Back online, gearing up for warfare!

[RogueFarmer]

I have been in stasis for the past year and a third. Slam jammed by calamity after calamity.

Now I have a plan lined up and just in case, a backup plan.

I am moving into the proverbial wilderness, in one of the least populated areas of the lower peninsula of Michigan.

6 cows, 16 goats are going with me, hoping to get into some icelandic sheep after I settle.

Will have a 3 bedroom apartment and 100 acres to romp on.

I am going with the animals and my lonesome, I remember quite a few people here were interested in my projects, so if anyone is interested in helping out or whatev hit me up.

Northern Michigan.

From what I understand there is no danger of fracking happening anywhere near by.

[Projectile Vomit]

Sounds like another dedicated RPDer gearing up to "go down in a blaze of glory". Best of luck to you.

[RogueFarmer]

Sounds like another dedicated RPDer gearing up to "go down in a blaze of glory". Best of luck to you.

blaze of glory? more like delusions of grandeur!

[LePatron7]

Sounds like another dedicated RPDer gearing up to "go down in a blaze of glory". Best of luck to you.

I hope this doesn't come off as a rude. But I just want you to elaborate on that statement. What do you mean by blaze of glory, and another? Who's gone down in a blaze of glory?

[jessica]

sounds excellent rogue farmer.  are you just going to let your goats forage?  what about the cows?  is there enough wild forage?  i have some friends starting a farm in Michigan this summer.  As far as I know Ill be out of a house at the end of June, maybe ill have to come find ya !

[RogueFarmer]

I have been raising my animals probably at least 75% forage for the past 4 years. There is of course a time of the year where the grass doesn't grow so hay needs to be fed and I haven't ever gotten that together on a large scale for myself yet, so I buy it, probably will again this year.

I have been raising my goats 100% grass fed for 2 years and my cows for 1 year, been raising goats for almost 5 years and the cows over 2.

The place was all woods years ago, then 5 acres got cleared I think about ten years ago, another 20 4 years ago, and another 25 or so last fall.
Kind of a neat exercise in forest to pasture transition.

[Projectile Vomit]

I hope this doesn't come off as a rude. But I just want you to elaborate on that statement. What do you mean by blaze of glory, and another? Who's gone down in a blaze of glory?

It was an allusion to comments made by Derek Nance (screen name: Sabertooth) who had visions of doing similar but when neighbors complained he ended up in a fiasco that led to divorce from his wife and seemed like it might lead to losing custody of his children. A few times during long rants he said he was ready "to go down in a blaze of glory", and supposedly take his wife and kids with him (these statements were made before the divorce).

The post's title reminded me of Derek's predicament because of the "gearing up for warfare" part.

[goodsamaritan]

Do you have a spare room?  Advertise bed and breakfast accommodations for paleo dieters!

[LePatron7]

It was an allusion to comments made by Derek Nance (screen name: Sabertooth) who had visions of doing similar but when neighbors complained he ended up in a fiasco that led to divorce from his wife and seemed like it might lead to losing custody of his children. A few times during long rants he said he was ready "to go down in a blaze of glory", and supposedly take his wife and kids with him (these statements were made before the divorce).

The post's title reminded me of Derek's predicament because of the "gearing up for warfare" part.

Thanks for elaborating.

[svrn]

Ill try to stop by some time. Is meat and milk available there for visitors?

[RogueFarmer]

It depends on what product you want and how long you are willing to wait.
If I could get some pregnant ewes or ewes with lambs this spring, the lambs would be harvestable in the fall and winter. There will be goat meat. On grass to finish (marble) a steer on grass it takes 24-30 months. I could have all manner of poultry ready for summer and fall but I am just getting started so not sure where I am going to focus. I need a ready market for whatever I grow if I am to be successful. When you factor the cost of feeding even a small herd of cattle, the return must justify expense to make a profit.

My general thought is I like my meat more mature, more flavor. However for those who are not meat connoisseurs, or those who prefer rose veal or baby beef I will be raising dairy bull calves that could be harvested 4-12 months old. They would be fine for hamburger at a year. Good quality finished stakes takes 24-30 months, Big investment. Plus you have to feed mama and 3 calves if you are raising and finishing your own calfs. Long term turn around. I would love to get bigger into mama cows, but from where I stand they would basically have to be pre-sold for me to foot the bill. Dairy cows are much more handy for me because they have a much quicker return on investment and a paycheck throughout the bulk of the year.

Goats and sheep or dairy stocker bull calfs are a much better investment for myself to make at this point than mama cows because they pay for themselves the year you buy them. With Mama cows you have to wait 3 or 4 years to return on the investment and you need a buyer who will pay enough for the meat to pay to feed mama cow!

If there was a market for it, I would love to raise grass fed elk, red deer or fallow deer in the future.

I hope to do Muscovy ducks and guinea hens or turkeys as well and probably pigs too. Quail, rabbits, whatever.

There will be places to stay, I am hoping to perhaps have cross country skiing or horseback riding available there, as there is a nice trail. I am interested in doing an ice fishing business in winter.

Meat is big money these days you know?

the average cattle owner is 70 years old. Most of the old cattle fences are rotten and won't hold cattle anymore. There are less cows in the country today than any time since the 60's and cattle prices all last year were more than they ever were!

[Adora]

That sounds great!!! I'm in, but I'm mostly useless for the next 2 years  . Then, I'll have free time for about 2-3 week intervals, every 2-3 months. Until then, I could manage a road trip you are 10-15 hrs from Syr. I couldn't do more than visit and turn around. Would you happen to be surrounded by rolling hills and woodlands? What is the nearest town?

[William]

I've eaten the meat of bull calves, and didn't like it. Maybe because they were not steers?

[Löwenherz]

the average cattle owner is 70 years old. Most of the old cattle fences are rotten and won't hold cattle anymore.

Good times for newcomers?

Löwenherz

[Löwenherz]

I've eaten the meat of bull calves, and didn't like it. Maybe because they were not steers?

Grassfed "Baby beef" is a hype in Switzerland. It always tastes like shit, imo. Even more drastical are the taste differences between very young wild boars (0 - 1 year old) and 2-3 year old wild boars.

As Rogue mentioned, it's just all about ROI in the farming business.

It makes sense to me that nature makes old animals much more flavourful.

Löwenherz

[RogueFarmer]

My 8 month old bull last year was freakin delicious. Though I hung it for 2 weeks and it was definitely much better after being hung. Albeit it didn't exactly taste like ordinary beef, more of a cross between beef and pork.

I'm sorry I can't figure out what you meant by ROI. Oh never mind, return on investment.

Yes, it is a good time to get in, though prices on cows is steep right now, it is probably soon to get even steeper. Cattle prices were the highest ever last summer and they will probably only go up for at least another 2 years.

Saw somewhere claim that the American herd is the lowest it's been in 60 years.


I dunno I think the flavor problems with the baby beef are probably a combo of the whole butchering process being semi inferior and the "watered down effect".

Like with milk of goats and cows, some make really creamy milk and some make watery milk. While everyone prefers creamier, the watery milk isn't bad per say, but if you switch from creamy milk to watery milk it will taste bad until you get used to it. I usually drink my cows milk and most goat's milk practically tastes like water in comparison, though some of my goats make even more creamy milk than the cows do.

Don't eat baby beef expecting prime beef, expect baby beef. I would definitely prefer regular beef, but I wouldn't pass up baby beef at all and I don't think it tastes bad by any means.

Though I could be wrong, perhaps the baby beef you guys had did suck. Mine was a Jersey and Jerseys are known for their excellent flavor. Jerseys also mature much quicker than the average breed.

That sounds great!!! I'm in, but I'm mostly useless for the next 2 years  . Then, I'll have free time for about 2-3 week intervals, every 2-3 months. Until then, I could manage a road trip you are 10-15 hrs from Syr. I couldn't do more than visit and turn around. Would you happen to be surrounded by rolling hills and woodlands? What is the nearest town?

It is sort of jagged flat. Not more than ten or fifteen feet changes in elevation. It's near to Alpena. The surrounding area is probably a good deal more than half wooded.