Pork Proud 31 Bags

Who could have imagined that 31 Bags would join the Pork Proud bandwagon? Check out my new porktastic gear!

My new camera/gear bag complete with the cutest little pig coin purse I've ever seen.

 Too cute...

Now, if only I could afford a new camera and laptop I'd be set. Oh well. Baby steps, baby steps.

So, whataya think?

101 in 1001...Oh, boy!

While this was first created by the Day Zero Project I first saw this challenge on a lovely blog that I follow (and think you should follow it too) called CrystalCattle. A quick thank you to her for the inspiration.

So, what is this Day Zero Project? Here is the rundown:

The Challenge:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on your part).

We are working up a list and could use some help! Suggestions would be helpful! Please suggest something, anything.

This is what we've come up with so far:

Team Bacon Blogger Goals:

1. Finish School with my BA in Eng/Lit
2. Finish creating my agriculture education newsletters
3. Make my newsletters into PDF's available on the blog
4. Post on the blog 6 days a week (without fail) for 3 months
5. Write/Rewrite 9 Show-Me Ag Matters Easy Readers
6. Write 6 There's a Farm in my Food books
7. Publish/Self-publish Show-Me Ag Matters Easy Readers
8. Speak to at least 5 schools about agriculture
9. Become part of Operation Main Street
10. Participate in 10 AgChats (actually tweet)
11. Volunteer for AgChat
12. Get more involved with USFRA
13. Create Swine Swag
14. Offer Swine Swag for sale on blog and donate portion to at least 3 different Ag Foundations
15. Make 5 more YouTube videos for BaconCam
16. Update web appearance 
17. Attend a blogger conference 
18. Meet one online peep in person
19. Blog a series on building hog barns
20. Tour a packing plant and blog about it
21. Tour a rendering plant (with nose plugs) and blog about it
22. Blog a series on our new drag line equipment
23. Triple the likes on The Bacon Blogger's Facebook page
24. Start a "New Appliance" savings fund
25. Go to church once a month for 6 months
26. Become a room mom
27. Buy a new camera (Nikon D3200)
28. Buy a new computer (Lenovo Yoga)
29. Send 10 Thank You cards for random acts of kindness and appreciation
30. Workout 3 times a week for 3 months solid
31. Get a manicure (I've never had one)
32. Fly to New Hampshire for the commencement ceremony
33. Actually post pics to my Flickr account (if I can remember how to sign into it)
34. Update linked in at least twice a month
35. Send cards to friends and family on every holiday (that I choose to recognize) for 1 year
36. Spend 2 hours a week during winter months just throwing the ball for Miss Mina
37. Pin 50 thinks to Pinterest (they have to be things I actually like, random pinning does not count)
38. Read 4 fun books (fiction only, no association with school or work)
39. Build a garden shelter
40. Attempt a winter garden 
41. Try 10 new recipes 
42. Buy a myself a gun (Taurus Slim 9)
43. Get my conceal and carry
44. Take my mom-in-law on an Amtrak train
45. Focus on picture portfolio at least 3 times during every season
46. Chaperone every one of Kylee's high school dances
47. Buy a NICE pair of boots
48. Finish the paint and trim work upstairs
49. Get a 4-wheeler for sprayer use
50. Win the Missouri Lottery (I told him it was a long shot but he doesn't care)
51. Buy a loader for the tractor
52. Replace back deck
53. Build a shop
54. Buy a NICE pair of boots (Aaron disagrees but he needs a new pair)
55. Start anniversary tattoos again
56. Finish landscaping the yard
57. Finish disk 1 of Rosetta Stone
58. Start disk 2 of Rosetta Stone 
59. Buy an RV 
60. Make another list after this one
61. Complete at least 60% of this list
62. Schedule a date night once a quarter (no kids, no computers, no distractions, just us)
63.  Stand on the Gettysburg field at night during the anniversary
64. Never miss a track meet
65. Take the kids to see the ocean
66. 24 hours with family and NO technology of any kind
67. Update family photos
68. Actually hang up the family photos this time
69. Teach Waylon to swim
70. Take kids on a movie date night
71. Take kids bowling
72. Visit 3 new states (layovers don't count)
73. Build a new dog house for Miss Mina
74. Let Kylee make supper one night for the family
75. Make sure Waylon gets in shooting practice 3 times a week during the summer
76. Buy Kylee a car (turns 15 this year!)
77. Invite someone (friend or family) over for supper (we don't have company...ever and Kylee's friends don't count)

Wordless Wednesday: God made a farmer...and it was good!

Farm Welcomes New Arrivals

It is always exciting when we get a new batch of pigs to raise. You never know quite what you are going to get. I imagine it is like how teachers feel at the beginning of each school year. It is fun to see the new little arrivals walk into their new home and check it out. We let them roam the alley way for a minute before we escort them to their new room in an effort to reduce stress. We don't like to rush the babies. 

This go-round we are excited to be receiving weaner pigs.

So, what's a weaner pig?

It's a pig in a bun...duh!

But seriously, a weaner pig is a piglet freshly weaned from his/her momma. They are just little guys and gals. They are also very, very cute!

 From the truck they go directly into the building, down a short hallway, and into the barn where they will grow...and grow...and grow...and grow until market weight.
 

 We just sit back and let the pigs naturally flow in and check out their new environment. We don't want to rush them or stress them. Relaxed movement, that's the key when they are still so young.

More and more file in and roam around the alley way. They sniff, snort, and get acquainted.

 Once they've had a chance to get use to the barn we move them into their very own pig pen where they get to know their roommates.

 We get to know them too.

 As you can see, they are very curious...especially when you give them something to chew on like your rubber boots, pant legs, or a nice soft leather glove...with your finger still in it. They're cute but they bite! That's okay, though, we're use to it.

Aaron's a sucker for a baby pig, especially the ones with a bit of color to them. What is funnier than seeing a manly farmer walk around holding and petting a baby pig is listening to the baby talk coming out of his mouth. But you didn't hear that from me!

This group of snouts will be with us for the next six months or so and we will raise them to a fat and sassy 280-300 pounds, approximately. It is a fun adventure and rewarding to know that these guys and gals will go on to feed thousands and thousands of people--including my family.

What would you like to know about pig farming or farmers in general?

Meaty Monday: How pork stacks up

Welcome to our new segment, Meaty Monday. Every Monday we will share something meaty with our Pork Proud peeps.

So, have you ever wondered how pork stacks up to the other meats? Well, wonder no more! A pork comparison chart will lay it all out for you so you can see exactly where pork stands, nutritionally speaking. 

Whether you are dieting, watching your cholesterol, or dearly hanging on to the last shreds of hope that you may actually go through with that forgotten New Year's resolution this chart will hopefully help.

I am somewhat partial to pork myself but I am no stranger to the meaty goodness of chicken. I also enjoy a nice cut of beef on rare occasions (no pun intended). But if you are looking for a scrumptious, lean meat that is sure to please everyone around the dinner table then look no further than that lean mean meaty machine that is oh so porklicious. 

Did I mention that I may be bias?   

 

Serving Sizes and Nutritional Profiles of Lean Meats

3-ounce cooked serving:	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)
LEAN CHICKEN
Skinless chicken breast*	139	3.1	0.9	73
Skinless chicken leg*	162	7.1	2.0	80
Skinless chicken thigh*	177	9.3	2.6	81
LEAN CUTS OF PORK
Pork Tenderloin*	120	3.0	1.0	62
Pork boneless top loin chop**	173	5.2	1.8	61
Pork top loin roast*	147	5.3	1.6	68
Pork center loin chop**	153	6.2	1.8	72
Pork sirloin roast*	173	8.0	2.4	76
Pork rib chop**	158	7.1	2.2	56
LEAN CUTS OF BEEF
Beef eye of round *	141	4.0	1.5	59
Beef top round***	169	4.3	1.5	76
Beef tip round*	149	5.0	1.8	69
Beef top sirloin**	162	8	2.2	76
Beef top loin**	168	7.1	2.7	65
Beef tenderloin**	175	8.1	3.0	71
FISH (*dry heat,**moist heat)
Cod*	89	0.7	0.1	40
Flounder*	99	1.3	0.3	58
Halibut*	119	2.5	0.4	35
Orange Roughy*	75	0.8	0.0	22
Salmon*	175	11.0	2.1	54
Shrimp**	84	0.9	0.2	166

* Roasted,  ** Broiled,   *** Braised

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database Release 18 or the 2006 Revised USDA Nutrient Data Set for Fresh Pork.

Pork Proud Bacon Blogger

The Bacon Blogger has always been Pork Proud but this time we are making it official.

Introducing our new site PorkProud.com!!

We are very excited about the changes coming for Team Bacon Blogger and hope you will all join us through our transformation. Last year was a hectic year. We went to San Francisco with U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance to learn more about the questions consumers are asking and how to better answer those questions. We also had the amazing opportunity to speak to some fantastic food bloggers at the International Food Bloggers Conference in Portland during the PorkCheckoff sponsored breakfast.  All this while working on the farm, working in town, going to school, and taking on a second job. I'm exhausted just thinking about last year! Oh well, we enjoyed all the experiences and I think the hectic schedule was in preparation  for exciting things to come.

Along with working more with these fine organizations the farm is expanding and that will bring some interesting (and hopefully educational) posts in the near future. I want my readers to see the family farm grow and experience the excitement (and perhaps the stress) of a growing business along with us.

I am also fortunate enough to be freelancing for a prestigious agriculture based magazine. More on that later...

Things are looking up for Team Bacon Blogger. The fact that I was able to leave my in-town-9-to-5 behind to pursue my dream is satisfying enough but to know the farm is growing along with the blog, well, that's just amazing!

I can't wait to see what the future holds for Team Bacon Blogger!

What would you like to see on the blog this year? Do you have any questions or concerns about farming you'd like us to address?

Introducing the new Faces of Farming & Ranching

A huge CONGRATULATIONS to the new Faces of Farming & Ranching!!!! Here at Bacon Blogger HQ we are so excited for all four of these wonderful farmers and ranchers. They will do a fine job representing agriculture and everything that goes with it.

A big congrats to a friend of the blog CHRIS CHINN!!! A fellow Missouri pork producer. We are very proud of Chris and couldn't think of a better face to represent the pork industry. Way to go, Chris!

Meet the new Faces of Farming and Ranching:

 Chris Chinn from Clarence, MO

Chris and her husband Kevin are 5th generation farmers - farming with his parents and brother. They raise hogs, cattle, hay and row crops.

Bo Stone from Rowland, NC

P & S Farms is owned jointly by Bo, his wife Missy, and his parents. They grow 2,300 acres of row crops (corn, wheat and soybeans). They also have six swine finishing floors.

 Katie Pratt from Dixon, IL

Katie and her husband Andy (7th generation farmer) raise corn, soybeans and seed corn.

Will Gilmer from Sulligent, AL

Will and his father own/operate a dairy farm in Lamar County, Alabama. The dairy has been in continuous operation since Will’s grandfather established it on his parents' farm in the early 1950s.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

I wish everyone a joyful and blessed Christmas this holiday season. Remember to be thankful for what you have and hug your loved ones tight every chance you get. Enjoy Christmas and have a safe and happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Team Bacon Blogger

VOTE, VOTE, VOTE

GET OUT AND VOTE!!!!!

November 6th is upon us and it is our civic duty to GET OUT AND VOTE!!! I'm not going to go on and on about which way you should or shouldn't vote (I'm sure you've heard enough of that from the campaign ads). We all have an opinion and lets just leave it at that; however, I am going to tell you that if you don't vote then you don't get to complain, whine, sneer, or other wise get snippy about anything that involves the government. Either vote or have your crabby-pants card revoked...that's my rule. 

Polls open at 6am so rise and shine people and lets VOTE!!!!!