High on the hog...

I picked up my 2 hogs from the butcher yesterday which completely filled my deep freezer up to the gunwales...and still have to pick up the rest of the meats from the smoker next Thursday.

All in all, for 2 nine month old hogs, I have a grand total of 485 lbs of pork for my freezer and, one more hog scheduled to be dropped off to the butcher when I pick up my smokehouse goodies.

It's my first livestock harvest that I've raised from weanling to butcher, to freezer and, onto my own plate and, the results have been nothing less than satisfying.

For 485 lbs of pork, my investment came out to about $140 in feed, $350 in butchering / smoking and, my own labor in keeping them sheltered with clean surroundings and, the $60 I paid for each of them from my neighbor down the road...so about $550 total for the both of them.

The good part? I already have a buyer for one whole butchered hog for $500 which pays damned near for raising the both of them which means that my remaining hog that will feed my family through next fall, cost me about $50.

After # 3 is butchered and sold, my freezer pork's price drops to zero cost and, it will pay for most, if not all of the feed cost for the next batch of piggies.

Will I ever get rich?
No but, I'll be eating and feeding my family damned near for free.
We have all the rabbit we can eat, all the pork we can eat, all the chicken and eggs we can eat and, in the spring...all the lamb we can eat.
Add that into all the tomatoes, potatoes, asparagus, strawberries, peppers, onions and garlic from the garden and, the plums, apples and pears from the trees...we're doing alright food wise!

Not too bad for my first season of owning my own farm!

Today's project...

I ordered this stove kit about a month back for my garage / hang out area and, began working on it yesterday.

I used to see these advertised in Field and Stream back in the '70's when I was a kid and, always wanted to build one...but never had a good place to put it.
$40 for the kit which includes the legs, door and flue and, $10 for the barrel and, about $40 more bucks for the stovepipes.

My want for building one of these increased after stopping by my friend's house...the night before I ordered mine...and, seeing his in the garage in action.
The entire garage was heated to about 80 degrees and, we were all able to sit comfortable in t-shirts drinking cold beer.

Unlike a potbelly stove or, traditional wood burner, this stove can handle some pretty decent sized split logs so, the worry about cutting everything down to 18" or, less isn't an issue.
From what my friend told me, he also throws a few chunks of coal into it during winter when the temps drop which really ramps up the BTU's and keeps the garage nice and toasty during get togethers.

I'll add some pics when mine is up and operational and give my firsthand pros and cons of the thing.

After seeing my buddy's stove working, I'm already betting that this thing will be tough to complain about since It's total cost will be less than $150 altogether and should last for years until I have to...gasp... spend 10 bucks on a replacement barrel and cut a door and flue hole in it and, slap it in place. 

Thanksgiving...

I got off work at 6am, drove for an hour, changed clothes, had a beer, walked the fence line, turned out the cattle and sheep, checked the remaining hog and...crashed out until 1pm.

I woke up, to Christmas music playing in the house, the wife decorating the place in lights and pine and, a pot of chili simmering on the stove.
I dressed, went outside, put my son on the tractor to mow the last spot in the west paddock, repaired a broken gate hinge, mended a spot in the rail fence, winterized the rabbit / chicken hutches, ran the dog, played with the kids and, sat on the front step with the dog for a few minutes and enjoyed what might be the last taste of Autumn weather.

So, what does any of that have to do with Thanksgiving?

For me, EVERYTHING!

I hope everyone else who has the ability to pause and, recognize the really important things to be thankful for in the grand scheme of things...does recognize them.

Productive day...

I had the last two days off which just happened to coincide with some perfect sunny weather for November.

Spent yesterday puttering around the homestead doing some winterization and, getting ready to do the cutting on my new barrel stove kit for out in the garage and, when the MRS got home, I burned through a big bottle of Lambrusco with her until bedtime.

Hauled my sorry ass out of bed today at sunrise, turned out the animals and went to work cutting all the brush back from the grazing pastures which will be getting some supplemental seeding in the spring when it's fenced off the rest of the way.

I worked nonstop right up until sunset when we could no longer see well enough to make straight cuts.
The yard and the pastures look like a million bucks and, I can't wait until April to turn out my spring lambs onto some virgin grass to graze on.
I don't regret moving to the stix for one second.

Sorry this post isn't filled with political drama or, shit to argue about but, it's just been one of those days where I don't feel like the rest of the world's dumb drama matters or, has even effected me.

Everyday should flow so well....for all of us!

Twinkie the kid and King Don killed

Just like with many unionized businesses, the union has priced itself out of it's own marketplace and, into a memory hole...just like the UAW almost did to General Motors.

Common sense should tell even the biggest fool that striking against his own best interest is not going to end well in most cases.

When the company you're working for is struggling financially and asking you to take temporary cuts in order to keep the company going AND prevent lower seniority members from being layed off just before the holidays, the smart move would be to take the temporary cuts, keep yourself AND your co-workers employed while continuing to negotiate with the company pertaining to how long the cut will be in effect and, having the company repay the workers when the crises is over.
OR,
just do what the union hacks told you to do...keep on striking until the company goes completely under and NOBODY has a job to return to at all.

Even in 1980 when Chrysler was about to curl up and die, the UAW was smart enough to understand that taking a small pay cut is a lot smarter than taking a complete job cut.

The Baker's union must not have gotten the memo that it's "All or nothing" tactic would indeed result in nothing for anyone.

Certainly, nobody enjoys the idea of a pay cut but, the economy being what it is, the smarter option would be to take the cut and continue to feed your family, pay your bills and ride the storm out
or,
look for a better job WHILE you're still pulling in some livable income.

From what I've been told by a guy who's kid is one of the strikers in Northwood, they were supposedly convinced that the company was bluffing about going out of business by their union leaders.

What I foresee happening if Hostess goes through with liquidation, they will sell off the equipment and facilities and, then start selling off their brands

Baker’s Inn
Beefsteak
Blue Ribbon
Bread du Jour
Butternut Breads
Colombo
Cotton’s
Di Carlo
Dolly Madison
Drake’s
Dutch Hearth
Eddy’s
Good Hearth
Holsom
Home Pride
Hostess
J.J. Nissen
Merita
Millbrook
Mrs. Cubbison’s Foods
Nature’s Pride
Parisian
Standish Farms
Sweetheart
Twinkie
Toscana
Wonder Bread

So, the possibility of the Northwood location remaining a working bakery in the future is pretty good but, the NEW owner has the option of being union or, not.
And, if they DO decide to be a union shop, the new contract will likely be much worse than the temporary pay cut they were rejecting.
Only time will tell if losing their jobs, seniority and possibly their homes, vehicles and lifestyle they'd built was worth going from $12 an hour to no bucks an hour...when $11 would still allow them to live and fight another day.

Secession petitions...

Secession? Really?

When the alpha-bat mentioned it the other day, I'd heard the story about some guy in La who popped the idea as a stunt...kind of a "stick in the eye" toward the election results that he didn't like.

I laughed it off because the only other time I'd read something like that was on a lib's blog when he suggested partitioning the USA and creating "Liberal land" on the west coast...which I laughed at due to the fact that "liberal land" could never possibly pay for itsself and it's ideals if only liberals lived there!

Anyways, as of yesterday, all 50 states have added their own petitions for secession from the Union...and liberals have added their own petitions...asking the president to deport everyone who has signed a state secession petition...don't worry libs, those folks probably got themselves added to a watchlist of some sorts judging from the way this administration's DHS chief has deemed who all the "potential terrorists" are and, a president who has signed into law HIS own right to kill them on American soil.

The problem with secession is that it's no longer states with defined borders fighting each other but, ideals and individuals who are scattered all over the place.
Over the last few years, America has become Balkanized almost completely.
This time it's not Serbs, Croats, Bosniaks and Slovenes, it's right VS left, freemen VS statist, constitutionalists VS communist and, productive VS the lecherous.

Judging from whats been written on many sites, people have gotten close to the tipping point where the government's intrusions into their lives is beginning to sway too deeply into their personal space where it's unwelcome and unwanted.
People are also beginning to tire of the scale being "thumbed" in favor of leaches who insist on getting something for nothing on the backs of those who are constantly being asked to sacrifice a little more...while the leaches always continue to get more.
People are sick that a country that has always rewarded merit for hard work now shuns merit and hard work in favor of rewarding slackers with a lower middle class lifestyle that others not only have to work for but, pay for.
The slacking classes get more free goodies and, the working get a breakable promise not to tax them even more to pay for the freebies they aren't entitled to.

Those were just some of the reasons people were giving for wanting to opt out of the mess that has been created by our so-called "leaders".

As for me, I don't believe that secession is the way to go in solving the problem.
I think that a thorough scouring of the government is better suited to solve things.
Get rid of every sleazebag political careerist who has ever allowed unconstitutional crap to go past them under the guise of bipartisanship...which is just another word that means both sides of the isle are screwing the citizen in unison as opposed to doing it separately.
It's tragic seeing people driven to the point of being so frustrated that the idea of pissing away the union via secession seems easier that just fighting and forcing the leadership to respect the reason the country was founded in the first place...tyrannical government.

Then again, the entire platform of Obama has been a divide and conquer strategy all along.
Right vs left, gay vs straight, illegals vs citizens, women vs men, black vs white, working vs leaches, kids vs adults, rich vs poor, old vs young, red vs blue and, "red" vs freedom.

Ever since the asshole has been in office, he's needed a "villain of the week"...corporations, insurance companies, fuel companies, coal, doctors, electric companies, private property, workers who actually work, the tea partiers and, anyone else who isn't drinking his batch of kool-aide unquestioned.

I don't like the idea of sucession but, it's damned easy to understand why some do.

...on the lighter side...

Got a new dog this week.  I haven't had a dog in the last few years and figured it was time to have another one to run around with.

I took him off the hands of some folks who were no longer able to keep him and, since I'd had Collies in the past, I knew he'd be a good fit around the homestead and, keep the kids herded in the yard.
Normally, I'd expect that there would be the usual refractory period where the dog take a bit of time to get used to the new surroundings and, fitting in.
Nope, a week later and, ol' dog acts like he's always been here and belonged here....so we both lucked out.

I have a good ol dog who likes to follow me around the yard and keep an eye on things and, dawg gets to be a Collie and herd barnyard animals around just like his instincts have always told him to do but, never had the chance.
We got him started by herding the geese from the back pasture into their pen and, he picked it up as if he'd been doing it daily for years...which is pretty cool for a dog that had never even seen a goose before.
When I'm comfortable with his goose herding skills, I'll try him out on the sheep and cattle.

The last Collie I had, would try to herd my kids around the yard when they were younger...it's just something they do...maintain order!
I'd almost forgotten how nice it is to have a good dog around the house.

...Obama won

Obama voter seen before casting a ballot

I checked the news last night and saw that Obama was reelected.

Utterly amazing that after seeing the last dismal 4 years dragging by, so many Americans who have been watching our rights, jobs, economy and, our money swirling the bowl would press the flush handle again in order to finish the job.

Freedom has taken a backseat to freebies and the American media has cloaked the truth and, conditioned people to embrace free-dumb and accept the idea of only being told what they hope to hear as opposed to the truth.

So, I 'm...a minority now, that part of America who is still content with working and living as privately as possible with little intrusion in our lives from a limited government that respects the laws that bind it as subordinate to the people as it was designed to be...and not the other way around.

Since only about 52% of eligible voters decided it was worth getting off their asses and being heard, shame on those folks who claim to value our constitution and God-given rights that didn't bother to defend them in their hour of need.
As far as I'm concerned, those folks have ceded their right to complain when the next four years ebb away even more liberties.

At Obama's current spending level, we're projected to hit the 22 trillion dollar mark before his new term is over. And, he's not indicated that he plans on stopping or, even slowing down.
We're going to be stuck with unrepayable debt, a military that is being used as a social experiment, higher food, gas, fuel, electricity and clothing costs and, increased joblessness and welfare cases.
How can I make that claim?
Easy, I have four years of history to look at and, the same plan is in place as before...in Obama's words, he wants to "finish what he's started".
Yeah, he'll finish us alright.
The America as designed will cease to exist.
The America of the future will likely be a heavily medicated, highly taxed, buried in debt 3rd world police state in comparison.
But,
If anyone needs any oil, head to the graves of our founders since I'm sure they're spinning in them so much that they're bound to strike oil soon.

This election proved that not only can the blind lead the blind but, the stupid will willingly jump into line follow them too.

God bless America...we're gonna need it.

In a few more hours...

Only a few more hours and it will all be over with!
  It looks like it's going to be a close race according to the msm but, it appears that Romney has a much better shot than McLame did back in 2008...due mostly to Obama's performance as President and, the fact that it's no longer trendy to vote for him as a "historic" moment.
People who did that last time suffered from "buyers remorse" ever since...except of course the moonbat crowd on the left who would elect their abusive spouse into office after being beaten by him for 4 years.
My vote went to Romney...not because I like Romney but because , when something isn't working, you have to try a different option or, be prepared to see continued failure.

Back in 2007 - 2008, many folks actually did something that the msm and liberal democrats didn't do...they looked at Obama's track record.
And, most everything that was said about him and his ideas has been proven correct 4 years later.
They said he'd make things worse...and he has.
They said his policies would be bad for businesses...and they are.
They said people would be poorer...and they are.
They said that he would weaken America...and he has.
They said he would engage in cronyism...and he does.

Why would people believe those things?
Because they actually listened to Obama's own words and took what he said seriously while his moonbattish base seemed to believe that he was joking.

"Under my policies, energy cost will necessarily skyrocket".

Buy any gas or, electricity over the last year?
He wasn't joking.

"You can build a coal plant but, if you do, it will bankrupt you"
Wasn't joking then either was he?

And on and on and, on.

His crappy ideas aren't working and, I doubt that they were ever intended to work.

He's inflated the debt to 16 trillion and counting...with what kind of result for the money spent?

He's inflated the welfare and foodstamp rolls to 48 million people and counting.

Great policies at work eh?
All from a guy who has never run a business, met a payroll and has made it obvious that he has no idea that economics are effected by policy...as well as threats.

Wow...promising to bankrupt companies with policies sure has created a hiring boom!
And, policies that promise to raise fuel costs sure have helped the middle class like nobody could predict...hahahaha!

But, he did "get" Bin Laden...after delaying it 3 times on the advice of Vallerie Jarret ( naturally a terrorism expert ) only to come to "the painstaking" common sense decision he'd labored over all by himself to take out the world's most wanted terrorist...you know...like those "painstaking decisions" that any cop makes when finding out the whereabouts of a murderer...without having to delay the decision to consult with a political hack.

And Obamacare! A law he didn't write, didn't vote on, didn't read and doesn't quite understand himself...great idea!
And thanks for putting it on the web for a week so the American people can read it before it's passed...
whoops, that didn't happen as promised either, did it?
The most "transparent" administration is more secretive than Richard Nixon so it seems.

"We have to pass it before you can see what's in it".
To a moonbat leftist, that's a great idea but, would a sane person EVER buy something without knowing whats in it or, even what it costs?
They heard the word "free" and, completely disregarded everything else that wasn't so "free".

What will Romney bring?
Obviously something different than the idiotic course we're on now.

Reelecting Obama is no different than Captain Smith backing up the TTitanic and hitting the iceberg again to speed up it's demise.