Texas

[Kilsharion]

We raise 4-H calves. 25 years this year of showing. I've got a couple of retire show heifers that I breed and resell their calves, or we feed those up for our own freezer.

We don't do our own processing for anything except rabbits. We don't have the equipment. But I'm not sure I've had store bought beef.....ever....no that's a lie. We like HEBs beef fajitas that's are pre marinated.
I usually will try anything once. Twice if I like it lol. But I am so a meat and potato girl. Totally shows on my hips and butt too. Lol. I can founder on alligator tail though. I'm picky about NY beef too. Very rarely do I eat it outside of my own kitchen.

Oh very cool. I've had store bought and farm raised (great grandfather); but, I've never gotten into cattle, myself. Don't know that I'd want to. However, I am trying to convince my husband to purchase one and auction and have it processed so I can fill my freezer without emptying my bank. And...my hips and butt tell the story as well. In order to get pants that fit my hips, I have to get them literally three sizes too big for my waist. Thank god for a sewing machine.

rattlesnake is quite tastey

i wouldn't eat the rat snakes though.. i like them as pets.. the female outside was in the house at one point in time (I caught her out in the yard).. she was NOT happy being an inside girl though.. so I put her back out. I tend to catch them barehanded.. so snakes don't bother me at all

We bought a rabbit hutch a year or so ago.. had a big ol black widow under it.. I didn't see her but my husband freaked out when she was crawling over my hand.. he hates spiders anyway but they don't bother me.. even though I have been bitten by a brown recluse before. So I caught her and put her in a jar.. she went to the pet shop in Cove... I think they ended up selling her as a pet..

I collect skulls and skeletons.. and clean off the gooey bits .. lol.. so yeah.. not much bothers me.. but I am allergic to children.. those things just creep me out... always have too

for eggs...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...as-eggs-getting-my-craft-on/1390#post_8232326

and
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/21400/crafters-what-are-you-making/4190

I love the wreath on the last thread... looking forward to making that one with some blue, green and dark brown eggs

Thanks for the links - those have some great ideas

Yeah, I've cleaned and processed my share of kills, so I don't get too freaked out by much...but, spiders actually on me? I go insane. Snakes coming toward me? When I was 16, I made my boyfriend carry me the 1.5 miles back to the truck because he'd scared a snake and it had come right up on me to get away from him. I seriously freaked out. If it goes by me, or is in my garden when I'm working? No problem. But ON me? **shudders** I'm such a girl.

 

[yinepu]

I hate that

. Thankfully we don't have that problem as our rabbits are inside a super barn lol. They share their 100 ft long barn with my show cattle. I will be happy to sell you some if you want some replacements.

Out of over 15 rabbits I have 3 does left...

I still have to repair the cages and hutches.
Before I get any more breeders I'll have to check with my husband. He was pretty mad about those stray dogs.. especially since they basically played with them to death.. chewed off ears, bite damage to the rib cages.. and nothing much actually eaten. i still can't blame the dogs because they were just being dogs. It's their owners I would like to strangle.

 

[yinepu]

I'm considering getting a couple cows, well maybe just one cow first to see if I like it. I'm beginning to study up on them. I have the space but I need to get some fencing up first and with all the dead and/or dying trees, that could cause a problem. I was thinking of going for the Dexter breed since I need something smaller, being just me. Still studying.

cows can jump better than our horses could.. and they will eat everything and anything that isn't nailed down. one of our neighbors cows decided that a car seat belt would make for a fine dinner... *chew chew chew .. try to swallow.. spit it back out a bit.. chew chew chew...*

well they aint all chicken dinner names.... we have Ginger, cookie,& hershey. we had rocky(road), nugget, coco puffs, and some more that i forgot...lol
as for the snake eatin.... we have a meat mkt here that sells rattler by the # for $50!!!! thats outragous!!!! any one out there have an aboundance of them i can come and take away? lol the butcher says that its a cure for cancer! idk bout all that now but he says he has a bunch of cancer patients come in for it...

Lol.. all of our rattlers disappeared back when we had goats.. haven't seen any since

 

[yinepu]

Oh very cool. I've had store bought and farm raised (great grandfather); but, I've never gotten into cattle, myself. Don't know that I'd want to. However, I am trying to convince my husband to purchase one and auction and have it processed so I can fill my freezer without emptying my bank. And...my hips and butt tell the story as well. In order to get pants that fit my hips, I have to get them literally three sizes too big for my waist. Thank god for a sewing machine.


Thanks for the links - those have some great ideas

Yeah, I've cleaned and processed my share of kills, so I don't get too freaked out by much...but, spiders actually on me? I go insane. Snakes coming toward me? When I was 16, I made my boyfriend carry me the 1.5 miles back to the truck because he'd scared a snake and it had come right up on me to get away from him. I seriously freaked out. If it goes by me, or is in my garden when I'm working? No problem. But ON me? **shudders** I'm such a girl.

My husband is the "girl" of the family.. (yeah big bad army guy... *sighs*)

He hates spiders.. but finally got used to my tarantulas when I had them. He WOULD look at them.. but when it came to having them crawl across my hand he had to be out of the room or it would give him the shivers. When it's time to go under the house for any repairs it's me that has to crawl around under there.. even though I do not like confined spaces.. His fear of spiders trumps my fear of not being able to move around or stand up under there and we both know there are black widows and such hanging out somewhere under there (even though I have yet to see one UNDER the house)...

When it comes time to gutting birds or any messy gooey or especially stinky job (like cleaning off macerating skulls) .. it's all on me. He will kill the birds from a distance (gun) .. but if any need to have their heads lopped .. it's me that does it. he is getting better about the butchering though. He will handle any of the parts that are going to the freezer and will pluck a few feathers. But he isn't too keen on reaching into a bird with a still beating heart (quail mostly) and removing any warm juicy bits.

He isn't afraid of snakes.. He's just more cautious than I am. But in his defense I have been known to grab wild ones without benefit of a stick or snake hook and end up getting bit.. (which is no biggie really since I can tell the difference between poisonous and non even at a good distance).

I love him though.. he's a lot better than my ex and I don't have the urge to grind him up and feed him to the stray cats!

 

[Kilsharion]

My husband is the "girl" of the family.. (yeah big bad army guy... *sighs*)

He hates spiders.. but finally got used to my tarantulas when I had them. He WOULD look at them.. but when it came to having them crawl across my hand he had to be out of the room or it would give him the shivers. When it's time to go under the house for any repairs it's me that has to crawl around under there.. even though I do not like confined spaces.. His fear of spiders trumps my fear of not being able to move around or stand up under there and we both know there are black widows and such hanging out somewhere under there (even though I have yet to see one UNDER the house)...

When it comes time to gutting birds or any messy gooey or especially stinky job (like cleaning off macerating skulls) .. it's all on me. He will kill the birds from a distance (gun) .. but if any need to have their heads lopped .. it's me that does it. he is getting better about the butchering though. He will handle any of the parts that are going to the freezer and will pluck a few feathers. But he isn't too keen on reaching into a bird with a still beating heart (quail mostly) and removing any warm juicy bits.

He isn't afraid of snakes.. He's just more cautious than I am. But in his defense I have been known to grab wild ones without benefit of a stick or snake hook and end up getting bit.. (which is no biggie really since I can tell the difference between poisonous and non even at a good distance).

I love him though.. he's a lot better than my ex and I don't have the urge to grind him up and feed him to the stray cats!

That last bit is always the sign of a good relationship **grins** But, I used to work reptile rescue, so I can and have handled snakes....it's snakes in the wild that get on me without my say so that freak me out. Mike says it's the control freak in me. He also swears that's why I have issues with spiders. Cuz you have next to no control at all over a spider.

My husband is fearless. He was doing the Colorado rapids last year (yes, at 65) and they got stuck on a boulder. Couldn't get off, and the rest of the team (in their late 20s early 30s) had already gone on ahead. His mate was totally flipping out. Mike? He grabs hold of the little raft they were on (one of those inflatable cats) and jumps down INTO THE BLOODY RAPIDS. Turns himself into a sea achor, basically. Using the force of the water against his body to pull the boat off of the boulder and then climbing back up on the boat as they continue through the rapids. I told him it's a shame I can't get more life insurance on him....he's bound to make me a widow one of these days. He just laughs.

I'm with your husband, girl...hand me a gun and I'm ready to go. I don't mind the butchering part. And, the gutting and cleaning isn't too bad; but, I would much prefer the parts to NOT be moving when I'm reaching in to yank them out. TYVM. **shudders** I have done surgical procedures on animals in the past; and, we are considering trying caponizing...but, if I have my druthers, I'll pass the buck to Mike in a heartbeat (no pun intended).

As far as getting under the house is concerned? I'm soooo glad we're on a slab. Cuz, even the bit of getting under the porches that I have to do to tweak my sprinklers and such squiks me out. Knowing there are creepy crawlies down there I can't get away from just makes my skin crawl. Maybe I'll set the girls loose under there for a day or so to clear out a path for me, if I need to get down there, again. **snickers**

And - while the house in on a slab, we have full length porches on front and back - so there is a lot of space to still be crawled in, unfortunately

 

[chickletteSarge]

My husband is the "girl" of the family.. (yeah big bad army guy... *sighs*)


When it comes time to gutting birds or any messy gooey or especially stinky job (like cleaning off macerating skulls) .. it's all on me

He isn't afraid of snakes.. He's just more cautious than I am. But in his defense I have been known to grab wild ones without benefit of a stick or snake hook and end up getting bit.. (which is no biggie really since I can tell the difference between poisonous and non even at a good distance).

I love him though.. he's a lot better than my ex and I don't have the urge to grind him up and feed him to the stray cats!

DW says im a gurly man cuz i cant leave the house with out havin muh hurr did! that includes my beard!
when it comes time to take sundays dinner, i take to my machete and OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!!!! she guts em!
when i was 3 or 4 i picked up a 3ft copperhead and took it to my mom in her rose garden! then watched 3 fully grown men beat the thing like it was a pinata tryin to get some candy!
SHE IS SUCH A BETTER PERSON THAN MY EX!!! HECK SHE HAS A HEART! and i wouldnt have trusted my ex durring a deployment! jodi would have set up house in my absence if i was still married to that woman!!!

 

[yinepu]

That last bit is always the sign of a good relationship **grins** But, I used to work reptile rescue, so I can and have handled snakes....it's snakes in the wild that get on me without my say so that freak me out. Mike says it's the control freak in me. He also swears that's why I have issues with spiders. Cuz you have next to no control at all over a spider.

My husband is fearless. He was doing the Colorado rapids last year (yes, at 65) and they got stuck on a boulder. Couldn't get off, and the rest of the team (in their late 20s early 30s) had already gone on ahead. His mate was totally flipping out. Mike? He grabs hold of the little raft they were on (one of those inflatable cats) and jumps down INTO THE BLOODY RAPIDS. Turns himself into a sea achor, basically. Using the force of the water against his body to pull the boat off of the boulder and then climbing back up on the boat as they continue through the rapids. I told him it's a shame I can't get more life insurance on him....he's bound to make me a widow one of these days. He just laughs.

I'm with your husband, girl...hand me a gun and I'm ready to go. I don't mind the butchering part. And, the gutting and cleaning isn't too bad; but, I would much prefer the parts to NOT be moving when I'm reaching in to yank them out. TYVM. **shudders** I have done surgical procedures on animals in the past; and, we are considering trying caponizing...but, if I have my druthers, I'll pass the buck to Mike in a heartbeat (no pun intended).

As far as getting under the house is concerned? I'm soooo glad we're on a slab. Cuz, even the bit of getting under the porches that I have to do to tweak my sprinklers and such squiks me out. Knowing there are creepy crawlies down there I can't get away from just makes my skin crawl. Maybe I'll set the girls loose under there for a day or so to clear out a path for me, if I need to get down there, again. **snickers**

And - while the house in on a slab, we have full length porches on front and back - so there is a lot of space to still be crawled in, unfortunately

My husband used to be into extreme sports when he was living in Utah... me?.. I break too easily thank you (waaay too many broken bones in my life). Heights don't bother him in the least.. they bug me IF I don't have something stable to grab onto .. yes gravity is a B**ch and is why I have broken so many bones... (right shoulder broken in 2 places, left wrist broken twice with both bones broken both times and 2 breaks per bone each time I did it, collar bone crushed, broken fingers.. all toes broken at least 3 times (some 4 times), broken hip, chipped and cracked discs, broken foot... a torn knee and now a rolled ankle...)

We both love to go shooting and when he gets back from Afghanistan we are hoping to go boar hunting. Naturally he wants me to go along since he isn't too sure on how to field dress one and I have already told him that I get to keep the heads in case he has any buddies that want to tag along. (I am still in need of a nice boar skull with tusks). Plus hog head is pretty darn good when roasted! The skulls are better off not roasted though if I want to salvage the skull.
i want to play around with caponizing.. I know he would "assist" .. but that's pretty much standing there to watch me do it.. lol

Part of our house is on a slab.. but that's the section with no heat and not enough room to crawl under anyway.. the rest is pier and beam.. so plenty of places for the creepy crawlies to hang out...

 

[yinepu]

DW says im a gurly man cuz i cant leave the house with out havin muh hurr did! that includes my beard!
when it comes time to take sundays dinner, i take to my machete and OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!!!! she guts em!
when i was 3 or 4 i picked up a 3ft copperhead and took it to my mom in her rose garden! then watched 3 fully grown men beat the thing like it was a pinata tryin to get some candy!
SHE IS SUCH A BETTER PERSON THAN MY EX!!! HECK SHE HAS A HEART! and i wouldnt have trusted my ex durring a deployment! jodi would have set up house in my absence if i was still married to that woman!!!

The first time my husband was deployed I was in shock.. I went to Hobby Lobby and the woman in front of me was buying several hundreds of dollars worth of scrap booking papers and supplies. When the cashier commented on it she laughed and announced that she had cleaned out all of her husband's bank accounts and was having a ball.. she was also selling all of his stuff and had planned to be gone just before he got back because she still wanted to take the paychecks as they were rolling in.. All the while she was playing the "loving wife".....

to this day I have an aversion to anything having to do with scrap booking... every time I see ads for supplies I think of her...

 

[chickletteSarge]

idk how many battle buddies had wives like that!!! some asked for it and some were just too dumb to know what was going on!!! my Sr Boat SSG had the balls to tell me to get my pregnant wife to take a dna test cuz he thought the timing wasnt right! he apoligised when my Maria was born lookin just like daddy!!! he was cought with his 3d felony DWI 2 weeks later!

 

[yinepu]

idk how many battle buddies had wives like that!!! some asked for it and some were just too dumb to know what was going on!!! my Sr Boat SSG had the balls to tell me to get my pregnant wife to take a dna test cuz he thought the timing wasnt right! he apoligised when my Maria was born lookin just like daddy!!! he was cought with his 3d felony DWI 2 weeks later!

Sounds like he had a "few" issues...


My husband did his fair share of worrying the first time he was deployed because he had heard the horror stories.. but 4 deployments later I'm still here and so is all his stuff!

the only thing he has to worry about when he's gone is if I will do something stupid to hurt myself (like rolling my ankle the other day) or how many new birds he will come home to that he will have to help butcher.. lol