Almost There

I am often asked if I have second thoughts when it comes to killing one of our animals for food.
The answer is always the same.
It's never easy to do, but the inertia that drove the event to the final moments is simply too great to overcome.
You can't spend many months and so much money on an animal intended to feed your family only to wince at the last moment and choose not to follow through.
Perhaps that's why most people opt to have someone else do the deed.
I prefer to take personal responsibility for ending the life of an animal that will be our food.
But that's my choice; I wouldn't expect everyone to feel the same way about something so intensly emotional.


And so that same inertia is pushing the plan forward.
I have set an agenda and I will follow through as closely to the plan as possible.
Building the portable hanging pole was fairly straightforward, but it didn't feel very rewarding knowing that I would only use it once.
I won't be doing things this way again.
It's far to labour intensive.

Once this is finished, the rig will be disassembled and turned into something else I have planned.
The trick was to keep it light enough to move around and mount, yet strong enough to hold two enormous hogs.
I used what I had on hand, though it would have been acceptable as a permanent tool.

I do gain satisfaction seeing a plan to fruition.
There's a lot of talk in this world and precious little action.
Great ideas are wonderful,
but completely impotent if left to linger as abstractions.

The rig is up and the chain hoists have also been hung.
There is a trailer at the ready and a good man to help me out.
Some unknowns remain but it's impossible to foresee every detail.
Any problems can be dealt with on the fly.
The important part is to dispatch the animals at the same time and get them dressed immediately.
Once that job has been accomplished, the remainder is just hard work.
At least I won't have to worry about the pork escaping, once it's hanging up.

There are countless good reasons why people choose to buy their meat all ready for eating.
It's a risky and difficult endeavour to grow your own.
But there are just as many reasons now that a family should provide it's own meat,
or at least buy from a friend or neighbour who does.
Allowing meat production to remain behind closed doors has compromised the quality and safety of our food.
The animals that are raised in the factory farms epitomize suffering, torture, and degradation.
Choosing to eat meat should not be taken lightly.
There is a great deal of responsibility that goes along with it whether you buy from the store or raise animals yourself.
Generally, if we don't raise it, then we don't eat it; though we make exceptions.
Our animals are fed and cared for properly.
They are treated with dignity and love.
Even their last moments are easy and peaceful.
And despite the trials and the work,
and the emotional finale,
I wouldn't do it any other way.