Old Timey Hog Killins- anyone still do this?

[Paymaster]

We always bought piglets from friends. They were usually Spotted Poland Chinas. That said, I raised a pair of Duroc Gilts for FFA/ Ag class in highschool for showing at different fairs one year.

 

[slow motion]

We always bought piglets from friends. They were usually Spotted Poland Chinas. That said, I raised a pair of Duroc Gilts for FFA/ Ag class in highschool for showing at different fairs one year.

Called it Pig Chain when I did it. They gave you a gilt that was pick of the litter from one of the previous year participants. One kid had a boar. Everybody had to raise and show em. Then you paid a breeding fee to the one with the boar. And when it was time to wean the pigs they took the best one and it started over. Still got my FFA jacket somewhere. Won't come close to fitting though.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Called it Pig Chain when I did it. They gave you a gilt that was pick of the litter from one of the previous year participants. One kid had a boar. Everybody had to raise and show em. Then you paid a breeding fee to the one with the boar. And when it was time to wean the pigs they took the best one and it started over. Still got my FFA jacket somewhere. Won't come close to fitting though.

Mine is packed away somewhere too. And no, please don't ask me to put it on.

 

[specialk]

we raised ours. Yorkshires mostly and once in a while we might cross with a Hampshire boar. Ain't no telling how many pigs we sold at 15 to 20 a piece. The sow would often have 10 or 12 pigs, and once they hit 6 weeks old, we would separate out the best 4 or so, and sell the rest. It helped pay for some pig food. We would feed scraps from the house ( slop ) and kept a slop bucket that we emptied every evening. That is why Daddy called it slopping the hogs. The food we bought was a mash, and we would stir in water enough to make a thin slurry. That was the water and feed for them. We raised them out in a 8 x 8 floored pen that the was sloped so we could keep them cleaned out

I knew of a family that had a small child went head first in a slop bucket and suffacated...been 50yrs. ago.....

 

[specialk]

We always bought piglets from friends. They were usually Spotted Poland Chinas. That said, I raised a pair of Duroc Gilts for FFA/ Ag class in highschool for showing at different fairs one year.

i never raised animals for show but did enter a lot of stuff from the garden thru FFA and 4H.....won 1 blue ribbon and a bunch of red....we had a huge county fair that had all kinds o animals and and exhibit hall that had EVERYTHING from art to vegetables from pickles to pies and everything in between....if you entered something you got free passes to the week long fair......thanks for posting this PM and bringing back a lot of memories!!

 

[SemperFiDawg]

I do. Don’t raise them anymore. Lot cheaper to buy them from a local farmer and a lot less time consuming. Just finished curing out the bacon and bones last week on one in my smokehouse. It’s pretty much a lost art. As it’s just me it’s a few days long ordeal to do by myself. Bout 7 years ago paid a guy $50 for a 600 pound female on Thanksgiving. She took 4 days to process. Hams weighed 85 pounds each wet. I’ll never get one that big again. Bout kilt me. Wife said never again and she left shortly afterward so all in all it worked out OK.

 

[SemperFiDawg]

My wife is about to drive me crazy wanting a few. I've never participated in hog killing, but based on what kin told me it was multi person event and not a one man job, or one man and one woman. I'm having a hard time convincing her that this is not what she wants for her anniversary present.

One man can do it but it’s a chore and you better pick your days where there a 2-4 day cold spell and keep the coffee flowing.

 

[kayaksteve]

I’ve participated in a few hog killings. Never cured hams or anything. Mostly a group of us slaughtering skinning, making sausage and slicing tenderloin. I’ve had an idea of an elective high school class for old country skills. Curing/smoking meat, butchering, canning, home remedies, stuff like that. I doubt it’d get much traction now but I would have loved that in school and will pretty much be lost in another generation

 

[deermaster13]

I've actually been looking at getting a few to feed out. Been about 20 years since I kept any and processed them. I've got a 2 year old grandson that loves all kinds of critters. My daughter actually been asking about getting chickens as well. They already enjoy processing our own deer so that makes me happy they want to learn. Taking care of yourself and knowing how to process your own food is a dying skill set.

 

[Redbow]

Just wondering if any of y'all ever ate hog brains with eggs scrambled in the day after a hog killing. We did at times my Aunt and her family loved hog brains and eggs but I never cared for them. But back when I was growing up you ate what was put before you unless you wanted to go hungry. There was no hardee's or mcdonalds back then.

 

[fishfryer]

Just wondering if any of y'all ever ate hog brains with eggs scrambled in the day after a hog killing. We did at times my Aunt and her family loved hog brains and eggs but I never cared for them. But back when I was growing up you ate what was put before you unless you wanted to go hungry. There was no hardee's or mcdonalds back then.

I have on a couple of occasions. Not impressed either way, good or bad.

 

[Lindseys Grandpa]

Just wondering if any of y'all ever ate hog brains with eggs scrambled in the day after a hog killing. We did at times my Aunt and her family loved hog brains and eggs but I never cared for them. But back when I was growing up you ate what was put before you unless you wanted to go hungry. There was no hardee's or mcdonalds back then.

One of my Daddys favorite foods . My Uncle raised hogs and first cold day we went to help with the processing and the next morning Daddy had them .

 

[livinoutdoors]

Missed this thread til now. We do. We raise a heritage breed cross that came outta several older breeds. We'll usually butcher round Thanksgiving just like the old timers. Also render our own lard, which as you old fellers know is the best cooking oil on the planet. Hogs are a very easy livestock animal to keep on hand.

 

[kayaksteve]

Just wondering if any of y'all ever ate hog brains with eggs scrambled in the day after a hog killing. We did at times my Aunt and her family loved hog brains and eggs but I never cared for them. But back when I was growing up you ate what was put before you unless you wanted to go hungry. There was no hardee's or mcdonalds back then.

My grandmother used to scramble eggs and squirrel brains. I read an article awhile back somewhere that had linked that to dementia patients.

 

[Longhunter89]

Last hog killing I did a couple years ago. Plan on doing another killin' this fall hopefully.

 

[Jimmypop]

I purty much do the same thing now about 3 or 4 times a year. Technique slightly different because of the animal.