Pastor Dave's Highlights

[farmerjan]

Even if you don't love the job, I think you will like it enough to be able to appreciate the discounts, and hopefully you have a decent manager that keeps things well in hand so not difficult to work for.
One of the stores close to me is a joke as for keeping things in stock, finding stuff their inventory says they have, and so on. Lot of turn over there.

Hope it continues to go positively for you.

 

[Pastor Dave]

My week old kits. Actually in the white's case, you might be able to see a spindly leg sticking out kicking. Once the doe was in and positioned, it dove under and just kept kicking while attempting to nurse.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

I’d tell you the spotted ones are cute but since they are destined to be food, I’ll just tell you that they look good and I’m glad they are thriving.

 

[greybeard]

I’d tell you the spotted ones are cute but since they are destined to be food, I’ll just tell you that they look good and I’m glad they are thriving.

I don't think Dave suffers much from the "cute syndrome"...he's been raising, butchering and eating cull/old breeders and younger edibles for a long time now.

 

[Pastor Dave]

Fortunately for me, they outgrow the cuteness. They are still a handsome animal at processing age, but not that cute babyish look when it's time to dispatch them. Or I don't think I could do it.

 

[farmerjan]

I have always felt that way about the pigs and the chickens. So very cute as babies, there is nothing more adorable and so much fun to watch as baby pigs just a week or two old, but by the time they hit 30-40 lbs, I was so ready for them to be gone or grown up. Probably had something to do with always finding a hole to get out at that age/size. Same with chicks, they go through that awkward/ugly stage of feathering in, etc., before they hit their grown up feathered in, attractive stage.... even the lambs are so cute then get half grown and I am okay with them being food.... I wanted to raise rex rabbits for their pelts, and meat, but can find no one to kill them and I don't know if I could. I can do a quick .22 shot but don't think I can do the blunt force knock in the head. I have done chickens, but the plucking is as bad as the throat cutting, if I had a plucker I probably would, but have a neighbor that does his own and doesn't mind doing my 10 or so at a time when he is doing his for a small price. I am in no way able to do a steer/beef myself, and am perfectly willing to pay someone else to get it done and returned vacuum packed and frozen. I have put down an animal before, and could do it, but the cutting up of something of that size is more than I want to tackle. It also is partly being alone to do it. My son isn't into the "sustainable thing" like I am. But he has so many things on his plate, I don't get bent out of shape. If there is/was someone else doing it, he has always been more than willing to help, so I know he could/would if needed. He has hunted and all but it is not a burning desire like some.

 

[RollingAcres]

I’d tell you the spotted ones are cute but since they are destined to be food, I’ll just tell you that they look good and I’m glad they are thriving.

I wanted to say "awww, so cute!" but what WH said. They are all cute when they are babies, until they grow up.
I have never butchered any animals before.

 

[greybeard]

but don't think I can do the blunt force knock in the head.

I never used the 'blunt force to head" thing. A strike to the back of the neck just behind their ears. We did several hundred in one day in ag class when I was a teenager, and that is the procedure I followed the rest of my life.

We all got in trouble later that day, as we were supposed to take the buckets of guts, heads etc down the rr tracks o the bay for the crabs and turtles to eat (this was the mid 60s...you could still do stuff like that) but decided to throw them way up in the big oak trees that grew behind the ag building and along the parking lot.

It wasn't long before hordes of buzzards showed up for the feast, and pooped all over the cars parked nearby as well as dropping some rabbit gut remains on some of the cars and they pooped all over the ag greenhouse.
(we never did that again...)

 

[Mini Horses]

I have put down an animal before, and could do it, but the cutting up of something of that size is more than I want to tackle. It also is partly being alone to do it

AGREE! This goat is even one I wished the butcher had time for. It is a lot of work. Skin the chickens, don't pluck. Unless you want to bake or fry for crisp skin, etc. A set-up to do neighbor actually dispatched and butchered for me, plus major cuts. I have dividing & pkg to complete this AM.

Let's face it....several bunnies are a lot of work! That's a full day. Very few around me who do any. Still a couple out there.

 

[Latestarter]

That's funny GB... I can only imagine the reaction of those folks whose cars were festooned with either blood, guts, or vulture crap. Any and all of which can and will eat the paint. sweet!