Project 365 USDA update

Have we had enough snow yet??

Re the Equp project, Tim came over (USDA Guy) and brought the letter from his boss. I had asked them: "This is to request a waiver from the normal definition of graze able pasture to include woodland for grazing pastured pigs."

The basic response was that because I have not had the pigs in there for two years they don't want to do it because there isn't a manure problem yet ie: in the USDA guys words "we want you to make a mess first so we can clean it up"

Now that sure is typical isn't it. They don't want to prevent a problem, they want to solve it. Of course with proper stocking and rotation there is no problem except to them.

At any rate the door is not closed and according to them if I get the wood lots cleaned, fenced and stocked in the next two years they will consider the project.

The rest of the land and project they will submit to "ranking", (they told me they had so much money that they would probably have to have two sets of deadlines this year) and if we qualify they will fence in our pond. drill a well, add a pump and run water lines to exsiting grazeable pastures.

I love it when people tell me I can't do something, puts me on a mission to prove them wrong.

So I will take many pictures from established locations around the farm once a month. Then I will have a photgrapic record of the change and progress.

Of course there is a lot more to this story but this is it in a nut shell.

Next thing is lard sales. I want to render down my leaf lard and fat back, put it in quart containers and sell it.

Got the church (approved kitchen) to allow me to use the kitchen

Called Stonington Health; Nope you have to contact Consumer protection

Called CP: nope you have to call USDA

Called USDA: nope you have to call "food"

Called "Food": nope you need to call John

Called John: Ah HA....explained that my lard is packed by a USDA plant in USDA labeled containers, I want to take them out of the containers and render it down, put it in quart containers and resell it...Nope: I could do it IF I had an approved kitchen at my farm, otherwise it must be done under USDA inspection....

I have asked Westerly packing if they can do this for me.

Don't ya love the USDA

Cheers,

Craig