Home Slaughter

For a detailed how-to-slaughter-a-pig I would recommend reading this.  It's fairly thorough and has recipes (though there are better out there), and far better than I could ever hope to write.  So instead I'll present to you the journey in pictures...

The setup

The Pigs

(note:electric fence had been off for two weeks at this point)

Checking the hoist 

Picking straws

Saying Goodbye

waiting for the perfect shot

(the speed of a .22 is about three times the speed of neuron

needless to say the pigs do not feel any pain, and drop immediately.

Though they do thrash a bit due to a unorganized firing of synapses)

tying the legs for the hoist

Shifting the first pig over to make room

hoisted pig

bleeding prep

cutting the arteries

(the pig is brain-dead at this point but the heart still beats for a couple of minutes and can help push the blood out if you're quick about finding the arteries)

After the pig has bleed for 15 min. or so the head can be taken off

preparing to skin

A little tedious at first, there is a pretty quick learning curve 

Skins are saved for tanning in the spring

Ready to gut

once the intestines are out the rest is easy

Old tools are the best tools

an axe and a hammer makes quick work of the rib cage

and the spine

almost done

The halves hang in the greenhouse overnight

The next day's butchering

Breaking down into primals

The "O.J." grip

cleaning the hogs head for headcheese

I hope that everybody who came out learned a lot.  I sure as hell did,  it was a lot of work doing everything.  I spent most of the week after packaging, freezing, smoking, and cooking.  but I'm glad to have been through the process and wouldn't want to do it any other way (e.i. sending them away to the slaughterhouse)

A big thank you to those who were there, and a doubley big thank you to Shane for being there for all three pigs.  Hopefully those of you who weren't there can make it next year.