Pork Chops Come From Where?

I stumbled across this video the other day and thought it would be a perfect fit for The Beginning Farmer Blog since pigs are such a big part of my farm. It appears that the video is from The Better Bacon Book: Make, Cook, and Eat Your Way to Cured Pork Greatness which is a book/set of videos available only on the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch. It actually looks like a pretty cool "app" with videos on how-to cure your own bacon, build a smoker out of a trash can, and even some history of bacon. Plus, it is only $2.99 so maybe I'll have a review shortly ...

So, incase you have ever wondered where the baby back ribs came from as opposed to the spare ribs then I suggest watching the video. Oh yeah ... and this guy seems pretty good at what he does! Have any of you ever cut up your own hog or cured your own pork? I'd love to hear your thoughts and tips ...

Crazy Ideas :: The Perfect Processor/Butcher

I know that Joel Salatin bought one ... I know that Walter Jeffries is building one ... and I know that I would love to have my hands in one somehow. I mean don't you ever just get those crazy little ideas in the back of your head? You know ... ideas like making a career change or I don't know ... starting a farm! Well, I get crazy ideas in my mind all the time if you haven't noticed already! My latest crazy idea involves having my hand in the meat I produce from the very beginning until the very end.

Now I'm not trying to disparage my current processor or any other processor for that matter, but there is something appealing to me about having as much control over my final product as I can. I would say that on my ideal farm I would have as much control as possible raising the animals from beginning to end, producing all of my feed and forage, processing and curing the meats, and of course marketing the bounty of the farm!

It's not that I'm trying to create my own little bubble world, but rather that I would love to be able to have the control and ability to try as many different things as possible (different cuts, seasonings, cures, etc.). There are just certain things that a locker that is trying to cater to as many different types of customers as possible can't do. But, boy would it be cool!

So, what do you think? Are you in favor of small scale meat processors or cooperatively owned small scale meat processors? Do you think the are feasible (maybe Mr. Jeffries can chime in on this one)?

Where is the Bottleneck?

Whether you call it a slaughterhouse, abattoir, or processing facility the truth is that it seems it is getting more and more difficult to find one close by that meets the standards of the farmer and the customer. In thirty mile radius we have four or five facilities, but only two are state inspected (meaning they can process meat to sell by the cut within state lines) and none are federally inspected (these facilities can process meat to sell nationwide). If you would like to process chickens for sale then you have to go even further. We've had a few problems so far, but we have also had some processing facilities that were willing to work with us.

But, it seems that I don't have it as bad as some people do in other parts of the country. I came across this article from The New York Times titled, "Push to Eat Local Food is Hampered by Shortage". In the article the expose some of the difficulties farmers and consumers alike are facing to get the food that they want. It seems that the ability for local meats production is there on the farmers end and the demand is there on the consumers end, but the problem is getting the products processed and into the hands of the consumers.

This quote from the article sums up the problem the best I think, "According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the number of slaughterhouses nationwide declined from 1,211 in 1992 to 809 in 2008, while the number of small farmers has increased by 108,000 in the past five years." I don't know if that is counting all types of facilities (exempt, state, and federal), but regardless it shows just how few processors there are out there right now for small-scale farmers.

I think there are many reasons that we are losing these facilities, but a couple that stuck out in the article for me were the lack of skilled employees and the regulations. Agricultural Secretary Vilsack was quoted in the article saying, "It’s pretty clear there needs to be attention paid to this..." I hope that attention is paid soon (I kind of doubt it will be) and that actual help will be given to those that currently run processing facilities and those that want to open them (help includes things like making the regulations bearable).