Death and Destruction

Some time ago a friend mentioned that she'd like to learn how to butcher chickens. A pretty normal desire considering that she has chickens of her own.

Then another friend, who has no chickens, mentioned she like to learn the process too. She was more interested in the educational value of teaching her children where their food comes from.

We recently met another family, who is homesteading, and they expressed a desire to learn the butchering process. So, we decided to have a butchering party.

We set a date and invited everyone to bring a covered dish to share, and butchering knives if they had them. Then last Friday night two of the families we originally talked to plus a neighbor of one of the families ventured to the 100 Acre Woods, in the rain, to enjoy time with one another and butcher poultry.

It wasn't the best of nights as far as weather goes, but the company was fabulous, the food delicious, and we got rid of a few pesky roosters in the process. I never did count, but the guys butchered chickens and rabbits until it was dark outside.

Not everyone who wanted to come was able to make it Friday. We will be doing this again soon. Susan was the party photographer. If you're not squeamish, you can find her photos here.

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Almost exactly one year ago, we tore down the barn of a stranger. That wood and roofing has been used to build a pig house, and part of a chicken house. But I guess a year is enough time to forget how much work tearing down a building is, and run out of lumber, but either way we are back at.

Someone put an ad in the ad bulletin for an old house that needed torn down. Yesterday, the destruction began. This picture is what I found when I went to the site late this morning. There was nothing left of those corner walls by the time I left mid-afternoon. Two trailers loads of lumber have come so far. There is more to come.