Feeding zombies

I got a call a couple of weeks ago with an odd request.  Could I sell a lamb?

That's not what was odd; we sell lambs all the time.  Our lambs, this years lambs, are pretty small yet, but we'll sell a few here and there to folks who want a small lamb.

When people ask about it, they're often a little skittish about asking if I'm ok selling it to eat.  It's not as bad as with chickens -- apparently, eating chickens is a touchy subject -- but as you guys know, I'm all about raising animals for food. 

But there was more than the usual amount of hesitation when she asked if she could have the head.  "yes, of course.  you're buying the entire animal".  But they didn't want the head. 

They wanted the sheep brain.  Fresh.  Within 5 minutes of death. 

Honestly, the first thought that crossed my mind was zombies. 

So today was the day; I met three graduate students at my gate, and asked them if they were the zombie crew.  They looked startled, and then laughed, and said yes. 

I'll skip over the killing method; suffice it to say that it was humane and legal and quick.  They used a hand meat saw to slice the head open, and then carefully scooped out the brain, rinsed it in some liquid, and then froze it in liquid nitrogen, and then packed it in dry ice. 

This particular sheeps brain was going to be used for research at a local (big, huge, GIGANTIC) cancer research institute that had its headquarters in Seattle. 

"you're not at all what we expected", says one of them sheepishly.  What do you mean?  "Well, you seem very science friendly and you were all set up here to make this easy to do".  Well, yes, I'm a science kinda guy.

But if I were you, I'd delay my research for a few more months.  The lambs are bigger and you get more to eat, but do come again!

Sellin' weaners

health dept: You cannot raise pigs on your 139 acre farm...

A recent rule change in Massachusetts has made many existing barns and animal pens illegal -- and the local health department has been enforcing this rule and prohibiting people from using their barns and fields to raise animals.

King County, Washington has the same sort of rule.  You can't keep pigs less than 100' from any property line, which has meant that people with less than 2 or 3 acres usually cannot keep pigs.

Business wise, it's been a mixed bag for me.  It has put a lot of 2 and 3 sow small producers out of business, but it's also meant that customers who would normally have purchased a couple of weaners in the spring don't because of concern over fines or enforcement action.  So the supply goes down, and so does the demand.

that in turn means a smaller income from the local custom slaughter and custom cut-and-wrap shops, and that's infrastructure that I really must have to keep going.

Any time a town makes a change like this and discourages agriculture it makes it just that much harder for everyone else to continue.

You'll find the full story here.

Thanks to SteveP for the story.