Roving's 2019 Lambs

[Mike CHS]

They are beautiful!

 

[Baymule]

I would be tempted to keep them too. They sure would make a warm jacket!

 

[SA Farm]

Those are just gorgeous
I really want to do something like that with Ramchop’s hide when he goes to freezer camp this fall.

 

[Roving Jacobs]

It's not too hard, especially if you send it away to be processed. I use Stern's in WI and I love the results but there are several other places out there. There are also kits to do it yourself and I've done that way but it's a big hassle, especially with the wool-on hides. Worth my time to outsource, especially since I usually save up enough to get a bulk discount.

 

[Baymule]

It's not too hard, especially if you send it away to be processed. I use Stern's in WI and I love the results but there are several other places out there. There are also kits to do it yourself and I've done that way but it's a big hassle, especially with the wool-on hides. Worth my time to outsource, especially since I usually save up enough to get a bulk discount.

How many does it take for a bulk discount?

 

[Roving Jacobs]

How many does it take for a bulk discount?

5 hides. If I don't have enough I try to see if anyone else around has one or two they want to send in. It also helps to split up shipping costs because that's the real killer. Salted hides are bulky!

 

[Baymule]

Do they have to be totally dry or just salted and partially dry? I'll have some lambs going to slaughter this fall that have some pretty patterns. Thinking about it......

 

[Roving Jacobs]

Salt the flesh side, let it sit on an angle or on something wher e air can get all around it, when it's pretty dry but still flexible vacuum up the salt then fold it up flesh side together into a smaller bundle for easier packing, then give it a few more days until it's really dry. You don't want to send it off and have it rot while it's waiting its turn to be tanned. Here's Stern's instructions (they're all caps on the page, not my choice).

AFTER SLAUGHTERING THE ANIMAL, ALLOW THE BLOOD TO RUN OFF AND THE PELT TO COOL DOWN. DO NOT USE WATER TO CLEAN THE SKIN. SCRAPE THE MEAT AND FAT CLEAN FROM THE SKIN, LAY THE PELT WOOL DOWN ON A FLAT SURFACE, AND IMMEDIATELY RUB 5 POUNDS OF FINE GRANULATED SALT INTO THE FLESH SIDE OF THE SKIN. IF USING PLYWOOD AS THE SURFACE, TILT PLYWOOD TO ALLOW DRAINAGE. STORE THE SKIN IN A DRY PLACE, OUT OF SUNLIGHT, AND ALLOW THE PELT TO SALT DRY UNTIL IT IS JUST PLIABLE. FOLD THE SKIN IN HALF, FLESH SIDE IN, REAR LEG TO REAR LEG AND FRONT LEG TO FRONT LEG. THE SKIN WILL THEN BE IN A CONDITION SUITABLE FOR SHIPPING. FOR SHIPPING, PACK THE DRY SKIN IN A TIED UP PLASTIC BAG, AND SHIP IN A PAPER CARTON BOX TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS BY PARCEL POST OR OTHER PARCEL CARRIER. INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL, PHONE NUMBER, MAILING ADDRESS, AND RETURN SHIPPING ADDRESS INSIDE THE BOX.

If I get the hides from my butcher they're already salted and I just need to wait for them to dry. If I get them from someone else I usually have to flesh them first, which I do with a pressure washer and it's pretty quick that way. You just have to be more careful about allowing them to dry completely that way because the wool side gets all soggy.

 

[Baymule]

Your hides are beautiful. They sure would make you a nice coat or jacket.... just sayin'

 

[Roving Jacobs]

Your hides are beautiful. They sure would make you a nice coat or jacket.... just sayin'

My coats are the "$3 finds at salvation army" variety. I think lamb hide is too rich for me, I wouldn't be able to wear it anywhere!

Mariposa refuses to just line up quietly and wait to be let in for dinner like everyone else. She's such a riot, I just love her.