A Little Ranch Humor

Most people don't know this and hey - that's okay.

What are the brims of cowboy hats turned up on the two sides?

So three cowboys can fit in a pickup truck.

Kung Pao or BBQ's Rabbit Which Do You Prefer?

In case you have never eaten Kung Pao - Kung Pao is a well known Chinese meal associated with the Szechuan style of Chinese cooking.   Kung Pao generally includes chicken, chilies (which gives it its full flavor) vegetables and peanuts; however, other common bases for Kung Pao are shrimp and pork.  

Recommendation - If you like Kung Pao chicken or pork or shrimp we are sure you will love Kung Pao rabbit we make it all the time at the ranch and everyone loves it.

Haggis or Rabbit Which Do You Prefer?

The national dish of Scotland is commonly thought of as haggis. A quick definition of haggis is sheep's liver, onions, suet, salt and oatmeal. Traditionally all these ingredients were placed in a sheep's stomach and then simmered in water for a lengthy time to make sure everything is cooked.

Some people think haggis is a delicacy while other are downright repulsed at the thought of eating such a concoction based on it unique aroma. To maximize the acceptance of haggis modern receipts often recommend sausage casings be used rather than an actual sheep's stomach.

Is This Why We Are So Forgetful?

Rabbit Trivia # 9 What is Rabbit Meat?

Something people are unaware of.  With with all its healthy benefits - lean and packed with protein - rabbit meat does not have a strong flavor.  In fact many people find the taste of properly prepared rabbit meat irresistible. 

Because rabbit meat does look dark (similar to color of chicken legs and chicken thighs) many shoppers and home cooks erroneously refer to rabbit as a dark meet.  However because rabbit is so low in fat it is actually considered a white meat by food industry professionals.

Rabbit is generally most flavorful when it is 'quickly prepared' such as in pan frying or when it is BBQ.  However true lovers of rabbit meat prefer to cook their rabbit slow as a in stew. 

One thing most professional cooks and Chefs agree on is that rabbit meat should never be roasted or oven baked - without a high fat content the meat with just be to dry to really savor. 

Finally, the flavor of rabbit is thought by many to be very  comparable to a roasted chicken - though we wouldn't say it was identical.

Have you ever noticed that herds of grazing animals all face the same way?

As most of you know - Ralph's Ranch is a Rabbit Ranch - our job is to raise Gourmet Rabbits.  We do not raise beef nor dairy cattle therefore we we found this story about revelations made by Google Earth very interesting.  It was sent to us by one of our customers and we found it interesting.

For the past 2 1/2 years we have been noticing this more and more since it was brought to our attention?  Is it a coincidence or is it really a phenomenon?  

If any of you readers are - or were - cattle people or worked on a dairy farmer we would sure appreciate any insights you might have on this fascinating subject.

Thanks Ralph

Below is the short article for you to review.  Any thoughts you can share will be greatly appreciated. 
  

{These cattle are grazing - in an perfect north to south position}






Images from Google Earth have now confirmed that both dairy and beef cattle tend to align their bodies in a north-south direction when grazing.

Wild deer and horses also display this behavior. This is a phenomenon that has apparently gone unnoticed by herdsmen, hunters and people living in wooded areas for thousands of years.

Scientists say the Earth’s magnetic fields may influence the behavior of animals when they graze.  Remember the Earth for all practical purposes is a actually a huge magnet, with a magnetic north and south pole.

Scientists have long known that many animal species such as birds, butterflies salmon and whales etc. use the Earth’s magnetic fields to guide them during their annual migrations - its like a natural built in GPS.  Detailed studies have also confirmed that bats use an “internal magnetic compass” to help them sense their direction.

The next time you drive past a herd of deer or a herd of horse stop and look at them.  Are the majority facing either a north or south direction? 

Dr. Sabine Begall, from the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, studied the magnetic sensors of mole rats – small African animals that live deep underground in tunnels - that never come above ground.  Their tunnels are always dug in a north / south pattern.

Professor John Phillips, a sensory biologist from Virginia Tech University, believes there might just be a sixth ‘magnetic;’ sense in the animal kingdom” - especially among cattle, horses and deer.

Rabbit Trivia # 8

Rabbit meat is a heart -patient's friend. It contains less calorie value and sodium than all other meats - plus it is almost entirely cholesterol free.

If you are worried about your heart eat more rabbit meat.

We will be closing the Ranch and the gift shop at noon today, to the pubic, and not reopening until Jan 3rd, 2014 in honor of the holiday season. 

To all our friends, supporters and fans of the Ranch we want to wish you all a

Very Merry Christmas

and

a Happy New Year

 

 

A Sincere Apology to Our Friends

Last week, as well as this week, individuals from across the county contacted us online, via telephone, and even a few drove out to the ranch in person to order our gourmet rabbit meat for their Thanksgiving dinner. A surge for rabbit meat always occurs just before all the major family holidays – Easter, Mother’s Day, the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Unfortunately we can no longer sell our gourmet rabbit meat to individual consumers. Remember, last year when we constructed our processing facility? The new facility was designed to process and package bulk rabbit meat only - quantities for commercial sale – not for individual consumer sales. Our insurance carrier prohibits us from going out and randomly parceling out small quantities of rabbit meat like we use to because of employee liability concerns. 

Many of you long-time fans and friends, especially those of you who’ve been out to the ranch for our summer BBQ’s and Family Open House Days, know we have worked hard over the years to position the Ranch to be a premier provider of American raised gourmet rabbit meat. From the very start, we made clear our goal was to secure large commercial contracts. Thus today we are proud to say that our customers are national supermarket chains and regional owned family grocery stores located in the south and on the east and west coasts where Wisconsin dairy products and Wisconsin raised rabbits are in high demand. 

Products in our inventory not sold on contract can only be made available to licensed food purveyors, distributors, and suppliers; those who buy in bulk for the hospitality and restaurant industries. They provide our products to fine dining establishments, upscale bistros and non-kashrus butcher shops. 

We sincerely regret any inconvenience or personal disappointment our not being able to sell small quantities of our gourmet rabbit meat may have caused you or your family this holiday. However, we ask you always check with your local supermarkets and grocery stores as well as your high-end neighborhood restaurants and trusted butcher shops to see if they carry Gabe’s Gourmet Rabbits raised exclusively on Ralph’s Rabbit Ranch. If not, ask them to contact their distributors and suppliers so they can get them in stock for your special epicurean needs. 

Thank you The Staff of Ralph's Rabbit Ranch