I know this makes me crazy but I'm going to ask anyway

[ohiofarmgirl]

Quote:
wow. "not quite right".... golly. we raise and butcher 95-98% of our meat and i think we are just right. and yes some from babies. as far as pigs go - i love them best in the freezer. attached to them? no way. and we do all our butchering ourselves right there in our yard. and i'm standing right there with my husband and not hiding or crying anywhere.

how can you not become attached? its all about your attitude. think about it - you could count on one hand the number of generations to where almost everyone raised at least some of their food. its only recently that folks have distanced themselves from where the food comes from. nothing has changed but industrialization.

but thanks for painting us with a broad stroke as "not quite right." and yes. we are 'small scale.'

 

[HennyJenny]

Quote:
wow. "not quite right".... golly. we raise and butcher 95-98% of our meat and i think we are just right. and yes some from babies. as far as pigs go - i love them best in the freezer. attached to them? no way. and we do all our butchering ourselves right there in our yard. and i'm standing right there with my husband and not hiding or crying anywhere.

how can you not become attached? its all about your attitude. think about it - you could count on one hand the number of generations to where almost everyone raised at least some of their food. its only recently that folks have distanced themselves from where the food comes from. nothing has changed but industrialization.

but thanks for painting us with a broad stroke as "not quite right." and yes. we are 'small scale.'

ohio - my Dad is a farmer. I know what happens to livestock. I am attempting to take my family to a more self sufficient lifestyle and those of us "new" on this journey - do get attached to some of these animals - and we don't fully grasp the "purpose" - some of us are still a little "Fern and Wilbur" when it comes to our animals. I think there is a little bit of a learning curve emotionally when it comes to these things. When I talked to my Dad about my plan to keep a couple of the turkeys today - he was very kind when he said - "Jenny, you can do it but they will die and it won't be any easier for you then" - he then proceeded to tell me about the time he got attached to a turkey - and let it live doing all of the things that have been discussed in this thread and it didn't make it two more months.

I suspect those of us that weren't raised in this way of life don't always understand those of us that were. I grew up working on a cattle ranch during the summers - (I was a city girl) - the man I worked for had a big beautiful Chesapeake Bay Retriever. He loved that dog. One day he caught the dog chasing cattle and he shot it on the spot. He explained to me the way of the ranch - and I remember thinking "he's not quite right". It's no more an insult than the rural world thinking city people "aren't quite right" for buying their chicken and eggs in the grocery store.

I think we all have to have an understanding that everyone is in a different spot on this journey. I'm sorting out a turkey attachment on a message board for pete's sake - next year I'll be asking someone the best way to butcher them - the year after that I'll do it quickly and thank them quietly for the gift. We can't forget where we came from -

My assistant at work is a Vegetarian. She is a very kind girl. She is clearly appalled that I am even thinking about butchering theese animals I'm attached to. She can't imagine that I have half a hog, half a beef, 10 chickens, and 6 dozen eggs in my coffers - I can't imagine eating "soy bacon" - we don't say it outloud but we don't think the other is "quite right" - that's ok I think. It's the attempt to understand what the other does that matters and the knowledge and acceptance that there are other ways in the world that are not our own or our willingness to learn a new way that should matter.

The answer is to do what others have done for me here. Smile knowingly and say "everyone's got to walk their own chalk but here's what I learned" - Where else in the world but on backyard chickens could you get poultry advice via a quote from Lewis Carroll and a lovely woman whose husband adopts everything?

 

[ziggywiggy]

Quote:
wow. "not quite right".... golly. we raise and butcher 95-98% of our meat and i think we are just right. and yes some from babies. as far as pigs go - i love them best in the freezer. attached to them? no way. and we do all our butchering ourselves right there in our yard. and i'm standing right there with my husband and not hiding or crying anywhere.

how can you not become attached? its all about your attitude. think about it - you could count on one hand the number of generations to where almost everyone raised at least some of their food. its only recently that folks have distanced themselves from where the food comes from. nothing has changed but industrialization.

but thanks for painting us with a broad stroke as "not quite right." and yes. we are 'small scale.'

I hunt and kill a lot of my own food and I always feel a little compassion for the animals I kill. Sorry you don't. I wasn't trying to offend anyone. I bet when you do kill, you kill as quickly as possible so nothing suffers. Isn't that a form of compassion and feeling for the animals? Isn't the fact that you raise you're own food providing a much healthier and cleaner environment than corporations a form of compassion for the animals? or do you throw your pigs on 5x5 concrete floor? are your chickens and turkeys so crowded they can barely turn around? I like to hunt quail but, I respect and try to preserve their environment. Isn't that a form of compassion and feeling for the animals? I stand by my statement. If you kill without feeling anything for the animals, then there is something not quite right and I don't care if your offended or not.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

I wasn't trying to offend anyone.

yes you were and shame on you.

if someone isnt up for doing their own butchering i wouldnt bash on them... unlike your statement that someone "isnt quiet right" if they do, especially if they raise them from very young. you dishonor your own tradition of hunting if you perpetuate the myth that anyone who raises/butchers their own food is some kind of senseless serial killer. and you scare off anyone who wants to try it by creating more drama and judgment than necessary.


HennyJenny, my comment wasnt directed at you but at ZW's slam on folks who "arent quite right". if you arent up for doing your own butchering then than is just fine. but if you want to learn more, spend time in the meat section and read what other first timer's are saying. or check out this great thread on the sufficientself site (link at bottom of this page to this sister site) - its about how one gal worked up her courage to dress come birds, and all of us supporting her:

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6782

where else are you going to get this info? come one over to SS - there's a bunch of us who homestead or are working on self sufficiency (on different levels - everything from in city folks to full on farming) who are probably further along than you are and can help you figure these things out. you are welcome to come on over, read the journals, and see what is going on and how we take on these kinds of things. you'll also find a ton of resources and good ideas.

the difference between these sites is that no one over there will criticize you as being "not quite right" if you do your own butchering - and if you cant/wont/dont no one will criticize or judge you either. and we have a lot of laughs.

good luck!​

 

[ziggywiggy]

Ohiofarmgirl, You my dear are taking what I said and turning it into absolute BS. I never even implied that people who kill their own animals were not right. I said that people who kill their own animals and did not feel any anxiety after killing are not right and that does not mean boo hooing in the corner. It does mean having just a tiny feeling of remorse for taking a life. Excuse me but, that's just part of my christian upbringing the same place I got my work ethic.
You are just trying to pick a fight.
Next time you butcher a hog, you stick the knife in the jugular while the pig is struggling and screamiming and make sure you don't miss because it can get ugly. Then come back and tell me you don't feel anything.
HennyJenny, it is not wrong to feel compasion for your animals.
Ohiofarmgirl looks at it from a strickley utilitarian point of veiw and I have a feeling deep down she really isn't that way. I wonder if she has horses and uses them just for transportation, or her dog is just for gaurding, or her cat just for killing vermon without really feeling anything for these animals?

 

[dorthal]

I know how you feel, I am back and forth on my Thanksgiving bird. However, I know come that week, he will do what he was raised for. I had a hard time butchering a rooster that I had kept too long. Finally, I realized that feeding him was wasted. I did not pet him, he was just there. I have pairs of breeder turkeys, feeding them is enough. Even though this bird free ranges during the day, I put him up at night since something got hold of him twice.

I would say, think about why you raised the birds, how much you really want to keep them or not.

Whatever you do will be right for you.

 

[farmerlor]

My Grandpa was one of those "God gave us the animals to do with as we pleased" people and even he would thank the animal for it's sacrifice when he butchered and make sure the animals were comfortable and not afraid when they were killed. We were not small scale farmers, we had hundreds of head of livestock to butcher each year but each one was treated with compassion from the moment they were born until the moment they died quickly and cleanly. Yes, we kids got attached to many of them but we were assured that it was more sinful to let the animal live a life that didn't contribute in some way than it was to kill it.
Back to the topic: It was precisely this dilemma that caused me to start raising heritage turks. I liked my Broad breasted turks though they were no where near as personable as my heritage turkeys and it bothered me that they were going to be so big that they were going to be in pain soon so they basically HAD to be butchered. Now I have heritage turkeys and if I get attached I just keep 'em and use them as breeding stock.

 

[babymakes6]

Quote:
wow. "not quite right".... golly. we raise and butcher 95-98% of our meat and i think we are just right. and yes some from babies. as far as pigs go - i love them best in the freezer. attached to them? no way. and we do all our butchering ourselves right there in our yard. and i'm standing right there with my husband and not hiding or crying anywhere.

how can you not become attached? its all about your attitude. think about it - you could count on one hand the number of generations to where almost everyone raised at least some of their food. its only recently that folks have distanced themselves from where the food comes from. nothing has changed but industrialization.

but thanks for painting us with a broad stroke as "not quite right." and yes. we are 'small scale.'

ohio - my Dad is a farmer. I know what happens to livestock. I am attempting to take my family to a more self sufficient lifestyle and those of us "new" on this journey - do get attached to some of these animals - and we don't fully grasp the "purpose" - some of us are still a little "Fern and Wilbur" when it comes to our animals. I think there is a little bit of a learning curve emotionally when it comes to these things. When I talked to my Dad about my plan to keep a couple of the turkeys today - he was very kind when he said - "Jenny, you can do it but they will die and it won't be any easier for you then" - he then proceeded to tell me about the time he got attached to a turkey - and let it live doing all of the things that have been discussed in this thread and it didn't make it two more months.

I suspect those of us that weren't raised in this way of life don't always understand those of us that were. I grew up working on a cattle ranch during the summers - (I was a city girl) - the man I worked for had a big beautiful Chesapeake Bay Retriever. He loved that dog. One day he caught the dog chasing cattle and he shot it on the spot. He explained to me the way of the ranch - and I remember thinking "he's not quite right". It's no more an insult than the rural world thinking city people "aren't quite right" for buying their chicken and eggs in the grocery store.


I think we all have to have an understanding that everyone is in a different spot on this journey. I'm sorting out a turkey attachment on a message board for pete's sake - next year I'll be asking someone the best way to butcher them - the year after that I'll do it quickly and thank them quietly for the gift. We can't forget where we came from -

My assistant at work is a Vegetarian. She is a very kind girl. She is clearly appalled that I am even thinking about butchering theese animals I'm attached to. She can't imagine that I have half a hog, half a beef, 10 chickens, and 6 dozen eggs in my coffers - I can't imagine eating "soy bacon" - we don't say it outloud but we don't think the other is "quite right" - that's ok I think. It's the attempt to understand what the other does that matters and the knowledge and acceptance that there are other ways in the world that are not our own or our willingness to learn a new way that should matter.

The answer is to do what others have done for me here. Smile knowingly and say "everyone's got to walk their own chalk but here's what I learned" - Where else in the world but on backyard chickens could you get poultry advice via a quote from Lewis Carroll and a lovely woman whose husband adopts everything?

WELL SAID!

 

[annageckos]

ohiofarmgirl, I think you misunderstood what ziggywiggy was saying. To me it sounded as if they meant that if you did not feel any compassion for the animals you are raising for food/slaughtering then there is something 'not quite right'. Not if you slaughter your own animals for food.

 

[ziggywiggy]

Quote:
Thank you. That is exactly what I meant(except compasion not companion). I don't see how she misunderstood me. I thought I was very clear. That's why I think she's just looking for a fight and I showed up in her sights. Jeeze, I slaughter my own chickens and turkeys. How can I be against it?