Got Meat?

In light of our last post, I've had several customers ask me where to get clean, fresh, local meat.  The answer is always the same.

It ain't easy.

That said, I'd like to highlight a few small farms that are practicing various types of local farming.  This is by no means an exhaustive list, so if you live in the southeastern part of Michigan, by all means chime in with some recommendations.

For lamb meat of any kind, there are two local favorites.  First, there is the Chapman farm in the South Rockwood area.  They've been in business for year.  They've typically sold commercially but last year they told us they were trying to sell directly to the consumer (that's you!)  They said then that if you just rolled on up to the house they'd sell you what they had.  Call first though.  I haven't spoken to them since last year.

There is also Hannewald.  They frequent the Greenfield Village farmers market each fall.  They are wonderfully nice people and their meat is terrific.  I'm not sure what they have in terms of buying packages (shipping or pick up) but they are worth a call.

If it's beef you're after, some friends of ours bough from a ranch out west.  I had some of the meat myself and it was very tasty.  They do ship frozen meat and I think they are very reasonable with their shipping prices.  The name is Scott River Ranch and you can check them out here.

There is a family that is doing all of the above as well as pork, milk, cheese, honey, eggs, and poultry.  I highly recommend them for a one stop shop for all your needs.  They are the Turtle Bee and Honey Tree farm.  They don't ship.  You have to pick up your products at the farm.  They ask you to buy farm shares.  You give them an agreed upon sum of money and then simply place your order.  They keep record of what you put in and how much product you take.  I think it's a great program that I may be able to emulate one day.  Maybe...

When it comes to buying local fresh meat, eggs, and dairy I've got to say the pickin's are slim.  I have some folks I get eggs from but they have small flocks.  I encourage you to look around.  I'm trying to talk a friend of mine into doing more farm to consumer transactions.  I'm very encouraged in our conversations that we are of like mind.  I'm hoping he'll be someone I can recommend in the future.

As for us, we're still looking for a farm in the area.  Next year I hope to have chicken and turkey for you.  And who knows....maybe we'll get crazy and raise something else.  What about you?  Do you have anyone to recommend?  I'm sure we'd all love to hear about it.  Not local?  Who do you use in your area?  What's your experience?

The Hygienic Quandary (Or the scent of man)

I’ve been in a bit of a hygienic quandary of late.  This happens to me from time to time.  I seem to be restless of mind.  The result is a constant need to try to improve something in my life.  That’s largely why I don’t put together a list of New Year’s resolutions.  I’m resolving something all year long.  This latest quandary is in regards to sweating and the use of antiperspirant.  Some of you may ask why, exactly, would I blog on this subject.  The answer if very simple.

My wife told me to.

As I discussed this quandary with her she indicated that the followers at The Simple Life might also share the same or similar quandaries.  And so it is with that encouragement I write about an odorous topic (you may want to stop now…the humor will not get any better).

I am what is known in the police forensics field as a secreter.  This means I sweat heavily.  It has been the bane of my very existence since I was about 12 years old.  Try being in Junior High and sweating more than most grown men working in a foundry.  I’ve tried most of the deodorant/antiperspirant products in the store.  For me, it’s Mitchum Gel all the way.  It’s long lasting and does a great job.  I’ve used it my entire adult life.  Thus begins the quandary.

My wife and I have been working for years to rid our lives of chemicals and preservatives.  While I believe that the total elimination of these things from a normal American person’s life is impossible, we can pick our battles and we can minimize the use of these things in our lives.  It is down this vein my mind tends to wander during my morning routine.  The dark green of the Mitchum container glares at me like a beacon reminding me that it is full of chemicals purported to be harmful to me…and I use it every day.

Now, it’s not like I haven’t tried.  I’ve tried several natural products to control sweating and odor.  Some work better than others.  Most tend to leave me smelling like a wet dog at the end of the day.  Still, I’m committed to finding something that will work.  I’ve read in several forums that many men who have asked themselves the same questions settle upon Old Spice deodorant .  It seems that Old Spice has less chemicals than most.  I’m going to have to check that out.  There are also recipes that you can use to make your own.  You can find some of those recipes here, here , and here . 

You may ask (because you are an inquisitive sort today) why I would worry about this anyway?  I think it’s part of the simple life.  We take it for granted that what we find on the shelf at the store is the best product and it’s safe.  Yet history tells us that what a company pushes on us is probably what is best for the company.  There is also a certain allure to doing it yourself.  Who knew that you could make your own deodorant?  We assume that people of a bygone era simply accepted sweaty, smelly men.  While that may be true, many early writings are preoccupied with a man who at least cleans himself up once a week.  For me, it’s important.  I work in an office.  A man who works in an office is not expected to sweat.  It’s also considered in poor taste to stink within the close confines of a meeting room.  So, since I have no excuse to sweat or stink, I’ll have to figure out what works.  I’ll keep you posted on my experimental findings.  Or you could just drop by the office…they’ll be able to tell you exactly how it’s going. 

Depending on Food

I’m not one to really get into conspiracy theories.  I enjoy them as much as the next guy I suppose, but I’ve never been able to buy the story that something like three people control events of the entire world.  It’s certainly possible.  Yet as I look at history in an objective light, it looks to me like you have groups of people all trying to do what’s best for themselves.  This all converges to create the impression that world events are being tightly controlled. 

A classic example for those of us in America is our dependence on foreign food. 

This issue has been taking center stage of late as legal mandates require that produce distributors label their goods with the country of origin.  My family recently devoured a small crate of Clementine’s from Spain.  Those Spanish folks grow some tasty citrus.  Importing produce has been going on in America for centuries now.  It’s not new.  But in the past it was special.  It was a treat.  Chocolate from Spain, citrus from South America, Banana’s from Brazil, and Pistachio’s from the Middle East were special items purchased by those who could afford them for special occasions.  Today, in our global marketplace, these items are part of our every day diet.  They are expected in large quantities on our store shelves.  And when we go to someone else's home, we instinctively expect that those items will be present.

But it doesn’t end there.

No longer do we purchase specialty items from overseas producers, we now get our standard fair across our borders.  I submit, by way of example, the infamous corn.  While we produce tons of corn domestically every year, it has become law that grains producers set aside a percentage of that corn for ethanol.  Fuel refiners are offered incentives for mixing ethanol in their gasoline.  So the government subsidized corn production and then subsidizes the use of ethanol in gasoline.  Thus the American tax payer (that means you and me y’all) is paying for corn and gasoline over and above what we pay at the cash register.

 

Now, with all this corn being set aside for fuel, we have a hard time finding enough corn to make feed for our livestock (not to mention human consumption).  So, we supplement by purchasing corn in bulk from foreign countries.  One such country is Mexico.  While I am not against the Mexicans growing corn and supplying a demand, I have a hard time swallowing that I am now subsidizing corn, paying for corn, subsidizing fuel, paying for fuel, and paying import tax on corn brought in to feed myself.

Is it just me or does that seem like it’s asking a lot?

I know I’m simple minded.  Maybe that’s why I keep envisioning a Simple Life.  But why can we not just grow crops?  Let the farmers charge a reasonable price (including profit) and let the people buy them.  Let the government pay the same price.  I know…crazy talk.  But it’s a bit like a home budget.  If disaster strikes, I know where all the money is going and I can divert it to meet the immediate need.  If I’m dependent on others for my money, I may not know exactly what they can and will provide.

So you see that I don’t think that taking away food independence from the American people is a grand scheme of communism or something similar.  Rather it is people fighting for their own agenda rather than the good of all.  This can be seen in a very recent predicament we now find ourselves in. 

Still using Mexico as our example, we import a lot of produce from them.  Produce, in many cases that we could grow on our own soil.  But like us, they are working through unusual weather patterns.  A cold snap has been disastrous on their crops.  Thus, we pay the price with them.  Since we can’t divert our own corn to meet the crisis (since must be used for ethanol) we will start seeing food prices increase for our meat.  Why?  Because our feedlot system is based on corn.  We will now pay big money for corn.  And we will pay big money for meat.  If we could freely produce our own corn, we could meet this crisis head on and divert the corn from green fuel to meat. 

This is what it means to be food dependent.  We do not rely on ourselves to meet our needs, but rather we depended on other governments and economies to do our thinking for us.  Shame on us. 

So what can you and I do?  Grow our own food, even if it’s just tomatoes in a bucket on the back patio.  Support local farmers through farm markets and co-ops.  Think locally, buy locally, and support your local businesses.  This is the key to gaining back our food dependence. 

"If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as the souls who live under tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson (1778)

Mystery Meat

Seriously? 

Have you read the article about the tests recently done on Taco Bell's "Taco Meat Filling" (I previously referred to it as beef)?  They reveal that only 36% of the mixture is actually beef.  This is frightening...and disgusting.

But here is the worst part.

Legally, it must contain 40% beef to be called Taco Meat Filling.

So before we bash Taco Bell for their atrocities against mankind, let's remember that they are only about 4% off the mark.  The disturbing thing in this story is that, simply put, we only expect that our "beef" should contain 40% actual beef.  What is wrong with us that we accept that? 

I have talked to some who say that, hey, it has food products in it and therefore it's not a big deal. And it tastes good (okay...can't deny that).  So why do I care if it's only 36% beef? 

Learn to care, my friends.  Today's it's oats, soy, yeast, corn starch, and preservatives. What will it be tomorrow?  If we never ask, we'll never know.  And if we don't demand better for ourselves and for our children by voting with our food dollars, then we secure for our children a future where real food is the privilege of the few.

Soylent Green anyone?

Bringing Home the Bacon...or Whatever

What do you thinking of hunting?

A noble endeavor that hearkens back to our ancient ancestry?

Maybe the time of year you are a "widow" for days or weeks?

Just a way for folks to go into the woods and relive their childhood fancies once again...but with real guns this time!

No matter what you think of, hunting really is a time honored tradition most often handed down from parent to child generation after generation.  We tend to consider a man's sport, but that is not the case.  Globally, there is much to suggest that in many cultures, the women were the hunters and gatherers.  True, men do tend to gravitate to the sport, but it's not exclusive to them.

I happen think it is part of the simple life. 

Let's boil it down to its simplest form, the essence of hunting if you will.  You go out and bring home meat.  That's it.  You did nothing to raise it.  You did nothing to help the breeding process.  You go out to bring home something you did little work for.  And you eat.

Pretty simple.

Okay, I realize that's over simplified, but it does really capture the essence of hunting.

Anyway, I think you get the point.  In years gone by, it was a way of life.  Perhaps more literally, it was a matter of survival. It's true that if you had no other means to get food, hunting would become the most vital activity you would engage in.  Early on, many cultures learned to live off the land, plant their own crops, and store up meat and animal fat in reserve for a time when game might not be so plentiful.

And still, despite the stress and mess of killing your own game and preserving it, I'd still have to call it the simple life.  Notice the name of this blog is not The Easy Life.  It has been my observation over the years that simple and easy are not synonyms.  Hiking with a 30 pound pack on your back is simple....but not easy.  So killing your own game, dressing it, roasting it, and preserving it calls to us from a simpler time.

I confess, I am a poor hunter.  I typically hunt only on public lands...along with 50 million other people.  I have not gotten a clean shot off to take down a dear.  Some years I see nothing at all.  Yet I persist.  I persist because there is so much to be said for sitting down on an old stump on the edge of a tree line, listening for the crunching of leaves or snow and the familiar hollow sound of antlers brushing against the tree branches.  I feel the peace that washes over me as the sounds of the forest are all that I hear.  I long for the openness that a day in the woods affords me.  I long for the..well...simplicity of it all.  Some day I hope to take the game I have hunted for all these years.  But until then, I will continue to hunt the peace and simplicity I long to find in the quiet stillness of the woods.

What could be more simple?

For the Love of Potatoes

Potatoes.  I love them.

Fried, baked, smashed, boiled.

Buttered, smothered, salted.

We actually planted them this year.  What a great thing.  You put them in the ground.  They grow.  I eat.  Ahhh....

It doesn't get simpler.

Oh it's hard work as many of you know.  Growing your own food is not for the sloth.  But how rewarding to harvest the fruit of your labor and enjoy.  It's a gift from God really.  He created in six days and rested the seventh.  He sat back and enjoyed the fruit of His labor.  Is it any wonder that the very same activities are so pleasing to His children?

A friend and I dug up some of the harvest, digging our hands deep into the soil.  The smell climbs into your nostrils and begins to quicken the pace.  It reminds you that your are engaging in the oldest of man's activities.  You are taking dominion over the earth.  Your actions, your care and patience, make a difference.  You are doing what you are created to do.

So eat, drink, and enjoy the work God has given you.  And fry up some potatoes while you're at it.   

Entrusted with Arrows - A Movie Review

I recently had an opportunity to preview the film "Entrusted with Arrows".  My wife clued me in to their link on Facebook.  When I watched the trailer I knew this was a "must see" movie for me.  I wasn't disappointed.

The movie is a documentary that focuses on a few families that have something in common; the father of each family has "come home".

When I watch the movie, I get this tingle in the back my neck and it sort of flushes my face.  I think I feel that way because I know exactly why they did what they did.  In every case, they left a stable job with career potential to start a family business.  Some did it voluntarily...others did not.  But in any case, they all recognized that it was time to leave the workplace.

It was time to come home.

This wasn't so foreign a concept even 100 year ago.  In fact, it was the norm.  Families engaged in business together, whether it was operating the family farm, running the local mercantile or grain mill, or renting out rooms to weary passengers.  They had cottage business that arose; jams and jellies, candles, baked goods, and soaps.  They did what they had to do to survive.

And they did it together.

I realize that not every man from the previous centuries was home constantly, nor would I expect him to be. There are jobs that must be done away from home.   Yet the simple fact is that it's a man's God given responsibility to lead his family.  This cannot be done if he does not heavily invest in that family.  And how can he heavily invest in his family if the majority of his time is spent elsewhere?  The 20th Century, and the continued propagation of the Industrial Age, has embedded into the minds of men that we must leave home for at least 40 hours per week in order to "work".  Anything less is considered lazy.  But it's not so.  A man does not have to leave his homestead to be productive.  Having a job away from the home is no sin.  But have we given into the lie that says our corporation, our place of employment, is what defines our productivity?

Again I say it is not so.  With the advent of technology, it seems that we are learning.  Men are coming home, with home as their base of operations.  Whole families are able to work from home.  There are some who are heeding the call to transition from a decentralized family model to a centralized one.

I think that is what I was most impressed with as I watched Entrusted with Arrows.  This movie highlighted candid conversations about the transition and the fear involved.  Each man addresses the fact that he struggled, to one extent or other, with fear.  Yet each overcame that fear.  How joyous to the ears to hear that a man was indeed fearful, as all men will be, but trusted God.  In so doing a man becomes brave.  I need to hear that.  It's like a shot of courage in the arm.

I've heard of similar stories from men whose hearts have been turned toward home.  At times, the stories do not mention fear and I have been left to wonder if they did not struggle at all with this sort of transition.  This was not the case with Entrusted with Arrows.  The leading men were open about their fears and their conquests.

In all, I'd like to say thank you to the Movie Makers.  Like a fire on a winter's day, they brought cheer and inspiration to me, reminding me that with God, all things are possible.

For more information, check them out here.

The Turkey Trot

Friday evening found us in the basement again.  I have lived my whole life in this area and have never experienced the number of tornado warnings that we've had this year.  It's incredible.  I noted to my lovely wife, as we were huddled around the glow of a Dell laptop, that the worst of the storm was starting in Carleton...of course...that's where the chicken pens are located.

I've been asked on more than one occasion how the chickens and turkeys fair in the rain.  It's not really a problem for them.  But in our case, because of the types of pens we use, wind is a problem.  And thus it was proved out that night.

After the sirens ceased and we had the "all clear", we went back upstairs.  In just a few minutes I got the call from my friend who owns the farm.

The wind (approximately 35 mph) had blown the pens over.  All the birds were loose and running free.

*Sigh* ....so much for a relaxing evening at home.

The first order of business? GET THOSE BIRDS!

Amazingly, every bird was perfectly fine; slightly damp, but perfectly fine.  One of the pens took a severe beating.  We estimated that it blew about 75 feet.  We fixed it the next morning.

And a good (mosquito bitten, wet, muggy) time was had by all.  We rounded up 37 chickens, 10 turkeys, and 5 crazy children.  Or, as my wife put it, we did the Turkey Trot.

Anxious

I know a little something about nervous breakdowns.  It's been a common thread in my family for generations.  It seems to stem from anxiety disorders and depression.  As I talk to people, in an out of my family, I'm shocked at the numbers.  Its incredible how many people have been to the doctor and are on some sort of anti-depressant.  The story tends to go something like this:

•    Really struggling emotionally
•    Went to the Doctor
•    Got some medication
•    Still struggling, but not as much

I've been on the meds too.  I know how it goes.  My dosages had to be increased pretty dramatically because it didn't seem to help.  In fact, I thought it was getting worse. 

I read up a lot on the subject and had some very dear friends who encouraged me.  I started working toward healing...in my own way. 

Now, I need to say this.  If you're struggling and on meds, I am not saying to get off the meds.  That's something between you, God, and your doctor.  Also, because you're on meds, it's probably wise to make sure you include spouses, friends, and family is the decisions.  I also need to point out that I am not suggesting that every person on meds is wrong.  Not so.  Some people needs meds to control their blood pressure, some to control their emotions.  I hope I'm clear on that.

What I found was that there were some basic things that I needed to do in order control my emotions.  First one....stop drinking caffeine.  I quit caffeine for many years and now only drink it in moderation.  I couldn't believe the difference it made.  But I still needed more.

I stopped watching television.  In part because during this time I was too broke to buy one (that made that decision easy!).  But what a difference it made.  I find that now, if I start watching it for any length of time I tend to start getting anxious and afraid.  Sometimes just really down.

I stopped gaming.  I was never a hard-core gamer, but I stopped playing games as a rule.  I was waking up with nightmares at night; sweating, shaking, the whole bit.  I was aggressive.  When I stopped, I calmed down.  The nightmares got better....much better.

I started forcing myself into quiet time.  I turned my radio off when going to work.  Left the job during lunch and just sat at a park, read, or wrote.  I sometimes just sat in my car and was quiet.  I tried to let God speak to me….in His own quiet way.  I started asking God what He wanted from me.
One thing you won't typically find from me is a formula for success.  Things that work for you don't work for me.  I understand that.  But I believe there is a theme in all this; simplicity.

When you read about people in the past, you don't see nearly the evidence of anxiety and depression that you see today.  Now, so I don't get accused of waxing nostalgic and looking for a Golden Era, the statistics show higher incidents of anxiety and depression in the last decade than ever before, especially among the teenage crowd.  Yet what I hear time and time again from people is that they went to the doctor and got meds. 

That's just not enough. 

I think if people are helped to simplify their minds and their lives they find much peace.  Even among Christians it's amazing how many cannot find peace.  Yet wasn't it Jesus who offers us an easy yoke and a light burden?  Joy over-flowing? 

Too many times we look to a cure instead of to a change.  I sat down for lunch one day with a work associate.  We sat down and he took a pill.  He explained that his cholesterol was high and he was taking meds.  He didn't know why it was so high.  Then he ordered a Philly steak and cheese...extra cheese.

While I don't doubt that his high blood pressure was inherited, I have to believe he wasn't helping by ordering the Philly steak and cheese.  I's funny how almost all solutions today end with a pill, or a quick fix, and not with change.  It's like the recent meeting in Copenhagen.  Fossil fuel emissions are polluting the environment at an alarming rate causing many to speculate on Global Warming.  They talked about curbing emissions ($), nuclear energy ($), alternative energies ($), and installing technology to block the suns rays ($$$).  Yet I don't hear too many people at that level talking about driving less, walking more, or riding our bikes.  That's out of the question.  They need to use money to drive solutions that don't require a change to our day to day lives.  We like it that way.

But what if we did look for change?

What if we changed our own lives?  What if we did try to simplify and go back to an older way of living?  How would that impact our health?

No, I don't advocate throwing the baby out with the bathwater and getting rid of all advancement.  But would it be so wrong to look at what I'm doing today and asking how I could simplify?  You will likely find that the things that affect you the most are not the same as mine.  That’s okay.  The question is about what will work for you.

What will you change?

Responsibility

I'm getting excited about raising chickens again this coming year.  We raised 100 last year and butchered them all by hand (yes, including the feathers).  What an unbelievable experience that was!  It spawned a lot of good conversations with friends and family.  I think most people, at least at the outset, were very unsure of what I was talking about.  Though my wife and family were totally on board with this, we talked about it for an entire year before we actually did anything.  Now, to us that entire time was spent learning.  We visited family farms and assisted them in their poultry endeavors.  I devoured blogs, books, magazines, and websites related to poultry just to understand what I would encounter.  When it was time for chicks to arrive, we were ready.

Or so we thought.

Despite our best efforts there was still a learning curve.  You can read more about it in three articles here.  I think, though, that the learning itself was most of the fun.  Certainly the chicks were cute and all and we had great fun in watching them grow, but the greatest benefits is that we now have a knowledge of what to do.  Certainly we are by no means experts.  There is so much more to learn and experience.  Yet there is a knowledge and I can do something for myself.  My children now know exactly where our chickens come from and the joys and pains associated with it.  It is in this feeling that I think life becomes more simple.

Imagine this all too realistic scenarios:  it's the dead of winter and there are three inches of snow on the ground.  The local weather person has just announced that another 10 inches are coming our way.  People begin the mad rush to the local store.  What are they searching for?  Additional food, bottled water, generators (to produce heat mostly), and various and sundry necessities.  They stand in line for hours waiting for these things in hopes of getting the goods before someone else does.  The stress and emotions of it all become overwhelming and verbal attacks begin.  Sometimes it even comes to fisticuffs (when was the last time you read that word in a blog?).  The sum total of it all is a wearying, disappointing mess.

Yet there are those who avoid it all.  They are able to remain un-phased because they know how to handle things themselves.  They might have a stocked pantry or proper equipment.  They may have canned their foods as opposed to freezing them.  Perhaps they have a water filtration system that works without electricity.  The possibilities are endless.  Compared to the scenario at the store, it sounds pretty simple.

The fact of the matter is that we have lost the art of doing for ourselves.  Now, let me be clear; I do not advocate the life of a "lone wolf" who needs nuthin' and no one.  I think this is contrary to the way we were designed.  We were designed to need God and to need each other.  Nor am I a survivalist.  As I sit here in my argyle sweater sipping a cup of Bigby coffee (take that Starbucks lovers!) I would not be looked upon by the great woodsman of yesteryear as  the pinnacle of rugged manliness. 

What I'm advocating is a chance to go out and learn to do for yourself and your family.   We've come a long way from what our Founders intended.  They had no idea that we would be demanding government involvement in pay structures of CEO's and national health care options.  They assumed you and I would help our neighbor's out in times of disaster, not verbally assault the government for not moving fast enough.  We are responsible for ourselves both individually and corporately.  When will we start acting like it?  I think that when we start to take on that responsibility we will understand simplicity in a whole separate level.  When we finally learn to live in the community that Christ called us to, we will take on the simplicity of life that He intended.

Purpose

I know; with all the blogs out in the blog-o-sphere why create yet another one? I suppose there are many reasons for me to create a blog. I'm not interested in keeping you up to date on the latest events in my relatively ordinary life. I'm not terribly good at being clever. Instead, I want to encourage you in a way of life that appeals to me, namely, the simple life.

You, my dear reader, are likely incredulous at this point. "Is there such a thing as a simple life? Is that impossible in this era of time?" Well, the truth is that my friends and family have, by now, calmed down from their laughing fit. No, I'm not sure I'd call my life simple; but that's the point. I'd like to. It's a goal I have.

So what does it mean to live a simple life? Well, to be clear, I'm not talking about a lack of activity or a lack of technology. In my mind it has something to do with relationships. As we've "evolved" or "progressed" in our thinking, we invented new ways to ensure that we don't have to interact with anyone. You don't have to look any further than the grocery store. As I place my items on the belt, I have a screen that explains to me what my bill is, minus the coupons. I scan my credit card and sign the pad in front of me. The teller hands me the receipt and says "Have a nice day." Done! At no point in this transaction have I made eye contact with her (whew). She's given me her script, but we've not actually communicated.

I am seeking something different, something more visceral. I'm seeking humanity. Does it still exist? Let's find out...