When we first began going to the area of the SSB - family land remember - I would go out after G got a deer and help him dress it. After all - biology major and all. I knew the anatomy, and where to cut. This is the gross part, so skip to the next paragraph if you want. When I was three months pregnant with child #2 (Son), I saw a deer in the pasture outside the house. Close shot, and easy meat. G got up from breakfast and shot it. Like a trooper, I went out with him to field dress it. Won't go into anymore detail. If you know what that means, enough said.
After a few years, I got really tired of having my feet freeze while out skinning and so on. It seems his favorite time for shooting a deer is at sunset. I also was tired of staying in MIL's house. She had OCD about the house and cleaning. I knew I could never get it back to her standards, and as I have mentioned before, she hated me. So I got really tired of the place. Plus there was only one tv channel. FIL installed this fancy tower antenna, but everyone was afraid to touch it. It would rotate, and it would continually break if it were turned at a speed over .001 millimeter per hour! So I didn't go with him for a long time. I was more than happy to stay at home, and enjoy the life here.
Then we had our trailer put in. I like to be fancy and say "manufactured home," but let's get real - it's a double wide. We have put a lot into it, but that's what we could afford. Anyway. I now go with him once a month and we stay for a week. That's when you don't hear from me. I still do not do any of the butchering. But until last year, I helped make venison/pork breakfast sausage.
Last year G and our wonderful neighbor made the sausage. Gene has a wonderful set up, and it doesn't take long to make that sausage. I don't remember if I packaged it or not, but I am thinking I did. This year I wasn't going to do any of it - except eat the sausage!
Now you know how that fared. I managed to do almost nothing until it was all ground. Then G came in to do the packing. I showed him how to use the meal sealer. But then he complained about having greasy hands to try to use the sealer. I finally decided it was easier to just give in at that point, but I did so knowing that he was fully committed to staying right there to help.
We got it done. Took about an hour. But at least I wasn't doing it by myself. Next year - who knows. There's hope I won't have to do anything!
Peace
6 comments:
I aspire to your goals.
You are a woman of many talents my friend!!
My father and brother were deer hunters and I always hated it. We didn't need to be killing free roaming animals since my Dad worked at the steel company. I only like the steak and haven't eaten any for a long time.
A little side sotry here: my husband's ex-SIL used to hunt but recently he said he was out hunting and was watching 40 plus deer romping in a field when he decided he just couldn't shoot them anymore. I wish everyone felt that way.
At least after all that work you enjoy eating it. I don't care for venison no matter how it's prepared! Luckily my husband doesn't want to ever shoot a deer so I'm safe!
gulp!....
I know there are a lot of people who detest the idea of hunting. I cannot do it, so I know. But we do enjoy the meat. We do not allow "trophy" hunting on our place. You kill it - you eat it. There are two exceptions: raccoons and skunks - both are probably rabid in our part of the country.
So don't hate us too much for taking Bambi. It was really hard to watch them this past year with the shortage of water and forage.
I admire you for what you do..think it's smart and don't begrudge you one bit..I love deer meat/pork sausage. love it..but couldn't shoot it to get it..brava.
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