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Saturday, June 30, 2012

Butchering


Today was very tramatic for me.  We decided to raise rabbits for food.  Up until now it has been all fun and games.  We feed the bunnies, breed them and play with the babies.   Today was the first butchering day.  I am so thankful for our friend Doug.  He walked us through getting up and running with the rabbits.  He even gave me a doe (she died last Sunday along with 8 of her babies) that we totally fell in love with.  Her first litter was ready to be harvested today so Doug came to walk me through it.  I have been dreading this since the day they were born.  As hard as I tried, I fell in love with the big brown eyes and the soft fur. 

I know these animals were raised for food.  I know that this is the way of life we have chosen and there is a circle of life.  That doesn’t make a lot of difference when you are wacking this cute little animal over the head and taking it’s life.  I held each of the 6 bunnies we harvested today.  I gave each of them a hug and said thank you for the life you have given.  Doug and I said a prayer giving thanks. 

I am sure it will get easier (as it did with the chickens) but today was difficult.  Phil normally takes a nap in the afternoon, so I decided to do the same.  I didn’t take a nap as he did, I slept the entire afternoon away.  I didn’t wake until 7 PM.  I guess I needed the healing time …..

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Summer Stress


This growing season is so strange for me.  I can’t seem to get myself motivated.  I know that I have taken on more this year than ever before, but I just don’t seem to have the ‘spirit” to do what I normally do.  My gardens are full of weeds.  The main garden has been overtaken with weeds ….. I have very little mulch down. The “fruit” garden is unbelievably overgrown.  The garlic and wheat should have been harvested weeks ago.  The peas strawberries and raspberries didn’t get harvested.  Even my house is overwhelming.  The floors are sticky, dust is deep, the dining room table is stacked high.  I am not sure how to get myself organized enough to get my work done.  The only garden that is under control is by the chickens.  Even that is not mulched!

I still have a lot of summer to get through.  Saturday will tramatic, as I butcher the first of our rabbits.  I am thankful our friend Doug is going to hold my hand and walk me through it all.  I really love these little bunnies so this is going to be hard for me.  Butchering the chickens is hard for me, but the rabbits are so cute and cuddly this is going to be HARD!  

I have at least two more big butchering days coming up soon.  We have 25 broilers that are within a few weeks of butchering … and we are getting 25 more on Thursday.  I will need to take out most of our old hens in the fall after the new chickens start laying.  Phil doesn’t want to go into winter with this many chickens.  The cycle of life is not easy on the farm!