trales
11-17-2008, 05:18 PM
So . . . it seems to be the time of year that all kinds of things get skinned, killed, butchered and whacked. You know, the whole cycle of life thing, I get it, sort of, I appreciate it, sort of. It is so much better than just buying meat and not knowing where it came from or even what the animal looked like. But . . . .
Earl Butz (sorry Nixon fans). Earl is a 350 -400lb pig who lives up the lane. He and 4 of his litter mates arrived in early may. They have been surviving on pig feed, compost and all the produce and bread the local grocery store is throwing out. Earl's brothers went to slaughter nicely and quietly a few weeks ago. Earl was having no of it. He huffed, and bit, and bucked and would not be caught. Earl got left behind. Some nice new neighbors moved up from the city, they ride the bus to Boston with DH everyday. They bought a cookie cutter house, drive cookie cutter cars and seem afraid of the dark and woods. Imagine their surprise when Earl showed up in the garage and started eating everything in site. Earl was lured pack to his pen with a rotten grapefruit and the words "here piggy, piggy" Today was Earl's last day. Since he would not go quietly to slaughter, he was shot, quartered, loaded into the mini van and driven to the smoke house. Just as we happened to be walking by.
Bad chickens. One of our neighbors just had a baby, so her mother is here from China to help out and cook. Her husband calls the other night, can we bring DD over to play with their oldest DS, he needs a break from ma-ma as he has been driving all over town to meat packing plants to pick up the odds and ends she needs to make sausages and other things. Over we go. Ma-ma is out for a walk. Ma-ma does not speak a word of English. While he was out, his wife has called one of the local farms on our street to see if they had eggs. Nope, the chickens were not laying, they were going to get rid of the whole lot and get new ones this spring. Enter ma-ma, she wanted those chickens. Ma-ma walks back in the house with a sack over her shoulder that is moving and squaking, she grabs and cleaver and heads to the deck. The dog comes running in with a chicken foot, feathers are flying and chicken is for dinner.
Deer everywhere. I walk out the door this morning in my clothes for work, with DD in my arms. I look across the street and what do I see, I deer carcass hanging from a tree. Apparently, it was bagged this morning. DD starts yelling woof, woof and reaching out. My camo clad, large knife wielding neighbor yells, bring her over to pet the deer. Umm, no thanks. As I drive out, I see 4 more deer hanging from front porches.
Well DD, you get chickenless nuggets from Trader Joe's for lunch, and soy bacon for dinner.
That is fall at the farm.
Edited for spelling mistake.
Earl Butz (sorry Nixon fans). Earl is a 350 -400lb pig who lives up the lane. He and 4 of his litter mates arrived in early may. They have been surviving on pig feed, compost and all the produce and bread the local grocery store is throwing out. Earl's brothers went to slaughter nicely and quietly a few weeks ago. Earl was having no of it. He huffed, and bit, and bucked and would not be caught. Earl got left behind. Some nice new neighbors moved up from the city, they ride the bus to Boston with DH everyday. They bought a cookie cutter house, drive cookie cutter cars and seem afraid of the dark and woods. Imagine their surprise when Earl showed up in the garage and started eating everything in site. Earl was lured pack to his pen with a rotten grapefruit and the words "here piggy, piggy" Today was Earl's last day. Since he would not go quietly to slaughter, he was shot, quartered, loaded into the mini van and driven to the smoke house. Just as we happened to be walking by.
Bad chickens. One of our neighbors just had a baby, so her mother is here from China to help out and cook. Her husband calls the other night, can we bring DD over to play with their oldest DS, he needs a break from ma-ma as he has been driving all over town to meat packing plants to pick up the odds and ends she needs to make sausages and other things. Over we go. Ma-ma is out for a walk. Ma-ma does not speak a word of English. While he was out, his wife has called one of the local farms on our street to see if they had eggs. Nope, the chickens were not laying, they were going to get rid of the whole lot and get new ones this spring. Enter ma-ma, she wanted those chickens. Ma-ma walks back in the house with a sack over her shoulder that is moving and squaking, she grabs and cleaver and heads to the deck. The dog comes running in with a chicken foot, feathers are flying and chicken is for dinner.
Deer everywhere. I walk out the door this morning in my clothes for work, with DD in my arms. I look across the street and what do I see, I deer carcass hanging from a tree. Apparently, it was bagged this morning. DD starts yelling woof, woof and reaching out. My camo clad, large knife wielding neighbor yells, bring her over to pet the deer. Umm, no thanks. As I drive out, I see 4 more deer hanging from front porches.
Well DD, you get chickenless nuggets from Trader Joe's for lunch, and soy bacon for dinner.
That is fall at the farm.
Edited for spelling mistake.