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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

I'm just saying that is how long it takes ME.
Of course, I could shoot it at 5, have it at the processor by 7pm, and 
pick it up the next week all packaged and ready to go, but that wouldn't 
be much fun or very fulfilling.  I'd feel more like I was robbing Mother 
than paying for my food.

Bev

bob ford wrote:
> You make a very good point, Bev.  It has been many years since I have
> shot or dressed animals for meat.  I don't remeber dressing a deer
> taking nearly as long as you describe, and I remmember killing ,
> dressing and cleaning squirrels before  going to school in the a.m.,
> but I'm no longer a young boy.....bobf
>
>
> --- On Sun, 10/26/08, EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net> wrote:
>
> > From: EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net> Subject: Re: [Homestead]
> > Processing a deer To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org Date: Sunday,
> > October 26, 2008, 12:31 PM
> > > bob ford wrote:
> > >
> > > > Say, a person had only small animals (rabbits?) up
> > to the size of
> > > > maybe a couple of sheep , a coupla pigs, and a
> > coupla goats, per
> > > > year (that should be plenty for two-three
> > people?).  With this ,
> > > > and fishing, and perhaps a little hunting,
> > couldn't a couple feed
> > > > themselves?.
> > I think most people don't realize how much time is involved in 
> > homesteading. They look and see a woodpile and think, wow, no
> > heating costs, failing to see the hours and sore muscles it took to
> >  make that woodpile. Likewise, when we get a deer, it takes some
> > time to process. Say I were to shoot the deer at 5pm, I may have
> > sat in the woods for an hour prior.  Then, I have to field dress
> > it, often in the dark, then drag the beast home(luckily they
> > usually weigh less than 150# here-at least what we take for food is
> > light), stick it on the singletree and hoist it up on the meatpole.
> > I spray it down with water at that time, and look it over really
> > well.  If it is cold out, then I am lucky and I can let it hang
> > overnight, aging on the meatpole for a few days.  If it is not
> > cold, like now(and as is the usual case) when the daytime temps get
> > over 50, I have to skin the deer and cut it up enough to fit it in 
> > coolers.  That requires some forethought...saving jugs and such to 
> > freeze water for ice so you don't have to make a trip to town for
> > ice. So you cut up the carcass, stuff it in multiple coolers, and
> > ice it down.  Then, you can leave it for a few days to age.  Of 
> > course, you have to keep the ice on it for that time, drain off the
> >  water, etc. Then the real work begins when you assemble all your
> > paper, bags, and wrapping stuff, your bowls, knifes, sharpeners,
> > etc.  You cut the carcass up into meal sized portions, and with
> > venison, removing the connective tissue is very important...no
> > shiny stuff, minimal fat...that is real work my friends, hours at
> > the sink, killing your back and hands, sometimes your hands get so
> > cold you can't move them...then you wrap or package and label your
> > meat.  Hopefully, while your meat has aged, you cleaned out the
> > freezer enough to make room for the new meat.  Sometimes I'll slice
> > a good portion up for jerky and get that in a marinade....sometimes
> > we will borrow a cuber and cube the venison...sometimes we will
> > assemble the grinder and make ground deermeat.  If I do it by
> > myself, it can take me two days cut to cut up, package, and freeze
> > the meat.  That is why a lot of folks take their kills to a
> > processor and pay $40 or more, but I have gasoline costs to 
> > consider, too, and I like keeping the skin and deciding for myself
> > what to keep and what to discard.  I probably could do it all in 
> > one day if I was 20 and had a good back and good dexterity, but for
> > me, it takes a few days because I need a break on the physical
> > stuff. So as you can see, a whole week could go by before that kill
> > is turned into freezer food.  Some people 'waste'(my opinion) a
> > deer, only taking the backstrap(outer loin/tenderloin) and maybe a
> > hind quarter.  We use and save as much as possible.  I am currently
> > even saving the hooves to later build a nice gunrack.  BTW folks,
> > the inner loin is our favorite cut.  I also really like a good neck
> > roast...put that puppy in a crock pot with some onions and garlic
> > and potatoes and carrots and mushrooms and in a few hours it will
> > just fall apart and melt in your mouth.
> >
> > Bev, locked and loaded and ready to go...ruuuuunnnn Bambi run!!
> >
> >
> >
> > -- “Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger
> > leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”        Yoda 
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>
>
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--
“Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to
hate. Hate leads to suffering.”        Yoda