Our plan for this year was to get the garden up and running, and make it productive. If all goes according to plan, our next step will be raising meat rabbits.
I have never raised rabbits, and frankly don't really care for them as pets; that may be why I found it easy to make the jump to the idea of rabbits as a food source. They are ideal for urban homesteads, since they are quiet and don't need much space. Their manure makes an excellent fertilizer (it is the only manure that won't "burn" plants if put directly into the garden), and their pelts are nice too. Apparently they are relatively easy to kill and dress, which makes them an excellent starter animal.
But there was one problem - we had never eaten rabbit before. That seemed the most important thing to consider if we were seriously considering them as our first livestock. Luckily the last time I was at the Farmer's Market the Amish man was there (don't get me started on the Amish man's booth... I spend at least $10 more if he's there than if he isn't.) He sells cheese, eggs, granola, and meat... lo and behold, he carries rabbit!
I found this recipe online (combined a few, actually... most called for heavy cream soups or sour cream, and we're trying to be more healthy...)
INGREDIENTS:
- Rabbit meat, dressed.
- Herbs and Garlic
- Worcestershire sauce
- Plain yogurt
- 1 can vegetable or chicken stock
- Carrots and Potatoes, quartered and rinsed.
Put all ingredients into the slow cooker and cook for 8 hours on low. Meat should be under or nearly submerged in the broth - add water to mixture if the broth isn't high enough.
This was really tasty! Rabbit tastes a bit like a VERY lean pork to me - there was virtually no fat, which means that the meat can run a bit dry (most people fry or slow cook it for this reason), but it also means that if you're picky about fat on food (Husband and I both HATE to eat a piece of fat...) rabbit might be the meat for you! The meat fell right off of the bone, and most of it was edible. I think next time I might coat the rabbit in the yogurt before the spices, as this might keep more moisture trapped in the meat.
Overall, if more people ate rabbit (or other low-impact livestock) and kept the cows for the special occasions, the planet (and our bodies) would be in MUCH better shape right now!
3 comments:
Jess, Jess, Jess. I love all your posts! But I kind of gagged through this one!
When I was growing up, my dad raised rabbits. It's probably the root of my vegetarianism. I know you say that you don't like them as pets, but I really did! It was so hard for me to play with the babies all spring and get all attached only to have my dad smash their heads in with a hammer come fall!
I totally respect your decision and understand the logic behind it. All I ask is that if you keep it up and eventually have kids, don't let them get attached to the little baby bunnies! It can seriously mess up a child!
Haha - sorry to bring up bad memories! I don't think we'll be smashing any heads in with hammers...that seems needlessly gruesome. I was just reading one of my favorite blogs, coldantlerfarm, and she posted a really cool article about the spiritual side of farming. One statement stuck out to me: "Our children were not scared of dead pigs, but clapped their hands under the hanging hogs. Because they liked bacon, and because they weren't shielded from the whole story as if it was a favor." I think it'd be nice to go back to that sort of ownership about what we eat - whether vegan, vegetarian, or meat eater once-removed (not everybody should be a farmer, but I think we should know where our food comes from.) I don't think I could ever raise pigs though - I'd feel the same way you did! :)
I feel the same way, and you really raise a good point. I have every intention of feeding my children meat until they tell me they no longer want it. But I do want them to be educated about where it comes from. I think if every single person out there was that familiar with the process, more would be vegetarians but all would be better off.
Luckily if we raise our children in Spain, I won't have to go to far to get them that education. It as WAY too common to see dead animals all over the place here. All of the markets have straight-up ham legs hanging everywhere. Fish are still squirming on ice. Pig heads follow you with their gaze. People just don't have the discomfort here like they do in America, and I think it is, as you said, due to massive exposure. It is just lousy for me who wasn't raised that way to come into the culture so late!
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