There is is. The White Death.
However....
While I don't mind a mild winter at all.... there are no freezing nights or days in the foreseeable future. This creates a problem. A pig problem. We need to get those pigz in the freezer. Soon. They are nice and delicious and I am tired of feeding them. They should be feeding me.
My kale has been hanging in there...now snowed on.
But I need two frozen nights and days. We like to butcher at about 20*. This ensures the ground is nice and frozen and it also allows us to cool the pork halves quickly by hanging them outside or in the garage. Then it gives me two days to get the meat cut up, portioned, and into the freezer. A 50* day is just not going to cut it.
So any day now we can have a little bit of winter. Otherwise my dreams of a bacon filled Christmas will be over.
Just in case you'd like to see how things go around here for butcher day... you can check out these links. Obviously these are posts ABOUT BUTCHERING so they are detailed accounts of what happens. If you don't want to know then for crying out loud don't click on them. Otherwise... I think the whole thing is pretty interesting.
The best step by step hog butchering post.
How to prepare for butcher day - and the worst thing that could happen.
Hog Harvest 2014
Hog Harvest 2013
My favorite self portrait. Ever. No really, it's glorious.
That one time we had to butcher not-in-winter and it sucked.
Hog Harvest 2011
That should give you plenty of information. But folks always have questions so I'll be happy to answer them or just give a cheer if you need some encouragement.
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2 comments:
We have just slaughtered and butchered the last of this year's pigs. We left her far to long because she was too big for us to comfortably handle in regards to butchering. I know what you mean about needing freezing cold weather. We had to do the pig for various reasons, and although it was chilly it was not cold enough to get the meat set. Not to worry, we managed, but have promised ourselves that next time we shall definitely not let a pig get so big!
It snowed here yesterday and then immediately all melted by the afternoon. Oh, do I hate snow. But, deer hunting tomorrow and we like to hang venison in the garage for a couple of weeks before parting up so I do wish it were a little colder.
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