Unless you've found a deadhead that--miraculously--has some of the meat still attached, this probably seems odd timing for an article on the procedures for Euro-mounting a deer skull. There's a reason for that. About halfway through the project this fall, I came down hard with the world's favorite Coronavirus, and was forced to shelve it for a while (though I must admit, losing … [Read more...] about Deer Skull Euro-Mount 101: Field Prep
Animals
Second-Hand Critters: A Cautionary Tale
It’s not a good idea to find a babysitter on Craigslist. It’s not a good idea to buy full-grown animals on the Internet either. Almost no one sells you their good animals. You’re likely getting a scratch-and-dent model that could be sick, nervous, or destructive. It’s a lesson I learned when I bought a ewe online and ended up barbequing her a few weeks later. I got on the … [Read more...] about Second-Hand Critters: A Cautionary Tale
Chicken Breed Profile (Part 2 of ∞)
As springtime approaches, that tends to mean one thing around my homestead. The chickens, long self-confined to a smaller grazing ground have begun to range again, scratching their way through underbrush and tree, grass and, yes, even garden. As I’m watching them, I’ve begun to realize it’s been a little while since I last profiled any chicken breeds on here, so without further … [Read more...] about Chicken Breed Profile (Part 2 of ∞)
Pickling Meat: A Pre-20th-Century Process
There are all sorts of ways to cure meat, but most at some point require cold-storage to prevent rot. There’s salt curing, smoking, drying, and good old-fashioned freezing, among many others. With one method of curing however, you don’t need to worry quite so much about how quick you eat your meats, or where you store it. Pickling meat is a way of curing and preserving it … [Read more...] about Pickling Meat: A Pre-20th-Century Process
Chicken Breed Profile (Part 1 of ?)
A topic we’ve covered regularly on this site, though perhaps not regularly enough, is that of poultry. Probably the most common “gateway stock” for budding homesteaders, chickens are relatively simple to care for, easy to acquire, and can be used for either meat or eggs. Read on for the first in what will be an irregularly running series with multiple installments, cataloguing … [Read more...] about Chicken Breed Profile (Part 1 of ?)
