Episodes 59 + 60: Homestead Grab Bag (Tractors, Geese, Pastrami & …)

In this episode, Brandon and Lauren share the big “new things” in their lives:  a new baby, new geese, and a new tractor!  Learn how Brandon is putting his tractor to use in ways he never anticipated and how having a competent and efficient tool affects one’s psychology.  Brandon discusses methods of fattening poultry, including the art of gavage; and Lauren shares the numerous benefits of a Farmstead Meatsmith membership.

Introduction and Announcements:

  • CHRISTMAS IS COMING!
    • Family Pig Classes — Fun and educational — a great gift!  Registration now open for our spring 2021 classes!
    • Membership — a gift that gives all year long!
      • New videos available on: the home birder; the home eggery; emulsified sausage; the philosophy and mechanics of killing and eating goat kids; pithing ducks; lamb tartar; and comparing curing environments.
      • Forum topics now categorized for easy browsing!
      • 60-day free trial available!  Promo code: “60daytrial”
  • To Harvest a Pig Nicely is available FREE of charge on our YouTube channel!
  • FREE – Murray Carter’s Blade Sharpening Fundamentals film now available free of charge on YouTube!
  • Gain membership to our exclusive Facebook Meatsmith Table group and help us produce more episodes by supporting us on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/meatsmith.

Part 1 Show Notes:

  • We bought a tractor!, 2:03
    • Putting it to work in more ways than we anticipated, 7:47
      • composting (8:04), stacking wood (11:56), making wood chips and debedding (16:15)
    • How a competent and efficient tool affects your psychology, 12:35
    • Tractor purchase and maintenance considerations — and how it’s different than buying a car, 17:25
  • Fat content in poultry and the art of gavage, 24:24
  • Farmstead Meatsmith Membership – it offers so much!, 37:35

Part 2 Show Notes

  • Geese project, 1:09
    • nutrition considerations, 1:13
    • paddocks/sacrifice areas/polynetting/fences, 2:43
    • harvesting, eviscerating and roasting a goose, 7:20
    • added personality on our homestead, 14:37
    • difference in breeds, 20:25
  • Pastrami, 26:39
    • Corning beef, 33:52
    • Liber Cure Cocorum (15th century English cookbook), 39:49
  • Free Farmstead Meatsmith content on YouTube, 47:12
    • The Artful Harvesting of Poultry, 48:50
  • Farmstead Meatsmith newsletter, 49:12
  • Productive toil: using our energy effectively, 49.42
  • Harvest Season: the best time to be on Facebook membership page, 57:10

Links for Episode 59:

Links for Episode 60: