Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[U_Stormcrow]

How do you process hides? Another useful skill I wish I knew...

I'll tell you as soon as I figure it out myself. I still struggle both with defleshing and ensuring the hide doesn't become brittle during tanning... It may be a "primitive" skill, but it is DEFINITELY a skill. Plumbing a house, frankly, is easier.

 

[Sally PB]

What will you do with the hides? Mostly rabbit, I assume, and maybe a goat?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yes, one goat, 4 or 5 rabbit pelts. I have friends that will buy them if they are any good. If not, I still hve friends that will buy them for their LARP costumes.

 

[CastielH]

I'll tell you as soon as I figure it out myself. I still struggle both with defleshing and ensuring the hide doesn't become brittle during tanning... It may be a "primitive" skill, but it is DEFINITELY a skill. Plumbing a house, frankly, is easier.

So I haven’t actually had the chance to try it myself but I used to watch of the history channel show Mountain Men and there was an episode where Tom (one of the people they follow) walks through his entire pelt treating process step by step that was really informative. Last I checked you can find a lot of the episodes free online so that might be worth looking at.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I've watched it. Several times. My wife did too, then told me "how easy it looked". I offered to let her try it. (Note she doesn't dispatch, disrobe, or butcher) Apparently, she doesn't tan either...

Love her to death, but she's not wired for anything to do with getting the critters from field to fridge. Fridge to table???? Oh yeah, she's got that!

 

[Sally PB]

I've watched it. Several times. My wife did too, then told me "how easy it looked". I offered to let her try it. (Note she doesn't dispatch, disrobe, or butcher) Apparently, she doesn't tan either...

I learned you never, EVER say how easy something looks unless you are prepared to then show just how dang easy it is.

So you either keep your mouth shut, or show off.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Fly the coop day!

 

[Sally PB]

Off you go, girls and boys!

 

[Sally PB]

How are they doing?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

The new boys and girls are doing great. The older girls are starting to look molt-y and egg production has started to drop (also, two new hidden nests - so far). Been busy with projects, haven't culled the boys I want to. Not hatching anything new till some projects are out of the way and I have a weather sheltered are to incubate and raise them w/o fear of another opossum doing them in.