We have sold meat retail by the cut or as locker meat (in bulk).  We regularly get questions about how much meat someone will take home.  I asked the same thing when I was new to buying meat direct.  I didn't want to pay twice the price and get half the meat.  Yes, I wanted humanely raised meat.  Of course I wanted to avoid chemicals that were bad for my family.  But, I also didn't want to get ripped off.  I also wanted to know what is reasonable to expect in these sorts of transactions.

​Here are a few terms that you may hear and rough guidelines for what to expect.  These are only to give you an idea​.  Expect some variation.

If you live in the country, you already know about the joy of rodents.  When we lived in Oregon, we had huge rats that could bloody our 80-pound Weimaraner dogs ... our Jack Russell was more skilled, but took a lot longer.  They were ugly with beady eyes too close together and a weirdly long crookedy snout.  They were easy to hate ... they destroyed everything and are suspected to be the source of the spark that started the fire that burned out house down.

​Now that we're here in northern Idaho, we've found all sorts of cuteness.  We loved the shrews in Oregon, which live here, too, but they aren't rodents though they are entirely awesome little creatures.   There are so many cute mice here and I'd love them except they get in everything.  This little squirmy baby is gray on the back with a white belly, huge eyes, and a funny little tail.  Mom was a little chibi (cute anime creature) mouse that could be a model for stuffed animals and children's toys.  There are also little brown ones, ground squirrels, rats, and all sorts.  This is where they are meant to live - in the country - so how do we strike a balance?

I am not a fan of shepherd's pie.  To me it means leftover casserole or a compilation of bland ground beef with peas and instant mashed potatoes with a overly thick layer of cheese trying to rescue the dish.  However, this one is good.  Leftover can be used, but I make it from scratch on purpose in a large batch in the slow cooker.  It also works well in a Dutch oven pot on a wood burning stove ... nice in the winter.

I frequently have people ask what we feed our animals and they ask if the animals are given antibiotics.  I am sometimes asked why antibiotics matter by bolder people who are willing to show a little lack of knowledge in order to learn more ... or possibly to test me to see if I know why it matters.  From discussions with people asking about food given, it is apparent that many do no understand the role antibiotics and "medicated" feed play in the production of animal-based food.  They have heard they are "bad" but don't really know why.

​I do not use medicated feeds on my farm, but I do give sick animals antibiotics when they need them.  Let me share a little about my understanding of antibiotics.  Forgive me if it gets a bit medical-ish (as I am a RN), but it is a medical issue at least in part.  I've read quite a few peer-reviewed published professional articles in medical journal (US and international), but I am not taking the time to cite them here.  If this topic interests you, please research it more.

It seems that each year we get to gain experience with a new problem without livestock.  It's a learning experience that makes us better prepared to prevent or treat it in the future.  This year while I was gone at work, my children found a goat kid that was wobbly and unsteady to the point of not being able to walk well.  He had very uncoordinated movements.  It wasn't something I have seen before.

​My husband searched and found treatment.  My children searched the herd for other sick kids and found two more.  They were all brought in and treated