How the steer is handled, how the carcass is aged, how the meat is cut and wrapped can really make a difference.
We no longer have a local butcher. We have to haul a min of 80 miles to the closest shop. They do a decent job but its a pain! But I am just not equipped to handle any thing over market hog size so I have to make the trip.
With feed so darn high we won’t feed a steer this year. Anyone else cutting back due to feed cost?
i agree with jackie,send beef to butcher. i too would rather pay;but we can do it if we have to.your jars of steww meat are really awesome,there will be good eating at your home for winter.
Ellendra, my seed catalogs are arriving 1-2 months early too – they started in mid November. Hope it isn’t a hint that seeds are in short supply and to order early. The Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds catalog arrived, wonderful reading.
Ellendra,
I thought the same thing. I think it’s because so many more people are starting to garden because of the tanking economy that seed companies are competing for the sales. But that’s a good thing. It gives us more time to pick and choose. And drool!
Jackie
Matt,
Both Will and I have butchered beef, elk and moose. At our age, we really prefer to pay 45 cents a pound to have it done. It’s a can do, prefer not to, but sure will if we need to. We like the bigger breeds and share with my oldest son, Bill and sell any extra. This covers the cost, plus some of the feed.
Jackie
Does it seem like the seed catalogs are coming in early this year? There’s one that I usually don’t get until mid-January, but it arrived at the end of November this time.
Have you considered butchering your own beef and saving the transportation and expense? It’s not much more different than butchering deer or hogs, slightly bigger in scale is all. With tractors, dozers and good sturdy barn joists, hanging it wouldn’t be to tough either. It it would be to much meat, look at smaller breeds for the future, or trade the excess for something you need.
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