Yak: What Does It Taste Like?

Greetings yak friends far and near!

Our new food critic and friend Suzanne Podhaizer just e-mailed us this blog description of the taste of yak.

She captured the unique masticatory  (is that a word?) and culinary sensations of yak quite well.

As I like to say, eating a "tender strip" of yak sirloin may change your life. 

And Kate's "divine" yak chili? Enough said.

Once you go yak, you'll never go back.

Read Seven Days food critic Suzanne Podhaizer's succulent summary here.

"On The Yak Track" - Thanks, Suzanne and Seven Days!

One week ago now, Seven Days food critic Suzanne Podhaizer and her husband Dan paid Steadfast Farm a call.

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon - sunny, still, and cooling off for the evening - and, all of us had a chance to break the ice at the farm, eating  yak sausage on top of Vermont cheddar slices, and quaffing a few Wolavers by the corral underneath the prayer flags.

Backing up, I admit to being a bit nervous - I am a huge fan of Suzanne's writing, especially appreciating her abiding  interest in all things localvore, and the prospect of meeting a real live food critic was both exciting and a bit nerve-racking. Kate and I told Anneka and Theron that a "food critic" was coming to dinner, and we had to be on our best behavior, and focus the culinary, and we promised that she'd be much nicer than Anton Ego, the irascibly terrifying character in the wonderful 2007 animated Disney film "Ratatouille." (which we've seen a number of times as a family).

Plus, we are amateur chefs at best, though we love to cook and had already experimented a bit in the kitchen  with the sweet and succulent taste of yak.

The yaks proved spirited as we brought them in from the upper pasture for the evening. After we got them settled, we headed up the hill for a dinner of yak sausages, salt-and-pepper rubbed yak sirloins, and Kate's magnificent (if I do say so myself) yak chili, supplemented with local organic greens from Dave's gardens, and local Red Hen bread, dipped in Paula's phenomenal garlic and olive oil concoction. 

A fire in the outside hearth, good conversation, and a La Brioche dessert completed a pleasant evening - and, as always, I learned that our Vermont neighbors are multi-talented, full of good stories, and always interested in looking forward.

Thanks Suzanne and Dan for visiting - and come back again soon.

Read Suzanne Podhaizer's story here.

Yakking it up with New England Cable News

NECN reporter Anya Huneke visited Steadfast Farm on Wednesday to meet the yaks.

We had fun - though Lady Slipper and Christine proved as ornery as always. 

Watch the NECN TV News story here.

Yak-Inspired Local Poetry...

Our friend and neighbor Drew Simmons composed a poem about yak for his newly-created "May 14 Yak To Work Day."

Read the yak poem at your own risk at his Pale Morning Media blog - Wicked Outdoorsy.

Week 1: Yaks - The Quintessential Vermont Symbol

It is difficult to explain how one's life changes with the arrival of 24 yaks to the neighborhood.

I'm feeling a bit more hopeful about our future, and it wasn't just the sun, blue sky, and return of spring last week to Mad River that inspired this sentiment. 

No, something about our 24 newly-arrived hairy, hooved, horn-y four-legged neighbors is motivational. Somehow.  What is it?

Maybe it is that I'm realizing that the yak is the quintessential Vermont denizen, a symbol of Vermont, perhaps, and Vermonters themselves.

I know, this may be a stretch, but bear with me while I yak for a moment. 

Here's my sense. "Bos grunniens" - the grunting bovine - has a number of traits that make her the perfect Green Mountain inhabitant.

1. Like the state of Vermont vis-a-vis the other 49 states, yaks are smaller than most other bovines - and much more efficient consumers of forage. 3-4 yaks will consume the same amount of grass as 1 cow, and consume less water.  Now that's efficiency, yak-style.

2. Like Vermonters visa-vis the citizens of the other 49 states, yaks are quieter than most bovines. No moo-ing here. Only occasional grunts, and only when necessary. Shhhh. You won't hear them unless you shut up and listen.

3. Like Vermonters, yaks are sure-footed, adaptable, cold-resistant, a bit stubborn, and know how to work in a variety of ways - and, unlike cows, they sleep and give birth lying down. Smart critters.

4. Like Vermonters, yaks are sociable and gregarious when living in groups in whom they trust, and are ferocious defenders of their herd and their young. "Ornery" is the word that springs to mind - yaks have horns, and know how to use them if backed into a corner. 

Here's a story of near-disaster turned inspiration - one of many from last week.

One of our yaks - Christine - got separated from the rest of the group while we were unloading the herd from our 50 foot trailer last Monday morning. So, she did what any yak would do - she jumped the makeshift fence, and took off (and I mean, galloped) up Route 100, looking for the rest of her herd. (If only I had remembered to bring my video camera as we gave chase.)

My neighbor and business partner David (a Hartshorn, a farmer, and a gifted man with bovines - he grew up on the very same dairy farm that is now occupied by our yak, wrangling heifers before breakfast as a teenager) ultimately managed to lasso our ornery gal, after 25 minutes or so of attempts to steer her back to the corral failed. The sight of David and his father Paul hog-tying (or yak-tying) Christine together - two generations of Vermonters getting acquainted with this new arrival - is one I will not soon forget.

And then David said:

"You know, the difference between cows and yaks is that yaks can turn on you quick - and they ALL have horns.'

Like I said. "Ornery."

More yakking soon - come visit us.

Rob

New babies!

Our yaks are still in Minnesota (less than a month until their arrival here - we're in the countdown!). And we've just learned that our herd has grown from 20 to 22! Over the last couple of days, 2 healthy calves were born. It is a good sign that these calves have arrived early, as this is when the western herds typically calve, and they tend to have a higher calving rate. We're hoping our herd continues to grow, and can't wait to welcome all of the animals to our farm in the Mad River Valley.

The Yak T-Shirts Are Here!

Check out our new "Vermont Yak Company" T Shirts.

Available in five colors - adult and kids sizes.

As we gear up for our yaks' April arrival, we are beginning to get excited.

Please visit our online store for purchase - and sport your support for Vermont's first yak herd.