Happy Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe!

Here's a song by the Chieftains called La Virgen de Guadalupe

Our Lady of Guadalupe ‘completely beyond' scientific explanation, says researcher

Phoenix, Arizona, Aug 7, 2009 / 04:10 pm (CNA).- Researcher and physicist Dr. Aldofo Orozco told participants at the International Marian Congress on Our Lady of Guadalupe that there is no scientific explanation for the 478 years of high quality-preservation of the Tilma or for the miracles that have occurred to ensure its preservation.

Dr. Orozco began his talk by confirming that the conservation of the Tilma, the cloak of St. Juan Diego on which Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared 478 years ago, “is completely beyond any scientific explanation.”

How To Make Beef Jerky

I'm still here, oh ye of little faith.

And today I shall show you how to make beef jerky! As this is my first time doing so, you'll have to not    expect a great level of perfection.

 Here's my meat.

I trimmed off the excess fat.

Cut the meat into little jerky size strips.

Put the strips in a pan in the freezer for about an hour and a half or until they are stiff enough to easily slice to about 1/8 of an inch thickness.

Slice the meat into thin strips. To slice it I used a mandolin slicer. But, I forgot to take pictures of it, so here's what a mandolin slicer looks like.

Make your marinade.

Then you take your meat slices and place them in the marinade to soak 11-24 hrs. Make sure the meat is well covered in the marinade. 

This is how it looked after soaking overnight.

 Place the meat strips in the dehydrator or oven.

Set your dehydrator or oven on 155

Set your timer for approximately 7 hrs.

 And seven hours later....... you have jerky!

Yum! :)

*Edit*

Whoops, I forgot to post a link to the actual recipe! The recipe says to use olive oil, but I think it's MUCH better without. 

On Jersey Cows

Here is some interesting information on jerseys from thecattlesite.com. I found it when I was researching the breeding age for dairy heifers, which I was doing because we're considering buying a heifer! We're going to go see an eight month old heifer tonight. If we bought her we would have to wait til about mid-summer to breed her, because we wouldn't want the calf to be born in December. And in case you were wondering, the breeding age of dairy heifers is about 13-15 months.

History

Despite considerable research, nothing definite is known as to the actual origin of the cattle first brought to Jersey Island. Most research agrees, that the Jersey probably originated from the adjacent coast of France, where in Normandy and Brittany cattle resembling Jerseys are found. 

Photo from jerseydairy.je

Whatever the correct phylogenetic form of the Jersey might be, it would appear, when analysing the available data, that the domesticated fore-father of the Jersey came from Asia, belonged in all probability to Bos brachyceros, was probably tamed during the Stone Age, some 10 000 years ago or more and migrated to Europe through Central and Southern Europe and North Africa to Switzerland and France. In Northern France some cross-breeding undoubtedly took place between the pure Bos brachyceros and Bos primigenius herds (which mostly came down the North Coast of Europe to as far down as Northern France). Jersey Island being joined to France until about A.D. 709 by a narrow isthmus, it stands to reason that cattle from Normandy and Brittany were brought over regularly in the early days to Jersey Island and must have played a very important role in the origin and development of the present day Jersey. 

Jerseys are known to exist in the UK mainland since 1741 and probably well before. At that time they were known as Alderneys. 

The flourishing times for the breed was the period from the 1860s to the First World War when the Jersey cow enjoyed the greatest period of development for the breed worldwide. For many years, thousands of animals were shipped to the USA annually, but records show that early settlers took Jerseys there in 1657. Canada imported her first Jerseys in 1868. Jerseys first went to South Africa in 1880, and in 1862 New Zealand imported her first cattle. 

Although records of earlier importations into Australia are not available, it is believed that the first Jerseys arrived as "ship cows." The first reference of a Jersey dates back to 1829 when Mr. J. T. Palmer of Sydney advertised the sale of 200 pure bred Jerseys. 

Latin America imported its first Jerseys before the turn of the century. Records show that around 1892, the first cattle went to Guatemala. Brazil had its first Jerseys four years later. But it was probably Costa Rica that first imported the breed to Central and South America in 1873. 

Today, the Jersey breed is the second largest breed of dairy cattle in the world. On Jersey itself there are fewer than 6000 Jerseys in total with nearly 4000 of these being adult milking cows. The purity of the breed on the island is maintained by a strict ban on imports. This ban has been in place for some 150 years. There are no other breeds of the cattle on the island. 

Jerseys are well known for their milk which is noted for its high quality - it is particularly rich in protein, minerals and trace elements. It is also rich in colour which is naturally produced from carotene, an extract from grasses. The Jerseys has an ability to adapt to many kinds of climates, environments and management practices.

Characteristics

It is typically light brown in colour, though this can range from being almost grey to dull black, which is known as Mulberry. They can also have white patches which may cover much of the animal. A true Jersey will however always have a black nose bordered by an almost white muzzle. 

The Jersey hard black feet are much less prone to lameness. 
The Jersey is relatively small in size - about 400 to 450kgs in weight and have a fine but strong frame.

Photo credit: museum.oldpicturepostcard.co.uk

• Jerseys produces a pound of milk components at a lower cost compared to the other major breeds.
• She has little or no calving problems, greater fertility, a shorter calving interval, and earlier maturity.
• Jerseys stay in the herd longer than any other dairy breed.
• Jersey milk has greater nutritional value, plus the highest yield and greater efficiency when processed into cheese and other value-added products.
• Jersey milk commands a premium price in many markets.
• Jerseys perform well under a wide range of systems and are well-known for their high feed conversion efficiency
• Jersey milk is in many ways unique. As a product it contains:- 18% more protein, 20% more calcium, 25% more butterfat than "average" milk.
• Jerseys are well-known to be less susceptible to lameness because of their black hoof colour which makes their hooves very hard. Because Jerseys are a lighter breed this may also give them less problems with lameness.
• Good Temperament is important in a dairy cow. In today's modern parlours rapid throughput is of top priority. An animal misbehaving by continually kicking, off the units will cause unwanted delays and even damage to the expensive equipment. Jerseys are thought to have the one of the best temperaments among, the dairy breeds, although a lot of this depends on the handling the animals receive.

Comparative

Milk

Scientific studies also show the Jersey cow produces milk more efficiently than other breeds. This can be especially important in countries where feed may be restricted. As well as making the Jersey a profitable option in agriculturally developed countries. 

Calving

A study from USDA in 2005 showed Jerseys in the United States to show almost a 20% superiority in the number of easy calvings (with very low incidence of very difficult calvings) than other, larger dairy breeds evaluated in the same study, regardless of lactation. 

Likewise, figures from the Canadian Dairy Network in 2005 show first lactation Canadian Jerseys to have 96% unassisted or easy pull calvings, while cows in subsequent lactations have 99% unassisted or easy pull calvings. 

Health

Results from several investigations lead to the conclusion that Jerseys are less susceptible to mastitis, e.g., in dairy herds of Florida, mastitis and udder disorders were more frequent among Holsteins (51% of cows treated) vs. 22% for Jerseys.

Distribution

The Jersey can now be found across the world with some of the largest populations in countries such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, South Africa, USA, and Zimbabwe, and in the UK. 

References (the above information was cited from the following sites)

www.jerseycattle.org
www.whyjerseys.com
www.jerseycanada.com
http://studbook.co.za
www.covingtonjerseys.com

Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Today is the Feast of the Immaculate Heart! That means I get to put more beautiful pictures of Mary on my blog. :) I'm sure my one reader won't mind.

 You can buy one of these Immaculate Heart badges here: Immaculate Heart of Mary Badge

Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Composed by Pope Pius XII in 1942 for his consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to be recited annually on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, August 22nd.
Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, Help of Christians, Refuge of the human race, conqueror in all God’s battles, we humbly prostrate ourselves before thy throne.  We are confident of obtaining mercy, grace, and help in the present calamities, not for our own merits to which we make no claim but only because of the great goodness of thy Maternal Heart.
In this tragic hour of human history we confide, entrust, and consecrate to thy Immaculate Heart the Holy Church, Mystical Body of thy son, Jesus, which bleeds now from so many wounds and is so sorely tried.  We
consecrate likewise to thy Immaculate Heart the whole world torn as it is by deadly strife, afire with hatred and paying the penalty of its own wickedness.
Be moved to pity by the sight of so much destruction and ruin of souls, by the grief and agony of fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, brothers, sisters, and innocent children.  Look with compassion on the lives cut off in the flower of youth, on the bodies mangled in horrible slaughter, on the many torn with anguish, and on all those in danger of being lost forever.
Mother of Mercy, obtain for us peace from God and the grace that is able in an instant to change the heart of man, the grace that brings and fosters peace, and makes it lasting.  Queen of Peace, pray for us and give to the warring world that peace for which the nations long, a peace in the truth, in the righteousness, and in the love of Jesus Christ.
Turn their weapons aside and let peace possess their souls so that God’s kingdom may be set up in quiet order. Stretch out a helping hand to the unbeliever and to all who live in the shadow of death.  Give them peace and grant that enlightened by the truth they may repeat with us before the one Saviour of the world, ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of good will.’
Give peace also to the peoples separated from us by error or strife and in particular to those who have professed a special devotion to thee and in whose homes thine ikon was always an object of veneration.  It is hidden away now maybe to await the dawn of better days. Bring them back to the one fold of Christ under the one true shepherd.  Grant perfect peace and freedom to the holy Church of God. Stem the flood of modern paganism.  Let the love of purity increase among the children of God. Make us live as true followers of Christ, as zealous apostles, so that God’s servants may grow in merit and increase in number.  And as the whole human race was consecrated to the heart of thy Jesus that through hope in Him He might become for all the sign and pledge of victory and salvation, so we in like manner consecrate ourselves forever to thee and to thy Immaculate Heart, O Mother and Queen of the world.  This we do so that thy love and protection may hasten the triumph of God’s kingdom.  Thus may all nations at peace with one another and with God proclaim thee blessed, and sing with thee from pole to pole the unending Magnificat of glory, love, and thanksgiving to the Heart of Jesus in which alone they can find truth, life, and peace. Amen.

Here's a shorter Consecration:

A Solemn Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Most Holy Virgin Mary, tender Mother of men, to fulfill the desires of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the request of the Vicar of Your Son on earth, we consecrate ourselves and our families to your Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart, O Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, and we recommend to You, all the people of our country and all the world. Please accept our consecration, dearest Mother, and use us as You wish to accomplish Your designs in the world. O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, and Queen of the World, rule over us, together with the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, Our King. Save us from the spreading flood of modern paganism; kindle in our hearts and homes the love of purity, the practice of a virtuous life, an ardent zeal for souls, and a desire to pray the Rosary more faithfully. We come with confidence to You, O Throne of Grace and Mother of Fair Love. Inflame us with the same Divine Fire which has inflamed Your own Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. Make our hearts and homes Your shrine, and through us, make the Heart of Jesus, together with your rule, triumph in every heart and home. Amen. --Venerable Pope Pius XII

Blog Dedication

For my first post I want to dedicate my blog to Jesus and Mary.

Prayer to the Most Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Divine Saviour, Loving Mother to us all: guide and protect me;
Understanding friends: respond to my call;
Consolers most compassionate: ease my loneliness and sorrow;
Sustainers of life: strengthen my resolve to serve You;
Unbounding forgiveness: be merciful with me;
Infinite wisdom: help me to know myself;
Source of Light: lead me on the right paths;
Filled with joy: lighten my heart;
Love without measure: hold me to Your Heart always, as I hold You to mine.

~~taken from a booklet "The Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary,"
published by the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary

http://www.2heartsnetwork.org/twohearts.htm

May this blog be ever pleasing to them.