 One pig will be available for purchase in advance of the workshop, and buyers can take their packaged share home. Email apeandapemass@gmail.com for more information. Quarter share: (~40lbs, 250$) Half share: (~80lbs, 425$) Full pig: (~160lbs, 600$) Workshop attendance 35-75$ sliding scale. Please RSVP by email: apeandapemass@gmail.com | November 5th, Sunday, 830-430 Huntington MA Learn how to slaughter, dress, quarter and further butcher hoofed animals! In this workshop, we'll take apart three heritage breed pigs at Doghill farm in Huntington MA. Learn about butchering, charcuterie and anatomy as we transform these noble cousins of ours into food for us humans. All parts of the animal will be used, including organ meats, bones and blood. Lastly, we will learn to use the sinew for string, hooves for glue. Folks will be expected to roll their sleeves and participate. All this will be done, of course, in the respectful context of interdependence. No experience necessary. |
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Complete Cattle Butchering Workshop and Meat-share! |
| Learn how to skin, dress, quarter and butcher hoofed animals in traditional methods, with a take home grass-fed beef meat-share option! In this workshop, we'll take apart a noble Scottish Highland cow from Bittersweet Farm in Mason, NH, learning about butchering, charcuterie and anatomy as we transform a whole, majestic cousin of ours into food for us humans. |  |
 | All parts of the animal will be used, including organ meats, bones and blood. We will prepare sausage with the entrails and begin traditional methods of meat curing including salting, drying and smoking. Lastly, we will learn to use the sinew for string, hooves for glue and how to prepare the hide into a finished blanket or rug. Folks will be expected to roll their sleeves and participate. All this will be done in the respectful and open hearted context of interdependence with a focus on gratitude, respect, and safety. |
There will be 2 SEPARATE, fairly identical 1-day workshops - Sat 12/5 and Sun 12/6, 9-5. One cow will be butchered each day. There are no on-site overnight accommodations.
Ways to attend:
NOTE!: As an meat-share attendee of the workshop, you are co-buying a cow, on the hoof, as a live animal, with the other paying animal-share participants, on 12/1. This transaction will be facilitated by Ape and Ape, through mail and email. The workshop is not a 'meat CSA' nor a sale of meat from Ape & Ape, nor Bittersweet Farm, nor will the meat be processed or packaged in a certified facility, nor is it intended for sale or resale. It is intended for the consumption of the workshop participants and their families and pets. In other words, this is primarily an educational experience after which the cow is divided between co-owners and participants, facilitated by Ape&Ape.
NOTE!: Ape and Ape reserves the right to refund and limit, in advance of or on the day of the workshop, the # of 'shares' purchased by a a participant, in the interest in allowing more people to attend and experience the educational workshop. We will do our best to communicate with everyone should enrollment issues arise.
Put on by Ape and Ape, an on-site butchering co-op: www.apeandape.com
Contact apeandapemass@gmail with questions & to register. You must RSVP, pre-pay and complete a waiver of liability by 12/1.
Bring a potluck lunch, a knife, a cooler and way to transport meat, water for the day, and prepare to be outside all day in cold weather! Sorry, no pets, and no children under 18.
Ways to attend:
- Educational workshop attendee. 50-80$ per day, both days 90-120$. Folks 60+ attend free. This option does not include you as a co-owner for the meat share.
- Work trade: 20-40$/day, limited to 3 college students. Email apeandapemass@gmail ASAP, expectation of 3 hours brush clearing @ public orchards in Northampton or Greenfield MA, to be completed by 12/1. This option does not include you as a co-owner for the meat share.
- Meat-share: Includes 1 day workshop attendance. Participants must pre-pay, by 12/1, becoming a co-owner of one or both living cows. On the workshop day, the co-owners will contract Ape and Ape, Inc, to facilitate the educational butchering workshop. Afterwords, the co-owners can each take home a 'share' of their property (raw, unfrozen beef) - a diversity of cuts - estimated to be 20-30 lbs., depending on the size of the cows. Shares in co-ownership are offered by Ape and Ape at 120-150$, sliding scale, per 'share'. It is possible to buy up to 3 shares per cow.
NOTE!: As an meat-share attendee of the workshop, you are co-buying a cow, on the hoof, as a live animal, with the other paying animal-share participants, on 12/1. This transaction will be facilitated by Ape and Ape, through mail and email. The workshop is not a 'meat CSA' nor a sale of meat from Ape & Ape, nor Bittersweet Farm, nor will the meat be processed or packaged in a certified facility, nor is it intended for sale or resale. It is intended for the consumption of the workshop participants and their families and pets. In other words, this is primarily an educational experience after which the cow is divided between co-owners and participants, facilitated by Ape&Ape.
NOTE!: Ape and Ape reserves the right to refund and limit, in advance of or on the day of the workshop, the # of 'shares' purchased by a a participant, in the interest in allowing more people to attend and experience the educational workshop. We will do our best to communicate with everyone should enrollment issues arise.
Put on by Ape and Ape, an on-site butchering co-op: www.apeandape.com
Contact apeandapemass@gmail with questions & to register. You must RSVP, pre-pay and complete a waiver of liability by 12/1.
Bring a potluck lunch, a knife, a cooler and way to transport meat, water for the day, and prepare to be outside all day in cold weather! Sorry, no pets, and no children under 18.
Cob Oven and Rocket Stove Building + Chicken Butchering @ Taproot Commons Farm - Workshop Sat 9/6
8/21/2014
Cob, also known as adobe, is a traditional and versatile building material made from clay, sand and straw. With it, humans can easily and intuitively build houses, stoves, ovens and more. In this FULL DAY WORKSHOP we'll design and build a permanent, highly efficient wood fired outdoor baking oven at a Taproot Commons Farm (Dairy CSA) in Cummington MA.
We'll harvest the clay, mix cob, build the foundation, oven, and finally a roof. We will then build a cob rocket stove AND butcher a chicken and learn about how to use all parts for food.
Participants will be comfortable to make simple cob structures on their own by the end of the day. Bring enthusiasm, work clothes, and as many empty beer bottles as you can. Pot-luck lunch.
$30-$60 sliding scale : For more info & to RSVP contact apeandapemass@gmail.com
We'll harvest the clay, mix cob, build the foundation, oven, and finally a roof. We will then build a cob rocket stove AND butcher a chicken and learn about how to use all parts for food.
Participants will be comfortable to make simple cob structures on their own by the end of the day. Bring enthusiasm, work clothes, and as many empty beer bottles as you can. Pot-luck lunch.
$30-$60 sliding scale : For more info & to RSVP contact apeandapemass@gmail.com
Learn how to skin, dress, quarter and further butcher hoofed animals! In this workshop, we'll take apart two heritage breed pigs at Taproot Commons Farm in Cummington MA (11 porter hill Rd) Learn about butchering, charcuterie and anatomy as we transform a whole, noble cousin of ours into food for us humans. All parts of the animal will be used, including organ meats, bones and blood. Lastly, we will learn to use the sinew for string, hooves for glue. Folks will be expected to roll their sleeves and participate. All this will be done, of course, in the respectful context of interdependence.
Workshop runs from 9am - 2pm, and is 30-60$ sliding scale. Please RSVP.
Workshop runs from 9am - 2pm, and is 30-60$ sliding scale. Please RSVP.
Learn how to skin, dress, quarter and further butcher hoofed animals! In this workshop, we'll take apart a bison from Long Hollow Bison Farm in Hadley, learning about butchering, charcuterie and anatomy as we transform a whole, noble cousin of ours into food for us humans. All parts of the animal will be used, including organ meats, bones and blood. We will prepare sausage with the entrails and begin traditional methods of meat curing including salting, drying and smoking. Lastly, we will learn to use the sinew for string, hooves for glue and how to prepare the hide into a finished robe. Folks will be expected to roll their sleeves and participate. We'll roast some up there, and some (~20#) meat will be available to take home for participants. All this will be done, of course, in the respectful and open hearted context of interdependence.
The all day workshop runs from 9-5 on 4/12 & costs 120-150$ at Next Barn Over, Hadley.
To attend this workshop as a hands-on participant, but not get a meat-share is just 50-80$.
Put on by Ape and Ape, an on-site butchering co-op in the Valley. www.apeandape.com
Contact apeandapemass@gmail.com with questions, and to register. You must RSVP.
Bring a potluck lunch, a knife, water for the day, and prepare to be outside all day.
Note - as an attendee of the workshop, you are co-buying the bison, on the hoof, as a live animal. The workshop is not a 'meat CSA' nor sale of meat from Ape & Ape, LHBF, or NBO - it is an educational experience in which the bison is divided between co-owners, facilitated by Ape and Ape.
The all day workshop runs from 9-5 on 4/12 & costs 120-150$ at Next Barn Over, Hadley.
To attend this workshop as a hands-on participant, but not get a meat-share is just 50-80$.
Put on by Ape and Ape, an on-site butchering co-op in the Valley. www.apeandape.com
Contact apeandapemass@gmail.com with questions, and to register. You must RSVP.
Bring a potluck lunch, a knife, water for the day, and prepare to be outside all day.
Note - as an attendee of the workshop, you are co-buying the bison, on the hoof, as a live animal. The workshop is not a 'meat CSA' nor sale of meat from Ape & Ape, LHBF, or NBO - it is an educational experience in which the bison is divided between co-owners, facilitated by Ape and Ape.
Everyone eats chicken hands - we call them fingers, or 'wings', meaning birds' hands. Like our hands and feet, they have the same number of bones but are shaped differently for doing different things. Chicken hands are long and compact and are used to swim through the sky. In contrast, chickens' toes are spread out to balance on the ground dig through mulch and even to stomp on and seize prey. Plus they have visible scales, not feathers. And they touch dirt. Nasty, right?
Wrong. Each chicken has 2 feet. They add up to more than a 10th of the weight of the whole bird. Each year ~50 billion chickens are killed and eaten by Homo sapiens on this planet. Let's say the average weight is 3lbs. That means 15 billion tons of chicken feet are presented to the human population as gifts from the planet to do with what we will. In the so-called First World, their fate is usually landfills, pet food, or are sold overseas. (In '08, US chicken tycoons sold 421,000 tons, worth 280$ million, to Chinese markets). On small farms they may be composted or fed to animals.
In many parts of the world, chicken feet, or 'paws', are eaten. All the time. And not because these people are poor or stupid enough to want to eat a dead foot that has scales or once touched dirt. (Potatoes touch dirt, and fish have scales, too.) But because they taste amazing (like chicken), and are very nutritious and healthy. Plus they're fun to eat.
They are a yummy finger food and base for soup. Next time you butcher some chickens - hang on to them! Or, if thinking of chicken paws as food or seeing one is triggering to you, the best thing to do is tweet about it and call the news to warn the others!
They are a yummy finger food and base for soup. Next time you butcher some chickens - hang on to them! Or, if thinking of chicken paws as food or seeing one is triggering to you, the best thing to do is tweet about it and call the news to warn the others!
What to do with your chicken (turkey, duck, or pig) feet. You may as well add the heads to this recipe, too. They have a good amount of meat and nutrition:
- It's easier to clean and pluck the heads and feet of birds if you leave them on the bird. Take your time to get the little feathers off their faces.
- If you're going to cook the feet and heads separately from the rest of the bird, cut them off.
- You can rinse the feet again until they look clean. You can dip them in hot water again if you want to pull the skin off, which will leave them shiny and pink. Or you can leave the skin on and enjoy the nutritional bonus it offers.
- First, we make a good amount of soup stock from the feet (+ heads). Put them in a large pot and cover with water. Add a spoon of salt, a good splash (up to a 1/4 cup) of vinegar to extract the minerals like calcium and cartilage into the stock, and whatever spices you like (onions, bay leaves, garlic, thyme, red pepper), and as many soup-infusing medicinal herbs you'd like too, such as adaptogens like reishi, astragalus, chaga, turkey tail, etc.
- Let the feet simmer, covered, for at least 2 hours, or all day, depending on how rich you want the stock to be. If the water level drops, you can always top it off. When you feel the feet falling apart when you stir them, It's done.
- Strain the broth into jars and refrigerate. A few spoons will be a good base for soups, cooked veggies and more. This broth is incredibly rich in nutrients, aspic, collagen and gelatin which nourish the immune, nervous and digestive systems, especially the gut flora to whom you owe your life. See how solid it becomes when it cools off? If you want to build strong bones and stay healthy during the winter... you'd better have some!
- Now, what to do with the feet? They're finger food! You can either go through them with your own fingers and get all the bones out, leaving the meat and tender tendons, or you can outsource this task to the eater, and roast and eat them like chicken wings, spitting out the bones as you go.
- Drizzle them with sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and pepper... or olive oil, balsamic, red pepper, and thyme, depending on what continent you want to channel. Roast them in the oven @ 350 for 30 minutes or so. They'll get nice and crunchy but still be chewy. Enjoy!
Cob, also known as adobe, is a traditional and versatile building material made from clay, sand and straw. With it, humans can easily and intuitively build houses, stoves, ovens and more. In this
FULL DAY WORKSHOP we'll design and build a permanent, highly efficient wood firedoutdoor baking oven at a permaculture homestead
on North Valley Road, in Pelham (10 min from Amherst, West), using local clay and materials.
We'll mix cob, build the foundation, oven, and finally a roof. If you'd like to be part of the clay harvesting - let me know when you RSVP (that will be ~8am 10/6 in Northampton)
Participants will be comfortable to make simple cob structures on their own by the end of the day. Bring enthusiasm, work clothes, and as manyempty beer bottles as you can. Pot-luck lunch.
$30-$60 sliding scale
For more info & to RSVP contact apeandapemass@gmail.com
FULL DAY WORKSHOP we'll design and build a permanent, highly efficient wood firedoutdoor baking oven at a permaculture homestead
on North Valley Road, in Pelham (10 min from Amherst, West), using local clay and materials.
We'll mix cob, build the foundation, oven, and finally a roof. If you'd like to be part of the clay harvesting - let me know when you RSVP (that will be ~8am 10/6 in Northampton)
Participants will be comfortable to make simple cob structures on their own by the end of the day. Bring enthusiasm, work clothes, and as manyempty beer bottles as you can. Pot-luck lunch.
$30-$60 sliding scale
For more info & to RSVP contact apeandapemass@gmail.com
A couple of weeks back we purchased a pig from a nearby farmer. Lately we've been especially busy with meat processing endeavors: bacon/guanciale, ham, pate, sausage, blood sausage, rendering lard, three recipes of trotters/ears/snouts, headcheese, pork rinds, and bone broth.
For one project, we brined and smoked cured several hams for our own eating. We used just sugar, salt and water and left it out in the mudroom, turning them over every few days. No nitrates. The hams were big, about 15 pounds, so they cured for 2 weeks.
Here is a picture of our first ham after roasting in the oven for several hours. In another project not pictured we made head cheese by boiling the pigs head and then scraping the skull clean, cut up the parts add spices and shape the pig face parts into a cake and letting set for a couple days in the refrigerator! It's great!
Here is a picture of our first ham after roasting in the oven for several hours. In another project not pictured we made head cheese by boiling the pigs head and then scraping the skull clean, cut up the parts add spices and shape the pig face parts into a cake and letting set for a couple days in the refrigerator! It's great!
Here is our pile of bacon after it came out of the smoker! Delicious!
Bacon involves a simple brine - two cups sugar and two cups salt dissolved in a gallon of water with a big piece of belly meat/fat...bacon to be! Brine in a cold room, stirring and flipping a couple times. After one week remove, rinse, pat dry and smoke according to taste - we smoked all day with wild hickory bark soaked in apple juice. Watch out for fires in the smoker!
Bacon involves a simple brine - two cups sugar and two cups salt dissolved in a gallon of water with a big piece of belly meat/fat...bacon to be! Brine in a cold room, stirring and flipping a couple times. After one week remove, rinse, pat dry and smoke according to taste - we smoked all day with wild hickory bark soaked in apple juice. Watch out for fires in the smoker!