Let's Talk Turkey

In addition to the year-long village store responsibilities, I will have the shorter-lived responsibilities of raising turkeys.  Eight days before I arrived the young poults were donated to the WHR farm.  These particular turkeys grow quite quickly: by the time Thanksgiving arrives (for those in Canada, American Thanksgiving is in November on the 25.  They will be large enough to sell to the many customers of the farm who want to celebrate in the traditional manner.

Raising 96 turkeys requires a significant amount of time (100 turkeys were initially donated to us, but 4 died in the first week—this is a spectacular number since others expect a 10-15% loss early on).  Each day, they receive fresh water and new feed; each time I eat, the turkeys are fed and watered too.  They also need their bedding raked every few days, and new bedding must be added at least once a week (sometimes more often).  In addition to the tasks mentioned above, the temperature in their pen must be regularly monitored, and it must be controlled when it becomes too hot or too cold.

For the past few weeks we have had them out to pasture.  There they eat bugs and greens (primarily grass).  They also have the chance to be turkeys.  When they are let out of their pen in the morning, they run, jump and flap their wings; and once one turkey starts running they all follow.  Turkeys also like dust baths: they sit in the dirt and use their wings to flick dust onto their bodies.  It has been enjoyable for me to watch these birds exhibit their “turkeyness.”

While all this work is being invested into raising these birds, there has not been much time to think of what end they will meet in November.  It is undeniable—life must be given so that we can eat; but how will I do when that day comes.  By the end of November, I will have put countless hours into raising these turkeys.  I have done it knowing they would become meals, and while I understand the reason these birds are being cared for, how will I feel when they are slaughtered—When I slaughter them.

Occasionally, I have taken the time to contemplate the breadth of the above apothegm: life is sustained by death.  As a result of my studies, I cannot help but think of the ways in which the physical provides a means of understanding the metaphysical.  Just as a part of a plant dies or an animal dies for all creation to continue life, so Christ died that we might have life.  As I think on this, I begin to realize how little I know, how limited the analogy is, and how weak and needy, intricate and hearty I am. 

There is much more to be discussed on this issue; I am certain I will be considering these things for the duration of my life.  Feel free to post any thoughts you may have.

Life on the Farm

This post was written within the first week of September.  Sorry it is just being posted now.


September, 7, 2010

So while I have been here on the farm for a week and a half, questions of weather we discerned well have abated, replacing them are questions of how to care for our family as we re-form life in a new place.  With the arrival of Jodie and Synova last week, things changed dramatically for me.  In the week we were apart, I found myself struggling to appear fine; but now, when our family is once again reunited, the routine here seems enjoyable. 

The members of the farm community have been excellent, welcoming us warmly.  The work has been pleasing, using muscles I never used as a student and creating new opportunity to engage what I have studied at Regent with life outside the books (with people, dirt, vegetables, turkeys, goats, food, and sleep).

For the next twelve months, I will be the Village Store intern.  This will essentially be managing a retail store for fair trade items (similar to Ten Thousand Villages).  I will need to create standard operating procedures for the store, including ordering new goods and monitoring outgoing merchandise.  Furthermore, I will be creating a manual of sorts, instructing everyone on the farm how to complete a sale.  There are many other duties too.  They will be presented in a haphazard way, never having their own blog post.  Instead, they will be alluded to or briefly implied in other posts.

Jodie: Cheese Maker

This week I spent our $10.00 on: two avocado, parmesan cheese, carrots and celery.

This morning Bronwyn and I harvested basil from our gardens because we have an over abundance of it!  Once we had the leaves picked and washed we began separating some pecans from last season and pan roasting them.  Yes, you guessed it, we were having a pesto making fest!  We ended up making 10 cups of pesto.

 

Here is our recipe:

8 cups of basil leaves

½ cup parmasan cheese grated

¾ cup of olive oil

14 small cloves of garlic

1 cup of roasted pecans

I also shared in the making of home made mozzarella goat cheese!  Hannali was the spokes person and I helped. 

30 minute Mozzarella Cheese

1. Add 2 tsp citric acid solution to 2 gallons cold milk & heat
1. In double boiler over medium heat to 88 degrees (milk will start to thicken)
2. Add rennet solution
1. Stir gently w/o overly disturbing forming curds
2. Allow to stand until clear whey separates from curds
3. Heat to firm curds
1. Over high heat to 110 degrees F
4. Drain and form curds
1. Pour gently into colanders and knead into a ball
5. Heat and stretch to achieve final texture
1. Return to whey under high heat (or microwave in 45 sec. sessions), kneading periodically
2. Stretch at higher temperatures (stop at 160 degrees) to achieve smooth texture
3. Add 1 tsp. salt during last stretching session
6. Package
1. Wrap in plastic and allow to cool
2. Best eaten at room temperature
3. When refrigerated will last a week or more

Ingredients:

2 gallons goat milk

2 tsp citric acid dissolved in ¼ cups water

1/8 – 1/6 tablet rennet dissolved in ¼ cup non chlorinated water

yields 1.5 lbs of cheese