08 Dec 2004
Man killed by 'pet' wildebeest

A tragedy. I've heard of this farm before: lots of exotics, lots of 'agri-tourism' ventures. I'm not sure he ever considered the wildebeest a "pet" - that may just be the only way AP could describe it and make sense to most readers. It's always dangerous to work around any livestock, especially large males in rut. I think I'll stick to cattle, sheep and chickens: that way, if I murdered by a runaway rooster, the wire services won't have to resort to elaborate descriptions of what killed me.

A wildebeest that was part of a man's menagerie of exotic animals trampled him to death on his northern Indiana farm, police said.

(link) [CNN]

00:00 /Agriculture | 0 comments | permanent link

Chicken Genome Should Boost DNA Research (AP)

Here's one way a chicken is unlike a human: a roosters testicles are nearly 2% of it's gross body weight... do the math.

AP - Here's something to ponder when you bite into your next chicken wing: A new study says about 60 percent of the genes in the critter you're eating have close cousins in your own DNA.

(link) [Yahoo! News: Top Stories]

00:00 /Agriculture | 0 comments | permanent link

A New Arrival

Hammerstead Farms is pleased to announce our newest resident: a Highland calf born this morning to Maeve - who, coincidentially enough, was our first Highland heifer! Which makes this little guy the first calf owned by Hammerstead to actually be born on the property! (When Wulfie had Chip last year, the birth was actually over at Kevyn's place.)

I haven't been able to get close enough to determine the sex, but I suspect it's a bull. If so, he's soon to be a steer.

More to follow ...

Update: It's a girl! Weight: about 60 lbs (about 27 kilos) Length: about 47 inches tip of nose to base of tail (about 120 cm).

00:00 /Home | 1 comment | permanent link

Road Rage?

Step 1. Tie balloons to car.
Step 2. Drive like a bat out of hell.
Step 3. Watch people freak out!

00:00 /Humor | 2 comments | permanent link

'GM cocaine grown in Colombia'

More rumors, as originally mentioned here. If true, this could be a major problem: not that I'm at all for the "Drug War", but face it, the folks currently selling the stuff are some tough and unsavory customers. And they probably wouldn't hesitate to share a secret or two with the likes of Bin Laden, if the price was right. And when those secrets involve genetic manipulation, well, the coca plant may be the least of our worries.

Drug growers in Colombia are using genetically modified plants to dramatically boost cocaine yields, officials say.

(link) [BBC News | World | UK Edition]

00:00 /Agriculture | 0 comments | permanent link

The Wild Hunt


click for larger image

Mainly an Austrian custom, these "Krampussse" have similar counterparts in other Germanic regions. They're all monsterous figures that travel with St. Nikolaus on or around December 6th. While St. Nick passes out treats and gifts to good children, these terrorize the bad ones.

You've gotta wonder if this is a folk memory of the Wild Hunt.

Update: orangeguru follows up with a much closer view of this topic ...

00:00 /Asatru | 1 comment | permanent link