Well, as long as I was in line would be good enough for me.
We would all be much richer in wisdom that day.
Awww . . . fellows knock it off. You are embarrassing me. As far as writing, go to Mike LaRosa blog here and read Bruce P. Jacksons “In Iraq” story. He is a woodgasser too and that man can actually write and is people wise to boot. I consider HenryA and some others here to be much better writers including young ChrisKY.
People wise and Life wise there are many here I respect much also beginning with Mr Wayne and 'bout a hundred others here included clear throught the alphebet out to Carl Zinn. Mr DousieR. experssed quite well the responsibility of loosing out capabilites without responsibility for the personal hazards involed. Couple of . . . naw even I cannot say that open forum.
Old gray-hairs know that half of people and life wisdom occures just by living long enough through it. What helps the most is to get involve and active in Life, Doing and never stop. Then think a lot about “What just happened?”. Honesty with yourself is very critical also.
I think you fellows are just mostly reponding to my entertaining edgyness.
These last four years in woodgas will be the only book I’ll be writing. Bits and pieces of me in many places woodgas now if you look before they Internet dissapear or get buried.
The people now out woodgas Doing was what is all about for me. Others like Mike LaRosa been pushing that rock for a long time and it was time for me to step out of the shadows and take turn pushing also.
Thats the truth of it . . .we all need to take turns pushing and pulling to progress forward to a better way of living on the face of this planet. Stunning moment in my life was 1969 watching the little blue-green lonely ball seen from the real humans TV broadcasting from the face of the moon and realizing finally we really are in this lifeboat earth togather. SF/Futurists aside for spreading the Human race out, only a few would ever actually be able to go somewhere else. The rest will be here togather. Especially bad teeth, nearsighted, left handers like me. So how can you take the most forward with the highest quality of freedom and independence?
I do not think it will be with Hummers, MB’s and V-12 anythings. I do not think it can be top down driven. Has to be from the bottom up to be practical and everyman, everywoman usable, affordable and sustainable.
This last part is most important: the 60’s 70’s “Back to the Land"ers were bottom up - I was there. Current politically popular Greens in our countries now in power are top down driven. Yes a Hippy and a Redneck are the same as being bottom up people. Top down wether from the Church, the Royalty, the Banks, the Party, the Left, the Right, the Greens all become elitist, self serving, “know best for all”. It is this “know best for all” that is the corrupter. A bottom up by your bootstaps person would say, " this works for me”, “give this a try”, “YMMV” - your mileage (your results) may vary from mine. ONLY takes putting a bottom upper into actual power to corrupt them! Think not,eh? Marshals Stalin, Tito. Chairman Mao, Castro. only a very few can stay true. Christ, Washington, Ho - and they by knowing when to step out, and aside. Most are saved from aristocracy “Noble Obligation” drifting only because we boot them out and tell them to go back out in the real world and get real jobs.
First step to personal freedom in todays worls is to stop biting on the newest, latest, bright and shiny to get your true Freedom back. Be a Human not a fish. Independence will come bit by bit - after prices are paid. And you will find have to be re-payed again. And then later again. Life is dynamic - it never stops. Your responsibility to be a Human is to direct this in yourself.
Regards
Steve Unruh
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Sorry for the necromancy, but it seems like 1 thread on beef was enough.
My mom and I were talking about local beef and one question came up that we didn’t know the answer to: what is the minimum and/or optimal turnover rate for beef cows, i.e. How old does/should one raise a cow from calf to steak?
@Wayne any other beef farmers?
You go by weight more than age. Within reason, heavier is better, younger is better.
We used to only winter them twice before slaughter. That’s where most of the cost is on grass fed beef…
Our steers usually finished about 1000 - 1500 lbs. A little on the small side but no grain was used. Plus these were 3/4 Jersey, not bred for meat production.
You can actually get a tape measure to estimate their weight on the hoof.
Also remember that the yield of retail, ready-to-cook cuts is about 40% of hoof weight. Make sure and keep the tongue! 
Good morning Brian.
The cattle farmers in this area will raise the calves up to 400 -600 pounds and then take them to the local cattle auction . The feed lot buyers will buy them and take them to the west or mid west ( corn country ) and pour the feed and hormones to them and bring them up to 1200 - 1500 pounds before slaughter .
Cattle are pretty high right now , the last calf I sold brought 1400 bucks !!
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Hi BrianHWA
As a fellow PNW Wetsider the kick you in the pants decision on grass fed beef in the necessary “must feed hay annual cycles”.
Normally they are never taken into a thrid must feed hay - no growing grazing grass - winter. So . . . slaughtered out at ~18 months old.
This year NOT normal. Summer drought killed off all of the free grazing by mid-July forcing early feeding out of what should have been winter saved back hay. Self-made hay will be gone before next springs new grass. This will/would force buying out of eastside shipped-in hay. This forced unusual hay “supply and demand” cycle has already driven up hay prices 2X.
Smart now to herd reduce BEFORE this upcoming winter. Hay price/availability forcing premature herd reductions will short term depress beef-meat retail prices. Retail prices then spike up next year with less beef cows available coming to maturity.
Again. The only way to dampen cycles dependencies is to as much as possible step up-and-out, stand aside, and raise your own meats.
My free ranging chickens been loving this drought bug filled year and been self-forage feeding better than in the last three, too wet, no-summer years.
Ha! Just fine untill the drought wild rabbit reduction forced the coyotes to eating MY chicken too or starve. Four laying hens, one rooster, 5 half-growns ran down in one day and ate. Took me and .357 rifle six days early/late sitting to get the bullet points hammered into my brother coyotes that MY chicken meat was going to be too expensive for them to harvest.
Couple of neighbors complaining of missing cats now.
Rural life is always active and real-life intersting.
Regards
Steve Unruh
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