STRUT YOUR STUFF
but since being kicked out of the hen house, now make their living scavenging hog feed and hanging out with rams and bulls. They love to strut their stuff.
SAVORY IN GEORGIA: ALLAN SAVORY, HELPING US CREATE THE LIFE WE SEEK...
Last weekend we spent 24 hours with Mr. Savory in Bluffton, Georgia, home to White Oak Pastures, one of the largest providers of grass-based foods in the country. It was an honor to listen to such a wise man articulate profound, but intuitively recognizable, concepts. It has been remarked that "wise man" may be contradiction in terms, but not on this occasion. There are so few such minds at large, that it is worth paying heed to them, when opportunity presents, so we did.
MATING SEASON
Now that the boys have work to do, card-playing in the fraternity house is over for the next two months. We expect fruits of their diligent labor to yield lambs in May and calves in September.
DIGNITY OF LABOR: EPIC MOSAIC MURALS, ONCE AT UNION TERMINAL AND NOW AT THE AIRPORT, DIGNIFY THE WORKING MAN.
These murals depict robust men executing trades of industry in clean clothes and full light, prepared for dirt and sweat, while enhancing quality of life in society. There is something magnificent about these murals and their message, which is that working with both body and mind is glorious. What young child would not want to emulate those men? I certainly did. What parent would not want their child to do so?
DECEMBER LAMB
In another two weeks, we will separate lambs from ewes. We will then turn rams in for breeding and begin harvesting lambs. Lambs are almost as big as ewes at this point. We look for 90-lb lambs to harvest.
November Hogs
These Durocs have grown considerably since they arrived six months ago, as you can see. The modified horse trailer in the background serves as the feeding station during these last weeks, so transport to the processor will not be stressful, improving quality of meat. We have just bought 8 Berkshires feeder pigs for the next round. If you would like particular cuts of pork for December holidays, let us know within the next week.
BOLOGNESE: BOLOGNESE SAUCE IS TRAVELING FROM BOLOGNA TO CINCINNATI, VIA THE GRASSROOTS KITCHEN!
This timeless product is now available for you to prepare in your own home. Susan has been working on the recipe for over a year. It traditionally consists of: various meats in the country larder, root vegetables, milk, and wine, simmered together all morning, for noontime feeding of hungry men from the fields. It is served over pasta, with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
ANCIENT ROOTS: THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION RECENTLY ISSUED A VAGUE AND IRRESPONSIBLE STATEMENT: "CONSUMPTION OF RED MEAT MAY CAUSE CANCER."
What does that mean?! What are the specifics? What kind of red meat? How was it raised? What was it fed? Where did it come from? How was it harvested? How was it cooked? Where did the samples for this study come from, from industrial agriculture or artisanal? Who conducted the study and how was it financed? Was this process subjected to "peer review"?
COLORS OF REDEMPTION: AS THE OCCASIONALLY BRILLIANT, BUT OFTEN MUTED, COLORS OF MIDWESTERN FALL EMERGE, THEY SEEM TO CORRELATE WITH OUR AGING PROCESS.
If spring represents the hope of our 20's and 30's, and summer tells of the labor of our 40's and 50's, then fall reflects the wisdom of one's 60's and 70's, with winter promising peace in one's 80's and 90's.
ANIMAL IMPACT: THE IMPACT OF BOVINES UPON THE LANDSCAPE IS POWERFUL.
Two hundred thousand pounds of animal weight was applied to this hilltop for half a day by grazing cattle. The result was relatively uniform grazing of half the plants in the pasture, benefiting cows, and trampling of the other half, benefiting soil. Trampling of plants provides mulch to the soil, as does straw on reseeded lawns. This mulch keeps the ground moist and cool, which feeds microbes in the top few inches of the soil profile. Active microbial life composts dead materials and manure, creating organic matter. Organic matter stores 8 lbs of water for every lb. of organic matter, providing irrigation to plants during dry spells. So, these cattle catalyze powerful forces beneath their feet.
Strands of Life
We summon these forces from within on a daily basis, so it seems appropriate to name and celebrate them:
The Tribe
Hogs below are never far from each other, often lounging side by side.
