Butchering Day

Saturday turned out to be our official butchering day I guess you could say. It started out with John, Elijah, Zachery and Caleb wrestling the 3 pigs, through the muck and guck, into the trailer in the morning. Our butcher came and took 2 away and the third one we took over to Vermont towards evening. Estimate weight was about 220 lbs. Not to bad, considering we rationed the food to a bag each day. Zachery then had the brilliant idea to butcher the ducks and a few chickens. The reasoning behind this, what so that he wanted to prove to me that he could do this, in order to get himself a knife. So I guess I have to at least think about it now, since he fullfilled his part of the deal. Below are pictures of the process, if'n you don't want to see the process, then don't click. Although it wasn't really all that gruesome; I thought it would be a lot worse. The kids were not around for the actual killing and bleeding out. But they did wonder around once in a while during the dipping, and plucking, etc. It didn't seem to bother them, which I am glad. Caleb and Hannah were the only two that stayed away completely. We are happy to have a few meals in the freezer, and to have gained the experience of learning to butcher. Check out the picture of the eggs from inside the chicken. Who would have known they were all clumped together....strange stuff!! Comments made by the kids were:

Willem: "That duck is dead, we better take it to the doctor."

Cassidy: "Why are you taking a picture of this!?!?!"

Elijah: "My legs feel wobbly and weak."

Brenna: "What's that mom? Oh, chicken?! I like chicken. Can we have that for dinner?"

Jacob & Joshua: "This is so cool."

Shannon: "I get the wishbone!"

I can't say I had much to do with the process. I am a whanny, I know. I would if I had to, but I don't, so I won't. John and Zachery did the job. I took over with putting a new router and wheel bearings on my van. Something I can handle!! lol Sorry Kristy, now you will never again eat chicken or duck, I know. I will be the reason for you becoming a vergetarian!!