In this episode, part 1 of a 2 part series, Brandon and Lauren discuss the virtue of making bacon -- how it is about so much more than just putting food on your table -- and how it can lead you to excellence through virtue.  Learn what you can anticipate when making bacon for the first time and what some of the difficulties you might encounter in eating home made bacon are.  Find out which new tools Brandon has been dreaming about for his shop lately, and what factors he must consider as he discerns whether or not to purchase them. Introduction and Announcements:  To Kill a Pig Nicely now available FREE of charge on our YouTube channel! Membership is open!  60-day free trial available!  Promo code: "60 Day Trial" New content available on: lamb butchery, curing red meat, lamb curing, and lamb carpaccio! Membership forum topics now categorized for easy browsing!   Join us for one of our upcoming spring  Family Pig classes! Help us produce more episodes by supporting us on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/meatsmith.  Part 1 Show Notes:  Announcements (and what Brandon's been up to), :59  Dreaming of a bacon slicer, 2:17                  ... and a wall-mounted paper dispenser.... and a bowl chopper,  18:38   On what basis does one decide to upgrade their home meat production set-up?  23:23 What one can anticipate when you first start making bacon, 32:28  How to overcome some of the difficulties in eating bacon:  abundance, 33:35 rancidity, 36:15     Virtue acquisition through bacon making; 39:18 The ends of cooking: the natural and the supernatural, 46:33  Links for Episode 47:  Berkel Bacon Slicers: https://www.theberkelworld.com/us/slicers.html On the Natural Fermentation of Salami by Brandon Sheard:  https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/On-the-Natural-Fermentation-of-Salami.pdf Farmstead Meatsmith Slaughterday Fry video: https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/membership/harvest-films/ Benton's Bacon:  https://shop.bentonscountryham.com 

Ep 47:  The Virtue of Making Bacon, Part 1

This podcast is for anyone desiring to learn more about the human process of traditional, ethical, economic and delicious livestock processing and eating.  

Brandon and Lauren Sheard, co-hosts and owners of Farmstead Meatsmith--their small-scale, custom processing and education business--talk all things meat related: from practical knowledge to the philosophical inspiration behind growing, harvesting and eating meat.

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Agrarian Thomistic Philosophy with Dr Richard Meloche, Part 2 In this episode, we continue our conversation with Dr. Richard Meloche on the use of natural elements in liturgies, the epistemological benefits of rural living, the loss of imagination and unique individuals due to technology, encountering Resistance in reality, indifference, setting artificial limits, and the beauty of natural order.   Announcements:  Come to a 3-Day Family Lamb Harvest class, June 20-22 or October 3-5, where you will use only your hands to turn four sheep into kitchen-sized lamb cuts, sausage, and charcuterie. The main difference between the Family Lamb and Family Pig is the skinning of sheep. Removing the hide from sheep, deer, elk, etc, ought to be learned by hand for an efficient and satisfying harvest. Spots are limited to just eight students so as to keep the hands-on experience undiluted. Jump on this chance and sign up today! https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/product/3-day-complete-lamb-harvest-course/     Our one and only St Martinmas Goose Harvest class will be November 15-16. Just eight students will transform a small flock into undiluted goods for the family table through the culinary traditions of the premodern peasant. The goal of this earnest, hands-on course is to impart the actual virtue of goose provender, from kill to confit. Sign up today at https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/product/martinmas-goose-harvest/.      Meatsmith Membership A gift that gives all year long! More than 45 Harvest Films, Brandon's Harvest Journal, and our community FaceBook group. 60-day free trial available! Use the Newsletter Special option on our sign-up page and apply the coupon code 60daytrial at checkout. Sign up today at FarmsteadMeatsmith.com/product/membership/.     Support our podcast on Patreon! Production of each episode takes hours of work, filming, and editing. Becoming a patron can help us keep our episode quality high and allow us to continue filming. Become a patron today at https://www.patreon.com/meatsmith.    Timestamps/Topics for Episode 94: 0:00 Intro 1:01 Working with the potency of nature 9:26 The use of natural elements in liturgies 12:58 Epistemological benefits of rural living 21:19 The loss of imagination and unique individuals through technology 26:33 Ordered towards relation vs. every man seeking their own benefit 39:41 Encountering Resistance in reality, indifference, & setting artificial limits 46:15 The beauty of natural order     Links for Episode 94:  Dr. Richard Meloche of the Alcuin Institute https://alcuininstitute.org/author/richardmeloche  Author Jane Grigson https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/226917.Jane_Grigson Author Fr Vincent McNabb https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4883679.Vincent_McNabb?from_search=true&from;_srp=true De Regno (On Kingship) by Thomas Aquinas https://a.co/d/avI7RAG Author John Senior https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/630951.John_Senior The Importance of the Rural Life: According to the Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas A Study in Economic Philosophy by George H Spetz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1492963380?linkCode=ssc&tag;=onamzfarmst0b-20&creativeASIN;=1492963380&asc;_item-id=amzn1.ideas.ZF2Z6XCSSQDG&ref;_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin Inferno by Dante Alighieri https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15645.Inferno?from_search=true&from;_srp=true&qid;=IADZ4IFryS&rank;=2 The Alcuin Institute https://alcuininstitute.org/ 

Episode 94: Agrarian Thomistic Philosophy with Dr Richard Meloche, Part 2

In this episode, we chat about symbolism and learning through analogy, rational creatures participating in the eternal law, Reason in exchange for physical protection, and the Four Ends of Labor.  Announcements:  Our Fall Family Pig Harvest class will be September 12-14. Join us to use just your hands (and a sharp knife) to turn two pigs into kitchen-sized pork cures, cuts, sausage, and charcuterie. Spots are limited to just eight students so as to keep the hands-on experience undiluted. Jump on this chance and sign up today! https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/the-family-pig/     Come to a 3-Day Family Lamb Harvest class, June 20-22 or October 3-5, where you will use only your hands to turn four sheep into kitchen-sized lamb cuts, sausage, and charcuterie. The main difference between the Family Lamb and Family Pig is the skinning of sheep. Removing the hide from sheep, deer, elk, etc, ought to be learned by hand for an efficient and satisfying harvest. Spots are limited to just eight students so as to keep the hands-on experience undiluted. Jump on this chance and sign up today! https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/product/3-day-complete-lamb-harvest-course/     Our one and only St Martinmas Goose Harvest class will be November 15-16. Just eight students will transform a small flock into undiluted goods for the family table through the culinary traditions of the premodern peasant. The goal of this earnest, hands-on course is to impart the actual virtue of goose provender, from kill to confit. Sign up today at https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/product/martinmas-goose-harvest/.     Meatsmith Membership A gift that gives all year long! More than 45 Harvest Films, Brandon's Harvest Journal, and our community FaceBook group. 60-day free trial available! Use the Newsletter Special option on our sign-up page and apply the coupon code 60daytrial at checkout. Sign up today at FarmsteadMeatsmith.com/product/membership/.     Support our podcast on Patreon! Production of each episode takes hours of work, filming, and editing. Becoming a patron can help us keep our episode quality high and allow us to continue filming. Become a patron today at https://www.patreon.com/meatsmith.    Timestamps/Topics for Episode 96: 0:00 Intro 1:00 We learn through analogy 17:07 Rational creatures participate in the eternal law 25:10 Humans lack physical protection but we have Reason 29:41 The Four Ends of Labor 33:13 The primary end of all manual labor serves food production 37:42 The secondary end of labor is to remove idleness 45:22 Morality is simply practical Reason 52:40 Agriculture has a built-in limitation on concupiscence   Links for Episode 96:  Dr. Richard Meloche of the Alcuin Institute https://alcuininstitute.org/author/richardmeloche  The Alcuin Institute https://alcuininstitute.org/ The Importance of the Rural Life: According to the Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas A Study in Economic Philosophy by George H Spetz https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18837689-the-importance-of-the-rural-life?from_search=true&from;_srp=true&qid;=YIVUsafgXi&rank;=1 De Regno (On Kingship) by Thomas Aquinas https://a.co/d/avI7RAG 

Episode 96: St Thomas & the Ends of Labor, Part 2

In this episode, we chat about our new baby, our kids keeping the fast, Easter week, St Thomas Aquinas's 'all knowledge comes through the senses' and De Regno, and reason vs. instinct.  Announcements:  Come to the last 3-Day Family Pig Harvest class of the season, May 16-18, where you will use only your hands to turn two pigs into kitchen-sized pork cures, cuts, sausage, and charcuterie. Spots are limited to just eight students so as to keep the hands-on experience undiluted. Jump on this chance and sign up today! https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/the-family-pig/     Come to a 3-Day Family Lamb Harvest class, June 20-22 or October 3-5, where you will use only your hands to turn four sheep into kitchen-sized lamb cuts, sausage, and charcuterie. The main difference between the Family Lamb and Family Pig is the skinning of sheep. Removing the hide from sheep, deer, elk, etc, ought to be learned by hand for an efficient and satisfying harvest. Spots are limited to just eight students so as to keep the hands-on experience undiluted. Jump on this chance and sign up today! https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/product/3-day-complete-lamb-harvest-course/     Our one and only St Martinmas Goose Harvest class will be November 15-16. Just eight students will transform a small flock into undiluted goods for the family table through the culinary traditions of the premodern peasant. The goal of this earnest, hands-on course is to impart the actual virtue of goose provender, from kill to confit. Sign up today at https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/product/martinmas-goose-harvest/.      Meatsmith Membership A gift that gives all year long! More than 45 Harvest Films, Brandon's Harvest Journal, and our community FaceBook group. 60-day free trial available! Use the Newsletter Special option on our sign-up page and apply the coupon code 60daytrial at checkout. Sign up today at FarmsteadMeatsmith.com/product/membership/.     Support our podcast on Patreon! Production of each episode takes hours of work, filming, and editing. Becoming a patron can help us keep our episode quality high and allow us to continue filming. Become a patron today at https://www.patreon.com/meatsmith.    Timestamps/Topics for Episode 95: 0:00 We're about to have a baby 3:00 Our kids are keeping the Feast 5:24 Slaughtering a lamb for Easter Week 12:55 In every account of the Resurrection, they're preparing and eating food 22:00 Homeschooling at the dinner table 27:54 St Thomas Aquinas on manual labor 29:00 Family Pig & our most potent sense: touch  42:09 De Regno (On Kingship) by St Thomas Aquinas - Reason vs. instinct   Links for Episode 95:  Marian Caskets https://www.mariancaskets.com/ De Regno (On Kingship) by Thomas Aquinas https://a.co/d/avI7RAG Dick Proenneke - One Man's Alaska https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGf6306beyM The Importance of the Rural Life: According to the Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas A Study in Economic Philosophy by George H Spetz https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18837689-the-importance-of-the-rural-life?from_search=true&from;_srp=true&qid;=YIVUsafgXi&rank;=1 

Episode 95: St Thomas & the Ends of Labor, Part 1

In episode 93, we chat with Dr. Richard Meloche of the Alcuin Institute about the music in our home, Thomistic philosophy, 'coming to farming' for the food, the spiritual parfait of Grace and Nature, textual references to 'The Good Life,' and why the rural life is the best way to obtain the necessary bodily goods.   Announcements:  Come to a 3-Day Family Pig Harvest class, April 25-27, May 2-4, or May 16-18, where you will use only your hands to turn two pigs into kitchen-sized pork cures, cuts, sausage, and charcuterie. Spots are limited to just eight students so as to keep the hands-on experience undiluted. Jump on this chance and sign up today! https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/the-family-pig/     Come to a 3-Day Family Lamb Harvest class, June 20-22 or October 3-5, where you will use only your hands to turn four sheep into kitchen-sized lamb cuts, sausage, and charcuterie. The main difference between the Family Lamb and Family Pig is the skinning of sheep. Removing the hide from sheep, deer, elk, etc, ought to be learned by hand for an efficient and satisfying harvest. Spots are limited to just eight students so as to keep the hands-on experience undiluted. Jump on this chance and sign up today! https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/product/3-day-complete-lamb-harvest-course/     Meatsmith Membership A gift that gives all year long! More than 45 Harvest Films, Brandon's Harvest Journal, and our community FaceBook group. 60-day free trial available! Use the Newsletter Special option on our sign-up page and apply the coupon code 60daytrial at checkout. Sign up today at FarmsteadMeatsmith.com/product/membership/.     Support our podcast on Patreon! Production of each episode takes hours of work, filming, and editing. Becoming a patron can help us keep our episode quality high and allow us to continue filming. Become a patron today at https://www.patreon.com/meatsmith.    Timestamps/Topics for Episode 93: 0:00 Denying proper tools for music & the kitchen 8:49 The promise of flavor is nutrition  11:15 Introducing our guest Dr. Richard Meloche & Thomistic philosophy 16:34 Why we call it The Family Pig & household economy 25:25 St Thomas Aquinas's works & farm philosophy 35:30 The camaraderie of The Family Pig 40:45 How we met Dr. Meloche & 'coming to farming' for the food 55:26 The spiritual parfait of Grace and Nature 1:05:16 Textual references to 'The Good Life' & necessary bodily goods 1:12:51 Why the rural life is the best way to obtain the necessary bodily goods 1:22:40 Cookbooks written about peasant agriculture traditions  1:30:11 Living a rural life not out of fear   Links for Episode 93:  Dr. Richard Meloche of the Alcuin Institute https://alcuininstitute.org/author/richardmeloche  Pope Leo XIII in an encyclical, "When you attempt to understand something outside of the influence of its causes, you lose that thing." https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals.html William Cobbett https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/142509.William_Cobbett?from_search=true&from;_srp=true De Regno (On Kingship) by Thomas Aquinas https://a.co/d/avI7RAG The Importance of the Rural Life by Fr George Speltz https://a.co/d/ggbxC6P Aristotle's "Politics" https://a.co/d/65Gh41g John Senior https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/630951.John_Senior Elizabeth Luard https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/124062.Elisabeth_Luard Jane Grigson https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/226917.Jane_Grigson?from_search=true&from;_srp=true 

Episode 93: Agrarian Thomistic Philosophy with Dr Richard Meloche, Part 1

In this episode, we chat about affection for extraneous livestock, raising longhorns for our classes, how temperament is the most important thing with cows, harvesting a cow out of a ditch, culling fencing jumping cows (and their horns), and Wallace's Three Hearts Pilgrimage.    Announcements:  Come to the 2-Day The Art of Foie Gras class in Louisiana this January 19-20. You'll learn the art of goose harvesting from Brandon and the art of gavage from Ross McKnight of Backwater Foie Gras. Spots are limited to just eight students so as to keep the hands-on experience undiluted. Jump on this chance and sign up today! https://backwaterfoiegras.com/foiegrasclass     Come to a 3-Day Family Pig Harvest class, April 25-27, May 2-4, or May 16-18, where you will use only your hands to turn two pigs into kitchen-sized pork cures, cuts, sausage, and charcuterie. Spots are limited to just eight students so as to keep the hands-on experience undiluted. Jump on this chance and sign up today! https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/the-family-pig/     Come to a 3-Day Family Lamb Harvest class, June 20-22 or October 3-5, where you will use only your hands to turn four sheep into kitchen-sized lamb cuts, sausage, and charcuterie. The main difference between the Family Lamb and Family Pig is the skinning of sheep. Removing the hide from sheep, deer, elk, etc, ought to be learned by hand for an efficient and satisfying harvest. Spots are limited to just eight students so as to keep the hands-on experience undiluted. Jump on this chance and sign up today! https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/product/3-day-complete-lamb-harvest-course/     Meatsmith Membership A gift that gives all year long! More than 45 Harvest Films, Brandon's Harvest Journal, and our community FaceBook group. 60-day free trial available! Use the Newsletter Special option on our sign-up page and apply the coupon code 60daytrial at checkout. Sign up today at FarmsteadMeatsmith.com/product/membership/.     Support our podcast on Patreon! Production of each episode takes hours of work, filming, and editing. Becoming a patron can help us keep our episode quality high and allow us to continue filming. Become a patron today at https://www.patreon.com/meatsmith.    Timestamps/Topics for Episode 92: 0:00 Affection for extraneous livestock 4:39 Longhorns for our beef classes 6:30 Temperament is the most important 8:04 Harvesting a cow out of a ditch 13:03 Fence jumping cows 20:26 Harvesting the cow & horns 27:00 Blowing the horn 28:38 Wallace's Three Hearts Pilgrimage 33:11 Cull your fence-jumping animals    Links for Episode 92:  Three Hearts Pilgrimage https://www.threeheartspilgrimage.org/ Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey https://clearcreekmonks.org/ Greg Judy - regenerative rancher https://www.youtube.com/@gregjudyregenerativerancher    Thank you, Patrons! Ellen Bloomfield, Monica Allen, Will Eichler, Tim Jones, Dennis M Carlson, Matthew Klimczak, Nate Crown, Tim Colton, Jeremy Wood, Warren Lund, Dohrman Farm, Ps42, Danielle, Alan Fortini-Campbell, Meghan Hickman Become a Patron by going to Patreon.com/meatsmith.

Ep 47: The Virtue of Making Bacon, Part 1

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