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A word to the wise….
….as a public service, we offer this seasonal reminder from Lois Aylestock of Blue Ridge Meats: “REMINDER: Cold season is here and cows seek heat on car hoods. Do not forget to tap on the hood to give the cow enough time to get off before you drive away!”
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Everybody knows that….
…..but did you know why most of the grass fed beef you buy in the store….or on-line….is not raised in the United States? And did you know an examination of beef carcasses shows a residue of more than 200 drugs…not to mention heavy metals? These are just a few of the facts Dr. Joseph Mercola ticks off in his latest blog. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/11/25/shocking-facts-meat-industry.aspx?e_cid=20141125Z1_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20141125Z1&et_cid=DM62652&et_rid=741189104
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A battery of bulls….
….actually, our bull inventory is pretty low right now. Our two-year olds are all sold and the group of yearlings is sandwiched between Traditional Devon™ Wellington on the left and Thistle Hill Jackpot on the right. To the left of Jackpot is a particularly exciting young English bull—TDA Highwayman—and next to him is another excellent prospect, Thistle Hill 126. 126 is descended from the Rotokawa 667 line. Second from the left is Thistle Hill 08, an exemplary result of pairing the English bull Millennium Falcon with Goldings Snowdrop. He is Wooz’ special project and she “done good”. (Somehow a steer got in there and is in the middle, in the shadows)
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A new arrival….
….one of 15 calves on the ground so far. And so far, it looks like a particularly good crop. This minutes-old heifer is by Thistle Hill Jackpot out of one of our young cows from the “2” line. Once the calving is complete, we divide the cows according to the bulls we want them with. We have quite a few options, thanks to the English Traditional Devon animals in residence here. And before we get started we have to bring in a dozen two-year old heifers who have been kept at a nearby cooperating farm. In all, we’ll be breeding about 35 females starting about Christmas time. We might add that this is…
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Enjoy your pork chops….
….and if they’re from the supermarket…or you’re eating at most restaurants….it would be better not to focus on this picture. These are mama pigs….waiting to be bred or waiting to birth…or just waiting. It’s how they spend their entire lives….not just during breeding…..in cages so small they can’t turn around…lying in their own waste…filled with antibiotics and steroids…just so we can have “cheap food”. We’re supposed to believe this protects the young so Mom doesn’t roll over on them. It does happen, in small confinement pens, but not in the open. Pigs are incredibly athletic and they know very well how to care for their young. For contrast, here’s a young…
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Rotokawa is back….
….we were pleased to learn that our friend Henry Hauptman, is putting some of his two-year old bulls up for sale. Henry has been quietly re-building the famed New Zealand herd in recent years but is now marketing 20 two-year olds. These are from Ken McDowall’s original herd and Ken took part in the breeding plan. If you are looking for a young bull, here’s the place to start (and finish). For more information contact Bill Roberts at 12stonesgrasslandsbeef@gmail.com.
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Never forget…..
….the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. (Thanks Juliet Cleave)
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So you want to live forever….
….or at least longer? Our good friend Bill Roberts, of 12 Stones Grasslands Beef, is justifiably proud of his son, Will, who has already made a name for himself in the field of physical fitness. Will has survived more than one Iron Man competition, trained professional athletes, and owns a health spa. In a recent newsletter, Will interviews his “old man” about how to live longer. In a sense, the rules are less complicated than you might think. Spoiler alert: grass fed beef plays a big role but Will maintains he has switched the strength and endurance of professional athletes with that one change in their diet. Here’s the interview:…
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Losing the war on drugs….
….no, not those drugs. I mean the campaign to reduce the number and amount of antibiotics fed to animals. It’s a bigger market than the human market, so the odds aren’t good. The fact is, antibiotic resistance is a “killer”….about 23,000 Americans die every year because of diseases that have built a barrier to antibiotic cures. Again, Dr. Joseph Mercola with the story… http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/10/29/antibiotics-meat-production.aspx?e_cid=20141029Z1_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20141029Z1&et_cid=DM58819&et_rid=709962860
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Sugar is still the problem….
….just when I thought I had cut out sugar in all its variations, along comes Dr. Joseph Mercola with nutritionist J.J. Virgin to tell me I’ve barely begun! http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/11/02/high-sugar-impact-diet.aspx?e_cid=20141102Z1_SNL_art_1&utm_source=snl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20141102Z1&et_cid=DM59372&et_rid=713193555