It happens Thursday...

[Deberosa]

This is a major first here on Deberosa. Three pigs will be slaughtered. The guy comes in the afternoon - one and a half and maybe two of them are sold, the others are going into the freezer.

Big Pig, White Pig and Squirrely Pig (she always runs in circles come dinner time) will be leaving. I have mixed feelings about it as I know some have discussed here but either I become a vegetarian (or only eat poultry and fish) or we do this. These pigs have had a better life then any in a factory farm and they will not know what hit them - in their own pen.

We'll still have the three weaners to raise up and the best will become brood hogs for us since they are all females and the pick of the litter.

I'll let you all know how it goes.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b340/deberosa/019-1.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b340/deberosa/037.jpg

[lsg]

That's the trouble with working with animals. It is too easy to get attached to them. But like you said, they had a good life with you. If someone else does the killing, maybe it won't be so bad for you. Good luck.

[flatwater]

actually death isn't so bad If I told you about the first time my wife and I castarated three young goat bucks. Tools> pearing knife and bottle of rubbing alcohol. I wish the pearing knife would have been longer and sharper.
Flatwater

[MooseToo]

[quote author=flatwater link=board=fau-livestock;num=1219103228;start=0#2 date=08/18/08 at 18:22:22]actually death isn't so bad If I told you about the first time my wife and I castarated three young goat bucks. Tools> pearing knife and bottle of rubbing alcohol. I wish the pearing knife would have been longer and sharper.
Flatwater[/quote
i imagine the goats agree -

[Deberosa]

Sold the other half of squirrely pig today so everything is set. We built a small enclosure outside of their area and put the feed trough in there. Tomorrow we'll close the gate when they are eating, separating out the smaller weaners and the turkeys who think they are pigs. ;-) Then they will be ready to go.

[flatwater]

Down in my neck of the woods they just honored a pig for saving a familys life when a fire broke out. When the reporter went to interview the family , she noticed that the pig had a missing leg with a fresh bandage where it should have been. When the reporter asked the owners about the missing leg they replied " A pig that brave you don't eat all at once. ;D Sorry I couldn't help myself.
Flatwater

[Deberosa]

Down in my neck of the woods they just honored a pig for saving a familys life when a fire broke out. When the reporter went to interview the family , she noticed that the pig had a missing leg with a fresh bandage where it should have been. When the reporter asked the owners about the missing leg they replied " A pig that brave you don't eat all at once. ;D Sorry I couldn't help myself.
Flatwater

;D :o :P

[WileyCoyote]

Maybe I'm just too callous and cold hearted. But I never am bothered by killing an animal for food. Bambi and Charlotte's Web were cute stories, but I just don't 'feel' them when I'm thinking about going hungry. I only get attached to working animals or the dogs that sleep with me every night. Even the chicken who got sick and I had to nurse it - I was more frustrated about losing a fat healthy, productive bird than I was concerned about the chicken's emotions. I am omnivorous, and damned proud of it! LOL ;D Good luck on the pig - just keep thinking about how much you like chops, a slowroasted barbecued butt or bacon n eggs.... mmmmmmm. Yummy!

[walls0stone]

you take care of them as best you can, until the day they take care of you.

[Deberosa]

Maybe I'm just too callous and cold hearted. But I never am bothered by killing an animal for food. Bambi and Charlotte's Web were cute stories, but I just don't 'feel' them when I'm thinking about going hungry. I only get attached to working animals or the dogs that sleep with me every night. Even the chicken who got sick and I had to nurse it - I was more frustrated about losing a fat healthy, productive bird than I was concerned about the chicken's emotions. I am omnivorous, and damned proud of it! LOL ;D Good luck on the pig - just keep thinking about how much you like chops, a slowroasted barbecued butt or bacon n eggs.... mmmmmmm. Yummy!


I pretty much felt the same way but after taking care of them for a few months they tend to grow on you a bit. I wasn't anticipating their personalities... But we'll get through this - like I said either that or go vegetarian because for sure the pigs in those huge farms don't have much of a life or a death, let alone the hormones and GMO corn they are fed. This guy is supposed to be very good at putting them down with little stress.

And I am looking forward to those great cuts of meat for sure! Real Pork!!! I haven't had that since they shut down the local butcher back in my home town over 35 years ago!!!

I did the numbers and the two pigs we sold will exactly cover the feed, weaner costs and slaughter costs of all three. So we get ours for only the butcher costs.

[Suzy]

My original idea was to raise animals for food because of my severe allergies....that way I'd know for sure what was in the meat...

Well....after I got my first chickens I quit eating meat entirely for more than five years, and seldom eat meat at all now....those first chickens proved so smart and were so enduring...

So now the chickens are here to lay eggs to sell; and the goats are here for the milk that I make into goat milk soap to sell; and I grow vegetables and herbs to EAT...and the Angora rabbits make wool that I spin to make other things to sell...

I think it's wonderful the way Jackie Clay cans meat and even hunts for some of her food but that is just not something I can do...I am too tenderhearted and just get too darned attached to them!