Preparedness for when

bluebag

nuatha wrote: »

Its not that long ago that many families kept a pig or two, it was still happening in the early 70s in this part of the world.
Father was a butcher and on some days off would be "The Pigman."
Slaughtering shouldn't be that messy, at least in the hands of some who knows what they are doing.
Block and tackle used to be a fairly common tool, having sufficient height to hoist the carcass shouldn't be that difficult to achieve (tripod wigwam frame) but singing the bristles off is a horrible smelly job. (I remember Weezl and the pigs head tale, at least she opted for shaving the head, at lot more pleasant indoors).
Pork is the only meat that I can think of where the norm is not to skin the carcass before butchering.

Iv'e never had a close encounter with a pig mercifully, but watching them control those big white things with boards at county fairs had me thankful I had a safe viewing spot ...shouldn't care to meet face to face with one of those big b00ggers in a bad mood!

[Deleted User]

I've been involved in unloading pigs at an abattoir.

It's not that difficult.

They generally go wherever you drive them.

nuatha

bluebag wrote: »

Iv'e never had a close encounter with a pig mercifully, but watching them control those big white things with boards at county fairs had me thankful I had a safe viewing spot ...shouldn't care to meet face to face with one of those big b00ggers in a bad mood!

Potentially worse is a pig in an affectionate mood, pigs can get quite attached to individuals, at least when they are aggressive they can be distracted.

missrlr

Coming from a very rural upbringing it didn't phase me at all walking into my farrier's to see a deer carcass being butchered on his kitchen table, but the delicate dear behind me did faint .
I could prolly do ok, hunting shooting and fishing
20 gauge don't kick, you just need to mount the gun properly , snug into the shoulder crease

wondercollie

Rambling post ahead.

Hunting? Not a problem. My husband and son are both in the military and part of their fieldcraft included living off the land. The Combat Engineer just spent a week with the Rangers from NWT learning how to survive winter. They had to trap/kill their own meat. Squirrels, gophers, wild birds, etc. One guy is tanning the skins.

It's fairly common in the autumn to see a pickup truck with a deer across the hood being taken into an abbatoir for dressing. I was once in the 7-11 parking lot with the Elkhound when a hunter came across and asked if wanted his Moose offal for the dog! And yes, he had a Moose in the bed of his truck. One very excited Elkie, but I declined.

Back to death. My hospital really does try to have a nurse sit with the dying if no family is around. We're inner city, so it's not uncommon to sit with the homeless as they die. It is NOT horrid to tell a person they are dying. Literature and experience has shown that some people resist dying because they don't want to upset their relatives. Others wait for a sign before dying. So it is perfectly permissible to tell the person that it's allright to leave us.

When my father was dying, I got the call to go home if I wanted to see him. I got home at 1900 hrs. My brother came in at midnight. We told him we were all there and would look after things for Mum. His pension problems had been sorted out the day before. He died 15 minutes later. He was at peace and he knew it had been sorted out.

I've looked after people who died after getting a phonecall from a relative that was out of town. My best friend's sister died after being told that a third sister couldn't come but loved her and would miss her and to rest. This woman had been holding on for ten days. But just hearing those words llet her go.

It's almost as if the dying feel they need permission to leave, so unless we were in the room with the care assistant we have no way of knowing or judging their words.

It's snowing again!

BigMummaF

Woose alert I'm afraid Hope this doesn't mean I have to hang up my dayglo SHTF sash & matching emergency tinned toms

I can portion a chicken & will have a very good go at boning a joint as long as it looks like meat & not its former incarnation. I never used to be squeamish but think motherhood has turned me into a softie. I refuse to watch wildlife documentaries because I don't want the baby gazelle to be on the big cats menu, but then I worry the cats will starve...why can't they go to a supermarket like the rest of us do :rotfl:

In fact I could easily become a vegetarian & am (seriously!) looking into protein alternatives especially, as I don't eat enough now; used to love me flesh & fodder, but lately prefer the side dishes of a main course.

Popperwell

I don't eat a lot of meat and can often do meals that have little or no meat at all, I don't think meat immediately when doing something and as you say there are alternatives(Home made)and in the SM...

I see that Linda McCartney's food range is launching some new products but having looked, they could be made quite easily at home...

That website has some recipes to make and accepts recipes uploaded by readers too...

frosty

bluebag wrote: »

Ohhhhhhhh, I'm just feeling a bit better and ya'll mention tallow, bit stomach churning. I did understand that the very best candles were beeswax and only used by the very rich and the clergy.

I managed to buy100 bees wax candles off the halfcost site last year.they only cost 20p each,they cost a fortune in the shops.

Hardup_Hester

GQ, I could suggest things to do with candle wax that would make you hair curl, hours of fun, but not for the family!
I used to be able to prep animals for the pot but no longer have the strength/grip to do so.
Hubby is back in the gardening groove, the plastic green house is back in the spare room & every flat surface is covered in seed trays.
Hester

fuddle

I can fish and learned how to gut but have not done it for about 10 years. I learned touring the west/southern part of Ireland. My virgin attempt was on a freshly caught pollack caught off the rocks.

I've never even plucked an animal though. A lot (probably all) of our family meals evolve around meat. I make sure I use it as far as possible (stocks, leftovers in curries, scraps for dog food, fat scraps/rind in bird cake) because I don't like the thought of a life taken to just be discarded or disregarded. I wouldn't know where to begin if I had to prepare an animal from scratch.