all the while alternating scratching their back and shoving them onto the scale i was thinking i should have done this myself. i could have killed them much more humanely then what they were experiencing during their last moments on this mortal coil.
a simple bucket of grain and a bullet to the head would have suited me much more than shoving them out of that trailer. i really liked my friends the pigs and will forever kill my own in the future. even if it takes a few bullets like phoenix did it certainly would be better than that.
they weighed two hundred and ninety and three ten we kept the smaller one since mike was splitting his with a friend. we'll get both livers and all the lard.
good bye patty and link. we will miss you and thank you for your gift. i hope we gave you a great life.
9 comments:
I reckon. I'm almost finished with ever wanting meat again after reading a book about the slaughterhouses and animal farms. Beans and rice will give me the protein needed.
I respect that you gave them a good life. I haven't been able to bring myself to raise our own pork, though I sometimes see it in our future. I had to put down some baby goats that were suffering beyond recovery on two separate occasions and that really affected me. I took some solace at ending their misery though...
We stuck to chickens and dairy goats after once raising sheep and pigs and having to take them to slaughter. Now we just have chickens. Astrid will keep careful watch on her chickens like our Morgan guard her hens. So cute!
Having raised hogs before, I know the feeling of arriving at the slaughterhouse. It sucks. Doing it yourself for me, was just as hard though as you said, it is a lot quicker and you don't have the long drive or wrestling with the pigs to think about it. In the end, I think the most important part was as Duane mentioned, you give them a good life while they are here.
Since taking on this closer-to-the-land life, I've been amazed to learn how much it matters to know that we are feeding our animals healthy food, giving them a comfortable home and expressing our appreciation for the blessing they give to our family with their lives. I am grateful that after 35 years of eating commercially produced food, I finally have the opportunity to treat these life-giving creatures with honor and gratitude. After "wasting" a turkey we raised from a poult through careless inattention to important details, and feeling the shame and guilt of rendering its life and death essentially pointless, I understood even more that these creatures over which we have stewardship deserve vigilance and care. And a dignified end. Sorry for your regret, and boy do I understand. Teri
At least now you know what it's like to take them to the slaughterhouse and won't be left wondering if it's easier that way. Sorry you had a bad time with your friends, just think of what you'll be getting back soon.
sad to think about how betrayed they were...friends don't kill friends....
Karl..I found it is hard both ways. One thing for sure is that the less stress an animal will experience, the better the quality of meat.
We love our pigs, too, and I break down at the thought of delivering them to a slaughterhouse. It IS still hard when you do it yourself at home, but so much better. I wish we lived closer together, and we'd come help when it came time. Our hog killings are always big neighborhood affairs (many hands make light work) and there's always a moment of mourning for the life you're taking, and then the rest of the day is work and camaraderie and good food.
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