Will a farmer give up the whole cow?

[Cecilia's-herd]

There are places where you can buy a cowhide for $300. It would be a whole lot easier!

yeah I'm just the kind of person that likes to use the whole animal because they sacrificed their life for us to eat.

 

[CLSranch]

yeah I'm just the kind of person that likes to use the whole animal because they sacrificed their life for us to eat.

If not for the want to you will have more than $300 in time plus what you actually spend on the things needed to take on a project. Maybe the next beef, and you will have some of the supplies from doing squirrels over the winter.
If your not using it it this time it is being sold to keep your butcher cost down. So still being used.

 

[CLSranch]

I was tagged here so wanted to chime in

I read some of your other post and thought you'd be a great help.

 

[Baymule]

yeah I'm just the kind of person that likes to use the whole animal because they sacrificed their life for us to eat.

I’m with you on that, but some things are beyond the time and effort it would take me. I do have an idea for you. Do you remember old hide bottom chairs? My grandpa had some, made of hickory cut on his land. He fitted them with deer hides. I loved those chairs as a kid and wish I had gotten 1 or 2 of them. You can find them sometimes at junk or antique stores.

I covered a chair and matching foot stool in deer hide once. It turned out really cool. Here’s how, stake out the hide and scrape it. Salt it generously and let dry. When dry, knock the salt off, rinse the hide well and soak in water overnight. I drained the deer hides by draping them over the kids swing set. I cut my lacings from the edges of the hide. I cut a piece for the seat, leaving enough to lap over the edges. I cut slits in the edges of the piece of hide. I tied the lacing to one slit, then ran the lacing through a slit on the opposite side. I laced it up like a tennis shoe, then did the same on the other two sides. I did the back of the chair too. I left it in the garage to dry, putting it outside in the shade during the day until it was dried.

I respect the animals we raise for food. I pray over the ones we home butcher, chickens and once it was 3 hogs. I try to use all I can because it’s mine, I raised it and I try to make use of it. I can the offfal to mix with the dogs kibble and now they are so spoiled that they won’t eat with out their “canned” food. LOL

Go to the flea markets, junk stores and look for chairs. You might wind up with a really cool looking chair!

@HomesteaderWife do you have anything to add? You have vastly more knowledge on this than I do.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

yeah I'm just the kind of person that likes to use the whole animal because they sacrificed their life for us to eat.

And that is the kind of thinking I think more people need. Repurposing all we can is the responsible thing to do. Notice what we can, so just work on getting your practice in and maybe you'll be able to work up to a cow hide!

To touch on what @Baymule was saying, covering an old chair with something like deer hide would be super cool! And guess what, if you can talk to a local processor like we did, just say - "Can I come pick up a hide or two for practice?" after you've worked on some squirrel and rabbit. I have to run for now but I will add more later for you if you'd like

 

[Cecilia's-herd]

If not for the want to you will have more than $300 in time plus what you actually spend on the things needed to take on a project. Maybe the next beef, and you will have some of the supplies from doing squirrels over the winter.
If your not using it it this time it is being sold to keep your butcher cost down. So still being used.

True. I do have to remember it will be used anyway. Thanks for the reminder lol.

 

[Cecilia's-herd]

I’m with you on that, but some things are beyond the time and effort it would take me. I do have an idea for you. Do you remember old hide bottom chairs? My grandpa had some, made of hickory cut on his land. He fitted them with deer hides. I loved those chairs as a kid and wish I had gotten 1 or 2 of them. You can find them sometimes at junk or antique stores.

I covered a chair and matching foot stool in deer hide once. It turned out really cool. Here’s how, stake out the hide and scrape it. Salt it generously and let dry. When dry, knock the salt off, rinse the hide well and soak in water overnight. I drained the deer hides by draping them over the kids swing set. I cut my lacings from the edges of the hide. I cut a piece for the seat, leaving enough to lap over the edges. I cut slits in the edges of the piece of hide. I tied the lacing to one slit, then ran the lacing through a slit on the opposite side. I laced it up like a tennis shoe, then did the same on the other two sides. I did the back of the chair too. I left it in the garage to dry, putting it outside in the shade during the day until it was dried.

I respect the animals we raise for food. I pray over the ones we home butcher, chickens and once it was 3 hogs. I try to use all I can because it’s mine, I raised it and I try to make use of it. I can the offfal to mix with the dogs kibble and now they are so spoiled that they won’t eat with out their “canned” food. LOL

Go to the flea markets, junk stores and look for chairs. You might wind up with a really cool looking chair!

@HomesteaderWife do you have anything to add? You have vastly more knowledge on this than I do.

I think I will shoot a few squirrels this summer and practice. I just would like to have the skill anyway I think.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@Ceciliasflock - deboning a squirrel tail is VERY hard and delicate...tried it for one hide a year or two ago and it was very tedious. Cut the tail off at the base of the tail, lay it out flat and straight, then salt it. People use the tails to make fly fishing lures, and I had one lady tell me she was making a hat decorated with squirrel tails years ago

 

[Nommie Bringeruvda Noms]

Most

Definitely what everyone says X 10! Eat the mean one. Or if you can't bring yourself to eat your own hog, advertise a freezer hog - "bring your own trailer" and sell.

We had a mean hog once - Devil Pig - talked about him on my journal. Was never so glad to see anything loaded on the slaughter truck!

All large hogs can be dangerous, mean ones are not worth taking a chance with.

If you still have brambles to clear, try a couple of meat goats. They will eat the brambles and the hogs will root out the rest. Then put the goats in your freezer too.

Could I request them specially or would that be weird? I don't really want a live cow if I'm honest...

Most cattle farmers don't do their own butchering. They either take them in for processing, or have someone come do it. What that means for you, as the consumer, is that you need to deal with the processor and the state and local laws they must follow, in order to stay in business.
I feed my dog raw, that includes almost all the organs - but, when dealing with processors, I can't have all of them, because there are legal prohibitions against the resale of certain organs - the lungs, most commonly, are prohibited in most (if not all) of the USA. Even in a specific request for 'only kill & chill', you don't get the head, hide, hooves, and most organs. If you really want all the oddball stuff, you truly might have to buy live, and process yourself.

 

[Baymule]

I asked for the pigs feet, for dog treats. But was told no. USDA rules.