With the arrival of
colder weather a new farm chore was added, butchering.
Throughout the
1920s Dewitt recorded the annual event. The phrase "trying out lard," is describing the process of "rendering" the lard, or making it into a usable by-product of the fat.
December 6, 1921
Fred Ike came and butchered today for us, 4 hogs. They will dress about 200 to
300 apiece. December 7, Cutting up meat all day. Father and mother up all day
long. Mother and Edna are trying out lard. We have 465 pounds of hams and back.
Also 12 pounds of nice lean pork, 42 pounds of tenderloin.
In 1922 the
butchering and processing are recorded on three days. December 6, Fred Ike came
up and butchered our three hogs today. December 7, cutting up and trying out
meat today. Father and mother are up and helping. Did not get done today.
December 8, we finished up the meat cutting and made our sausage. Packed ham
shoulders and bacon in crocks and put brine on them.
December 13, 1923
Fred Ike butchered 4 pigs for us today.
December 16, 1924
Fred Ike came and butchered today. We killed seven hogs. Sold three of them.
One each to Northup, W. Bassette, and A. Rappleye. 13 cents per pound dressed.
Spring pigs were all light, dressed around 150 pounds.
December 9, 1925 We
have 9 hogs to kill. Hogs are 16 cents per pound dressed this year. December
14, 1925 Fred Ike came and butchered nine pigs for me today. They weigh about
150 pounds dressed. Sold one to W.A. Bassett, and one to P. Harman. We are going
to keep 4 for ourselves and the rest go to Williams of Lodi.
December 8, 1926
Butchered 10 hogs today. Fred Ike and his son-in-law done the butchering. December
9, 1926 Cutting up hogs and trying out lard. Mother and Father were up all day.
December13, 1932 Butchered our hogs today. Killed two and
left one for sow.
Dewitt’s Diary December 14, 1923
Mother and Father
came up and we cut up hogs and tried out lard today. Colder today and snow
flurries, have about one inch, clear and cold tonight.
No comments:
Post a Comment