Horse Tradin'

While I sit back and smirk at all the gloaters on the Biden sham presidency, today I had to do something unrelated. YAY!

This is who will survive, and this defines who won't. Enjoy it liberals, cuz you ain't gettin' NONE of this action!!!!

I need some fence built. About a mile and a half or so. I don't feel like building a mile and a half of fence right now. So, I'm gonna' hire a guy to do it for me. A mile and a half of fence is expensive. There's (5) gates, all the hardware, and about (7.5) miles of wire. There's also about a quarter mile of hot wire, and reinforcing (read - bull proofing) another existing fence to stop two different ranches with competing bulls from fighting each other and trying to screw each others wimmin's. (ours and another ranch).

So the discussion starts. How much for the fence?

We establish an agreeable price.

Hey, that's a pretty nice lookin' steer you got there, wanna' sell him?

Sure!

Can we just deduct it from the fence price?

Sure!

Conversation continues; turns out my fence guy has some choice hogs ready to go.

Wanna sell some of those hogs?

Sure!

Add that back into the package deal.

In the process I sold another heifer, and a year old bull calf.

Fence = A few hundred bucks for materials, down from nearly $10k. I wind up with a freezer full of choice pork, bacon and hams. He winds up with enough beef to feed his family for a year or more...and some breed stock to carry on a cattle herd. Plus, I get the benefits of the genetic pool expanding, so I can get replacement heifers from him (and several others) in the future. We all win, win and win again!

Cost $5,500 for hay for the winter. Paid for that. Essentially got it for free. Got a freezer full of pork, and already have about 2 others full of choice beef. Got a fence, numerous gates built and a bullet proof fence reinforced for bulls. And now I can go buy some lamb and goat (packed fresh).

Win, win, and...WIN!!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Ain't capitalism grand?

a reply to: ketsuko

I'm not sure it's capitalism. It's more like barter economy.

Once I traded a few chickens and goose for a coyote. Can't eat a coyote (at least as far as I know). Later I traded a couple chickens for an Owl, and a hawk. Another time I traded a .22 bullet for a skunk who was trying to eat some eggs. I traded a bag of chicken feed for a broken car which cost me $3,000 to fix...but then I trained my dogs to exterminate ever single one of those 'RATS'!!

At the moment I am on a daily killing cycle with prairie dogs. I wipe out 4-5 every day. But now I have the ultimate weapon. I sit in the garage, much to my wife's dismay, and fire through an open window with a suppressor on the .22-250. I can wipe them out by the hundreds!! They never see it coming! ***bang***...red mist!! Absolutely nasty critters!

Funny how the little "gophers" drag the dead parts and carcasses out of their holes so the birds can get them. They really put a lot of effort into it.

a reply to: ketsuko

There's a guy in the next township selling bails of first cut timothy hay for 1.99 a half-bail. If you supply him with fresh eggs and milk he offers to muck out your stalls and even throws in fresh baked pies the church makes on Sundays.

originally posted by: Mailman
a reply to: ketsuko

There's a guy in the next township selling bails of first cut timothy hay for 1.99 a half-bail. If you supply him with fresh eggs and milk he offers to muck out your stalls and even throws in fresh baked pies the church makes on Sundays.

Now this is what I need for a neighbour! Love great barter stories. I raise rabbits, pigeons, ducks and cavies. Snack size animals. Not a lot of market for them here but if the SHTF I'll be prepared and might have spare to sell.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

It's the very thing. Free exchange of good and services. You have needs and work out an acceptable arrangement where those things trade hands and everyone is satisfied.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

You anti-capitalist.

How does the government get any of your money if you live on the 'dark economy'?

LOL.

a reply to: igloo

You have some favorite cavie recipes?

originally posted by: TheAlleghenyGentleman
a reply to: igloo

You have some favorite cavie recipes?

Simply barbecued or baked! Then the left overs made into a pea soup that easily passes for pork. So good.

originally posted by: chr0naut
a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

You anti-capitalist.

How does the government get any of your money if you live on the 'dark economy'?

LOL.

Simply put...they DON'T!!

And, that's a good thing!

a reply to: igloo

What's a "cavie"??

Never heard of it.

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
a reply to: igloo

What's a "cavie"??

Never heard of it.

Guinea pig. I have a breed developed by the Peru government decades back that is much larger than average. They are a staple food in much of south america. I focused on small animals as they are easier in dire situations to keep alive until needed as opposed to needing to keep a freezer running for a side of beef, though I did raise some sheep last year for the first time and enjoyed it and have them in the freezer.

a reply to: igloo

You don’t brine or marinate?

originally posted by: TheAlleghenyGentleman
a reply to: igloo

You don’t brine or marinate?

Never bothered but have thought about giving it a try. Done in the oven, lay strips of bacon over to keep moist as I skin them for that. But barbecue is easier keeping the skin on.

Editing to add that I'm not much of a cook and am kind of feral when it comes to feeding myself. I'm one of those people that could eat cereal for lunch every day for a month if it was easier than cooking or had no other easy food.

a reply to: igloo

So, basically they're capybara's?? (not sure of spelling) Right?

Oh yeah, I'd definitely roast one of those dudes up!!

I'm thinkin' some rosemary, pepper and cumin.

Yummmm!!

ETA - I'm thinkin something like a Caja China box grill, butterflied and covered in a seasoned butter rub. Oooooh man!!

a reply to: igloo

I guess than I would suggest a dry brine. Didnt know if you had a favorite sure fire personal way of preparing one.

Maybe baste with some delicious suka pinakurat while roasting

I'd definitely trade some beef for a few of those!

A couple goats thrown in wouldn't hurt my feelings either!.

MMMMMmmm Hmmmph!

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
a reply to: igloo

So, basically they're capybara's?? (not sure of spelling) Right?

Oh yeah, I'd definitely roast one of those dudes up!!

I'm thinkin' some rosemary, pepper and cumin.

Yummmm!!

Not as big as capybara, but they are rodents too. I'd love to try capybara. Mine get to about 5lbs but should be bigger. I'm working on that. They are the same species as pet guinea pigs but bigger and wild like broncos. Super skittish and challenging to handle. Yes, those spices would be good. Yum indeed!

5 lbs dressed, or on the foot?

5 lbs dressed is a nice sized dinner. On the foot, not so much.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Goats would also be tasty as all hell basted with pinakurat. You ever had that man?