Help - Rearing to table and all points in between

[FarmerJamie]

Under husbandry- flock/herd management and succession plans of the bloodlines

 

[Chic Rustler]

One "meat" option that's relatively easy, and is a great boost to the garden is raising fish. A 500 gal tank is big enough to put 50# or more of fish in your freezer (2 1/2# each) within 6-9 months. Then all the guts and water can be used to fertilize the garden. We're hoping to add tilapia this spring. We're planning fish for the summers, rabbits in the winter, chickens and eggs all year, with possibly one or two pigs next winter.

That's an awesome idea!

 

[Britesea]

I was interested in raising fish, but as cold as it gets here- tilapia is right out unless we have a heated greenhouse, which we don't. Catfish might work, if we could make sure the tank didn't freeze all the way.

I would love to at least get a weaner pig every year, but our little half acre is set up so there is nowhere we can place a pig pen and not have the odor wafting into the living room on warm days. Hunting and fishing is on the horizon, but since we would be just learning there is no way I want to count on it for our protein needs

So at present, we just raise chickens, and grow mushrooms, and buy good pork and beef when we can afford it.

 

[CrealCritter]

One "meat" option that's relatively easy, and is a great boost to the garden is raising fish. A 500 gal tank is big enough to put 50# or more of fish in your freezer (2 1/2# each) within 6-9 months. Then all the guts and water can be used to fertilize the garden. We're hoping to add tilapia this spring. We're planning fish for the summers, rabbits in the winter, chickens and eggs all year, with possibly one or two pigs next winter.

What a great idea... I never thought about farming fish. But I really don't like the internet for researching. I can find all kinds of sites that say tilapia is great for and all kinds of sites that day it's really bad for you - kind of worthless for researching... Anyways I like trout - it's my favorite fish to eat. So I need to research trout farming but not on the internet.

 

[NH Homesteader]

We are meat independent except anything we feel like buying (beef, usually). We raise our own pork, chicken and turkey. And will be raising a goat or two for meat this year for the first time.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Oh and we hunt deer also!

 

[CrealCritter]

Oh and we hunt deer also!

Yep so do we, my son in law bagged a nice fat doe. We found out if you hang them by the neck they are a lot easier to gut and skin than hanging them by the back legs.

I love deer chops so we cut some. Look at that fat for a deer - they were delicious.

We also found out a neck shot and they drop instantly and a lot less waste. We try and get as.much meat as possible of deer even grind up neck meat for tacos / burgers.

 

[CrealCritter]

We added little more - please keep the great ideas coming

• Hunting / Trapping / Fishing
• Animal husbandry
  • Care
  • Flock/Herd Mgt
  • Bloodline succession Mgt
  • Housing
  • Fish
    • Koi pond
• Processing
  • Butchering
  • Aging
    • Coolbot
  • Curing
    • Smoking
    • Salting
• Storage
  • Freezing
  • Canning
  • Open air hanging (salted)
  • Dehydration
    • Jerky

 

[sumi]

There is some great ideas and info here! I raised and butchered pigs for a few years, mainly because I could and did sell most of the meat as an extra income for us. I bought in piglets and raised them to slaughter weight (around 6-8 months), took them to a butcher to process, as we were not set up for it. It was wonderful having our own home raised meat!

You didn't mention what types of meat you're after specifically. Pork, beef, lamb, rabbit, chicken, turkey, fish, goat, venison, all of the above? What are you thinking of raising yourself for meat, or are you just tossing around ideas for now to see what would work best? Which is fine too!

@Beekissed would be a good one to talk poultry with.