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[bob ford <bobford79 AT yahoo.com>]

Thanks for all the info.  About, guineas; the farmer down the way from where 
I was raised, had them so thick that they were all over the woods around his 
house.  I don't know if they are edible, but the kind he had make for very 
good "watch dogs" they were noisy as heck anytime you came close to his 
property....
 
About the ugliness of the political discussions, I think the list can be a 
good outlet for getting things off of your chest without offending people.  I 
will state my point of view in a heartbeat, on this list.  I am not in the 
least bit bashful, on this list.  But, in all of the years I've been on this 
list , I don't remember a single time actually being angry or upset with 
another list member, even when they vehemently disagreed with me.  I always 
try to judge how to respond a bit by knowing if the person has corresponded 
enough to have a good idea of my list personality.  I use humor and sarcasm , 
a lot.  I have never intentionally tried to offend anyone, and it has been a 
long time since I remember any one else doing so.  
 
There are people on this list from many different backgrounds with a myriad 
of perspective and world views.  I wish I could add more about homesteading 
skills, but the few things I'm pretty knowledgeable about, there are other 
list members with much more knowledge and experience.  There are list members 
that I miss, like Tvo.  The only problem with him was when he and Gene ganged 
up on you <G>.  
 
Anyway, like you , I hope some more list members will relate how they 
dispatch, butcher and store (I'm curious to know if people still salt hams, 
and leave them hanging without refrigeration, and things like that) their 
meat animals.  Last year , I believe it might have been Susan  in Maine who 
talked a bit about rendering lard.  I always save those kind of messages.    
....bobford 



----- Original Message ----
From: Robert Walton <waltonrp AT gmail.com>
To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2008 10:18:28 AM
Subject: Re: [Homestead] Got pigs

>I think I could shoot a chicken in the head, they aren't very smart.

Chickens I do differently, I have some traffic cones and suspend them
with a ladder. The small part of the cone gets trimmed a little.
Insert chicken upside down and cut on both sides of the throat so they
bleed out. The other method is to wring the neck. We did some old hens
that way and dressed them with the heads and feet on to sell to the
local latino community. PIA IMO.

We did 25 broilers earlier in the year and have 50 ready to dress next
week. Also a multitude of young roosters of various ages running
around, most of which will go.

I've got a mess of guineas here. They are good on ticks, but eat
chicken feed all winter and cause trouble in the garden. Numbers must
come down. I've been shooting them with the shotgun and would like to
take out 20 before winter. They are old and better for dog food than
anything other than stew.

> Pigs, though, I've always kind of given them human characteristics, much as 
> I do dogs

Agreed. The female pig last year got left here for a few months after
we killed the male. She ran with the goats, became a goat in her mind.
The little kids used to sleep on top of her. She followed me around
like a dog and was very sweet. She was the sausage hog.

>  I know that it is not rational to have that feeling about killing animals 
>myself when I know that all of the meat I eat comes from slaughtered 
>animals.  If someone else dispatches their meat animals in a different way, 
>please advise...

I'm always interested in how people do stuff also. I think it's a good
topic and one you don't need to tip toe around on this list. Much less
ugly than the politics we've been throwing around.

I sure hate to kill animals. I do not like it. I don't trust people
that do. Unless you are going to eat as a vegetarian, taking
responsibility for what you kill to eat is the best way IMO.

Growing your own animals with the right foods, makes much, much better
and healthier food. Healthier fats, too.

Rob - Va
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