Re: FOOD PRODUCERS - plucking fowl made easier

[Guest guest]

We used to plunge the fowl into boiling water before plucking. It

made the job much easier.

Bee

>

> >Geese - can anyone tell me how they go about plucking their geese?

>

> I'm not a food producer and I've never plucked a domestic goose, so

I hesitated to answer. But I've plucked lots of birds ... my first

chicken took about 3 hours, the second took 1, and the third took

about 20 minutes. A lot of it was experience. Plucking immediately

seemed to help, but I got some ducks that had been in the back of

someone's truck all day and they plucked rather easily. So there

might be something to letting them " age " . Most producers would

probably tell you that they should be processed IMMEDIATELY though

(for health reasons) but I know that they did in fact used to hang

for a few days " for tenderness " .

>

> The folks that hunt ducks a lot don't bother with the wings ... I

think the wing feathers are the worst. I used pliers because I wanted

to save the feathers, then I pulled one at a time. The pinfeathers

are awful too, I think singeing (as you did) is the way to go. Or

maybe one of those epilady hair pullers ;-)

>

> There is an outfit near me that will process chickens for $1 each --

they have a machine. I've been tempted, but I don't know if they do

geese. Also they want a large batch at once.

>

>

> >Selling - can anyone tell me, or point me towards, information on

the

> >legalities of selling raw kraut, raw milk, and raw yogurt? I did

write one

> >woman who had posted about selling her raw yoghurt and kraut, but

she didn't

> >write back.

>

> Depends on your state. I don't think kraut is much of a problem,

there are some raw kraut producers, but in general selling ANYTHING

to eat involves health inspections etc. Raw milk is a hot topic as

you've no doubt seen on this list! In my state it is legal but

involves a lot of rules.

>

>

> >We want to go from providing food for our family to providing food

for

> >others. Are there any organizations that support small farms,

that are

> >interested in seeing agriculure land remain agriculture? We

recently viewed

> >a homestead farm that has come up for sale and it is typical of

what is

> >going on here. It is 160 acres with old farm house and falling

down barn

> >and pasture that hasn't been used as a pasture in years - and the

children

> >who have inheritted it are asking $355,000. It will, as usual, be

bought by

> >a developer who will divide it up int 1.5 acres parcels (some will

be as

> >large as 5 acres! <choke>) and they will be sold with CCRs that

keep one

> >from raising so much as a chicken!

>

> I wonder how much it would cost to hire a farmer, at least for the

summer? Farming is a full time job, but our local guy does a huge lot

all by himself, with some help for weeding and picking. If a group

went together and hired someone to do the tilling, planting etc. then

divided and sold the produce, it could be a good deal. He sells his

to upscale restaurants and at farmers markets. I'd think there might

be a market in fermented vegies too.

>

> There are government agencies that can give you the info for your

state. Also granges. And the local 4H is a good bet. Starting out

with raw milk though is a BIG step, I'd start with something less

controversial (our local guy sells a lot of lettuce! We go down the

hill, get a bag washed, picked that day, for $2.50 which is lunch.

Soooo yummy. We buy shares in advance so anyone can go down and fetch

lunch without needing pocket change.

>

> -- Heidi