Raising Meat on the Homestead

  • 7 Best Meat Sheep Breeds for Your Homestead | Delicious Lamb and Mutton

    7 Best Meat Sheep Breeds for Your Homestead | Delicious Lamb and Mutton

    Mmmmm – tasty and succulent sheep meat is one of the best parts of homesteading. That’s for sure. But did you know there are countless sheep breeds, yet only a handful of famous meat sheep breeds? It’s true. More homesteaders today are beginning to raise sheep, and it’s a worthwhile and money-saving endeavor. However, it can…

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  • How Much Meat Is Half a Cow? [Weight, Cost, and Storage Guide!]

    How Much Meat Is Half a Cow? [Weight, Cost, and Storage Guide!]

    How much meat is half a cow? How many steaks are in a cow? As prices continue to skyrocket at the grocery store, many homesteaders are looking for ways to cut costs while still getting all the food they need. In particular, the cost of meat can be prohibitively expensive. This past summer, we stocked…

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  • 13 Best Meat Turkey Breeds for Your Homestead

    13 Best Meat Turkey Breeds for Your Homestead

    Raising poultry such as turkey on your homestead is an excellent way for you and your family to enjoy plenty of healthy protein. And turkey is our favorite way to put delicious meat in your freezer – and on your table. So what’s the best tasting turkey breed for meat?  The best meat turkey breed…

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  • 10 Best Goats for Beginners [Top Breeds for Dairy, Meat, and Pets!]

    10 Best Goats for Beginners [Top Breeds for Dairy, Meat, and Pets!]

    Are you a beginner farmer looking for the best goats to start your homestead? You’re in luck! We’re about to outline the best goats for beginners.  So, without further ado, let’s get started! What Are the Best Goats for Beginners?  Some of the best goats for beginners are Nubian and pygmy goats. Other good choices…

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  • The 9 Best Meat Grinders for 2023 [Electric and Hand Crank!]

    The 9 Best Meat Grinders for 2023 [Electric and Hand Crank!]

    If you butcher farm animals or hunt wild game – then you probably have loads of meat in the freezer. And when you want zesty homemade meatballs, meatloaf, burgers, or breakfast sausage – you need the best meat grinder. But – finding the best meat grinder is trickier than you think. My favorite is the…

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  • Best Tasting Pig Breeds for Mouth-Watering Bacon, Pork, and Ham!

    Best Tasting Pig Breeds for Mouth-Watering Bacon, Pork, and Ham!

    Here’s our massive list of the best-tasting pig breeds. If you’re a homesteader or rancher who wants to raise pigs to save money, do your part to increase environmental sustainability, and escape the bland, flavorless pork you buy at the grocery store, this article’s for you! Continue reading as we explore some of the best-tasting…

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  • 13 Best Beef Cows for Beginners – Selecting the Right Breed for Your Homestead

    13 Best Beef Cows for Beginners – Selecting the Right Breed for Your Homestead

    As a homesteader, contemplating adding a beef cow or two to your menagerie can feel like you’re hitting the big time! It’s all fine and dandy playing around with poultry, sheep, and goats, but bringing some beef cattle into the mix starts to step everything up a gear. But if some beautiful bovines are next…

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  • How to Make Beef Tallow In 6 Steps [Recipe, Flavor, and Rendering Tips!]

    How to Make Beef Tallow In 6 Steps [Recipe, Flavor, and Rendering Tips!]

    So, you’ve got a beef carcass in your freezer. And you’re unsure what to do with it. You could make beef jerky, roast it, or even grind it up and make burgers. But have you ever considered rendering the fat? Rendering the fat is a great way to preserve it and make a ludicrously delicious cooking…

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  • The Cost of Raising Chickens In the USA [Meat and Egg Chickens!]

    The Cost of Raising Chickens In the USA [Meat and Egg Chickens!]

    Whether you want fresh eggs or to be more self-sufficient, you may have wondered about the cost of raising chickens. Unlike other livestock like pigs or cows, chickens need relatively little space. So many homesteaders are starting to farm them in their backyards. But becoming a chicken farmer is more complicated than just buying chicks and giving…

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  • How Long Do Cows Live on Your Homestead [Beef and Dairy 101]

    How Long Do Cows Live on Your Homestead [Beef and Dairy 101]

    All creatures who are born eventually die. There is no exception to the rule. The only variation lies in the time each species gets to walk on Earth. But – what about cows? How long do cows live naturally? Is there a difference between how long dairy cows live and beef cows? We’re about to…

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  • The Best Pig Breeds for Beginners and Small Farms

    The Best Pig Breeds for Beginners and Small Farms

    When you first start looking at getting pigs for your homestead it can be a bit overwhelming. Heck, any new animal is overwhelming. You’ll make a few key decisions upfront though and one of those is which breed of pig you’ll purchase. We’ll walk you through the different factors you’ll need to consider plus some…

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  • Raising Rabbits for Meat: A Practical Guide for Beginners In 2023

    Raising Rabbits for Meat: A Practical Guide for Beginners In 2023

    Have you checked the price of pasture-raised, organic meat recently? Or even supermarket meat prices? Holy Toledo! The cost seems to keep skyrocketing. And if you eat lots of delicious meat like I do, then you must like that meat to be clean, healthy, and free of the various carcinogens common in the mainstream food supply.…

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  • How to Buy a Whole or Half Cow for Beef | Buying Guide 2023

    How to Buy a Whole or Half Cow for Beef | Buying Guide 2023

    Buying a half or a whole cow has many benefits, including better-tasting cuts of beef, knowing where your food came from and how it got raised, saving a big chunk of money, and making the world a more humane place for meat-providing animals like cattle. So, as a modern homesteader, what’s the process for buying…

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  • Meat Rabbit Breeds | 10 Best Rabbits to Raise for Meat & Profit In 2023

    Meat Rabbit Breeds | 10 Best Rabbits to Raise for Meat & Profit In 2023

    When I was seven years old, my neighbor taught me how to dispatch and clean a rabbit, within three minutes, with nothing but his hands and a garden hose for rinsing. Within five minutes, he took the rabbit inside to cook, and his coondogs relished the entrails. Yummy! So, now that you know a little…

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  • Here’s How Much Freezer Space You Need for Half a Cow

    Here’s How Much Freezer Space You Need for Half a Cow

    If you eat beef regularly, you may have wondered about how much freezer space you need for a quarter of half a cow. Buying bulk meat can be a great way to be more environmentally responsible while supporting local farmers and reducing food waste. The only problem is conserving your meat. Buying bulk meat can feel daunting…

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I’m the heart and soil behind Outdoor Happens. Dream of a garden that feeds you or a farm that practically runs itself? I’m here to help make that dream a reality. With 25 years of hands-on gardening and farming, I’ll share down-to-earth tips to help you grow your own slice of sustainable paradise.

Ready to dig in without getting buried? Stick around, let’s make your dreams happen!


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