Here's what a half of a grass fed beef looks like:
4 large, heavy boxes
Many, many packages of hamburger.
See, my freezer really is full!
I have the final few packages of last year's beef on top. And amazingly enough, I found T-bone and rib eye steaks in the bottom of the freezer... and I thought we were out. Amazing what gets lost down there. What we have left from last year- the steaks- 4 packages of short ribs (we were going to smoke them last fall but never got around to it- now we have some more- Hmmm- maybe we'll have to have a smokin' party!) one pack of soup bones, three roasts and one lonely package of hamburger. Not too bad. At the rate we eat beef we should be able to have enough to last us until the fall of 2011.
While we were at the processors, we also picked up some of their brats to have for dinner- YUM!!! We'll definitely be going back for more of those. Or, maybe we need to find a farmer who raises pigs (NOT confinement- I know some of those already). But then, we'd need to get a second freezer. Which isn't out of the question. I've thought of having separate freezers for meat and veggies. Maybe I'll have to check out Craig's list. It would be nice to find a farmer and have them take the animal to this place. It's Bud's Custom Meats in Riverside, IA. I highly recommend them. They do great work. And they have lots of interesting things in their freezers- elk, lamb, bison, goat, rabbit, frogs legs- you name it.
Tomorrow, it's shoe shopping with boys and then we shred! Thanks Erin for the pointers about wood chips. I've only ever bought them and never thought about letting them "age" before I use them. Maybe we'll construct a bin from the old fence timbers to hold wood chips. I hope to build a three bin compost area but I'm sure we could find room for a wood chip bin as well.
I was a little irked that the rain that moved through the area last night missed us. It has been dry here and I'd like a little water on the garden. I'll have to haul water to my little trees tomorrow morning and probably water my little plants in the garden as well.
There's nothing like a 'full freezer'. Now where are you going to put all those frozen green beans and strawberries??
ReplyDeleteWow! lots n lots of Beef! If someone says "Where's the Beef!" I can tell them it all at your house! I would think branches would shred easier green not dried, but what the heck do I know. Have a good weekend....debbie
ReplyDeleteWOW!! I had no idea that it was so much! I'm impressed that you are so organised so as to have a plan for all of it, know how long it will last, place to keep it, etc. And here I am, intimidated by my freezers of veg. Good luck on the shoe shopping today.
ReplyDeleteMore bins, LOL! We can never have enough, can we?! It looks like you have the same size freezer as me... HOW DID YOU DO IT????!!!! I only get 1/8 to 1/4 share from our local farm and it takes some serious engineering to get it all in and then be able to get it out when I need it! You go, girl!
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