My Log and Critter Skidder

The morning air in Clinton County was crisp, the kind that makes you glad you have a flannel shirt on and a thermos of hot coffee within arm's reach. I stood at the edge of the woodlot, looking at my Craftsman LT 1000.

To the untrained eye, it looked like a standard lawnmower missing its cutting deck. But to me, it was a mechanical masterpiece—a lawn tractor reborn as a heavy-duty, log-snaking, firewood-hauling machine.

The Surprising History (and Science) of Snake Oil

Traditionally, snake oil has been used for medicinal purposes and a pain remedy for thousands of years.

The original snake oil came from Chinese water snakes and was used in China as a treatment for arthritis, bursitis, and other joint pains. It is believed to have been brought to North America during the Gold Rush in the mid-1800s. 

Snake oil has properties that help reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and even depression.  It is used for hair treatment because it moisturizes the scalp and helps hair retain moisture without making it frizzy. It also allegedly has protective properties that form a barrier between hair and chemicals like chlorine and harsh sunlight.  

The oil, which in reality is fat that was taken from the snakes, is rendered much like lard, processed into oil, and added to other traditional elixirs. 

SNAKE FAT

Snake oil was studied in the 1980s and found to be full of omega-3 fatty acids. Of course, we know omega-3 fatty acids are prescribed today to reduce inflammation (which can lead to arthritis), reduce blood pressure, and more.

According to a 1989 analysis published in the Western Journal of Medicine, Chinese water-snake oil contains 20 percent eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), one of the two types of omega-3 fatty acids most readily used by our bodies. In comparison, the rattlesnakes had only 8.5 percent EPA.  And salmon, one of the most popular food sources of omega-3s, contains a maximum of 18 percent EPA, lower than that of snake oil. Research since the 1980s has demonstrated the necessity and efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids. These acids not only reduce inflammation, such as arthritis pain, but also improves cognitive function and reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and even depression. "Because of their chemical structure, omega-3s behave very differently in cell membranes than any other fat.

The snake fat I'm processing in this post is going to be used for a traditional Paleo tanning concoction, so I'm not too concerned with rendering it over a fire in a can. I'll be rendering more in better sanitary conditions for a Tincture infused with Chaga, reishi, turkey tail fungus, and pure Timber Rattler snake oil. I'm also doing a video on how this is processed, along with tanning of the hide.
I legally harvested this 54-inch Black Phase Timber Rattler in Pennsylvania with a proper tag, and every part of the snake was used except for the venom.

I finally built a burn barrel pizza oven 🍕🍕🍕

Zipp Coon Getting On The Table

@mountainmannmike Zipp Coon Getting On The Table#raccoonlife #raccoonsoftiktok #raccoonlove #raccoontok #raccoonpet #picnic #picnicdate #picnictable #picnicfood ♬ original sound - Mountain Mann Survival