Farm Facts for Fairfield County

for December 6, 2002 ; also seen on Fridays in the Lancaster Eagle Gazette

The Quicken computerized farm accounting course that OSU Extension has been publicizing since November is beginning to fill, so if you have any interest in attending this one-time workshop, don't delay and call the extension office today and make your reservation. The class will be limited to around 12 participants or farm businesses, depending on the number of computers available for the course. Each farm or business will have a personal computer or laptop made available to them for the course, and more than one participant from one farm or business may take the course together and share that computer. The program utilized in the course will be the latest version of Quicken available - Quicken Basic 2003. If you or your business has a laptop computer with this program, or if you wish to purchase the program and install in on your laptop before the course, then you may bring your own laptop for use in the course. This would enable the extension staff to take on more participants for the course, so if you are planning on using your own computer, please make this distinction when you make your reservation.

The course will include 2 three hour sessions, scheduled for January 27 and February 3, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Ag Center. The cost for the class is $20 per participant and $30 per operation or business if more than one person will be represented. The cost includes instruction, the accompanying workbook, and refreshments. Contact OSU Extension (653-5419 or fair@ag.osu.edu) for a reservation or more details.

Venison on the Table

If you've been fortunate enough to harvest one or more of Ohio's largest game animal, the white-tailed deer, you may have already enjoyed that first venison steak or may be anxiously waiting for the meat to be picked up from the processor. Whatever the case, there are several options for preparing your deer meat, or venison, for consumption. The first and most important step in the process is preserving whatever meat is not consumed immediately. If processing you deer on your own or with some help at home, the meat should be frozen as soon as it is trimmed into the desired cuts. If having your deer processed at one of several area processing facilities, the meat should be frozen as soon as it is brought home.

Meat needs to be properly packaged for freezing in order to preserve freshness and taste, and several methods are acceptable. The most common and economical is laminated freezer paper, but if one chooses to simply place cuts of venison in plastic sandwich bags or similar bags, they should be wrapped with aluminum foil to prevent moisture vapor loss and subsequent freezer burn. Properly packaged ground venison will store frozen at 0F for 2 to 3 months without significant loss of flavor or freshness, while roasts, steaks, chops, and whole muscle cuts will store for 8 to 12 months.

When you are ready prepare venison for consumption, several options exist for cooking, depending on cuts of meat and personal preference. Venison can be cooked directly from the frozen state, and can be substituted for beef or other red meats in virtually any recipe. However, venison is a drier meat, so moist cooking methods are best. In addition, fat on venison readily absorbs odors and solidifies quickly, so fat should be trimmed as close as possible before cooking, and venison should be served hot. If desired, bacon grease or other forms of fat can be added to venison during the cooking process to prevent dryness and add supplemental flavor.

For oven broiling, 1 inch thick cuts are best, brushed with melted butter, and served medium to well cooked. For roasting, cooking bags work very well, with cooking to be done at 325-350F. Meat should be cooked for 25 minutes per pound, or until internal temperature reaches 170F. If your deer was a mature animal, or if the flavor is stronger than desired, marinating the meat is an option. Cover thawed meat with a favorite dressing, such as French or Italian, or other marinades and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Another option that is thought to help reduce strong flavors in venison is to marinate in milk for 12 hours.

Finally, for those who prefer alternative methods of preparing their venison for consumption, jerky and sausage are excellent choices and sure to satisfy the snack lover. To make venison into jerky is a tedious, lengthy process, but worth the reward. Whole muscle cuts of meat work best and need to have all membranes and connective tissues, as well as most fat removed. Fat will drip from the meat during the drying process, eventually turning the jerky rancid, and membranes left on will make for some tough chewing later. Meat should be sliced with the grain to inch thick, and into strips 1 to 2 inches wide and as long as possible. Slightly frozen meat is much easier to handle when removing membranes and fat or when slicing.

The meat can then be simply salted and peppered to taste before drying, or marinated for at least 12 hours for different flavors. Typical marinades include mixtures of such ingredients as teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, sweet and sour sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chili sauce, and combinations of any desirable spices such as seasoned salts, peppers, ginger, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and even brown sugar. Most spices should be used at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 3 pounds of meat, and liberal amounts of salt and/or monosodium glutamate should be used in addition for preservation.

Once the flavoring steps are completed, jerky may be dried in household food dehydrators or in the oven at 125-150 with the door left slightly ajar and the meat placed directly on the oven rack. Dehydrator times will vary from 4 to 12 hours depending on the model and the number of trays used, while oven drying will take 7 to 11 hours. Aluminum foil should be placed under the lowest oven rack to catch drippings, but be sure to leave room for air circulation under the meat. The jerky is done when it is dry throughout but is still pliable and will not snap when bent. Store jerky in airtight containers in a cool, dry place and if moisture builds on the container within 24-48 hours, more drying is needed.

For a list of local processors who handle deer, for additional recipes or details, or for proper handling instructions immediately following the shot, contact the OSU Extension office at (740) 653-5419 or fair@ag.osu.edu

"Farm Bill" Meetings Continue

As area farmers continue to explore the many 'farm base' options afforded in the new USDA Farm Bill, there are a variety of ways to gain a better understanding of the alternatives. First, local FSA director Jim Pollock will be hosting a meeting on December 11 at 9 a.m. in the Fairfield County Ag Center to explore in detail the considerations as one enrolls in the new Farm Program.

In addition, there are two web sites that producers may log into and find spreadsheets that help evaluate the various options for any given farm. At the first site, you'll find the OSU version of the Farm Program Payment Calculator. Log into: http://aede.ag.ohio-state.edu/programs/outlook/farm_bill/index.html In addition to the spreadsheet, OSU economist Matt Roberts has posted a 'case study farm' that serves as an example of the impact of the various alternatives.

The second link is to Texas A & M's Base and Yield Update Option Analyzer site. The link you need there is found at the bottom, "Continue with BYA" found at: http//199.134.225.8/bya/.

If you have questions about running either of these computerized programs, contact FSA at 740.653.5419 or the OSU Extension office at 740.653.5419.

Adult Bee Keepers School

OSU Extension and the East Central Beekeepers Association will be offering a series of four classes on the subject of Beekeeping. The class sessions will be offered on four consecutive Saturdays beginning February 1 at Dawes Arboretum, S.R. 13, south of Newark. The program will be primarily tailored to adults. Jon Cleary, bee inspector in Fairfield County, will be the primary instructor and the cost of the course including all text and reference materials is $50.00 per person. For registration information, please contact OSU Extension in Licking County at 740.349.6900.

For a listing of upcoming programs, meetings and events, visit the AG CALENDAR

Previous Issues of Farm Facts

updated on December 6, 2002 by Stan Smith

All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Keith L. Smith, Director, Ohio State University Extension.
TDD # 1 (800) 589-8292 (Ohio only) or (614) 292-1868