For those interested in Homesteading or Self-Reliance...
This breakfast was entirely raised or grown (or laid) on the farm (except the black pepper). After I uploaded the shot I realized I left out the cornbread and milk... oh, well... you get the idea. We grow our own corn for corn flour, but have not grown wheat as yet. Bees are next...
This is our family milk cow - Bonnie. Its been over 1 year since she calved and she is still giving us about a gallon of milk per day (and we only milk once a day... at first we were getting 2.5 gallons and I had to work at giving it away). I bought her as an 8 month old calf. She had been bottle raised, so she was always friendly. That doesn't mean she won't step on your feet when she gets excited about a snack... I always where tough shoes or boots for milking... NEVER FLIP FLOPS. 1,100 pound cows are tough on your feet.
A cow is easier to care for than a dog. Bonnie is entirely grass/hay fed, except for a couple of handfuls of corn while I secure her for milking. The whole process - from calling her in to screwing the top on the milk container - takes about 20 minutes. Like I said, easier and less time consuming than walking your dog several times per day (and I get manure for the garden and organic milk for the fridge). We just put last year's calf in the freezer - 350 pounds of cut and wrapped organic, grass fed beef. With the hog and calf we raise every year I could have a 4 BBQ's for 25 guests over the summer and feed the family for the rest of the year. Between the meat and the milk Bonnie has been an outstanding investment. Also... by moving her around with electric fencing I don't have to mow the 2+ acres of lawn around the house (very often). I used to burn 3 gallons of gas per cutting (and a couple of hours). Bonnie has lifetime employment as far as I am concerned. Besides, everybody loves Bonnie... most gosh d*mn personable cow you'd ever want to meet!
(Bonnie mowing the grass in the back yard. See that yellow wire? That is all that keeps her in.)
Potatoes, both sweet and white, and corn came in abundantly this year, but the rest of the garden was only so-so. The meat, milk, and eggs overwhelm us and we share these with friends and neighbors.
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Got a funny email today:
If a Libertarian doesn't like guns, he doesn't buy one.
If a Liberal doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.
If a Libertarian is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat.
If a Liberal is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.
If a Libertarian is homosexual, he quietly leads his life.
If a Liberal is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.
If a Libertarian is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.
A Liberal wonders who is going to take care of the them.
If a Libertarian doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels.
Liberals demand that those they don't like be shut down.
If a Libertarian is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church.
A Liberal non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced.
If a Libertarian decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping forit, or may choose a job that provides it.
A Liberal demands that the rest of us pay for his.
If a Libertarian reads this, he'll forward it so his friends know how to vote in November!
A Liberal will delete it because he's "offended".
Well, I forwarded it.
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I am sure one could do the same trick with Conservatives versus Libertarians... I only wish we had more Libertarians to vote for. Mostly its a choice between dirt-bags out to control us from different positions.