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  • From: EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
  • To: bobford79 AT yahoo.com, homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Processing a deer
  • Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:54:11 -0400

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 _______________________________________________ Homestead list and
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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




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