Hunt Gather Grow Eat

Site News – Combined

Jason — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:17:17 +0000

Just wanted to put a placeholder post here to let everyone know that I am still active and still podcasting. I have combined all of my sites into one. So if you’d still like to hear and read about things you read about here you can find ALL of my future work . . . → Read More: Site News – Combined

Episode 38 The Ethics and Morality of Hunting and Killing

Jason — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 22:01:08 +0000

In today’s podcast I wanted to tackle another philosophical question: Is it ok to hunt and kill?

The little buck I killed last year

Well the answer for me is a resounding YES! But I have a code that I hunt and kill by and I think that helps keep one grounded with a solid conscience about it.

*Why I feel its healthy to challenge your beliefs about this subject.

*The difference between apathy and myopic thought and the similarities. I can’t identify with people who make a decision and then justify it with no challenge.

*Why we kill. Are we intended to be carnivores, herbivores or omnivores? NONE OF THE ABOVE!

*The myths about killing and hunting.

We have to “honor” the animal. You don’t honor something by killing it.
Hunters wound and kill many many animals. Total BS.
Shooting an animal causes it pain. A losing effort to personify something that isn’t human.

*My problem with people that kill by proxy and then look down upon hunters.

*Why I’m a traditionalist snob in some aspects and why I no longer hunt for sport. No judgements on those who do.

Episode 37 GMO: Good or Evil?

Jason — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 01:06:34 +0000

In today’s episode I revisit the whole GMO debate. I ask a lot of questions and hopefully I answer some. I have to insist that anyone commenting here listen to the entire episode first. I will not address comments from people who clearly did not listen to the episode.

Tune it to hear:

*How GMOs are actually made. The process itself is a little scary but for the most part benign (except for the results of course).

*How do they get the genetic material out? How do they get the new genetic material in?

*The different types of GMO. Transgenic is the least of your worries!

*Notice how many steps in making a GMO. The more steps, the more room for error.

*Some of the potential problems with GMOs in my opinion.

*Why BT toxin accumulation is not a real concern in my eyes except for the fact that it points to poor testing methods, dishonesty in Agribiz, and the potential for effects on the human body in the future.

*How GMOs can really, severely, alter the world in a negative way.

*The tactics of the GMO advocates.

*How GMO’s will be sold to the public in the future. 1. Boutique GMOs – Do something novel, build a cult around it, market it to death (literally). 2. Forced Crisis, Forced Solution – Cause a problem and let people beg you to help. 3. Government mandate – Think the government can’t dictate what a majority of farmers plant? Let them stop subsidies and see how the masses respond.

*Some things we can do to make our voices heard. (I’m one week soda free!).

Episode 36 My Homestead Plans

Jason — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:51:33 +0000

I’m on my way to Seven Springs, PA to present at The Mother Earth News Fair but I was able get a show recorded and in the queue. In today’s episode I talk (as promised) about some of my plans for my homestead.

My map from about a year ago. It has evolved quite a bit since.

I was originally going to call this my permaculture plan but I think I’ve started working on more of a system basis. I’m thinking less about how to keep a system going and more about keeping all of the systems working and playing off each other.

*I built the chicken house and run, what next?

*I want a pig pen but I’m also going to pasture them or as Joel Salatin calls it “Acorn-finished” or pigaerators.

*My tough choice between having enough land for a cow or two.

*Some of the wild resources I have right next to my land and how I plan to utilize them.

*All of my animals are going to work just by being animals. Fertlizing things downhill, weeding, working the soil, etc.

Episode 35 Scouting the Deer Woods

Jason — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:02:18 +0000

I said I’d talk about my livestock and foraging plans for my land on today’s episode but I got bit by the deer hunting bug really badly so I wanted to take the opportunity and talk about scouting for deer on today’s episode.

Me at 17 with a deer that didn't follow any of the conventional wisdom.

*The definition of and goals of scouting.

*What to look for and more importantly, how to look for it. You need to feel like you are hunted.

*What matters to deer should matter to you. Food, water, cover, etc.

*What deer and water have in common.

*Why safety is paramount and how scouting makes you safer.

*If you choose not to hunt this year but want to, why not scout. It will make you better when you do decide to hunt.

Episode 34 Livestock Housing

Jason — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 23:05:38 +0000

Well folks I’m back finally after a bit of a bout with burnout. Today I decided to talk about one of the things that helped burn me out and that’s building and designing livestock housing.

I had a heck of a time building my chicken house and I talk about it a lot today but in the context of some design considerations that helped me at least get a good idea of what I wanted even if I had trouble delivering in the end.

*Containment and Exclusion – You not only have to worry about your animals not getting out but also keeping animals you don’t want out. This is pretty evident with chickens and smaller livestock because there are many things that eat them.

*Comfort and Protection – You have to make sure your housing is appropriate for your climate and that its adaptable. Also make use of existing land features to gain the best advantage.

*Access – Both for you and them. I look at this two ways and I try to incorporate both access for me when I need it but also access to things like nests or hay feeding areas without disturbing the animals if I find it necessary.

*Materials/Cost and Durability – You want your housing to last right? Well there is a thin line between durable enough and damn expensive.

Episode 33 Is Raising Meat Sustainable?

Jason — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 02:35:46 +0000

Based on something I posted on Facebook a few weeks ago I realized that there might be some misconceptions on the part of myself and maybe some other people out there about the sustainability of raising animals for meat. So, while travelling from house to house during my move I pondered these points. This episode has poor production values but I wanted to get something out after so long an absence.

*My stance on human-caused global warming.

*You may not think meat animals have an effect on global warming (or that it even is caused by Carbon) but does it have any other side effects?

*The things that have allowed meat animals to exist in the numbers they do. You can’t love hate GMO’s and Big Ag and assume you are entitled to your daily share of beef!

*Why my ancestors (and probably yours too) never raised animals for meat but rather for other protein sources (eggs, milk). Meat was a byproduct and was enjoyed sparingly.

*Learn why meat dictated the date of Christmas!

*What are some alternatives?

Raising Pigs – A Link

Jason — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 02:01:03 +0000

Raise a Pig in Your Backyard

I thought this article was the most helpful one I’d found on . . . → Read More: Raising Pigs – A Link

Episode 32 Questions About Poultry

Jason — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:12:18 +0000

Today, as promised, I take your questions about poultry. I purported to know a lot about poultry but I was quickly humbled by you the listeners who asked great questions and answered some better than I could.

Tune in as I talk about:

*Integrating new chickens into the flock. Why a rooster helps sometimes. How chickens respond to new additions.

*Quiet(er) breeds and some tips to shut up a loud rooster.

*What do I have to account for when raising fowl in c older weather? Do I need heat lamps?

*Doors, coop insulation and where to put roosts.

*Why do people recommend eggshells be fed back to chickens and what do I feed them?

*Will stress keep hens from laying?

*Is it ok for poultry to eat mammals such as mice and moles?

Terror Bird. A real good reason why poultry are omnivores!

Turkey Breeds

Jason — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 22:24:44 +0000

This is another in a series of posts over the next few weeks detailing some of the more popular breeds of certain livestock types and their traits. These posts are courtesy of Skyhorse Publishing and their editorial team which was kind enough to let me publish excerpts (with credit) from their books. These livestock excerpts are all from The Homesteading Handbook by Abigail R. Gehring.

The largest breeds of turkeys found in the United States are the Bronze and Narragansett. Other breeds, though not as popular, include the White Holland, Black turkey, Slate turkey, and Bourbon Red. Bronze breeds are most likely a cross between a wild North American turkey and domestic turkey, and they have beautiful rich plumage. This is the most common type of turkey to raise, as it is the largest, is very hardy, and is the most profitable. The White Holland and Bourbon Red, however, are said to be the most “domesticated” in their habits and are easier to keep in a smaller roaming area.

Episode 31 The Benefits of Poultry

Jason — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:05:37 +0000

Today I talk about the benefits of poultry.

My cortunix quail, silkies and brahma bantams years ago.

This pair of ostriches turned out to be useless eaters but they were fun to keep.

My current setup

*Meat – Not the primary use but definitely something that can be considered and accounted for.

*Eggs – Probably the #1 reason to keep poultry.

*Variety – Whether you have a lot of room or none, you can find the right species and breed for you. From quail to ostriches you are only limited by imagination.

*Manure – Some of the highest nitrogen fertilizer you can’t buy.

*Pest/Weed Control – From quail eating small beetles out of your garden to guineas eating ticks to turkeys eating insects too large to handle otherwise.

*Pets - Some of my best friends have been birds.

*Financially – Find out how two country bumpkin teenage boys were able to turn a profit year after year.

For a basic primer on raising poultry refer to Episode 15 Raising Poultry.

COOP 101

Predator Protection

Duck Breeds

Jason — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 22:21:33 +0000

This is the third in a series of posts over the next few weeks detailing some of the more popular breeds of certain livestock types and their traits. These posts are courtesy of Skyhorse Publishing and their editorial team which was kind enough to let me publish excerpts (with credit) from their books. These livestock excerpts are all from The Homesteading Handbook by Abigail R. Gehring.

There are six common breeds of ducks: White Pekin, White Aylesbury, Colored Rouen, Black Cayuga, Colored Muscovy, and White Muscovy. Each breed is unique and has its own advantages and disadvantages.

1. White Pekin—The most popular breed of duck, these are also the easiest to raise. These ducks are hardy and do well in close confinement. They are timid and must be handled carefully. Their large frame gives them lots of meat, and they are also prolific layers.

2. White Aylesbury—This breed is similar to the Pekin but the plumage is much whiter and they are a bit heavier than the former. They are not as popular in the United States as the White Pekin duck.

3. Colored Rouens—These darkly plumed ducks are also quite popular and fatten easily for meat purposes.

4. Black Cayuga and Muscovy breeds—These are American breeds that are easily raised but are not as productive as the White Pekin.

Chicken Breeds

Jason — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 22:14:05 +0000

This is the second in a series of posts over the next few weeks detailing some of the more popular breeds of certain livestock types and their traits. These posts are courtesy of Skyhorse Publishing and their editorial team which was kind enough to let me publish excerpts (with credit) from their books. These livestock excerpts are all from The Homesteading Handbook by Abigail R. Gehring.

Take the time to select chickens that are well-suited for your needs. If you want chickens solely for their eggs, look for chickens that are good egg-layers. Mediterranean poultry are good for first-time chicken owners as they are easy to care for and only need the proper food to lay many eggs. If you are looking to slaughter and eat your chickens, you will want to have heavy-bodied fowl (Asiatic poultry) in order to get the most meat from them. If you are looking to have chickens that lay a good amount of eggs and that can also be used for meat, invest in the Wyandottes or Plymouth Rock breeds. These chickens are not incredibly bulky but they are good sources of both eggs and meat. Wyandottes have seven distinct breeds: Silver, White, Buff, Golden, and Black are the most common. These breeds are hardy and they are very popular in the United States. They are compactly built and lay excellent dark brown eggs. They are good sitters and their meat is perfect for broiling or roasting. Plymouth Rock chickens have three distinct breeds: Barred, White, and Buff. They are the most popular breeds in the United States and are hardy birds that grow to a medium size. These chickens are good for laying eggs, roost well, and also provide good meat. Plymouth rock chickens are good all-around farm chickens with their docile dispositions, hardiness, tendency to be very productive egg-layers, and good meat.

(Jason’s note: I couldn’t remember the terms during the podcast on breeds but the Asiatic chickens are the “fluffy” ones and the Mediterranean ones are the “sleek” ones.)

Here’s a great breed chart. Dene from Countryconsultant.com found this – Thanks!

Episode 30 The Benefits of Goats

Jason — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 07:46:31 +0000

In response to the blog post on goat breeds I received a comment questioning the worth of goats. That is a fair question, after all they aren’t the most popular homestead animal. They look like a cross between Satan and a deer and they have a reputation for eating tin cans and escaping any pen (most of which is unfounded (I think!)).

Benefits of goats

*Meat. Goat meat is called Chevon, Caprito is meat from younger goats. I talk a little about the stigma with eating meat and why the year 1066 has disconnected us from the animals we eat.

*Milk/Cheese. Goat’s milk is closer to human milk than cow’s milk. Its a ton healthier as well. And if you’ve ever eaten Feta (and I theorize any cheese!) you’d better thank a goat.

*Clearing Land. Goats eat stuff that other animals won’t and can’t touch including poison ivy, wild rose and blackberries (if you consider them a weed!).

*Low Impact. Require little feed. Don’t compact land like cows do.

*Economic. Regardless of how you feel about goats, other people will readily buy them from you!

Awesome article on raising goats here!

Goat Breeds

Jason — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 06:03:44 +0000

This is the first in a series of posts over the next few weeks detailing some of the more popular breeds of certain livestock types and their traits. These posts are courtesy of Skyhorse Publishing and their editorial team which was kind enough to let me publish excerpts (with credit) from their books. These livestock excerpts are all from The Homesteading Handbook by Abigail R. Gehring.

Saanen—Originally from Switzerland,
these goats are completely white, have
short hair, and sometimes have horns.
Goats of this breed are wonderful milk
producers.
Toggenburg—Originally from Switzerland,
these goats are brown with white
facial, ear, and leg stripes; have straight
noses; may have horns; and have short
hair. This breed is very popular in the
United States. These goats are good milk
producers in the summer and winter seasons
and survive well in both temperate
and tropical climates.
Alpine—Originally from Switzerland, these
goats may have horns, are short haired, and
are usually white and black in color. They
are also good producers of milk.
Anglo-Nubian—A cross between native
English goats and Indian and Nubian
breeds, these goats have droopy ears, spiral
horns, and short hair. They are quite
tall and do best in warmer climates. They
do not produce as
much milk, though
it is much higher in
fat than other goats’.
They are the most
popular breed of
goat in the United
States.
LaMancha—A cross between Spanish
Murciana and Swiss and Nubian breeds,
these goats are extremely adaptable,
have straight noses, short hair, may have
horns, and do not
have external ears.
They are not as
good milk producers
as the Saanen
and Toggenburg
breeds, and their
milk fat content is
much higher.
Pygmy—Originally from Africa and the
Caribbean, these dwarfed goats thrive in
hotter climates. For their size, they are relatively
good producers of milk.

Episode 29 Breed Matters

Jason — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 02:17:55 +0000

I’ve gotten some requests and questions about doing a show on best breeds for livestock types. I think I could probably do a show on each type that I have experience with but first I wanted to preface that with a show that’s a cautionary tale on how picking the wrong breed can have bad effects. So rather than say this breed is best for this or that I tried to tell you what you can expect from general characteristics and why breed is so important.

*The differences in chicken shape and temperament. My theory at least.

*Why dual purpose breeds seem to be good ideas for sheep/goats but not cattle.

*Pigs are pretty basic breed wise.

*My preliminary plans with goats/sheep on my small holding.

Episode 28 Beekeeping (and My Limited Experiences)

Jason — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 02:54:31 +0000

In today’s show I wanted to do a brief primer on beekeeping and the history of bees and beekeeping.

I don’t go really in depth about any particular aspect. I just wanted to get a show out detailing my experiences so far and what I’ve learned-which is very limited.

Bees have been around for a very long time and very unique in the insect world. As far back as 13,000 BC, mankind was raiding beehives for honey. As far back as ancient Egypt (and perhaps earlier, in China) mankind has been keeping bees.

Honeybees are native to Europe, Asia and Africa and are commonly known as Western Honey Bees. There are three types. The queen-one per hive, lays the eggs. She is fed royal jelly during the larval stage for an extended amount of time. Then there are the workers, all females and the only ones with stingers. These are fed royal jelly for a limited amount of time as larvae. Then there are the poor drones, the males. No stingers, no jobs, just bums. Sticking around the hive just long enough to eat the honey, mate with the queen and die!

There are also three main types of hives. Top Bar-the traditional hive (unless you count rope skeps!). The top bar is pretty sustainable but requires the comb to be cut out. They are also hard to get established or so it seems. The next is langstroth which is the commercial type. It is expandable and management intensive but heavy. It is the easiest to harvest. Then there is the Warre which has the advantage of being easy to build and expand but its the hardest to harvest.

Episode 27 Tracking Wild Game

Jason — Thu, 19 May 2011 14:48:40 +0000

Today’s show is based on an article I wrote and submitted to Backwoods Home Magazine. I’m still waiting to hear back from them but why keep you all waiting. Now is the time to get in the woods and start tracking. Deer season will be here upon us sooner than you think.

A deer track I found near a stream in Owen County, KY last fall

Tune in as I talk about:

*Physical evidence – the stuff that is left behind.

1. Tracks

2. Droppings

3. Sheds

4. Paths

5. Food/Water signs

6. Territorial markings

*Mental Expectations

*Putting the story together. How do I (as the tracker) put all the evidence together and predict what might happen?

*How to ignore nothing signs. Some things that look like wildlife sign are really nothing. How do you determine this and learn to ignore it?

Episode 26 Frog Gigging

Jason — Fri, 06 May 2011 00:13:57 +0000

Well here’s a subject I bet few people have covered in a podcast. Today I talk about the nearly lost Southern art of frog-gigging.

I’d have a hard time trying to describe just how fun it is to go frog gigging. If being muddy, in waist high water with snakes in the dark with a sharp pointy stick sounds fun then this is the podcast you want to listen to. I was fortunate to have so many places to gig that many of my summer nights revolved around gigging season.

In this episode I discuss:

*Equipment

*Why I don’t use a boat and think people who do should have a good reason to do so.

*The technique including gigging with friends.

*Cleaning and dressing frog legs.

*What frog legs taste like and how to cook them.

Anyone who wants more detail or a written copy of this should check out Backwoods Home Magazine later this Summer when my article on the subject is set to appear.

Future Show Schedule

Jason — Wed, 04 May 2011 02:35:55 +0000

I wanted to formally post the future show schedule not only to inform everyone of the direction I plan on taking the show but to give myself some rules so I stick with the schedule. This will take a week or so to implement. I welcome feedback on this.

Mondays – The Self-Sufficient Gardener topical show. A technique, method, philosophy, etc.. Most of my shows fit into this category.

Wednesdays – The Self-Sufficient Gardener specific show. A show specific to a certain plant, insect, herb. I’ve done quite a few shows in small series. Examples: My Favorite Herb, Beneficial/Pest Insects and Useful Plant of the Week.

Thursday – The Hunt Gather Grow Eat podcast.

Friday – Listener Feedback and Questions. This will be published as a SSGP show but will contain HGGE questions as well. I don’t really combining it but I don’t see any way to not do so and produce a show of any length at all.

The Horticultural Engineer will go on hiatus for a while (a few more videos are set to post). I encourage everyone to sign up for email updates for all three sites. I do not spam. The only emails you receive are when a post goes out or in special instances.

I could also use the help of this fantastic audience for feedback and questions. If I don’t have enough for any given Friday the show simply won’t happen.

Thank you, each of you, for your support.