Michigan

[Hillbilly Rooster]

Morning just seating at school. I should really get on the computer once in awhile during the weekend. Looks like everyone had some fun.

Wyliefarm came over and picked up some hens hoping that they a good trip and they work out for her.

 

[YakLady]

Quote:
That is awesome YakLady! You guys are onto something there....do you have a good market for yak products at the moment? There is a family farm around here that raises bison for meat, and as soon as they have meat available they sell out FAST! We just stopped by this weekend and picked up some frozen patties.

Freebie - bye! It was nice knowing you!!!

We haven't marketed it too much as of yet. We won't have any yaks ready to be processed until this Spring, so we don't want to market until we have product ready to offer. In Colorado, Utah, Minnesota and Idaho (where most yak ranches are right now), they sell it before it can even be produced. Since there isn't much yak in the USA, it goes very quickly. I'm hoping to market our live product, as well. Studies have shown that yak/cow hybrids product the same quality of meat as pure yak, with most of the same benefits (yak only eat 1/3 of what beef cattle eat, and they are disease and parasite resistant-also require no shelter). For that reason, I think that beef cattle ranches would be doing a really smart thing to add a few yaks to their pastures. We only have 10 acres, but because yaks eat so little we can easily maintain our 16 head of yak. The going ratio is that you can have three times as many yak per acre as you could a traditional cow. I do have people lining up to buy their wool, though. Come Spring, I won't even have to market that. I know a guy who has a buffalo ranch in Pinckney, and he's really excited about coming over to check out yak. The Detroit FreePress has a children's publication called Yak's Corner. They sent a reporter and photographer over with their mascot to do a story. Here it is, if you want to read it: http://www.nieonline.com/yakscorner/20091022/2.pdf

I thought that was some good free marketing! Our local paper did a story on us, as well as the Tibetan Sun (a Middle Eastern publication). Here's that one: http://www.tibetsun.com/features/2009/09/04/a-yak-named-bayak-obama/

 

[Hillbilly Rooster]

Quote:
That is awesome YakLady! You guys are onto something there....do you have a good market for yak products at the moment? There is a family farm around here that raises bison for meat, and as soon as they have meat available they sell out FAST! We just stopped by this weekend and picked up some frozen patties.

Freebie - bye! It was nice knowing you!!!

We haven't marketed it too much as of yet. We won't have any yaks ready to be processed until this Spring, so we don't want to market until we have product ready to offer. In Colorado, Utah, Minnesota and Idaho (where most yak ranches are right now), they sell it before it can even be produced. Since there isn't much yak in the USA, it goes very quickly. I'm hoping to market our live product, as well. Studies have shown that yak/cow hybrids product the same quality of meat as pure yak, with most of the same benefits (yak only eat 1/3 of what beef cattle eat, and they are disease and parasite resistant-also require no shelter). For that reason, I think that beef cattle ranches would be doing a really smart thing to add a few yaks to their pastures. We only have 10 acres, but because yaks eat so little we can easily maintain our 16 head of yak. The going ratio is that you can have three times as many yak per acre as you could a traditional cow. I do have people lining up to buy their wool, though. Come Spring, I won't even have to market that. I know a guy who has a buffalo ranch in Pinckney, and he's really excited about coming over to check out yak. The Detroit FreePress has a children's publication called Yak's Corner. They sent a reporter and photographer over with their mascot to do a story. Here it is, if you want to read it: http://www.nieonline.com/yakscorner/20091022/2.pdf

I thought that was some good free marketing! Our local paper did a story on us, as well as the Tibetan Sun (a Middle Eastern publication). Here's that one: http://www.tibetsun.com/features/2009/09/04/a-yak-named-bayak-obama/

Wow does yak taste like your regular beef or vension?

 

[wyliefarms]

Good Morning!

Very interesting information yak lady

Do they raise ok by themselves or do they do better in a herd? It would be neat to raise on and see how that works. I guess we should try some meat first of all!

Cleaning and working on school work. Off to check on the troops.

Jason- the chickens made it home safe and sound. Adapted quickly to our little farm

Sarah

 

[LauraSBale]

Hi everyone

been a busy weekend, the kids had fun saturday, but it was cold and windy

I have a pair of golden Sea bright bantams for sale if any one is inrested, there 6 months old.

 

[Ooopsy_daisy]

YakLady: Thanks for sharing all the info about Yaks. I have horses and my gosh are they expensive to feed in the winter. I only keep the extra 2 around to keep the pastures down the rest of the year. But Yaks just might be the way to go only eating a 1/3 of regular cattle. I'll have to look into it. And yes, how does the meat taste? Gamey at all or is it just like beef?

PS great articles by the way.

 

[miss_jayne]

yaaaaay....processed my first Midget White today to make a pot of turkey soup and will roast the breast tomorrow!

the meat is so tender and oh my gosh, delicious! i didn't weigh the whole bird, but the breast was 5 lbs!

here he is all dressed out! it was way easy to pluck. i used the plucker for most of it and plucked the big wing feathers by hand. they were cake work.

and the breast removed for tomorrow's supper...

i was really happy with the size of the Midget! the soup broth is really nice and rich. just finishing up the soup now and am excited to see how the breast roasts out.

woo hooo!

sassy food is good food!

 

[wyliefarms]

Loved the costume pictures! This year I forgot to take pictures! I cannot believe it!

Laura- pretty birds! I know Rachel would love them, but no room

Looks great MJ!

I am so excited

Heading to the Detroit Airport at 9:45pm to go and pick up our Honduran interpeter, Titi. She is going to be here for 2 weeks. There is a big group taking the church van down to get her. So EXCITED!!!!

Will be tough getting up at 5am though

Titi may stay with us a couple days. The family she is suppose to stay with while in MI has the flu. Titi roomed with Rachel and I while in Honduras.

Got to go and get a few things done incase Titi is staying here !

Sarah

 

[YakLady]

Thanks for the questions, guys. Hopefully, these are the answers you were looking for:

Taste: Just like beef-very mild, texture like filet mignon (buttery/tender/no fat), best served rare. There is no gamey taste at all, unlike buffalo. It really does taste just like beef, because that's what it is.

Temperament: They're more intelligent than normal beef cattle, and a little more spirited/playful. They're all very individual. I have some that will come up to me and want to be scratched behind their horns. I have some that stand back and stomp their feet at me and shake their horns if I get too close. I have one that will try to hook me with her horns through the fence, but when I'm on her side of the fence she runs away. Comparing them to the beef cattle I grew up with... they're easier, I think. They're smarter and more spirited, but on the other hand, they figure out quickly what you want them to do, and they will go ahead and do it in order to get a treat. I haven't had one knock me yet (thank God-those horns!), but they will fake charge me, and shake their horns in warning.

Herd animals vs alone: They would definitely never be happy alone. They are herd animals, and like to move with the herd, as one. The ones that are raised apart from the herd have exhibited signs of depression. Even my bottle fed baby has been with the herd the whole time. I just call his name and he comes running to me. he takes his bottle, I do a little halter training, lead him around on his rope, and let him go back to the herd.

Hey, here are some pics of my new chickens. They were too smart to be quarantined. They got out when I opened the door to their confinement area.

Ameraucana, right? Fairly young?

Ameraucana, I think, on the left. Cochin on the right. I think that cochin is so pretty!

What is she? The guy said she was something that starts with an 'M'.

Couldn't resist this. I was taking pics of the new girls and turned around to see this.

There are several more new ones, but I couldn't get them to let me take pics of them. Maybe later.

 

[Ooopsy_daisy]

I did some research on Yaks today. Pretty pricey buggers. Some of the rare color ones go upwards of $7,000 thats a lot of filet mignon at $11 a pound LOL but very interesting ready for sure. Maybe in a couple years when there are more available in this area and the price goes down a bit, I'll get a few. I was raised on farm raised beef and store bought doesnt compair in the least. As Im sure the yak meat is much better being leaner.

Thanks for all the info YakLady...its been very educational.