Tastefully Simple

[severine]

That was a reaction to the "just add water" thing. It's knee jerk. I haven't found much use for anything that's strictly "just add water" to the possible exclusion of jello and single malt.

Brian hasn't actually prepared any of it so it isn't quite "just add water." But that's beside the point.

I can understand; different background. I grew up with a Dad who made the donuts at Dunkin' as a part-time job for extra money while selling/delivering Entenmenn's (which he still does). He does have 2 sisters who are/were chefs, 1 who catered, and my mom's sister used to bake wedding cakes. We're surrounded by food, in many different ways. They like to mesh old and new, fresh with a little convenience; not totally replace one with the other (which I would never suggest either way).

I'll end it here.

 

[bvibert]

Brian hasn't actually prepared any of it so it isn't quite "just add water." But that's beside the point.

 

[Trekchick]

Oooh, I misunderstood.

Yech, go ahead and don't invite me to any of those parties then.

I may still have your address. I may send you something to sample. You'll be hooked!

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I wish I got invited to one of these parties..I usually only get invited to Tupperware parties, Purse parties, and the occasional sextoy party..lol

 

[deadheadskier]

Pmegranate Chipotle sauce?

I'm seriously considering buying and keeping some chickens and beef cows. Once you go fresh it's hard to go back.

I'd be down with this, but there's not much room to roam in my condo :lol:

I'd probably consider raising pigs before cows; easier to manage and also easier to raise a high quality hog than a high quality cow. Most of the local beef I see around New England isn't all that great. Problem is the weather is too harsh for grass raising, which stresses the muscles. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it's hard to do well and definitely requires some grain finishing to get the beef to a good quality. I'm convinced the best beef in the country comes from Northern California and Eastern Oregon because the weather is perfect for Angus cattle, which to me produces the best beef. If really want to do it though and are looking for a cheep cow to buy, buy male Holsteins off a dairy farm, but prepared to grain feed them their whole life. That's what Brandt Beef has done, which is pretty cool because often time male Holsteins are euthenized at birth.

I hear you also on the fresh. That would definitely be a concession you'd have to make if raising your own unless you have a HUGE family. Hard not to put stuff in the freezer when you're talking hundreds of pounds of product. I buy fresh in bulk size full pieces, portion and then freeze, which seems to work fine for us. You can get higher initial quality product that way and save a ton of money.

I actually have a friend in VT who raises 80% of the food that he consumes. He's always got at least a dozen chickens, 3 hogs and a couple of goats (wouldn't that be a dream come true for you marc) that he uses to make cheese with. Also has a substantial vegetable growing plot during summer.

 

[Marc]

I'd be down with this, but there's not much room to roam in my condo :lol:

I'd probably consider raising pigs before cows; easier to manage and also easier to raise a high quality hog than a high quality cow. Most of the local beef I see around New England isn't all that great. Problem is the weather is too harsh for grass raising, which stresses the muscles. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it's hard to do well and definitely requires some grain finishing to get the beef to a good quality. I'm convinced the best beef in the country comes from Northern California and Eastern Oregon because the weather is perfect for Angus cattle, which to me produces the best beef. If really want to do it though and are looking for a cheep cow to buy, buy male Holsteins off a dairy farm, but prepared to grain feed them their whole life. That's what Brandt Beef has done, which is pretty cool because often time male Holsteins are euthenized at birth.

I hear you also on the fresh. That would definitely be a concession you'd have to make if raising your own unless you have a HUGE family. Hard not to put stuff in the freezer when you're talking hundreds of pounds of product. I buy fresh in bulk size full pieces, portion and then freeze, which seems to work fine for us. You can get higher initial quality product that way and save a ton of money.

I actually have a friend in VT who raises 80% of the food that he consumes. He's always got at least a dozen chickens, 3 hogs and a couple of goats (wouldn't that be a dream come true for you marc) that he uses to make cheese with. Also has a substantial vegetable growing plot during summer.

I want beef animals for two reasons... the meat and the grazing. The pastures around the farm are out of control. Easier to turn lose nine or ten beef animals for the summer than to bush hog it three times. Sell a few now and then, have one butchered now and then. I'm not a meat snob, and by "fresh" I certainly don't mean to imply I dont' like freezing my own. On the contrary... I'd rather eat my own frozen vegetables/meat than supermarket "fresh."

Def. have to supplement hay with grain in the winter and preferably corn sileage (there's enough of that around).

Two reasons I wouldn't buy male holstein's- one, they don't make good beef (the good cuts come in VERY low quantity... most of it would have to be ground or slooooow cooked) and two, male hosteins, even castrated (steers), can be very ornery sonsabitches. I'd rather not deal with a herd of them.

Herefords do well with this climate and diet. Probably look at them first.

Also, most dairy farmers around here don't euthanize their bull calves, they send em out for veal.

 

[deadheadskier]

Ever tried Brandt? Their primary cuts are some of the most revered among high end steakhouses in the country and are holstein. GREAT quality, but crappy life for the cow as they spend their whole life at the feed lot on sileage aand never get to roam.

 

[Marc]

Ever tried Brandt? Their primary cuts are some of the most revered among high end steakhouses in the country and are holstein. GREAT quality, but crappy life for the cow as they spend their whole life at the feed lot on sileage aand never get to roam.

No, but it's not practical for me to raise beef in a box stall eating only grain its whole life. And if you don't do that, apparently, your results may vary. I want something to keep my pastures down.

 

[Swamp Dog]

(to complete the thread hijack....)

we've been talking/joking about getting chickens for a while now. Then we met the lady across the street, who we've nicknamed "crazy chicken lady" because the first time she came over she tried to give me a chicken that "needed to be killed". Huh? I'm still not sure why this thing has to die. But anyhow.

She brought us vegetables all summer and we brought her some baked goods last week. Then she gave me a dozen fresh eggs. These are the BEST FREAKIN' eggs I have ever had! And I'm not a big fan of eggs, but these are amazing.

So now I want a LOT of chickens.

 

[ctenidae]

No, but it's not practical for me to raise beef in a box stall eating only grain its whole life. And if you don't do that, apparently, your results may vary. I want something to keep my pastures down.

I have two words for you:

Goats.

And now a few more: Talk about random thread diversions- from packaged ingredients to free range cattle techniques in 3 pages. Not bad.

 

[Marc]

I have two words for you:

Goats.

And now a few more: Talk about random thread diversions- from packaged ingredients to free range cattle techniques in 3 pages. Not bad.

I'm thinking of putting together an AZ hijack strike team.

The only problem with goats (aside from my past torrid affairs) is that they will eat through multiflora. Right now, the multiflora is everywhere, but it would save me from having re fence all the pastures. Most cows won't touch the stuff.

Plus I'd rather eat beef than goat meat. Ok... I can see where this is going and I don't like it.

 

[severine]

I'm thinking of putting together an AZ hijack strike team.

The only problem with goats (aside from my past torrid affairs) is that they will eat through multiflora. Right now, the multiflora is everywhere, but it would save me from having re fence all the pastures. Most cows won't touch the stuff.

Plus I'd rather eat beef than goat meat. Ok... I can see where this is going and I don't like it.

Goat milk, goat cheese, goat milk soap... Other uses.

There's a grass-fed beef operation in Litchfield. If you're really interested, you should contact them to see how they're dealing with the difficulties of grass-fed cattle raising.

Grass-fed dairy is good, too. You could start a Raw Dairy farm. Have to raise Jerseys, Guernseys, Red Devons, or Brown Swiss though - the modern Holstein line is over-bred and often injected with all kinds of growth hormones. There is a demand for it in this state...

 

[deadheadskier]

No, but it's not practical for me to raise beef in a box stall eating only grain its whole life. And if you don't do that, apparently, your results may vary. I want something to keep my pastures down.

sounds like the hereford

....though i thought i read somewhere your love of sheep?? :lol:


I'd actually love to raise some sheep and try making prosciutto out of the leg

 

[deadheadskier]

I'm thinking of putting together an AZ hijack strike team.

The only problem with goats (aside from my past torrid affairs) is that they will eat through multiflora. Right now, the multiflora is everywhere, but it would save me from having re fence all the pastures. Most cows won't touch the stuff.

Plus I'd rather eat beef than goat meat. Ok... I can see where this is going and I don't like it.

Actually, Bill Niman is banking on Goat being the next great center plate meat in this country

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/15/dining/15goat.html

 

[Marc]

Goat milk, goat cheese, goat milk soap... Other uses.

There's a grass-fed beef operation in Litchfield. If you're really interested, you should contact them to see how they're dealing with the difficulties of grass-fed cattle raising.

Grass-fed dairy is good, too. You could start a Raw Dairy farm. Have to raise Jerseys, Guernseys, Red Devons, or Brown Swiss though - the modern Holstein line is over-bred and often injected with all kinds of growth hormones. There is a demand for it in this state...

I'm not cut out to be a dairy farmer. That's a hard, long, thankless career. Plus I spent a lot of time and money learning to become an engineer.

 

[Beetlenut]

(to complete the thread hijack....)

we've been talking/joking about getting chickens for a while now. Then we met the lady across the street, who we've nicknamed "crazy chicken lady" because the first time she came over she tried to give me a chicken that "needed to be killed". Huh? I'm still not sure why this thing has to die. But anyhow.

She brought us vegetables all summer and we brought her some baked goods last week. Then she gave me a dozen fresh eggs. These are the BEST FREAKIN' eggs I have ever had! And I'm not a big fan of eggs, but these are amazing.

So now I want a LOT of chickens.

To continue your hijack... We were also thinking about getting and raising chickens for the eggs and to keep the ticks down around our property, but the more we looked into what was involved, the more we weren't in to the cost and responsibility of maintaining them. Then we found a place a mile down the road that sold fresh eggs. Problem solved. These people started out like we wanted to, with 4 or 5 chickens. Now they're up to 255!! Chickens only lay for about two years, and then they're not cost effective any more. That's probably why the crazy chicken lady wanted you to off her chicken, it wasn't producing enough eggs to offset the cost of feed it was consuming. Your right though, fresh eggs are so much better and tasty than store bought, specially hard boiled!

 

[Marc]

That's too bad, there's no worse manure smell than chicken.

 

[Beetlenut]

I'm seriously considering buying and keeping some chickens and beef cows. Once you go fresh it's hard to go back.

Talk about low hanging fruit!

 

[Trekchick]

I love this diversion!

Did I tell you I bought a Market Steer at the fair a couple months ago. Yum!

 

[deadheadskier]

I love this diversion!

Did I tell you I bought a Market Steer at the fair a couple months ago. Yum!

Whole animal?

If you don't mind me asking, how much per pound?

Did you break it down yourself or bring it to a butcher?