From field to fork...

...farm to fork...pasture to plate...no matter how it is dressed up with attractive alliterations, eating meat involves the demise of what is being eaten. It happens all the time, breakfast, lunch and dinner, in the animal kingdom, in the human realm. That most of us are completely removed from any experience of what life and death is like for the meat we eat speaks to the reason we have massive monoculture factory farms in this country. If we knew the whole story of each item of food on our plates, I believe we would make more sustainable, health supporting choices.

Three weeks ago my fiance, Matt, joined Dan (the sheep herder I intern for) and myself on a work day sorting lambs. Matt purchased a market lamb back in May. A market lamb is a sheep that is younger than one year old, generally a castrated male. It could also be a female whose genetics a farmer doesn't want contributing to their future flock. A market lamb is also by definition destined for the dinner table. By late September Matt's lamb weighed 90lbs and was 'finished.' Finish is the amount of fat cover on the animal and is decided most easily by feeling the loin area on each lamb.

We sorted all the lambs; those under 90lbs got to go back out to pasture. Those over 90lbs were loaded in the trailer and taken to the nearest lamb processing facility about 55 miles away in Dixon.

The next week, we picked up our meat, a freezer full and seasons worth of roasts, racks and chops.

It might be crass to show these pictures. But in this case, the truth is a bit crass. The transition of living animal to "meat" is a reality many eaters shy away from. My point is, I know my dinner's story, from when and where it was born, to where it grazed and lived, to where it eventually met its end. I know it had a pleasant life in a sun soaked pasture, plenty to eat and drink and was well cared for. It is also one of the most local and sustainable options I could choose for my dinner. The purchase of this meat will hopefully help a small-scale, local farmer stay in the business of feeding his community.

I realize not everyone cares to be this involved in the preparation of their dinner but I hope you care enough about what you eat to find out where your food is coming from...check out a co-op, visit a farmer's market, join a CSA and ask some questions!

9 Lessons of a Shepherd Intern

#9-It is possible to back up a large truck with a sheep cage in the back down a very narrow dirt road without bringing harm on truck, person, animal or environment (you do end up with sweaty palms though).

#8-Setting up electric fence in parched, rocky earth takes a long time, a mallet, a good hat and some personal fortitude.

#7-A tired shepherd and a determined intern can lift a large, sick ewe up a hill and into a truck - just barely.

#6-An unexpected ladybug colony at first appears creepy, but makes your heart smile when you realize they are gentle ladybugs and not giant, pinching ants.

#5-Blackberry bush stalks continue to reach out to rip your skin and clothes to shreds, even after sheep have relieved them of their leaves.

#4-Crowding sheep remind me of what it feels like at the Outside Lands concert.

More than one similarity to sheep

#3-Very important - DON'T open the gate unless you know the plan or Dan the shepherd tells you it's ok.

#2-If you open said gate without a plan or ok and sheep make a run for the hills, two clever border collies and a confident shepherd can fix your mistake pretty quick.

#1-Farming is an incredibly difficult profession that at times offers very little reward.

This weekend felt like a dose of reality to mix in with my idealized farming ambitions. Farming is physically, mentally and emotionally taxing and doesn't always provide the financial return desired for time, effort and labor put in. I can't help wondering, am I cut out for this? can I be successful at this? should I scale down my aspirations?

By late summer most small farmers in this area are run ragged from a long, hot season of watering, feeding, protecting and harvesting whatever their farm is producing. We can show our support for them by buying from them at farmers markets, sure, but what are some more ways we can show support and appreciation for our local farmers? The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op has a program to raise money for local producers and to preserve future farmland; it's called Once Farm at a Time. If any farmers are reading, what are some ways in which you would appreciate support from your community?

Feasting

The candles were Matt's touch

This week we had a tasty, summer weeknight feast; slow cooked mutton shanks (from Flying Mule Farm) marinated in Mexican adobo and beer sauce, last minute cous cous from a box, sweet water melon and good company. The adobo marinade was given to me by a friend from work who loves meat and loves to cook. It is made with vinegar. chilies, paprika and other spices. Before refrigeration became so common, adobo was used a a method of preserving food in warm weather but now it used mainly as a way to flavor meat. After about 10 hours in the crock pot, the dark meat was falling off the bones and chock full of homemade flavor.

Mmmm

Well, we couldn't have such an amazing dinner and finish it off with store bought dessert, so homemade peach frozen yogurt it was! Matt's mom so generously gave us an electric ice cream maker and I wanted to try it out right away.  Working with ingredients I already had or could get at the moment, I followed a very simple recipe that came with the maker.

First thing, freeze the bowl that comes with the maker for at least 18 hours (2 or 3 days is even better), so it is cold enough freeze your yogurt or cream when it is whipping. When the bowl is cold enough, take one can of peaches (fresh peaches would be even better, I'm certain) and chop them up in the blender. To that add 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cup juice from the peaches and 2 cups of yogurt. Blend it together, set up the ice cream machine (4 parts, very simple), turn it on, pour in your yogurt mixture and let it whip for 20-30 minutes.

Who knew making frozen treats was so darn easy?

The machine has a hole in the top, making it way too easy to taste test (to make sure you get a good consistency, of course) throughout the whipping process. When it is a consistency you like, you can either eat it right away or put it in the freezer for an hour or two to firm up. One awesome aspect of making frozen desserts like this is that it makes more, volume wise, than what you started with because air is whipped into it.  More dessert is always better in my estimation!

Some day I would like to make ice cream with an old hand crank ice cream maker. Similar idea, but you get to be even more involved in the dessert transformation.

I really could not believe how easy this was and it tastes so wonderful. I have to admit I was intimidated by the thought of making frozen yogurt and ice cream, however it is just as easy as making a cake and easier than pie.

We added some rosemary sprigs just to be different

Next ...vanilla sheep's milk ice cream!