Acorn-Finished Pork: An Ancient Tradition | Mast Tree Network. Acorn-finished pork is a centuries-old tradition that has been handed down from the Mediterranean region of Europe. Pigs are native to the hardwood forests of Eurasia and there is a growing movement in Europe and America to return to more traditional methods of pork production, which are more humane for the pigs, better for the environment, and healthier for the consumer than pork produced by modern factory farms. Jamón ibérico de bellota. Click for price. In some regions, these ancient, traditional methods of raising pork never disappeared. The legendary jamón ibérico de bellota (Iberian acorn-finished ham), also known as pata negra, is widely considered to be the finest pork in the world.
This Spanish ham comes from the black Iberian pig (cerdo negra) and is raised in southern Spain near the border with Portugal in oak forests called la dehesa. The Italian Cinta Senese and the Hungarian Mangalitsa are more old-fashioned European breeds traditionally raised on acorns. The Pros and Cons of Free Range Chickens - The Free Range Life. If you close your eyes and picture the perfect homestead, you might have visions of chickens roaming and pecking freely throughout your acreage. Eating tasty insects and filling your coop with eggs containing bright orange yolks.
It’s a pretty picture, but is it realistic? Let’s look at the pros and cons of free range chickens to see which one is really a better choice for you! You will save money on commercial chicken feed. If your chickens are roaming freely all day they will be able to search out much of their own food. They will find insects, berries, grubs and greens to fill their stomachs and in turn you will not have to supplement as much in the way of feed.Your eggs will be more nutrient dense.
Those are the main benefits you obtain from free ranging your chickens. You will save money on commercial chicken feed. Looking at that list you might think that I am not a supporter of free range chickens. There aren’t only 2 options. The Chicken Tractor: The Yarded Chicken: Chickens to the slaughter | Tiny Farm Blog. Raising your first chickens, killing them, and eating them has gotta rank up there with other Firsts worth a little attention.
Now, I’m at least part of the way there: the killing this time was done behind closed doors, with me on the outside—chicken PROCESSING. Still, first enough to be worth a few photos… I’d been cutting it close with booking a processing day for the White Rocks, the local processor is known to get solidly booked for weeks. I finally called yesterday, looking for a date in two weeks, and was told there was also a cancellation for tomorrow (today!). I checked out the WRs, and, man, how could I imagine them getting any bigger (I think I was mesmerized, waiting for them to explode)? So I called back and booked. The processor is on a farm, a low building where birds go in live on one side, and come out the other, cleaned and chilled, weighed and government-inspected, ready to go… Bob and a processing guy unload.
Eleven hours later, it’s 5:30pm and we’re back. Forget 'Big Goat' Propaganda, Geese Are Better at Mowing And Always Have Been. Geese on an organic farm, doing some lawn work (Photo: NCRS Oregon) In the mid-1980s, after he had retired to Texas, Tom Walker went to Arkansas with one purpose in mind. He wanted to buy some geese. “When I was a kid growing up,” he says, “there were geese all around, and they were simply called geese.” He’s almost 89 now, so this was in the 1930s and 40s. Back then, the geese had many purposes on a farm (providing eggs, down, meat), but the farmers in Arkansas, where Walker grew up, also kept gaggles around for a surprising reason: the geese would weed the farmers’ fields. “You let them in your cotton field, and they’d eat the grass,” says Walker. These geese that Walker remembered, even if they didn’t have a name, were of a particular breed, with pink bills and pink feet. Goats that eat grass might be trendy now, but domesticated geese may have been the original animal landscapers.
Not entirely, though. Cotton Patch geese at Flip Flop Ranch (Photo: Flip Flop Ranch) Forget 'Big Goat' Propaganda, Geese Are Better at Mowing And Always Have Been. NATURALLY FEEDING RABBITS | Rise and Shine Rabbitry. Domestic rabbits are descended from European wild rabbits and should have no problem with a non-pelleted diet that includes a variety of feedstuff. Older rabbit books are useful sources of this information. Let’s face it, pellets only came on the market after World War II. If you are feeding pellets, I suggest you contact the feed company and ask for an ingredients list.
Not just a nutritional breakdown, but a list of the actual items used. You may be in for a surprise. I was! So I began to learn about feeding my rabbits a more natural type food program. I am not knocking all pellets, some pellets are better than others and if you choose to use them just be informed. I should emphasize that I would never advocated this method of feeding in large rabbitries or for show rabbits or the commercial production of meat. Most of us started homesteading because we wanted to take control of what goes into the meat and other food that we eat. I now feed a combination of natural and pellets.
Dear Modern Farmer: How Do I Know If Backyard Slaughter Is Legal? Dear Modern Farmer, I’ve been raising hens (for eggs) at my suburban home for a while now. I’d like to add some chickens and maybe even turkeys for meat consumption as well. But I have no idea whether it's legal for me to slaughter my birds in my backyard. Will I be able to? Thanks, Backyard Birdie Dear Birdie, It sounds like backyard poultry is legal where you live, which is a good start. Though be aware that turkeys are typically counted differently for total number of poultry processed, with one turkey equaling four chickens. In order to figure out whether you can slaughter and process the birds on your property, there are a few things to consider first. I’m also going to assume that you will be using the meat solely for personal or household use (i.e. there will be no sales involved).
But first you need to determine whether on-site slaughter is allowed where you live. How slaughter is addressed at the local level, if at all, varies widely. Kristen M. Advertisement. Dear Modern Farmer: How Do I Know If Backyard Slaughter Is Legal? Should you keep only ONE guinea hen... Guinea Fowl International Association - Considerations Before Deciding to Own Guinea Fowl. Guineas are not for everyone, but sometimes they are the perfect addition. What do people need to consider before they decide to own guineas? By Elizabeth Cleveland Things to consider before getting guinea fowl: 1. They are just like having any other pet--they need shelter, protection, food and housing. This does cost money and time. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
By Cindy Gibson As with anything else you do in life, you should figure out what are your goals (why do you want guineas) and then what do you need. It seems that most people get guineas for bug control or (in some cases) snake control. In talking to people in my own rural area, a lot of people assume that what works for chickens is going to work for guineas. So, you need enough acreage, a good-size coop with light (and perhaps a timer), and the time for training and providing care.
In addition, you need to look at the rest of your family for compatibility issues, particularly dogs. Raise Small-breed Milk Cows. In 2006, Pat Schout and his wife, Elia, began homesteading in east-central Illinois. They wanted to raise their own food, including dairy products. They considered a milk cow, but didn’t know if they’d have enough pasture for a full-size cow and weren’t sure if they could manage all the milk a single cow can produce.
A neighbor had discussed the option of small-breed beef cattle, and that gave the Schouts the idea to raise their own small-breed dairy cattle. They started with Jerseys (because of the high butterfat content of their milk) and are now working toward breeding miniature Holsteins. Miniature cows cost $1,800 to $3,500 depending on the size, markings and color. (A good standard Jersey sold as a family milk cow will cost $1,400 to $1,800.) How small are small-breed Jerseys? Miniature cattle are classified in three categories as measured by height at the hip. How much milk do they give? A standard-size milk cow in peak production can give 6 to 10 gallons of milk per day. No.
Beginners Guide to Keeping Guinea Fowl. Charming, fascinating birds – or noisy and disruptive? Guinea fowl often generate mixed emotions, but apart from die-hard enthusiasts, anyone who has lived in close proximity to a bunch of guineas may well go with the second opinion. There’s no denying that guinea fowl are relatively easy to keep, providing you have plenty of space and no near neighbours. They are independent birds, self-sufficient foragers who will find much of their own food. Throughout the spring and summer they are productive layers – if you can find their eggs. Guinea fowl are often kept for their meat, which is regarded as a delicacy. Even the feathers are useful – they can be sold for making fishing flies or for craft/millinery work. Understanding guinea fowl It’s a mistake to treat guinea fowl like chickens, although they share many characteristics. Origins and colours Guinea fowl originate from Africa.
There are three main feather patterns: Housing guinea fowl Obtaining your first Guinea fowl Hatching eggs Brooding. Backyard Fish Farming: How to Raise Fish for Food or Profit at Home. Backyard Fish Farming: How to Raise Fish for Food or Profit at Home. Raising Guinea Fowl - eXtension. Written by: Dr. Jacquie Jacob, University of Kentucky Guinea fowl, often referred to as guineas, are gamebirds that are increasingly popular among keepers of small and backyard flocks. Guineas are vigorous, hardy, and largely disease-free birds.
There are many reasons people raise guinea fowl. Keeping guinea fowl is also an effective means of pest control. Guinea fowl can also be raised for meat and egg production. There are three main varieties of guinea fowl raised in the United States: pearl, white, and lavender. Preparations before Starting a Flock Before starting a poultry flock, you must check local zoning regulations to make sure that raising poultry is permitted. Housing Guinea fowl are often left to fend for themselves, but it is best to provide a shelter to protect them from high winds, rain, cold, sun, and predators. If you want to keep your guineas from wandering in a specific area, you must keep them in covered pens. Bird selection and purchase Nutrition Brooding and Rearing. 7 Reasons Your Homestead Needs Guinea Fowl.
Image source: a-z-animals When it comes to adding birds to your homestead, consider adding guinea fowl into the mix. Of course, you have probably heard how loud they can be, but that is a small price to pay for everything that you get from the guineas. There are several different types of guineas out there, so you will have to take your time and figure out what type you want. You will also need to decide on whether or not you want males and females — and how many you want. If you have a lot of land or you plan to let your guineas free-range, it is recommended you get them when they are babies or very young so they learn their area well and know where to come back to. Guineas love to explore, so having a set place where they eat is important. There are many benefits to raising guinea fowl. 1. Guineas love to eat bugs, especially ticks. 2. If you want something to tell you when someone or something is in your yard, get guineas. 3.
A great benefit of getting guineas is their eggs. 4. 5. 6. Guinea fowl noise crisis (guinea fowl forum at permies) I love the idea of guineas. They are very self-sufficient, forage extremely well, and keep garden plagues to a minimum. Even without meat or eggs, they earn their keep with very little pay. We raised this set of 6 by hand, and they have become so bonded to us that they follow any member of the family everywhere around the property. While they do this, they are constantly calling, no, more like yelling. It is REALLY annoying. When any stranger, be it animal, plant or human, comes onto the property, they go nuts, and scream like crazy.
At first, I thought it was a feed thing, but they have plenty of feed of lots of different types, and they'll snack on things I give them and then go on to follow me even more. I don't mind the following, but the constant noise is getting too much until finally, my wife mentioned "when are we having roast guinea? " Before we get rid of them forever, I want to explore options for keeping them here, if for nothing more than the grasshopper control. 2. 3.
Quiet guinea fowl. Generally, hens are louder than the boys. Mine always have something to talk about! As for teaching them to roost, it is a process, one best started as keets but not impossible. First you have to keep them cooped for a while. Do you have a red or colored light in the coop? BAck to the training.... For other tips, please feel free to download my FREE ebook on my website www.fowlplayguineas,com Good luck! Murano Chicken Farm: 14 reasons you should not raise Guinea fowl. Guineas are interesting birds. They are poultry, but not really. They look like little helmets with clown face makeup on. They act like idiots and they eat ticks and bugs like it's their job. Well, I guess it sort of is their job since most people get them for their insect control talents. Guineas are pretty awesome and there are lots of reasons why you should get Guineas, but do you know why you shouldn't? 2) They try to hatch those stealth nests they've been laying their eggs in, and predators will more then likely find them before you do. 3) Noise level. 6) They can be bullies to smaller chickens. 9) They are kinda creepy looking. 11) Getting them to move is like herding cats. 12) They are terrible mothers. 14) They go far far away in search of bugs to eat.
Guinea Fowl: Your Overlooked Backyard Buddy. Loud, goofy-looking, flocking birds might not sound like the best backyard companion. Perched high in treetops, guinea fowl aren’t the classically handsome of the bird family, appearing more like mutated vultures than a downy chicken. With their featherless head and polka-dotted feathers, these fowl once roamed the central African plains and resent captivity to this day. But if you’re concerned with improving our food system's addiction to pesticides and looking for an alternative ‘jack of all trades’ barnyard animal, consider the often-overlooked guinea fowl. Just don’t write them off because of their screeching. Baby guineas, called keets, are about as adorable as they sound and easy to tend. But once they grow older they are worthy watchdogs, fighting off trespassers both human and animal alike. King said urbanites buy the noisiest, screechiest birds from him to satisfy vengeance against their complaining neighbors.
Photographs courtesy Glen Buto. AnimalsPlants and Animals Advertisement. Guinea Fowl: Your Overlooked Backyard Buddy. Backyard Poultry Forum • View topic - Advice - do geese deter snakes from yards? Geese or guinea fowl?? | Stockyard Horse Classifieds and Discussion Forums. 5 Reasons NOT to Own Guinea Fowl - The Free Range Life.