Way back in 1948 a neighbor came to help pap butcher. We had a HUGE hog that was to supply our winter's meat. The hog was the biggest I'd ever seen but don't remember what he was supposed to have weighed. He was so big that pap just had to have help with him. Our neighbor , a big Swede and close friend of pap's, came and brought his butcherin knives with him. He loved kids and we kids loved him. He was always playin with us and this day was no different. He told us he had fits and sometimes would throw his knives-so we needed to watch out for him. At about that point he made a face, hollered and threw one of those kives towards the barn where the hog was strung up. Jeep and I ran to the house and watched through the window. It's funny now but sure wasn't then. The next several days was spent working with the meat, curing, smokin and cannin to preserve until we needed it. It was cold out as we always done the butcherin in the fall after it cooled off. Rendering lard, making cracklins, keepin the smoke house hickory smoke a goin, curing of the hams, bacon, shoulders etc was a busy job that had to be done and done rather quickly. We also put up rabbits in the fall too. Cold packed them for winters use. A huge truck patch was essential for farm folks in those days. If you didn't put it up you went hungry--it was that simple. Of course, there was always somebody that would "grasshopper" as pap would say, and run out of food before winter even set in. They would be makin the rounds of neighbors farms askin for food. It aggravated pap some but would never send anybody away emptyhanded. Sometimes the man would "work out" the food but seldom would show up to keep his end of the bargin. Pap never held it against them and would help'm again next year if they asked. We always worked hard and had plenty to eat. Enough to share with those who didn't. Firewood was also very important then although plentiful, one neighbor just wouldn't get his ready. He always knew pap had a big woodpile and would let'm have some. He got to where he's send his wife or kids to "borrow" a couple sticks of wood and carry home 1/4 mile away. That wouldn't do at all. Pap would load down the old 35 chev ton army truck and haul it down to them. On more than one occasion pap and us kids would have to unload, carry and stack it for them because the man was "just not able to help"! Those days were special then and even more so now. We never had lots of money but seemed we didn't really need very much until later. Almighty God does take care of His own! Pappy went to be with Christ in 1983--his friend, the knife thrower, is still alive and in his 90's. Mom still makes donuts---yum yum. Jeep now butchers and cures meat much like we did back then. He also has a HUGE truck patch/garden. I guess I'm kinda like the "lazy nighbor" as I no longer am able to put out the garden, cut firewood or cure meat. I can still remember and hope that someday I'll be able to do it again. I guess all that hog grease caught up with me over the years. It makes much better soap than artery cloggers! Matt. 24:44

-- hoot gibson (hoot@ pcinetwork.com), July 24, 2000

Answers

I've heard of big hogs before. How big was this one you are talking about? You said he. Do you mean it was a boar or just a figure of speech? I'd think a hog real big and a boar would not be fit to eat. I raise hogs and wouldn't eat a boar without being cut for a good while before butchering hij. Thanks. Joe in Ky.

-- joehogman (joe@crinet.com), July 27, 2000.

Joe in Ky. You're right, it was a "she". Don't know how big she was but if memory serves me right I think pap and the swede estimated the weight in the neighborhood of 800 pounds. She was BIG as I remember. Took several days to process all that meat and then rendering lard/makin cracklins. How about cracklins made in with cornbread and then pinto beans? Purty hard to beat. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), July 27, 2000.