We butchered our first raised animal yesterday. We butchered a pig we purchased when he was just a few months old and have fed and raised him for over a year.
The whole purpose of getting the pig was to raise him to be butchered to feed our family. We all knew it but this is the part of homesteading that is not easy.
That pig was ornery. Numerous times he caused us problems. We got angry over him soooo many times but in the end, it was still hard to do. I am not a totally "soft" person. I have worked in the medical field and have seen many things (surgeries, autopsies, death). I did animal rescue for over 10 years and have had to put animals down ourselves for humane reasons. I know that meat comes from animals and the pig will serve its purpose by providing meat for our family but still....
I guess I just got sad because I was so used to seeing that pig every single day. I made sure that I was not the one responsible for its care because I knew I would be the one to be attached and not any of the men folk in the house. But still, every time I went outside or drove up to the house, there was that big pig squealing at us. I didn't get attached...I got used to him. Will I miss him? In a way. Will I enjoy eating the meat? You betcha! Am I not cut out for this type of life? Sure I am. I do not think there is anything wrong with showing compassion or having a heart. I think when one loses their compassion and has no regard for life at all is when there is trouble. All life has value and his value was to feed our family. Thank you Mr. Pig. Well done. Well done!
Another blog you might like:
Six Sister's Stuff
Little House in the Suburbs
The Chicken Chick
Back to Basics
Angel's Homestead
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| This is about the size he was when we got him, around 9 weeks old. |
That pig was ornery. Numerous times he caused us problems. We got angry over him soooo many times but in the end, it was still hard to do. I am not a totally "soft" person. I have worked in the medical field and have seen many things (surgeries, autopsies, death). I did animal rescue for over 10 years and have had to put animals down ourselves for humane reasons. I know that meat comes from animals and the pig will serve its purpose by providing meat for our family but still....
I guess I just got sad because I was so used to seeing that pig every single day. I made sure that I was not the one responsible for its care because I knew I would be the one to be attached and not any of the men folk in the house. But still, every time I went outside or drove up to the house, there was that big pig squealing at us. I didn't get attached...I got used to him. Will I miss him? In a way. Will I enjoy eating the meat? You betcha! Am I not cut out for this type of life? Sure I am. I do not think there is anything wrong with showing compassion or having a heart. I think when one loses their compassion and has no regard for life at all is when there is trouble. All life has value and his value was to feed our family. Thank you Mr. Pig. Well done. Well done!
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Another blog you might like:
Six Sister's Stuff
Little House in the Suburbs
The Chicken Chick
Back to Basics
Angel's Homestead
