Elvis came to our farm as a bottle calf in January 2022 as a joint venture between three of our kiddos. They invested in him together. Pooling their money to split the cost of the calf and the expense of his milk replacer. They also divided the work to take care of him.
They had so much fun with him and have learned so much. He’d chase them through the fields and bump them with his head demanding a bottle. This was cute when he was the size of a dog…pretty scary now that he’s a 1200lb steer.
His time on the farm is coming to an end. He’s got a butcher date at the end of October and we are buying him from the kids to put in the freezer. They are pretty pleased with their return on investment and I’m thankful for the opportunity to purchase meat from three of my favorite young entrepreneurial farmers.
It’s a little sad to think of him not being in the pasture and a bit of a relief because he scares me. Not because he’s mean, but because he doesn’t realize his size. He could easily hurt someone unintentionally as he’s trying to play.
Raising animals for meat helps us feel connected to our food in a way that I don’t think anything else can. The fact that he will nourish our family for a long time to come makes his time with us even more meaningful. There is no way that we will be able to consume an animal we have known and loved and not be thankful for his life and the nourishment he will provide. Some people think this mindset is morbid or cruel.
It’s easy to be detached from the reality of being a meat eater, which I firmly believe that humans are designed to be. When we purchase our meat at the grocery store, neatly packaged in plastic, we don’t often think of the animal in its live form.
Elvis has lived a great life. He’s been a blessing and a great educational project for our kids. He’s eaten our grass in exchange for pasture fertilization and we are so thankful for him! ❤️
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