Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-02
Agricultural Help
Farm Butchery.

Tor all the year, WIN larQ included. In
the Central States and North, almost all
farmers produce and put up a supply
of meat and lard to last a greater
share of the year, although many in
these sections purchase much meat
and lard at from to 10 cents more per
pound than ii would cost them at
home. In the states further south,
where hogs and other meat animals
car he produced cheapiy on forage
crops, farmers in general purchase
most Of their meat and lard at an ad-
vance of from to Is cents per pound
more than it would cost them to pro-
duce the same at home
1t is the legitimate business of the
farmer. first of all, to produce as much
as possible Of his living on the farm.
Nothing should be purchased which
can be produced al home, whether
of vegetables, fruits, butter, lard or
meats. All rich, progressive and sue
cessful business and manufacturing
firms transact business on this basis.
They never purchase anything in their
business which can be produced in the
business. Some grow hogs and sell
them on foot and then turn around
ana PURCHASE bdNh POI Gnu lftiu ~
from two to three times the price for
which the hogs Were sold. Remem
Der that when hogs are sold they are
carried 70 the packers by freight. The
buyer and commission man take of
two more slices of the pork. The
packer butchers the hogs and cures the
meat at still more expense. Then the
meat is sold to the local store, where
a final large slice is taken off to run
up the cost of the finished product.
You are surprised, perhaps, when your
grocer tells you that bacon will cost
You % cents pound and lard Il cents.
You sold hogs the year before at
cents and cents q pound But just
stop to think a minute, and remember
how many persons made some profit
on that pork you sold-freight two
ways, buyers profit, commission. yard
age, packers large profit, and your
local merchants generous retail pro-
fit. No wonder pork has gone up since
you sold Your hogs or since your
neighbor sold. If You had no hogs IL
butcher. why did you not purchase
few I'll Your neighbor to butcher for
meat and lard2 You could have made
at least q per cent on the in
vestment which is certainly good
rate of interest-fve times as much as
you would get a. the bank
Every farmer with any "getuo'
about him she uld be an artist IN sew
eral lines. One art which he should
acquire is that of butchering, curing
and caring for meat and animal prod
ucts. You may say that packers
To hnrnp-p 1Irn1
meats. This may be true in some
eases, yet shame on the farmer who
can not cure even better hams and ba
con than packers. Hams, bacon and
farm sausa GEES can easily be made
much superior to ang Of the packers
products. The same alsd9maY be true
of lard. Some study and experience
are required to butcher and cure nIeat
properly, but all work that counts re-
quires study and experience by those
who do it,. When you once learn per
fectly the art of home butchering and
curing Of meats. you viii look forward
to butchering time as pleasure. In
every neighborhond IS some man who
knows the art. ane his services should
be secured even If he charges high
price. for the first help and lessons. l.
will be money well spent. The require
ments are simple and easy to learn.
One of the first things to be preyid-
ed when butchering hogs is a barrel
of good salt. This cheap chemical Is
the foundation preservative for pork
Choose Il time for butchering when
the weather is cold, but rot extremely
cold. II is almost impossible to do
quick and good job OF butchering when
the temperature outside during the day
is much below freezing. The work
should never be attempted in zero
weather or an extremely cold time.
The weather should be cold enough so
that the meat will become we'll chilled
through and through, but it should
never be frozen before the rresefNa-
tive chemicals are applied. The tenn
perature of The meat may be controlled
by placing it In a cellar or other mIld
room in case the outside temperature
should suddenly drop on the evening or
night following butchering.
To make the job easy and the work
go on lively on the day of butcnering.
one very large iron kettle, holding
twenty gallons or more of water,
should be provided. also a smaller one ]
These are to be supported by strong
pole through the handles for heating
scalding water After scalding and
cleaning have been done the kettles are
to be cleaned for rendering the lard
and cooking the head meat. 1t is bet
ter to work up the lard and heads the
same afternoon of the day butcherlns
is done thar to leave the work for the
women folks to be done or the Kitchen
range in the house, where grease and
odors will cause much extra work and
disorder. Enough extra man heip
should be secured to do most of TINS
work promptly out side, as the sooner
all the work is done the easier 1t VIII
be to do it and the better the products
will keep. If butchering is begun early
IN the morning which should always
be the case, the last hog VIII be nm
ished before dinner, and all the car
cases will be hanging up, cooling, be-
fore the middle of the lay. After din-
ner one or two men can begin cleaning
the kettles and preparing fires for the
kettles. Two other hands can begin
taking down the first hog tutchered
.,,1 ttifl