Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-04-01
Fresh Meat for the Farm.

One of the greatest banes to the proper
enjoyment of country life is the almost con-
slant use of salt meas. 1t is ham for break
fast, salty, oh how salty Then fer din
ner it is salt pork, boiled or fried, Then for
supper cold slice of ham. or boiled cold
shoulder, varied little by chipping dried
beef, which is within itself, "pillar OF
salt" Then it is drink, drink, from morn
ing to night without abatement
Now, know the great difficulties that
day in the way of a farmer, located miles
from city or town, to procure daily supply
of fresh meat from the markets, to say moth
ing of the unbearable cost ofsuch proceed
ing to those who live close enough to mar
ket to procure daily supply. just. think
of it; we sell our beef cattle to the butcher
for, say three cents on foot, and pay for the
article on the hook from twelve and half
to twenty cents per pound; and our mutton
and pork in the same ratio. 1t is not my
purpose, i'll this article, to show the relative
losses and profits in these transactions, but
to show my brother farmers how they can
have fresh meat on their tables every day of
the year, and every meal of each day, if
they will, and that at their own first cost
prices. This plan Of mine is not new; yet,
/ am safe in saying that it is not practiced
by one per cent. of the farmers in the ma
tion Why is this? Ignorance of the way
to do it. 1t can be nothing else. For there
us less labor and work attending the process
of preserving the meats put up for home
consumption, by keeping them fresh, than
there is by sailing, smoking, wrapping in
canvas, and packing away, as now practic-
ed A second great advantage is that the
curing of meats in fresh state can be &C
compiished at any season of the year, no
1natter how hot, and that without ice.-
Then, "a third consideration is the saving of
labor to the farmers family during the hot,
sweltering Summer months-in fact, all
through the year.
To enable any person to understand the
matter will explain by briefly stating what
we are now doing in the way of preparing
our fresh meat for next summers use. In
the first place, we have as many lard or pork
barrels as will be necessary to hold a supply
of meat for the family. These barrels are
clean, sweet and tight, one end taken out.
They are arranged on bench in the cellar,
open end up. The pigs are killed and cool
ed in the usual way. When the animal heat
is all out they are cut up, cutting off the
sausage aud lard, the lard cut up, ready to
be rendered out The shoulders and sides
are then cut up into such pieces as may be
convenient for table use. These pieces are
washed clearly, and boiled in large kettles,
seasoned with salt and pepper to make pala-
table, aud when sufficiently boiled for table
use they are placed in barrel, closely to-
gether, but not pressed or mashed, thus
leaving each piece as near in the shape cut
as possible. When the barrel is filed with
in two inches of the top, we then pour in
warm lard until the crevices between the
pieces Of meat are filled up, covering the
top with one or two inches of the warm lard.
Next day we find that the lard has settled
down; we fill up again to the top and keep
filled until all has become solid mass of
meat and lard. This is the whole secret
You can fill any tight vessel from one-gsl-
lon jar to a forty-five gallon barrel in like
manner; and if properly done, and kept in
cool place, the meat will keep fresh and
sweet the year round.
The advantages of this process of keeping
meat are manifold. You can kill fat hog
at any season of the year, and its own fat
can preserve it, and the fat can be used for
culinary purposes just the same as when put
up in cans for home use. The shoulders can
be thus prepared, and when cold are far
superior to salt meat, even after being boil
ed. The sides, when cut in square pieces,
with the ribs on, are just as good as when
cooked fresh in the fall of the year. Hams,
whole, when well cooked and seasoned, re-
tain all their sweetness, and that without
being impaired by the excess of salt neces-
sary to keep them. Then, there is no trou-
BILE with flies, bugs, or shippers; the meat
remains sweet wholesome, and palatable
until the last piece is taken from the bottom.
All the care necessary in taking the pieces
from the barrel is to press the lard down
closely over what is left, and thus exclude
the air.
There are two great advantages in this
mode of keeping meat; one is, it is fresh,
easily digested, and consequently more
healthy, and decidedly more pleasant to the
taste; and it does not create that burning
thirst that is so hard to quench on hot
harvest day. Then it is always ready for
table use, and that without requiring your
wives, daughters, and house help to melt
over hot stove when the mercury is up
among the nineties-a no small saving in
threshing time.
The only great drawback that | have
found to this plan is that can eat twice the
amount that can of sailed meats; and, there
fore, it requires double the quantity for
family use than under tina sailing process;
but l am persuaded that the difference is
made up in better health and smaller doctor
bills. Try it on small scale, and you will
ID.