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New Year’s resolutions….
….have never been our thing. There was a time in my life that I did “get into” cognitive psychology and found the affirmation and visualization process very rewarding. It’s something I use to this day. But here are some New Year’s resolutions that are useful and easy to keep….particularly #3 and #4! http://www.marksdailyapple.com/21-simple-things-to-do-to-prepare-for-a-successful-2013/#axzz2GGTsTHG6?utm_source=Jan+6+Newsletter+-+New+Template&utm_campaign=121223&utm_medium=email If you live in the Fauquier county area, I’m generally pretty happy with the fresh seafood at Wegman’s but our favorite purveyors of things like fresh salmon, halibut and Rockfish are “The Merry Moo” in Sperryville and “The Town Duck” in Warrenton. Both suggest ordering in advance and I’d suggest getting on their email distribution. I’m reminded…
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“Reality” settling in…
We promised a picture of Thistle Hill Reality without the dramatic sunset lighting….and here it is. Like most young bulls, he finds the heifers on the other side of the fence more attractive. So he did go wandering last night…into our neighbor’s herd of commercial Angus. But Thistle Hill bulls are always gentlemen. First, Reality didn’t tear down fence, or jump. He just found a gate that had been left open in a back corner and went through. This morning, our neighbor, Kathy Hartz, simply walked him back through a lot of pasture and to an adjacent corner. We opened the gate and he ambled back through. Despite a stranger…
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You can go home again (2)….
A Thistle Hill bull returns home at sunset. Some years ago we sold he and his mother to nearby Reality Farm, owned by Teri and John Geuvremont. We told John, the little guy would probably turn out to be the herd bull for his Angus cows. Recently his mother was returned here for breeding and she reminded us of our agonizing over the decision to sell her. (See “You Can Go Home Again” below.) Well that made us curious about the bull calf. To make a long story short, he’s all growed up and John and Teri agreed to loan him to us to use over a major portion of…
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We’re doomed….
…when people like this are not only permitted to vote but write newspaper columns. This San Francisco (where else) newspaper man has some advice for hunters. If the print is too small on your screen, I quote: “To all you hunters who kill animals for food, shame on you; you ought to go to the store and buy the meat that was made there, where no animals were harmed.”
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Diet advice that makes sense…
A number of bloggers in recent months have discovered Gary Taubes, a science writer, who has analyzed the popular advice on dieting and concluded it just doesn’t make sense. Taubes first book was really an investigative tour de force, debunking the basic “calories in-calories out” approach. He even questioned the benefits of exercise. He has a more popular version of his research out now and, if you’ve never had much luck losing weight and keeping it off, you may want to check it out. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0307474259/?tag=powlin-20 Confession: having enjoyed my own cooking too much in recent years, I decided it was time to reverse course. Since the day after Thanksgiving, I’ve…
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Real food costs too much….
…though that’s not how it’s usually put. But it does drive those of us raising natural food nuts. The country is going broke paying for Medicare, Obamacare and all the other cars. Our kids have to be drugged to sit still. And the rest of us are on chemo or statins or whatever. The cost is enormous but we object to paying a little more for healthy food. Go figure. We should do a better job of explaining, I guess, but you hate to be up on a soapbox all the time lecturing. Wooz still tries; I just walk away. Down in Texas though, I came upon a young couple…
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Don’t want no Diesel Bull….
We never know what phrase is appropriate to describe our friend Kit Pharo. He sells bulls but that doesn’t begin to cover it. For 20 years, Kit has waged a one-man crusade for more moderate sized, low-input bulls (and herds). His thinking has influenced thousands of cattlemen into transforming their herds into more sustainable, profitable businesses. Now Kit has come up with a phrase suggested by a South African cattleman, who says with high energy costs stretching as far as we can see, survival depends on abandoning what he calls “grain fed diesel bulls for grass fed Solar Bulls”. You can read the article…and other valuable information….in Kit’s monthly newsletter.…
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How the best chefs do it….
….cook a steak, that is. With our boxed beef we include a sheet of cooking tips including our way of preparing a steak. But we ran across this on the internet and think we’ll give it a try. Note that this chef recommends grass fed beef for real beef flavor. http://offthemeathook.com/2011/02/meeeeeeeeeaaaat-how-to-cook-steaks-on-your-stovetop-that-taste-better-than-in-a-fancy-restaurant/
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Putting “happy” into your New Year….
Just an excuse to wish all our friends in the Devon world….and our friends who share our fondness for Thistle Hill beef and pork….the happiest of New Years. Certainly for many, and for our nation, the outlook may not be as bright as we might have hoped, but here’s a little quiz to help us put things in perspective. How happy 2013 is, is up to us! http://www.webmd.com/balance/rm-quiz-happiness?ecd=wnl_day_122312&ctr=wnl-day-122312_ld-stry&mb=&utm_source=December+30+News+Alert&utm_campaign=121230&utm_medium=email
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Praise from across the pond….
…our English friend and partner, Angus Cottey, saw the picture of Thistle Hill Magic on our home page and wrote a glowing appraisal. We’re immodest enough to share it. Angus knows cows and a compliment for an American bull from the Brits is no small thing. He writes: “Magic looks a tremendous Bull, I recall your photo of him as a young calf. He certainly has grown on well. I particularly like his top line and how flat he is across the top. A good beef animal should not be pointed across the shoulders but broad and flat. They say snow should be able to settle, certainly not like a…