G'day Everyone, I understand that some people won't be happy with this video for obvious reasons. Some will think this video goes too far, others will think it doesn't go far enough, and some of my subscribers simply won't be interested in this type of content. However, for me to ignore aspects of our own homesteading because I "might lose subscribers or get fewer views" would be to deny reality and potentially mislead people about my own values, which I'm not prepared to do. These types of topics are difficult to navigate on UA-cam these days but I still think it's important to cover them sometimes when appropriate. Thanks for your ongoing support! Cheers, Mark
you missed an opportunity at the beginning to "lets quack into it", lol Nice to see you honored the birds by using everything you could by making stock and rendering fat etc
I thought it was perfect. I got 14 chicks and 6 ended up been roosters. We processed them because we wanted hens for eggs. It is the reality of homesteading. We keep* some of the animals and processed others. We give them a good life and they only have one bad day. We make sure it is as humane as possible. I love all of our farm animals and I thank them for their contribution to our family before I process them. I doubt they understand, but it is the last thing they hear. We love them and appreciate each of them.
Here in Ontario, 🇨🇦 we call it “Farm to Table”. It’s not really talked about by most, but it’s exactly why we raise any animals that aren’t pets. And Mark you are fine in saying they are tastier when you raised them. I just harvested 3 of our ducks and they were super tasty and I thanked them for their service to my family. I still have 10 girls for the eggs, but I’m only going to save 2 drakes from the chop. I raised them, I took good care of them and made sure they are living their best life, I built them a custom ultimate quack house for them to be protected from the elements and from predators. I know what I fed them and they’re very healthy birds for my family to eat.
@@krissyr3393 I think its similar to the 'compassion fade' effect. We've only got three chickens are they're very much pets in the vein of and giving the kids a sense of responsibility with their welfare. Be kind of tough and pointless to knock one basically on principle. On the other hand, if we had a yard of fifteen or twenty, not so much.
@@geneharrogate6911 definitely feel sad and sorry for them during the process. Sometimes you just end up with too many males though. ducks in our case-10 girls and 10 boys, and I only need to keep 2 drakes if I want to breed otherwise males have no use other than companionship. I also have far too many roosters and they are hard to rehome. They'll have to be culled once they're big enough.
Thanks for this video. I'm a vegetarian and seeing how you looked after the ducks so well is awesome. Eating meat is up to you. We all need to respect each other a bit more. 👍
I think you handled talking about this situation really well. Many people don't like the think about where their meat comes from but you didn't shy away from it and explained the situation well
@RockM was robbed So, thousands per capita per, what, lifetime? Sounds like too many goddamn humans is the problem, especially when you consider we're consuming non-living resources at recklessly unsustainable rates just the same. If you really care, start eating efficient food sources like cricket flour and mushrooms instead of mass-produced grains and veg that turn the world's vibrant habitats into massive mono-culture deserts. And get your tubes tied!! Indeed, good thoughtful nuance from Mark. As a 98% veggie who made the switch for ecological, anti-cruelty, and pandemic-risk reasons (anti-factory farm in short), if I had a bit more land I would definitely have chickens for eggs, and I would eat them at the end of their productive life. And I'll get into hunting one of these days. Like Mark I don't think I'll ever be totally comfortable with the actual killing, but that feeling is rightly expressed as respect and gratitude. Any honest person not living in the isolated bubble of modern removal from production has to see that death and consumption are as integral to life as the water cycle. Removal from it to either extreme is an abdication of responsibility.
@RockM was robbed Do you believe in evolution? If so, don’t let your species go extinct by putting yourself on the bottom of the food chain. Animal instincts, moral doesn’t matter. Religious? Most people that complain about eating a freaking animal to feed your family wouldn’t think twice about an abortion.
@@csn583 facts though! The whole part about America (if you’re in it) is freedom. Shut up about my steak and I’ll shut up about your boiled broccoli mash/shake/thing. I consume mainly veg and fruits that I grow in my garden, but I still consume meat and animal products.. I honestly don’t care what anyone eats until they’re criticizing me for my choices. 🤷♂️
@@csn583 Beautifully said! I'm going to steal it to tell to all those hypocrites who make gagging sounds when I tell them I eat lamb heads, but still "only occasionally enjoy a juicy stake" (because they don't like to think about the animals' blood being spilled, but they don't mind actual blood on their plate). Yes, I do know "vegetarians" like that.
Hi Mark, I just recently changed to a meat free diet, primarily because of the way animals are being treated in the mainstream food procution system. You raise your birds and look after their welfare so much better than the mass produced farms. It clearly comes across that you respect them and you deal with their dispatching in the same way. Meat production will always be a difficult thing for me, but thanks for sharing your side so sensitively.
in my country, the Islamic community sees the meat industry as unclean so they have their own farms, in the professional farm's animals basically stand or are covered with their own feces and that's what they see as unclean a bonus to the Islamic farms is that the animals have a better life and as an extra bonus is actually cheaper than supermarket meat this because a, for instance, free-roaming chicken eats a lot from the field in terms of grass bugs worms ants and so on so the feeding costs go down making the finished product cheaper. as an atheist this thing I like in a religion! for more than one reason.
I agree. I actually think all meat eaters should have to process at least one animal. We are too disconnected from nature and the process and the reality of food. If you can't do it you have to live as a vegetarian forever 😂
@@Echosinfireify and that's why they should know they had a fantastic life, unlike the farmed ducks so be grateful he wasn't supporting that industry!!!
Mark makes a good point about meat eaters and vegetarians/vegans. We have to understand and respect each other’s choices. And as far as raising animals for food, well this is how it was done *for centuries* , there is no need to apologize for that (although I give Mark credit for his sensitivity to his vegetarian/vegan viewers). Also, Mark has done lots of video on how well he’s taken care of those ducks (and chickens and quails) so they’ve had a good life compared to those living in industrial farms where they’re cooped up in an overcrowded cages and over fed (for the meat) and injected with antibiotics. If you don’t like the subject matter of the video, just skip over it and wait for the one on how he is preparing his carrot beds 🥕🥕
@RockM was robbed You are killing many concious animals too by being alive, so stop being a hypocrite and lecturing other people based on your own ignorance and selective thinking.
@RockM was robbed No need to be a hater. As a plant lover, I dislike seeing fruit trees being mangled and destroyed by people who don't know how to prune and maintain their trees. Instead of going all haterville on them, like you're doing, I just do my best with what I have.
@RockM was robbed, based on this comment and others, I take it you are Pro-Life when it comes to abortion. Are you just as zealous defending unborn children?
Really feel like you missed a great opportunity for a 'lets get quackin' dad joke 🤣 Thanks for your work mate, you've been a big help for us and our gardens!
I don't think it's macabre or strange to talk about things the way you did. I find there is a strange, humbling feeling that comes with raising your own meat. I definitely appreciate it more now that I raise my own compared to when I would just buy it out of a packet. Good job mate, they looked tasty as!
It was ABSOLUTELY LOVELY to see people who could agree to disagree and be civil about it! Here in the States we seem to be drowning in ideological intolerance. I have heard (don’t know for fact) that the toughest bird there is is African chicken. I heard a recipe for how to cook them tender: kill and dress chicken, put in pot with water to cover. Add a (clean) pebble. Simmer. When the pebble is soft, the chicken is done.
I eat meat. I know where it's coming from. I also know what has to be done to get my meat. But I also would not be able to do it myself. So Respect to you. It is a good video, informative and not tooo detailed on parts that could "hurt" you know ... it is ok.
Mark, no need to apologise for anything. It is the way of things. The animals are well looked after. If you eat meat, yours is the best way to go about it.
I respect and love you as a person, as a gardener and as a vegetarian myself I am totally on your side with the ducklings. It's the circle of life and the way how you showed us them growing up and how much love and care you put into their life is just amazing and shows you how good a person you are. :) The mobile tractor is a brilliant idea and gives that mobility for them to see more whilst safe and I cannot wait till I can get cracking with our self sufficient journey soon... Keep up the good work and looking forward to your next video. :)
@@Echosinfireify but he doesn't have to answer to you, or anyone else, the ducks had a great life and yes they were used for meat but they were treated like pets, no mass produced style of farming could say they treat their ducks the same with the same conditions. If you don't like it don't watch it, its not a hard concept, right? What he is doing is legal, so if it's legal be grateful he is treating them as well as he does throughout their lives no matter what the reason is that they die
@@Echosinfireify no need to apologise. Just show respect and thanks to the creature for sacrificing its life to sustain yours. Totally natural process. No reason to feel guilt for doing what is, living.
@@rustic35 to add to what you said mate, if a fox or wild dog or a large bird of prey or any other predator eats it, it will suffer a slower more painful death. This is something that blows my mind with these people, animals in the wild don't tend to die of old age, they usually die a painful death but they insist on this sort of stuff happening, I've heard many vegans say we shouldn't even have pets. Everyone has their own opinion, but for the most part I think animals these days are treated so much better now than they did 100 years ago, but these pretentious animal activists and most vegans at least that I've come across really should look at the bigger picture and be a little less clouded. There are some awesome vegans that I've come across as well that realises we all have a choice and they don't try to force their beliefs upon people or guilt them into doing things they shouldn't have to do, and unfortunately they get drowned out by loud mouth fascist activists. It's really sad that Mark is just doing what he wants on his channel and people like Madden Stewart flood his channel with their agenda. I actually replied to about 8 of that person's replies to prove a point to Madden. If I hadn't of noticed so many comments trying to slander what Mark does when that person could have simply not watched the video instead of commenting so many negative things based on their opinion only and not on a legal issue, then I would have just kept my mouth shut. Yeah yeah, end of rant, my bad 🤣
As a plant based person of 27 years I fully respect your way of meat eating. I decided to omit factory farmed meat from my diet after visiting a pig farm at the tender age of fifteen but whilst still living at home I ate rabbit and other game that my Dad or Grandad had hunted. After leaving home at 18 I decided to go fully vege. Later in my twenties whilst living the backpacker life in Oz NZ and Asia I tried eating fish I had caught and found it really mucked up my system so have never tried eating flesh again even good home grown and processed stuff like yours. I now have a homestead with some egg chooks for my hubby and son who eat eggs but they get to retire as grass cutters until they fall off their perches unless they're suffering in which case I have had to dispatch a few 😔. Love the jockey wheel idea for the tractor...
My blood pressure does best when I don't eat meats. I do eat eggs, though. I also use them as fertilizer in the garden it they sit in the fridge to long. I can't wait to see those benefits come through during the next growing season.
I appreciate your honesty. Another great video! Lots of people eat meat without seeing the process that goes into producing it, and you accurately show it from start to finish. I hope any vegans who watch your channel don't leave because of this.
All animals leave the flesh at some point. Nature can be incredibly cruel in the ways of death. Harvesting quickly and efficiently, while being grateful for the meat provided, is God blessed.
@Psd but the God that made them did give them to us for food. If they want to be their own abusive gods and make up their own skewed morals thats totally their choice. Good on you for distancing yourself from so called friends that tear you down.
@Psd you shouldn't be hurt or ashamed because you're having a normal life like many of us and doing nothing wrong. They should be ashamed of themselves for making you feel bad about yourself . Whether anyone likes to admit or not They are here to be eaten
Great vlog Mark. My mother was raised on a farm in the heartland of the states without electricity and they grew and raised all their food. I've been looking to get back to my roots and have been following your channel for a couple of months. We still have friends in our area who still raise and process some of their poultry and livestock each Fall. I wish my grandparents were still around to pass down these survival skills. Keep up the good work!
This is good for everyone. Happy animals taste better. (3rd generation rancher, and we knew every one of our herd by name.) Caring for animals is good for kids. And learning that the steer named "Pot Roast" is probably going to be on your plate is a very important life lesson. You expressed the meaning of tolerance. People should respect the views of others, even if they do not agree with them. Here in the USA, we have been pushed so hard as a people to see anyone who disagrees with a(n) individual/group/yourself as demons worthy of destruction that we have forgotten tolerant unity. Thank you for an example of the "live & let live" philosophy that characterized Americans for most of our existence.
We hunt partridge, moose and deer in northern Ontario...I learned early-on where meat comes from. A few families (even today) rely on their fall "harvest".
I don't think you need to apologize for being a conscious omnivore. You care for the animals as you raise them which makes their meat all the more valuable to you and more tasty. I love your channel for all the ways you raise food!
Hi Mark, You are eating meat in the most ethical way. You raised them in a great environment without suffering and you then took responsibility by killing them yourself. As well as hunting meat this in my opinion is the way to go. You should be proud to be taking responsibility for the meat you eat.
I admire you for making this video. It’s very difficult to describe the special feeling, as you called it, from raising and processing your own meat. It’s a very humbling and satisfying experience. This year, me and my family raised and butchered 65 meat chickens. Some went to my brother-in-law. We kept many whole chickens for the freezer, but i broke half of them down. I filleted the breasts off, removed leg quarters, and froze them in packages sized for my family. I then had the raw version of what we would call the “carcass” from a roasting chicken. I made stock with them. I boiled them with carrots, onions, herbs, peppercorns, etc. I saved the fat and froze them into cubes to use instead of butter or oil for some recipes. I pressure canned 11 quarts of stock today! It’s wonderful to see you handle this situation with delicate language. It’s always a pleasure to watch your videos.
Your ducks had a very good life and I must say I was extremely pleased to learn that you saved the little one that had the slow start to life. It actually made me cry a little bit, sorry, I am very weak when it comes to stuff life that. She is a beautiful colour, I hope she supplies you with lots of big eggs to say thanks!! As a joke, name her Simone after me?? (:-) No, only joking!!!!! I think I posted before how much I love the ducky videos and I am sure I will enjoy the new ones to come, as much as I enjoy re-watching the older ones. When are you doing the video about building your new duck place? Thanks again for your amazing videos.
Hey Mark, This project is beautiful. Please don't apologize for enjoying the end result of your labor. I farm ducks as well and understand that home grown meat is far better than store bought. People who have never raise a bird from egg to plate really have no business criticizing you or your appreciation for meat. We are doing our best to produce meat the way God intended. This is an amazing blessing. Thanks for all you do. -Nate
Thanks Mark! A great video and as I am a country girl from New South Wales and living now in Western Australia, fully understand that when you have animals they are bred for selling and also for eating. Thats how it is and we used to eat our sheep and beef. We had hens also but mainly for their eggs. You did well in explaining everything you did breeding the ducks and looking after them etc and when it came to their end, it was humanly done. Those who wish to criticize what you did etc well they do not have to watch this video.
I have raised chickens for many, many years and friends, relatives wonder why I do not name the chickens..it is hard to "harvest" old friends. Years ago, when my children were very young, I told them I had to "get rid of" several of the too many roosters we had by having a BBQ; they seemed okay with this..until later in the summer..I had a litter of kittens from a feral cat I had to get rid of and the children came to me, saying no, they hated BBQ kittens.. I laughed and said no, we do not eat cats here..I gave the kittens away.
Its always harder to dispatch the live stock that you have brought up & watched grow for weeks thats why you should never name them that just makes it even harder, But its the life we choose & have to contend with, As for vegetarians fine by me if you want to not eat meat thats your preference it only becomes an issue if you try to ram it down the throats of those who are not, those ducks you had was given a good life with plenty of water & feed, will keep watching out for your post & updates great vid keep it up
Mark, you are living the dream. I have a BIL that is a vegetarian and we catered for him very successfully in a quiet Christmas brunch yesterday. Early I know, but we were taking advantage of him being on day release. I enjoy cooking and eating all the gamebirds including duck, quail and spatchcock and was envious of your prized duck fat. Your dispatching process was interesting as I had not seen that process before. Still I am undeterred from seeking out that lifestyle for myself one day and as I remind my BIL, more vegetarians have lapsed after smelling bacon cooking than any other meat. Cheers mate!
Mark, last year, we incubated eggs from out 9 ducks. Had 1 male Peking, 2mallard females and 1 male, 2 female buffs and 1male, 2swedish blues and 1male. The combinations were amazing! 1was solid black with white belly and color pattern of the Swedes, and he had yellow feet with a big black spot on each. The rest were beautiful combinations of them all. 1 turned out to be a buff color with the Swede color patter, and full-sized buff with mallard color pattern, including the eye line and wing bars in shades of brown tan and white. So its obvious who's she is. And 3 that are white and gray marbled color. Just beautiful. I love them so much, I told my husband I think I want to keep making ducks and phase out the chickens. I don't really want to eat them but we have a large Asian community here in Arkansas so selling the extra eggs and males is easy.
I remember plucking my first rooster all by hand! He was tough eating 😂 but he had to go due to beating up our ducks and I didn’t want him to go to waste
Mark, I found with poultry... when it comes to plucking, you 'sparge at 80 degrees for less than 30 seconds'. adding detergent is fine but consider baking soda too.
This is a self sufficient channel so, it is a given to have this content. They did live well and were well cared for. Well done Mark. Nice to hear about the improvements to be made, we all have room for improvements in our lives :)
Raised our first batch of meat ducks this year. Rouens. Ours free range, along with the other poultry, sometimes wander quite a ways, mostly stay close though. I found them to be a lot more work processing than chickens. Following some youtube channels, I processed most of them at 7 weeks and one of them at 7 months. Turns out the 7 month old drake was a lot cleaner and easier to pluck than they younger ducks. I rested them overnight, then into the freezer. The taste test remains. Looking forward to it. Thanks for your perspective on the ducks. Enjoyed your video.
My partner and I are now looking at land for an acreage. But in no rush. Back in the UK we call homesteading small holding or crofting. Love your videos they really help me a lot only being down the road on the gold coast.
Good job on the ducks. You got a "big juicy thumbs up" from me. We raised rabbits growing up, know what your talking about, but it was good meat on the table.
Mate, your just a legend. Heaps of great info always. You raised your ducks yourself so you know ( and we do too ) that they were well looked after before the chop, or certainly better than they would have if you'd bought the meat from Wollys. Love your channel mate.
Don’t they eat your produce? I’ve often wondered about having some ducks and chickens in a garden but thought they would eat the slugs and then go onto the veggies! We r in Ireland.
I love my chickens..., they have a HUGE veggie garden that grows greens just for them, they get spoilt rotten..., but make no bones about it.., they are food, not pets. I currently have 2 that have stopped laying so they will be getting an invite to Xmas dinner and both my kids are fine with that, nobody should have to apologise for that. Completely different with the rabbits.., they were pets and lived a long and happy life, eventually getting buried under their favorite tree.
You and your family are self sufficient in a way that works for you. I watch your videos and can see you care for your animals and raise them kindly.... and deal with the "unsavory" in the best way you can. I appreciate your thoughts and experience.
The home process is a lot less stressful than commercial processing, and a lot more humane. Its sure a lot faster than commercial or, heaven forbid, a predator death. Im right there with you on the dispatching part. No problems with processing once they're a carcass, but the act itself is hard on me. Its one of the reasons I am an advocate for making sure every bit gets used in some way. No waste for anything that gave its life.
We do the same plucking system for chickens here in the Philippines. Except for the detergent and the machine you used. We do it manually. It's enjoyable doing it with your kids since you can have a chat while doing the process. :D
I love ducks, they're my friends (WAIT!! KEEP READING!!).... that you gave them such a lovely life, fresh water, good feed and respect is wonderful! I would think vegans and vegetarians would be happier about how you chose to eat meat. Mass farmed animals lead a horrible life. It's great that you took yourself out of supporting them. You're honesty is important! I appreciate it and I didn't find it offensive at all. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your vids, Mark. You are so much more empathetic than others while remaining true to your homesteading journey. I was vegetarian for a year for environmental reasons as well as not being happy with commercial ranching/farming methods. I am no longer a vegetarian but hope to one day raise my own chickens and ducks to feed myself and family one day. If even half the world moved to more sustainable, local farming we wouldn't be facing the cascade of existential crises caused by our wonton waste and consumerism. Thanks again, can't wait for the next one!
I have a tip for cooking duck in the oven which might also help grilling. If you steam it in the oven where it is covered with foil and there is a water bath under the bird and a tray to catch the fat then the meat gets cooked. Then the baking or grilling without a foil and with whatever sauces on top or salt make it really crisp. From Jamie Oliver
Growing up, my Dad was an enthusiastic duck hunter. As the youngest, I always seemed to get stuck plucking, although that also meant I got dibbs on the best feathers. We used news paper and boiling water and I was cringing in sympathy watching you pluck your birds., thinking of my burnt hands as a kid. I think it's important that we don't look away from where our food comes from, and it seems to me that you raised some healthy and happy birds.
Thank you for handling this in a matter-of-fact, no BS sort of manner. I myself am as far from vegetarian as, well, as California is from Oz! And, truthfully, any duck or goose would have no worries from me, as i really don’t care for water fowl. I was big city born and raised, moved to country living in my 30s, and i know better than to name the food! Have a lovely holiday season, one and all...cheers!
You hit the nail on the head Mark. You gave them a good life until it was processing time. That is such an improvement in life quality over the commercial poultry farms. I understand the no meat idea, and I don't mind going without meat myself if I can grow enough protein, but with people like you showing how easy and possible it is to give the animals loving homes until that time, maybe more people will give up on commercial meat and get a few chickens or ducks. Merry Christmas early!
Mark what I think you have showcased here is exemplary animal husbandry. I think many people are separated from where their food comes from making for a sanitised and unrealistic experience. You and your family know where there food comes from and know that the bird that you're eating had the best life and the quickest most humane death that could have been afforded. Great video.
I grew up on a family farm. We grew and raised everything we ate. I am now a vegetarian, not because of dispatching and preparation of the food. It’s because I don’t raise my own food and I gave up meat for lent and never started back with meat.
From what we saw, those ducks were incredibly well taken care of and cared for, for their entire life. They had one bad day, which is the best any living thing can dream for. On a side note, my Birdies planter arrived thanks to you and Kevin, so I'll have all winter in US zone 7a/b to get it ready for spring. Merry Christmas to you & yours!
Don't feel bad about all this. I think if more ppl understood what it 'Really' takes to put a meal on the table they would appreciate it more. Ppl have become immune to the hard work it takes to produce food of any kind really. When all you have to do it go to a grocery store and walk along leisurely looking at all the meat, you forget everything that happened to actually get that meat there. Most ppl have never known hunger. Most ppl have never even had their hands dirty from planting a garden. I would love to have chickens here and we do have the room but dogs and Coyotes would get them even with a fence probably, but I do fish and have thought about getting back into hunting again (even at my ripe old age of 54) Knowing how to feed yourself is never a bad thing. thank you so very very much for the video and I'm so glad to see your latest experiment worked out so well! Can't wait to see the updated version and what the next adventure is. Much love from the Mountains of North Carolina!!!!
My container garden is in my apartment here in the US and I am thankful for your channel! It provides a steady stream of gardening advice that is hard to get here since it is currently winter
Thank you for going over the process. It is really helpful for those of us who aren't there yet to make sure our expectations align with reality. Great content, as always!
I appreciate you taking personal risk to share your very important agricultural knowledge with this touchy subject. My wife and I have a small amount rainforest land and a small rental home in Hawaii (which we spent everything we have to obtain)and when can actually afford to move out of Pennsylvania, we want to develop that land into a tropical fruit and nut orchard and use ducks to help mitigate the insects (mostly cockroaches, maggots/flies and snail) that naturally inhabit our area. Ducks are fit for the area as opposed to other poultry. I want to also compliment you on giving the ducks a great life before quickly and painlessly harvesting.
Mark I just love your channel buddy! You’re good people in my book! My wife and I have been fans of yours for a couple years now and you’re probably our favorite channel. Thanks for all the good content mate! Haha alright mate! G’day!
Moving the jockey wheels forward to the next post will increase the load/weight on them making the wheels dig in even more. It would balance the whole thing out though, like you said making it easier to pick the front up. Maybe an extra set of wheels on that next row of posts would work better or another pole and wheel in the center at the back, but then there's the extra cost of buying the wheels.
Great video Mark and very sensitive towards others feelings and beliefs. I’m a veggie but it was a health choice after I was really poorly in 2014. I so eat a bit of meat every now and then but I’m mostly on a veggie diet. Mrs McBeardface has been veggie all her life
Ducks are my favorite animal and I never eat them but this video was great. It’s uncomfortable to think about the life behind the meat but I think it’s necessary and important to understand the process and be grateful for it, like you said.
Ducky good experiment & video! For years we raised the white Pekin ducks for the meat, and loved them. The white Pekin ducks are so much easier to clean, and the meat is excellent.
Marc, even though I don't eat meat I appreciate this video, still, and I think you have honored these animals in some small way by making this video. I don't get a sense of entitlement from you or justification of your choices. Duck meat is very tasty indeed, but I chose to no longer eat it. And I believe you're a compassionate person, wholeheartedly, Marc, and I respect your philosophy, process, and choice. Cheers from Boston
Good video Mark. I love eating meat but hate the industry that surrounds it. I think your way of giving them a good life until their last day is a good way to do it.
If you are going to eat meat often or regularly, I think this is the absolutely ideal situation. Also, a tongue twister since you were talking about plucking: I’m not a pheasant plucker I’m the pheasant plucker’s mate And I’m only plucking pheasants ‘cause the pheasant plucker’s late 😂
Interesting video of mobile Duck tractor , you have big land space to grow many veggies , fruit tree and also chicken , duck farming for your own food , i learn from your video a lot , thanks for sharing to us , Mr. mark
The girl you did keep is so gorgeous!! Honestly this is not something I think I could do but I do eat meat and would prefer to eat meat that I know came from an animal that had a happy life rather than the animals whose meat I probably do eat which are no doubt treated terribly... Such a hard thing to grapple with but I am grateful you didn't put anything too explicit in this video.
G'day Everyone, I understand that some people won't be happy with this video for obvious reasons. Some will think this video goes too far, others will think it doesn't go far enough, and some of my subscribers simply won't be interested in this type of content. However, for me to ignore aspects of our own homesteading because I "might lose subscribers or get fewer views" would be to deny reality and potentially mislead people about my own values, which I'm not prepared to do. These types of topics are difficult to navigate on UA-cam these days but I still think it's important to cover them sometimes when appropriate. Thanks for your ongoing support! Cheers, Mark
Howd they taste?
Cheers Mark !
You have room to make a small pond on your acreage; you should look into a UA-camr who does those; and do a collaboration to get a pond dug.
you missed an opportunity at the beginning to "lets quack into it", lol
Nice to see you honored the birds by using everything you could by making stock and rendering fat etc
I thought it was perfect. I got 14 chicks and 6 ended up been roosters. We processed them because we wanted hens for eggs. It is the reality of homesteading. We keep* some of the animals and processed others.
We give them a good life and they only have one bad day. We make sure it is as humane as possible. I love all of our farm animals and I thank them for their contribution to our family before I process them. I doubt they understand, but it is the last thing they hear. We love them and appreciate each of them.
Here in Ontario, 🇨🇦 we call it “Farm to Table”. It’s not really talked about by most, but it’s exactly why we raise any animals that aren’t pets. And Mark you are fine in saying they are tastier when you raised them. I just harvested 3 of our ducks and they were super tasty and I thanked them for their service to my family. I still have 10 girls for the eggs, but I’m only going to save 2 drakes from the chop. I raised them, I took good care of them and made sure they are living their best life, I built them a custom ultimate quack house for them to be protected from the elements and from predators. I know what I fed them and they’re very healthy birds for my family to eat.
Paddock to plate here. :)
Harvested is a nice word for chopped its head off
@@Echosinfireify Not necessarily. Sometimes you break their necks.
@@krissyr3393 I think its similar to the 'compassion fade' effect. We've only got three chickens are they're very much pets in the vein of and giving the kids a sense of responsibility with their welfare. Be kind of tough and pointless to knock one basically on principle. On the other hand, if we had a yard of fifteen or twenty, not so much.
@@geneharrogate6911 definitely feel sad and sorry for them during the process. Sometimes you just end up with too many males though. ducks in our case-10 girls and 10 boys, and I only need to keep 2 drakes if I want to breed otherwise males have no use other than companionship. I also have far too many roosters and they are hard to rehome. They'll have to be culled once they're big enough.
Thanks for this video. I'm a vegetarian and seeing how you looked after the ducks so well is awesome. Eating meat is up to you. We all need to respect each other a bit more. 👍
Love this
I think you handled talking about this situation really well. Many people don't like the think about where their meat comes from but you didn't shy away from it and explained the situation well
@RockM was robbed So, thousands per capita per, what, lifetime? Sounds like too many goddamn humans is the problem, especially when you consider we're consuming non-living resources at recklessly unsustainable rates just the same. If you really care, start eating efficient food sources like cricket flour and mushrooms instead of mass-produced grains and veg that turn the world's vibrant habitats into massive mono-culture deserts. And get your tubes tied!!
Indeed, good thoughtful nuance from Mark. As a 98% veggie who made the switch for ecological, anti-cruelty, and pandemic-risk reasons (anti-factory farm in short), if I had a bit more land I would definitely have chickens for eggs, and I would eat them at the end of their productive life. And I'll get into hunting one of these days. Like Mark I don't think I'll ever be totally comfortable with the actual killing, but that feeling is rightly expressed as respect and gratitude. Any honest person not living in the isolated bubble of modern removal from production has to see that death and consumption are as integral to life as the water cycle. Removal from it to either extreme is an abdication of responsibility.
I think people should just suck it up lol. If you wanna eat meat do it, if not don’t.
@RockM was robbed Do you believe in evolution? If so, don’t let your species go extinct by putting yourself on the bottom of the food chain. Animal instincts, moral doesn’t matter. Religious? Most people that complain about eating a freaking animal to feed your family wouldn’t think twice about an abortion.
@@csn583 facts though! The whole part about America (if you’re in it) is freedom. Shut up about my steak and I’ll shut up about your boiled broccoli mash/shake/thing. I consume mainly veg and fruits that I grow in my garden, but I still consume meat and animal products.. I honestly don’t care what anyone eats until they’re criticizing me for my choices. 🤷♂️
@@csn583 Beautifully said! I'm going to steal it to tell to all those hypocrites who make gagging sounds when I tell them I eat lamb heads, but still "only occasionally enjoy a juicy stake" (because they don't like to think about the animals' blood being spilled, but they don't mind actual blood on their plate). Yes, I do know "vegetarians" like that.
Hi Mark, I just recently changed to a meat free diet, primarily because of the way animals are being treated in the mainstream food procution system. You raise your birds and look after their welfare so much better than the mass produced farms. It clearly comes across that you respect them and you deal with their dispatching in the same way. Meat production will always be a difficult thing for me, but thanks for sharing your side so sensitively.
in my country, the Islamic community sees the meat industry as unclean so they have their own farms, in the professional farm's animals basically stand or are covered with their own feces and that's what they see as unclean a bonus to the Islamic farms is that the animals have a better life and as an extra bonus is actually cheaper than supermarket meat this because a, for instance, free-roaming chicken eats a lot from the field in terms of grass bugs worms ants and so on so the feeding costs go down making the finished product cheaper.
as an atheist this thing I like in a religion! for more than one reason.
The ducks had a good life and one bad day. No long haul live transport, stress free when home raised and killed. Goodonyermate!
Infinitely better for the animals
Agreed, this is much better for the animals than factory farms that everybody buys their meat from these days
Not even a bad day. Just a bad few moments.
Guess I'll remember that next time I'm raising labradors for slaughter.
@@definitelynotthecatrinayou9875 only if you eat them
Your honesty and integrity is why you have over a million subscribers. Well done Mark.
Thats life at least you know how hard it is to have to end something you love.
and not just be ignorant of how you get meat.
I agree. I actually think all meat eaters should have to process at least one animal. We are too disconnected from nature and the process and the reality of food. If you can't do it you have to live as a vegetarian forever 😂
@@Echosinfireify and that's why they should know they had a fantastic life, unlike the farmed ducks so be grateful he wasn't supporting that industry!!!
Mark makes a good point about meat eaters and vegetarians/vegans. We have to understand and respect each other’s choices. And as far as raising animals for food, well this is how it was done *for centuries* , there is no need to apologize for that (although I give Mark credit for his sensitivity to his vegetarian/vegan viewers). Also, Mark has done lots of video on how well he’s taken care of those ducks (and chickens and quails) so they’ve had a good life compared to those living in industrial farms where they’re cooped up in an overcrowded cages and over fed (for the meat) and injected with antibiotics.
If you don’t like the subject matter of the video, just skip over it and wait for the one on how he is preparing his carrot beds 🥕🥕
@RockM was robbed You are killing many concious animals too by being alive, so stop being a hypocrite and lecturing other people based on your own ignorance and selective thinking.
@RockM was robbed No need to be a hater. As a plant lover, I dislike seeing fruit trees being mangled and destroyed by people who don't know how to prune and maintain their trees. Instead of going all haterville on them, like you're doing, I just do my best with what I have.
@RockM was robbed, based on this comment and others, I take it you are Pro-Life when it comes to abortion. Are you just as zealous defending unborn children?
Really feel like you missed a great opportunity for a 'lets get quackin' dad joke 🤣
Thanks for your work mate, you've been a big help for us and our gardens!
🤣🤣🤣
I don't think it's macabre or strange to talk about things the way you did. I find there is a strange, humbling feeling that comes with raising your own meat. I definitely appreciate it more now that I raise my own compared to when I would just buy it out of a packet. Good job mate, they looked tasty as!
Thanks for sharing your content. I pray that you don’t lose any subscribers for being honest. Be Blessed. 💜
It was ABSOLUTELY LOVELY to see people who could agree to disagree and be civil about it! Here in the States we seem to be drowning in ideological intolerance.
I have heard (don’t know for fact) that the toughest bird there is is African chicken. I heard a recipe for how to cook them tender: kill and dress chicken, put in pot with water to cover. Add a (clean) pebble. Simmer. When the pebble is soft, the chicken is done.
I eat meat. I know where it's coming from. I also know what has to be done to get my meat. But I also would not be able to do it myself. So Respect to you. It is a good video, informative and not tooo detailed on parts that could "hurt" you know ... it is ok.
Mark, no need to apologise for anything. It is the way of things. The animals are well looked after. If you eat meat, yours is the best way to go about it.
I respect and love you as a person, as a gardener and as a vegetarian myself I am totally on your side with the ducklings. It's the circle of life and the way how you showed us them growing up and how much love and care you put into their life is just amazing and shows you how good a person you are. :) The mobile tractor is a brilliant idea and gives that mobility for them to see more whilst safe and I cannot wait till I can get cracking with our self sufficient journey soon... Keep up the good work and looking forward to your next video. :)
Mark, to each there own brother. Don't feel like you have to apologise to anyone for how you live your life and feed your family.
@@Echosinfireify but he doesn't have to answer to you, or anyone else, the ducks had a great life and yes they were used for meat but they were treated like pets, no mass produced style of farming could say they treat their ducks the same with the same conditions. If you don't like it don't watch it, its not a hard concept, right? What he is doing is legal, so if it's legal be grateful he is treating them as well as he does throughout their lives no matter what the reason is that they die
@@Echosinfireify no need to apologise. Just show respect and thanks to the creature for sacrificing its life to sustain yours. Totally natural process. No reason to feel guilt for doing what is, living.
@@rustic35 to add to what you said mate, if a fox or wild dog or a large bird of prey or any other predator eats it, it will suffer a slower more painful death. This is something that blows my mind with these people, animals in the wild don't tend to die of old age, they usually die a painful death but they insist on this sort of stuff happening, I've heard many vegans say we shouldn't even have pets. Everyone has their own opinion, but for the most part I think animals these days are treated so much better now than they did 100 years ago, but these pretentious animal activists and most vegans at least that I've come across really should look at the bigger picture and be a little less clouded. There are some awesome vegans that I've come across as well that realises we all have a choice and they don't try to force their beliefs upon people or guilt them into doing things they shouldn't have to do, and unfortunately they get drowned out by loud mouth fascist activists. It's really sad that Mark is just doing what he wants on his channel and people like Madden Stewart flood his channel with their agenda. I actually replied to about 8 of that person's replies to prove a point to Madden. If I hadn't of noticed so many comments trying to slander what Mark does when that person could have simply not watched the video instead of commenting so many negative things based on their opinion only and not on a legal issue, then I would have just kept my mouth shut. Yeah yeah, end of rant, my bad 🤣
As a plant based person of 27 years I fully respect your way of meat eating. I decided to omit factory farmed meat from my diet after visiting a pig farm at the tender age of fifteen but whilst still living at home I ate rabbit and other game that my Dad or Grandad had hunted. After leaving home at 18 I decided to go fully vege. Later in my twenties whilst living the backpacker life in Oz NZ and Asia I tried eating fish I had caught and found it really mucked up my system so have never tried eating flesh again even good home grown and processed stuff like yours. I now have a homestead with some egg chooks for my hubby and son who eat eggs but they get to retire as grass cutters until they fall off their perches unless they're suffering in which case I have had to dispatch a few 😔. Love the jockey wheel idea for the tractor...
My blood pressure does best when I don't eat meats. I do eat eggs, though. I also use them as fertilizer in the garden it they sit in the fridge to long. I can't wait to see those benefits come through during the next growing season.
I appreciate your honesty. Another great video! Lots of people eat meat without seeing the process that goes into producing it, and you accurately show it from start to finish. I hope any vegans who watch your channel don't leave because of this.
All animals leave the flesh at some point. Nature can be incredibly cruel in the ways of death. Harvesting quickly and efficiently, while being grateful for the meat provided, is God blessed.
@Psd but the God that made them did give them to us for food. If they want to be their own abusive gods and make up their own skewed morals thats totally their choice. Good on you for distancing yourself from so called friends that tear you down.
@Psd you shouldn't be hurt or ashamed because you're having a normal life like many of us and doing nothing wrong.
They should be ashamed of themselves for making you feel bad about yourself .
Whether anyone likes to admit or not
They are here to be eaten
@Psd why be ashamed of life? Sounds like you might benefit from some psychotherapy.
Great vlog Mark. My mother was raised on a farm in the heartland of the states without electricity and they grew and raised all their food. I've been looking to get back to my roots and have been following your channel for a couple of months. We still have friends in our area who still raise and process some of their poultry and livestock each Fall. I wish my grandparents were still around to pass down these survival skills. Keep up the good work!
Totally understand where ur coming from with ur ducks i have an aquaponics system xmas time a few of the fish are going to be dinner too
This is good for everyone. Happy animals taste better. (3rd generation rancher, and we knew every one of our herd by name.) Caring for animals is good for kids. And learning that the steer named "Pot Roast" is probably going to be on your plate is a very important life lesson.
You expressed the meaning of tolerance. People should respect the views of others, even if they do not agree with them.
Here in the USA, we have been pushed so hard as a people to see anyone who disagrees with a(n) individual/group/yourself as demons worthy of destruction that we have forgotten tolerant unity.
Thank you for an example of the "live & let live" philosophy that characterized Americans for most of our existence.
We hunt partridge, moose and deer in northern Ontario...I learned early-on where meat comes from. A few families (even today) rely on their fall "harvest".
Thanks for showing all aspects of the lifecycle!
Love the video, and honesty. Too often Tubers try to please the masses and they loose their authenticity. Thank you
I don't think you need to apologize for being a conscious omnivore. You care for the animals as you raise them which makes their meat all the more valuable to you and more tasty. I love your channel for all the ways you raise food!
Hi Mark, You are eating meat in the most ethical way. You raised them in a great environment without suffering and you then took responsibility by killing them yourself. As well as hunting meat this in my opinion is the way to go. You should be proud to be taking responsibility for the meat you eat.
this is the real real. Good to see the humility with the processing. Realistically they had a good life .
I admire you for making this video. It’s very difficult to describe the special feeling, as you called it, from raising and processing your own meat. It’s a very humbling and satisfying experience. This year, me and my family raised and butchered 65 meat chickens. Some went to my brother-in-law. We kept many whole chickens for the freezer, but i broke half of them down. I filleted the breasts off, removed leg quarters, and froze them in packages sized for my family. I then had the raw version of what we would call the “carcass” from a roasting chicken. I made stock with them. I boiled them with carrots, onions, herbs, peppercorns, etc. I saved the fat and froze them into cubes to use instead of butter or oil for some recipes. I pressure canned 11 quarts of stock today! It’s wonderful to see you handle this situation with delicate language. It’s always a pleasure to watch your videos.
Your ducks had a very good life and I must say I was extremely pleased to learn that you saved the little one that had the slow start to life. It actually made me cry a little bit, sorry, I am very weak when it comes to stuff life that. She is a beautiful colour, I hope she supplies you with lots of big eggs to say thanks!! As a joke, name her Simone after me?? (:-) No, only joking!!!!! I think I posted before how much I love the ducky videos and I am sure I will enjoy the new ones to come, as much as I enjoy re-watching the older ones. When are you doing the video about building your new duck place? Thanks again for your amazing videos.
Hey Mark,
This project is beautiful. Please don't apologize for enjoying the end result of your labor. I farm ducks as well and understand that home grown meat is far better than store bought. People who have never raise a bird from egg to plate really have no business criticizing you or your appreciation for meat. We are doing our best to produce meat the way God intended. This is an amazing blessing. Thanks for all you do.
-Nate
Thanks Mark! A great video and as I am a country girl from New South Wales and living now in Western Australia, fully understand that when you have animals they are bred for selling and also for eating. Thats how it is and we used to eat our sheep and beef. We had hens also but mainly for their eggs. You did well in explaining everything you did breeding the ducks and looking after them etc and when it came to their end, it was humanly done. Those who wish to criticize what you did etc well they do not have to watch this video.
I have raised chickens for many, many years and friends, relatives wonder why I do not name the chickens..it is hard to "harvest" old friends. Years ago, when my children were very young, I told them I had to "get rid of" several of the too many roosters we had by having a BBQ; they seemed okay with this..until later in the summer..I had a litter of kittens from a feral cat I had to get rid of and the children came to me, saying no, they hated BBQ kittens.. I laughed and said no, we do not eat cats here..I gave the kittens away.
Nice seeing the Mrs. Thanks for the video. Have a great Christmas and be safe!
Its always harder to dispatch the live stock that you have brought up & watched grow for weeks thats why you should never name them that just makes it even harder, But its the life we choose & have to contend with, As for vegetarians fine by me if you want to not eat meat thats your preference it only becomes an issue if you try to ram it down the throats of those who are not, those ducks you had was given a good life with plenty of water & feed, will keep watching out for your post & updates great vid keep it up
Mark, you are living the dream. I have a BIL that is a vegetarian and we catered for him very successfully in a quiet Christmas brunch yesterday. Early I know, but we were taking advantage of him being on day release. I enjoy cooking and eating all the gamebirds including duck, quail and spatchcock and was envious of your prized duck fat. Your dispatching process was interesting as I had not seen that process before. Still I am undeterred from seeking out that lifestyle for myself one day and as I remind my BIL, more vegetarians have lapsed after smelling bacon cooking than any other meat. Cheers mate!
Best way to know your food. Also whether rasing or hunting your own animals, we're much less likely waste animals we respected when they were alive.
The description of how tough the old duck was had me in stitches.
Hope you get some ducklings soon! Wish I had an invite to the BBQ it looked delicious! 🦆
Being Polish and having watched my mom process a live duck for czarnina , I can appreciate all objections and pleasures of duck raising and eating.
Mark, last year, we incubated eggs from out 9 ducks. Had 1 male Peking, 2mallard females and 1 male, 2 female buffs and 1male, 2swedish blues and 1male. The combinations were amazing! 1was solid black with white belly and color pattern of the Swedes, and he had yellow feet with a big black spot on each. The rest were beautiful combinations of them all. 1 turned out to be a buff color with the Swede color patter, and full-sized buff with mallard color pattern, including the eye line and wing bars in shades of brown tan and white. So its obvious who's she is. And 3 that are white and gray marbled color. Just beautiful. I love them so much, I told my husband I think I want to keep making ducks and phase out the chickens. I don't really want to eat them but we have a large Asian community here in Arkansas so selling the extra eggs and males is easy.
I remember plucking my first rooster all by hand! He was tough eating 😂 but he had to go due to beating up our ducks and I didn’t want him to go to waste
Coq au vin those old birds. Your mouth will thank you.
Thats a Quaker video, good on you mate. Eat what you grow and grow what you eat, the princible is so simple.
You should quickly pump that pond on your garden for the nutrients It contains for your garden
I have a couple of ducks and empty their water on the veggies
Mark, I found with poultry... when it comes to plucking, you 'sparge at 80 degrees for less than 30 seconds'. adding detergent is fine but consider baking soda too.
This is a self sufficient channel so, it is a given to have this content. They did live well and were well cared for. Well done Mark. Nice to hear about the improvements to be made, we all have room for improvements in our lives :)
Hey Mark a camp oven is a great way to tenderise old ducks. Soak the duck in salt water for a couple of days before cooking.
It sounds great, look forward to trying it.
Raised our first batch of meat ducks this year. Rouens. Ours free range, along with the other poultry, sometimes wander quite a ways, mostly stay close though. I found them to be a lot more work processing than chickens. Following some youtube channels, I processed most of them at 7 weeks and one of them at 7 months. Turns out the 7 month old drake was a lot cleaner and easier to pluck than they younger ducks. I rested them overnight, then into the freezer. The taste test remains. Looking forward to it. Thanks for your perspective on the ducks. Enjoyed your video.
we can see your ducks are happy and comfortable. Inasmuch as they are slaughtered with respect and thanksgiving they are fullfilling their purpose .
My partner and I are now looking at land for an acreage. But in no rush. Back in the UK we call homesteading small holding or crofting. Love your videos they really help me a lot only being down the road on the gold coast.
Good job on the ducks. You got a "big juicy thumbs up" from me. We raised rabbits growing up, know what your talking about, but it was good meat on the table.
Mate, your just a legend. Heaps of great info always. You raised your ducks yourself so you know ( and we do too ) that they were well looked after before the chop, or certainly better than they would have if you'd bought the meat from Wollys. Love your channel mate.
Yes
..Be thankful. Im grateful for you man. Youre an asset to humanity. God is good. Godbless🌄🦆🐇🦃🐓🦌🐖🐟🦀🦐🌱🌱🌿🌾🍏🍇🍒🍓🍅🍌🍋🌽🥝🥑🍍🍊🍉🍈🌶🥒🥦🍄🥜
Glad you enjoyed your journey. I have 3 ducks that free range in my food forest.
Don’t they eat your produce? I’ve often wondered about having some ducks and chickens in a garden but thought they would eat the slugs and then go onto the veggies! We r in Ireland.
Excellent video and process of the Ducks. An Honorable worthy treatment and end to your wonderful resources. Thanks Mark!
I love my chickens..., they have a HUGE veggie garden that grows greens just for them, they get spoilt rotten..., but make no bones about it.., they are food, not pets. I currently have 2 that have stopped laying so they will be getting an invite to Xmas dinner and both my kids are fine with that, nobody should have to apologise for that.
Completely different with the rabbits.., they were pets and lived a long and happy life, eventually getting buried under their favorite tree.
You and your family are self sufficient in a way that works for you. I watch your videos and can see you care for your animals and raise them kindly.... and deal with the "unsavory" in the best way you can. I appreciate your thoughts and experience.
Thanks for the video. Nice to see how much care and love you put into your homestead....
The home process is a lot less stressful than commercial processing, and a lot more humane. Its sure a lot faster than commercial or, heaven forbid, a predator death. Im right there with you on the dispatching part. No problems with processing once they're a carcass, but the act itself is hard on me. Its one of the reasons I am an advocate for making sure every bit gets used in some way. No waste for anything that gave its life.
We do the same plucking system for chickens here in the Philippines. Except for the detergent and the machine you used. We do it manually. It's enjoyable doing it with your kids since you can have a chat while doing the process. :D
hey. just letting you know you are above 1M subs.
congrats
I love ducks, they're my friends (WAIT!! KEEP READING!!).... that you gave them such a lovely life, fresh water, good feed and respect is wonderful! I would think vegans and vegetarians would be happier about how you chose to eat meat. Mass farmed animals lead a horrible life. It's great that you took yourself out of supporting them. You're honesty is important! I appreciate it and I didn't find it offensive at all. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your vids, Mark. You are so much more empathetic than others while remaining true to your homesteading journey. I was vegetarian for a year for environmental reasons as well as not being happy with commercial ranching/farming methods. I am no longer a vegetarian but hope to one day raise my own chickens and ducks to feed myself and family one day. If even half the world moved to more sustainable, local farming we wouldn't be facing the cascade of existential crises caused by our wonton waste and consumerism. Thanks again, can't wait for the next one!
I have a tip for cooking duck in the oven which might also help grilling. If you steam it in the oven where it is covered with foil and there is a water bath under the bird and a tray to catch the fat then the meat gets cooked. Then the baking or grilling without a foil and with whatever sauces on top or salt make it really crisp. From Jamie Oliver
Growing up, my Dad was an enthusiastic duck hunter. As the youngest, I always seemed to get stuck plucking, although that also meant I got dibbs on the best feathers. We used news paper and boiling water and I was cringing in sympathy watching you pluck your birds., thinking of my burnt hands as a kid. I think it's important that we don't look away from where our food comes from, and it seems to me that you raised some healthy and happy birds.
I think that was very nicely done. I am glad you didn't show the dispatching and I'm glad your experiment was a success and the ducks were tasty.
We love duck meat also. I’m glad that you show us the ducks and garden. Thanks for sharing!
No need to apologize for raising and eating meat. That is a part of life.
Thank you for handling this in a matter-of-fact, no BS sort of manner. I myself am as far from vegetarian as, well, as California is from Oz! And, truthfully, any duck or goose would have no worries from me, as i really don’t care for water fowl. I was big city born and raised, moved to country living in my 30s, and i know better than to name the food! Have a lovely holiday season, one and all...cheers!
You hit the nail on the head Mark. You gave them a good life until it was processing time. That is such an improvement in life quality over the commercial poultry farms. I understand the no meat idea, and I don't mind going without meat myself if I can grow enough protein, but with people like you showing how easy and possible it is to give the animals loving homes until that time, maybe more people will give up on commercial meat and get a few chickens or ducks. Merry Christmas early!
Mark what I think you have showcased here is exemplary animal husbandry. I think many people are separated from where their food comes from making for a sanitised and unrealistic experience. You and your family know where there food comes from and know that the bird that you're eating had the best life and the quickest most humane death that could have been afforded. Great video.
Giving thanks, yes, old wisdom. A big juicy thumbs up Mark. :)
I grew up on a family farm. We grew and raised everything we ate. I am now a vegetarian, not because of dispatching and preparation of the food. It’s because I don’t raise my own food and I gave up meat for lent and never started back with meat.
From what we saw, those ducks were incredibly well taken care of and cared for, for their entire life. They had one bad day, which is the best any living thing can dream for. On a side note, my Birdies planter arrived thanks to you and Kevin, so I'll have all winter in US zone 7a/b to get it ready for spring. Merry Christmas to you & yours!
Don't feel bad about all this. I think if more ppl understood what it 'Really' takes to put a meal on the table they would appreciate it more. Ppl have become immune to the hard work it takes to produce food of any kind really. When all you have to do it go to a grocery store and walk along leisurely looking at all the meat, you forget everything that happened to actually get that meat there. Most ppl have never known hunger. Most ppl have never even had their hands dirty from planting a garden.
I would love to have chickens here and we do have the room but dogs and Coyotes would get them even with a fence probably, but I do fish and have thought about getting back into hunting again (even at my ripe old age of 54) Knowing how to feed yourself is never a bad thing. thank you so very very much for the video and I'm so glad to see your latest experiment worked out so well! Can't wait to see the updated version and what the next adventure is. Much love from the Mountains of North Carolina!!!!
My container garden is in my apartment here in the US and I am thankful for your channel! It provides a steady stream of gardening advice that is hard to get here since it is currently winter
Hurrah! I see you took a lot of my suggestions as worthwhile trying..the next time round! Happy New Year.
Good video. We love our sheep and birds and give them a great life and they in turn nourish us in the end. Part of the cycle of life.
Duck me, that food cooking on the bbq looks & sounds amazing!
G’day Mark, glad to see you back. I hope and pray all is well with you and your family!
Thank you for going over the process. It is really helpful for those of us who aren't there yet to make sure our expectations align with reality. Great content, as always!
Called farm to fork or field to fork here in Scotland. Ducks can be a nightmare of mess, that tractor looks a rally good idea.
Another great video. I really enjoy and learn something from all your videos. Please keep up the good work!
I appreciate you taking personal risk to share your very important agricultural knowledge with this touchy subject. My wife and I have a small amount rainforest land and a small rental home in Hawaii (which we spent everything we have to obtain)and when can actually afford to move out of Pennsylvania, we want to develop that land into a tropical fruit and nut orchard and use ducks to help mitigate the insects (mostly cockroaches, maggots/flies and snail) that naturally inhabit our area. Ducks are fit for the area as opposed to other poultry. I want to also compliment you on giving the ducks a great life before quickly and painlessly harvesting.
Haha I am guessing next video will be"what happends when you bury duck head in your garden "😜😋
Mark I just love your channel buddy! You’re good people in my book! My wife and I have been fans of yours for a couple years now and you’re probably our favorite channel. Thanks for all the good content mate! Haha alright mate! G’day!
Moving the jockey wheels forward to the next post will increase the load/weight on them making the wheels dig in even more. It would balance the whole thing out though, like you said making it easier to pick the front up. Maybe an extra set of wheels on that next row of posts would work better or another pole and wheel in the center at the back, but then there's the extra cost of buying the wheels.
Great video Mark and very sensitive towards others feelings and beliefs. I’m a veggie but it was a health choice after I was really poorly in 2014. I so eat a bit of meat every now and then but I’m mostly on a veggie diet. Mrs McBeardface has been veggie all her life
Its ok mark we all have to go through that type of stuff mate. (Ps your puns are good)
You give them a far better life than so many other places.
Ducks are my favorite animal and I never eat them but this video was great. It’s uncomfortable to think about the life behind the meat but I think it’s necessary and important to understand the process and be grateful for it, like you said.
Hahahahaha love the "let's get into it" sound and visual effect mate awsome video yet again 👍🍺
Ducky good experiment & video! For years we raised the white Pekin ducks for the meat, and loved them. The white Pekin ducks are so much easier to clean, and the meat is excellent.
Marc, even though I don't eat meat I appreciate this video, still, and I think you have honored these animals in some small way by making this video. I don't get a sense of entitlement from you or justification of your choices. Duck meat is very tasty indeed, but I chose to no longer eat it. And I believe you're a compassionate person, wholeheartedly, Marc, and I respect your philosophy, process, and choice. Cheers from Boston
Good video Mark. I love eating meat but hate the industry that surrounds it. I think your way of giving them a good life until their last day is a good way to do it.
If you are going to eat meat often or regularly, I think this is the absolutely ideal situation.
Also, a tongue twister since you were talking about plucking:
I’m not a pheasant plucker
I’m the pheasant plucker’s mate
And I’m only plucking pheasants
‘cause the pheasant plucker’s late
😂
Interesting video of mobile Duck tractor , you have big land space to grow many veggies , fruit tree and also chicken , duck farming for your own food , i learn from your video a lot , thanks for sharing to us , Mr. mark
The girl you did keep is so gorgeous!!
Honestly this is not something I think I could do but I do eat meat and would prefer to eat meat that I know came from an animal that had a happy life rather than the animals whose meat I probably do eat which are no doubt treated terribly... Such a hard thing to grapple with but I am grateful you didn't put anything too explicit in this video.
😢😂😂😂😂well by the looks of that bbq I would say it was a success. Stay safe and stay gardening 🧑🌾🇨🇦🌶🍆🥬☮️🥕✌️