[dominiquer60]

This is so true! My pigs respect the shin level fence, but I walked the heifer to water to make sure she didn’t try to go fence hopping to find the bull, for some reason this would be the day she would try such a thing:)

[dominiquer60]

Ixy, we should definitely have buffalo races at the next Animal Powered Field Days:)

This family has been in the equestrian business for 169 years, they come to our county fair every year, but here is the generation that stole the show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3VEVU2UFTI&feature=related

Erika

[dominiquer60]

Goeff,
The unit that you describe sounds better than what NY has now. The guy selling meat next to me uses the only mobile unit around here. It is an option that gives the farmer more control over his hanging and cuts. In order to use the mobile unit you must apply for a 20c license. This is the same license that your local cheese maker needs for a cheese room, or commercial kitchen, or grocery store butcher. It basically means that you have clean tested water, a 3 bay sink and a facility that can be sterilized easily, and a working cooler. This guy has a good water source and a cooler and freezer on site, the rest is in the mobile unit and the license to be able to cut is only in effect when the Mobile unit is on his farm.

His animals must be sent to a USDA facility to be butchered for retail cuts, and these cuts can only be sold instate because they are not cut at a USDA facility. The major benefit of this set up is that Frank gets every scrap of meat from his animals and can custom cut, grind and smoke what ever his customers desire as long as it is done in the mobile unit and his inspected smokehouse.

It would be really nice to have a small trailer unit available for on farm exemptions. We had one here in my area when pasture poultry first boomed, it had everything needed to kill and process a few birds under the 1000 bird or less exemption. Why can’t we have something like this for a few pigs or a cow or two. We can slaughter and butcher our own here, but it would be nice to have a small set up that facilitates it easier, and be able to sell a little extra on the side.

It seems that there are many different ways to do a mobile processing unit. If it comes down to having national mobile unit standard for food safety sake I can see how it will take away the benefits that each current system has, and take away from Rural Vermont’s push for an on farm slaughter exemption for sales.

Erika

[dominiquer60]

Rick,
Our Ireland #6 was made in Norwich, NY. My father in law says that they moved to Cayuta, NY. There was a guy there that had some of the old molds and would cast pieces for folks. Our original mill was struck by lightning and burnt down in the 90’s. They found the current mill in Phoenicia, NY and moved it here and milled and built the new shed around it.

Mitch,
a couple days of snow that slushes instead of squeaks is certainly a triggers the itch. Last year some neighbors had a good run the end of January, but we were done by mid march, too warm too quick. It was nice this year to experience a real winter my first time home for all of it, ending it with a big sap season would be awesome.

Off to cut some spinach!

Erika

[dominiquer60]

If we eat it for breakfast, it can have maple on it, oatmeal, cereal, fruit, waffles, pancakes, yogurt, you really can’t go wrong. I even encourage my bacon or sausage to mingle with it on my plate. I have a terrible sweet tooth and now that Maple is found to have a good level of anti-oxidants, I really don’t hold back:)
Erika

[dominiquer60]

Carl,
I agree with you about many of your concerns, the one in particular is killing the animal where it was raised. The one year that I was involved with sending 2 hogs to a USDA slaughterhouse for retail cuts was the last time that I transport a large animal to be killed. First it stresses the animal greatly, loading, traveling, unloading, waiting, etc. After having a relationship and routine with my animals, it seems like the ultimate betrayal to leave them in the harsh hands of the unknown and unseen handlers right before their death. Second, we sent white hogs not black hogs, we found some suspicious black hairs in our vacuum wrapped cuts, did we get our animals? we will never know.

There is nothing like having an animal die on your farm, they are calm, trusting and unsuspecting, while a 22 between the eyes is not dieing in your sleep, a 22 to a quite animal is the next best thing to me. I don’t want anyone to take this special moment away from us, and if others want to buy limited quantities of this story they should be able to.

This past December at the state Farm Bureau meeting I met a man with an interesting idea. He wants the NYS Dept. of Ag & Markets to offer a personal pasteurization license. This would allow anyone after paying for and taking a short course to purchase raw products like milk and cider from a farmer and bring them home to use them, presumably they pasteurize, but the liability is out of the farmers hands so the educated customer does as they see fit. I wonder if it would be possible to create a personal butchering license for consumers (people that don’t raise their own) so that they can purchase and kill an animal on the farm that it was raised. This could take the liability away from the farmer, and as long as the consumer was present to observe, most likely the farmer would do the killing and the consumer could help cut. I am sure that this is easier said than done and would need some fine tuning, but it is a thought.

I know that in NYS if you want to use a mobile unit you have to first have the animal USDA Slaughtered and then return the carcass to the mobile unit to butcher, this would not solve the on farm problem.

Erika

[dominiquer60]

For those of you in the raw milk business that have insurance, this is a message that was passed my way about insurers dropping raw milk coverage. You may be aware of such tales already but if not here is a look at what is coming down the way.

“Concerning insurance and raw milk retailers…Farm Family is in the process of dropping coverage for raw milk. Producers who retail raw milk,here in Connecticut, are shopping for a high risk insurer and working as a group… Don’t know yet what cost will be. As a producer I’ve known this was coming for some time because my agent and I talk. But two days ago one of the store owners where I sell, (we are allowed retail sales in all stores…we are fortunate) called to say that they would not be able to sell my milk because his insurer, Farm Family, would not cover it. His renewal comes in March and that is when the exclusion takes place, at renewal. Mine happens in August and so far the store owner is ok with me providing a certificate of insurance.
Today I received a call from another store saying they will not be able to continue selling my milk. Nationwide, their insurer, had come to inspect at renewal and told them that they would not renewal if raw milk was offered for sale at the store. The idea of certificate was offered but rejected. So no more sales there until I figure out a different way.
At least in Connecticut Farm Family is not the insurer for Farm Bureau, Nationwide is…
I talked with Pete Kennedy at the Weston Price group and he is beginning to receive calls from raw milk cheese producers and on farm poultry processors with the same situation.
Are others out there facing this situation…it would be great to work together….Thanks”

[dominiquer60]

Almost makes me want to go to Florida, just so I can hang out in Floyd County on my way home:) Great job on another informative video, keep them coming so people can continue to see the value in what many of us practice.

Erika

[dominiquer60]

I think that NOFA-Mass wanted info by Feb. 1st. Here is some grant info, I figured it would be good to post it in an easy to recall place.

Funding Opportunities for DAPNet
January 16, 2011 Meeting

** Foundation for Human Potential (would be listed as an anonymous donation)

Request Due: March 1, 2011
Funds available by: August 1, 2011
Amount to ask for: $10,000 – $15,000
Application Form:
One page, single spaced document explaining what DAPNet is asking for, how the funding would be used. Include a budget.
Also include: a press kit that contains
• 2010 NEAPFD brochure, newspaper articles, a page of the History of NEAPFD.
• Article that Carl wrote about horse logging
• Article by Wendell Berry – ‘Taking draft animals seriously’
• Article by Lynn Miller upon returning from NEAPFD

Send to: Reva Seybolt, who will present the proposal to the funder.

Reva Seybolt, PO Box 49, E. Woodstock, CT 06244 (phone: 860-928-0754)

** Farm Aid

Application Due: August 1, 2011
Funds Awarded: December 1, 2011
Amount to ask for: Range = $1,000 = 20,000 (most likely if our request is below $10,000)

Helping Farmers Thrive
Grants in this category fund organizations or projects that assist farmers transitioning to more sustainable and profitable farming practices, find alternative markets, or start a new farming operation as well as provide support services to farm families in crisis. These organizations are the core of the Farmer Resource Network which responds to individual farmers as well as regional events such as natural disasters.

Application Process
• Grants are awarded in late December. Proposals must be post-marked no later than August 1st of any given year to be considered in that year’s grant round.
• Range of grants: $1,000-$20,000, most from $3,000-$7,500
• Please do not submit proposals in binders, folders or booklets. Proposals will not be accepted over e-mail.
• 1.5 spacing and double-sided proposals are appreciated.

More information can be found on their website: http://www.farmaid.org

Contact Person:

For more information or to submit a proposal, contact:
Alicia Harvie, Program Manager
Farm Aid
501 Cambridge St., Third Floor
Cambridge, MA 02141
Tel: 1-800-FARM AID
e-mail: grants@farmaid.org

[dominiquer60]

In the United States subsidies are for commodity crops like corn, wheat, soy etc. Our farm qualifies for subsidies but only on the corn and oats. Our vegetables, berries, eggs, hay, flowers, maple, beef and pork that we actually make money on do not qualify for government subsidies.

When you make a living off of thousands of acres of commodity crops with little to no control over the price, I can see how it is easy to depend on these subsidies. When you grow a small amount of commodity crops for your own livestock, subsidies are not a huge factor in your budget, if you even apply for them.

Erika

[dominiquer60]

Thanks Tim,

Now if only the air quality in my house could be as good as the barn, then I would be in great shape, I don’t care for dry heat at all:) I know with the barn it is easy to keep the air good by cracking the doors some, and the cracks do a perfectly fine job on their own on a windy night.

I think that it is preferred warm so that it is easier to clean out. Those frozen piles make a real chore out of cleaning the barn twice a week. We are striking a good balance most days, and the ever opened window is a huge selling point for me. My red calf was a little snuffly when he was younger, but has been good and strong since weaning. I consider the little Hereford calf the canary in the coal mine, if his breathing is off I open the doors a little.

Off to start chores!

Erika

[dominiquer60]

Peach is lovely, how old is she?
My Herefordcross heifer is the same, she thinks she might like to be my equal, but knows the only way to get a taste of grain each evening is to back up a few steps, shaking her head of course. She is super affectionate and likes time with people.

Erika

[dominiquer60]

Great point, I am not sure I got up on the right side of the bed this morning.

[dominiquer60]

It is quote from Mr. King that I saw and posted here. It is not a law, it just makes sense to me.

[dominiquer60]

These are the international guidelines to procrastination, use them when you get around to it 🙂

Procrastinator’s Creed

1. I believe that if anything is worth doing, it would have been done already.
2. I shall never move quickly, except to avoid more work or find excuses.
3. I will never rush into a job without a lifetime of consideration.
4. I shall meet all of my deadlines directly in proportion to the amount of bodily injury I could expect from missing them.
5. I firmly believe that tomorrow holds the possibility for new technologies, astounding discoveries, and a reprieve from my obligations.
6. I truly believe that all deadlines are unreasonable regardless of the amount of time given.
7. I shall never forget that the probability of a miracle, though infinitesimally small, is not exactly zero.
8. If at first I don’t succeed, there is always next year.
9. I shall always decide not to decide, unless of course I decide to change my mind.
10. I shall always begin, start, initiate, take the first step, and/or write the first word, when I get around to it.
11. I obey the law of inverse excuses which demands that the greater the task to be done, the more insignificant the work that must be done prior to beginning the greater task.
12. I know that the work cycle is not plan/start/finish, but is wait/plan/plan.
13. I will never put off tomorrow, what I can forget about forever.
14. I will become a member of the ancient Order of Two-Headed Turtles (The Procrastinator’s Society) if they ever get it organized.

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