Check this out!  I know, dairy is non-paleo.  But if a dairy farmer is
willing to do this, could beef producers be far behind?  The source of the
story is "Crossroads: The Magazine of Eastern Mennonite University" (more on
this later).

"Two years ago Philip Witmer (class of 1994) of Dayton, VA., switched his
dairy operation from traditional farming to pasture-based farming-a practice
that has succeedded in Ireland and New Zealand and is growing in popularity
in Witmer's area.  Instead of confining cows and feeding them on corn
silage, the cows are left to graze on land where corn was formerly grown for
feed.  Witmer's cost of producing 100 pounds of milk with the new method is
$8, compared to $12 with the traditional system, although production is a
bit less.  Last summer extenstion agents, state agriculture department
officials and dairy professionals from 10 states visited Witmer's farm
during a conference."

That is an incredible savings in production costs!  While growing grass
takes some work, it's far easier then growing and harvesting corn.

Here's the more-on-this-later part.  The Mennonite and Amish churches are
closely related, by the way.  I went to EMU, which is VERY liberal when
compared to other Christian institutions.

At any rate, someone mentioned the Amish community in regards to egg
production.  If anyone lives within or near an Amish community, talk to
someone about scrapple.  This is my all-time favorite breakfast treat.  In
short, you take pig bones and organs, boil, and the meat left over is mixed
with a little flour, salt and pepper and pressed into loaves.  Slice & fry,
and you've got a meaty heaven on your plate.  I know, flour is bad.  But
organ meat, fat, marrow and flesh is about as paleo as it gets, not to
mention frugal.  See if they can make you some without the flour.  I
certainly would if I could.  And I do buy commercially processed scrapple
with that dash of flour; it's the only source of flour I consume and it's
just too good to pass up.  And I only eat it every now and then.  Call it my
means of embracing my Amish heritage! :o)

Dori Zook*
Denver, CO


*a common Amish surname
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