Do you roast thwir ears for the dogs? Here in the uk they sell pig ears as treats and with the left overs from the chickens this time round could you grind it all up and add to your compost?
I think that every school in the country should have classes about where the food comes from in the grocery stores. Kids need to understand the work it takes and that animals are grown for food. So much food is wasted. A little knowledge could help prevent it. You are doing a good job feeding your family. Have you considered making kielbasa and other smoked ssusages? It could add some new variety to your winter meals
Videos like this one should be made for school viewing. ALL students would benefit, vegan, vegetarian or omnivores they would all learn how it SHOULD be done and how animals can be cared for and also utilised for food.
I think with the way things are going they should be teaching survival skills to our kids that’s what I’ve started doing by teaching him gardening and preserving we live in town but have one of the biggest yards .392 or .395 acres I could have a coop but then I’d get fined from the Borough.... so we might get some rabbits 🐇 🐰. Mainly for fertilize but I’m losing my job so it could end up being for food!!!
Unfortunately, when manufacturing and trade skill work was sent overseas to maximize profits for corporations, the plants began to shut down here in the United States of America. Shortly after, wood and metal shops were deleted from the junior and senior high curriculums. Schools began to lean towards "tech" teaching in our schools, leaving behind the most essential knowledge a young child or teen could learn early on in their development. They even removed "Home Economics". These were all classes that (in my opinion) very few teens "skipped" class on, because it was actually teaching them something they could use right out of high school. Plus, it was fun, what they thought about all day and the highlight of their day. I remember taking my wood or metal projects home to show "what I did in school" and my parents being both amazed and proud. Also, taking what I learned in home economics home and making it for my mom, dad and siblings, and them loving it. Nothing was more satisfying.
@@chrisgreen177 🇬🇧 Exactly. The fact that some of these lessons can't be used for a paying job is irrelevant as lots of people "Do it Themselves" round the home in later life to save expenses and much of what they have learned comes in useful. And many of these kinds of lessons use math etc. I'm agreeing with everything you guys say but I'm still not going to watch this video 'coz I'm squeamish. Take Care everyone.
The only issue is, this isn't where meat really comes from. Here we have animals raised with care, on a real farm no care is taken other than the $ at the end. Animals are raised by one person and shipped off to be slaughtered by another only to be cut up by a 3rd. What is demonstrated here is like building a NASCAR car, in reality almost no one drives one vs a Toyota Camry. I agree, knowing where one's food comes from gives one a sense of what it takes but what they've done vs commercial farms is night and day.
Well said! I feel the same. I've always hated harvesting but when you look at nature in the wild..... Then look in your freezer.... You get over that one bad day too. 😉
Great vlog Al! Excellent job on the presentation! For those 176 “thumbs down” or “dislikes”, why even watch the video? You read the title, Al’s intro was informative so you knew what you were about to watch. There is nothing about this video to “dislike”. Again, great job to Al, Gina & the helpers!
As a hunter who processes his own venison, I really appreciated your pig butchering video. Most people buy meat from the grocery store without ever considering the fact that someone had to process it for them. Very informative, thank you.
Al, I believe that most of your viewers watch because you and your family decided to take this journey into homesteading in order to live a more meaningful, fulfilling life, filled with purpose. You show your viewers the good, the bad and the ugly of what your hard work brings. To see how you fed these pigs and were thrilled at their growth, then how you quickly and humanely put them down and butchered them was well done. For those who want to take on this life, it gives them a first hand look at what is required to be self sufficient, then each viewer gets to make their own decision as to whether or not this is the life that they want to live. I admire all that you are doing, with your enthusiasm and joy for what you grow and create on your farm. It is truly inspirational to watch the bounty your homestead provides. Keep up the great work!
We harvested our hogs about a month ago. We were worried about showing too much of the harvest on our UA-cam channel due to people being upset with the slaughter part of it. I think we did a good job with our video as well. you did a very good job showing your harvest. Very humane. So grateful for our hogs and the food they provided for us this year. Our video is on our channel Perry Hill Farms if you are interested in see how we did ours here in South Alabama. Love watching your families journey.
Al, Gina, Always good to get a reminder of where our food comes from. Most of us are strangers to the meat and poultry that we eat. Well done. No stress in these animals. Regards Stephen.
Great overview of the process. My dad worked in the meat department of Safeway in the 50s and 60s, and then was a meet inspector in the processing plants as he got older. I visited the plants where dad worked processing beef and pork, so I got to see all the steps it takes to process the meat we eat. I remember my 6th grade science project where I took pig organs to class. The heart, lungs, liver, and kidney are human-like. The teacher and class liked it - really educational. I have been watching your videos since the early goat barn build. You are showing what it takes to setup a homestead - years of work and planning. Most people today do little planning- they assume they can go to the store every few days and get what they need. The year 2020 has shown the value of planning ahead.
I didn't want to watch, but I felt like I had to. It was a sad day for the pigs, but I know you gave them a good life, and you did the whole thing very respectfully. Also a good job explaining each step of the process. Very valuable information for other homesteaders who need to know how to do this.
Kudos to you and your family for having the determination and drive to map out a healthy lifestyle in a farm environment. Your pig harvesting presentation was very well done. You showed just enough detail in the butchering process and I didn't once get the urge to change the channel. Thank you for sharing and bon appetit. New Zealand Spring leg o lamb was a favorite in our family for many years. Hey! If you do decide to grow sheep you could also harvest the wool and sell the carded wool to needle felt fiber artist like me. (smile). Whatever you do, we all know you and Gina will do it with gusto. Happy homesteading.
Hi guys, this was a very respectful video. Its shows how much you look after your animals and care for them, even at this end of their journey with you, well done. I am sure the meat the comes from these two will be much nicer and more healthier than any supermarket offerings. The only missing pieces from this explanation for me are what you do with the skins and offal. Then if in the US, "home" butchers are required to have the organs tested for illness or disease before the meat is consumed (which is a requirement in New Zealand for some animals). Take care Kiwi
Hi Al, Michigan here. Watching you and your family over the last few years, I believe you and Gina have (and are still learning) the perfect dance. You, Gina and your sweet daughter, Olivia are a reminder of home values that are missing today. Thanks for sharing!
It’s all part of your homestead! This has going on forever and I would rather eat the meat on your homestead any day. You guys are truly a blessing when it comes to all of your animals! Don’t change a thing 👍
Good morning all you happy campers - Al, your channel is the first thing I watch in the morning as I work, writing a new novel. The way you live reminds me so much of how I was raised. I lived on a farm that had virtually no engine-driven farm equipment - we did it all by hand. We couldn't afford them. I also worked on other farms to earn money for our family. We didn't shot our hogs in the head, we stuck them with a knife. It was fast and easy allowing for a fast bleed out. After dunking them in a 55-gallon tank of scolding hot water we had to de-bristle them with a metal scraper that in some ways reminded me of a horse grooming tool. We learned young how to butcher, smoke, and put up meat. Most were canned as we didn't have a freezer. So hats off to you and your family for keeping us all grounded on where our food really comes from, that is before we buy it at the Farmer's Market or in a chain store. God bless you all. p.r.morehouse - author
I will probably never be part of this sort of thing but just a word of encouragement : This was a very nice presentation of the butchering process. God bless you all !
I enjoy anything you put out and learn something new a lot! Thank you! We just butchered 3 pigs for our families. My son raised them for his family. My youngest son and me. Nothing like home raised pork! God Bless!
Sandra Westley, I remember my Dad taking us to an abattoir when I was about 10 and my brother 8 yrs old, it did put us off meat for a while my Mum was horrified at the time because she didn’t know he was going to do that, but the one thing that upset us most was all the pigs crying as they were plunged into hot water to remove there hairs, I don’t think they were stunned this is going back 60 yrs, so what Al is doing is much more humane than what we saw as children.
You have done a great job in processing your pigs. Bring back memories of being raised on the farm and processing our pigs and chicken. sometimes we have a cow.
Al, as you say, “A bittersweet day.” You and Gina are exemplary homesteaders. You were kind throughout the lives of the pigs. Love the SawsAll with an SST blade. Brilliant.
I want to thank you for the humane dispatching. Also I learned a great deal about butchering, boy did you guys do a fine job with those knives. I would not have missed this adventure for quids. (from Australia)
we harvested 7 lambs this past spring we also process Our Venison it was one of the 1st thing we learned to do growing up because we always raised animals and Grew Gardens.
Tiny bit of a tease.....try not to break the counter top this year. The pigs looked great and the roasted bits looked delicious. Great friends, great food, and decent weather. Excited for the next building project. I do hope it is a multi stall barn. Jamaica Cottage Shop really is looking good on your homestead.
One of the most educational videos you have done Al. Most others would probably not show this side to the lifestyle you have chosen, but they were raised for food and I respect you for what you have shared with us all today and the clear way it was presented. Thank you.
Went pretty smoothly it seems.. thanks for the link to the book I’ll be getting one of those. I wish people would understand that our lives can only exist if something else dies . It’s just the harsh reality of our existence that applies to vegetarians as well
Thanks for showing this process. You're very brave to show this as many UA-cam channels will not cover because of the backlash from it. It brings me memories of my dad showing me how to skin a rabbit. Thanks again, bitter sweet day for you guys.
When we did pig raising every year it was the best tasting pork I ever had. Does not really compare to store bought. Miss it greatly. Hubby never got to experience it. I keep bugging him to get a couple of beauties for me so we can do it now but so far nothing. Thanks for sharing.
My Dad was a butcher and he taught me how. We used ( retired dairy farmers now) to do our own beef, pigs and chickens. Although we still buy a half a beef and pig and I cut them down. Wish we had a nice setup like you at that time. 😊🇺🇸
People don’t appreciate all the work that goes into being self sufficient! They don’t appreciate that there IS a connection to the animals you raise...most are too conditioned to go to the grocery store and buy the same meat that came from the same animals that went through the same process. Did you find raising winter pigs provided more meat than you could consume? It’s nice to see the help you had for the harvest!! And a great advertisement for ANOTHER use for the dewalt saws all!!🤣 What do you do with the hide Al? I can remember my dad and his old marine buddy roasting the head! Yep! Time to get settled in for winter! It’s colder than I expected...coming in too fast!! Thanks for sharing!! Oh, and that dinner looked DELICIOUS!
Very respectful of your livestock Al. My dad lives in Freedom, NH which is how I got hooked on watching your vids. While I was living up there we had a few pigs for meat. Every time I sat down to to a pork meal from Melissa (yes I named her) I would thank her for the meal and for giving her life so I could live mine. My dad did the same thing you do with his meat birds... he worked with 3 neighbors who each got their meat bird chicks a week apart. Then several weeks later they started having their butchering parties. One neighbor owned the plucker, one had the burner and pots... etc. And 3 Saturdays later everyone had their freezers filled with chickens! Must be a NH thing! Anyway thanks for allowing us to live vicariously through your videos. If I was younger I would be on a Homestead.
You explained the emotions involved in procuring your own meat well. Often times folks think that you don't value the life of the animals if you harvest them. Not so at all! When you are directly involved in the process you have a much much greater appreciation for the sacrifice made so you can eat. This makes you far more conscious about not being wasteful!!!
its amazing watching a bunch of guys that know what they are doing break down a pig...we do the same thing at our house when venison is needing to be broke down..everybody knows that they will be helping each other on their projects..that is what friends are for
You did a marvelous job of showing what has to be done without showing any of the yucky parts that us city slickers aren’t used to seeing. I will never be in a situation where I would need to know how to actually butcher a pig, but learning is always important to truly appreciate what you have and what others have done to make it possible. Thank you from Indianapolis, IN.
Those hocks etc. have so much meat!! They're beautiful!! It is sad to think of not seeing the pigs anymore. We sure loved ours. And yes we eat lamb! Love lamb! Can't wait to learn about the new project!!! Love you all!! 💖
We butchered our first hog this summer! I must say, you did a better job of it 😆 we have alot of curious looking roasts in our freezer 😄 great job guys!
I just had to watch Food Inc and write an expository essay on CAFOs for a college assignment so I REALLY appreciate this video as a comparison. There is a big difference between how you care for your animals and harvest them than what’s done to animals in factories. And I appreciate the reverence you have for taking the animals’ lives to nourish your family and the fact that your family tries not to be wasteful. I think videos like this are a good example of one of the alternatives to factory farming. It’s hard to see and process, but for all of us who eat meat, we need to see where it comes from.
i want to say thank you. As much as i enjoyed the pigs during the feeding videos, i knew their real purpose. While i was aware of meat harvesting, i had never seen it. This was a great learning view for me. While i do not raise any livestock, i know and understand what a farm is all about. I think the subject was treated respectfully and properly. Thanks for sharing you world with us.
My husband and our son were both in FFA in high school and were taught how do do this, I know some have reservations but to our family this is educational. Great video.
You did a great job with the video and it's great to see how many hands helped and why, now all most of us need to do a come over for B & E for B,L&T :)
The vast majority of farmers actually give their animals very good, happy lives and they do this right up to the last moment - making sure the animal never feels fear or knows what is coming. We are grateful for these animals and care about eliminating ALL suffering. You guys did a great job.
This video was very well done. Yep I knew this video was coming and had decided I was not going to watch. Still don't know why I did but I'm glad I did. You're very humane position toward your animals changed my position. What I mean is not one of your farm animals suffers. Glad I watched:).
This video brought back so many memories of my childhood. I grew up in a small town that had butcher shops in it, that actually processed the animals from their pen to the cooler. I would leave early for school every morning to see what was being processed that day and stick around as long as I could watching the butcher process the animal. After school, I would stop by and see if he needed help, usually cleaning the processing area. Not what I would call fun, but I learned a lot.
I'm from the great mpls. mn!!! Always full of weird weather! Trick or treating in the snow! Or no snow in December when I came home from University For Christmas! What gives?
Personally I like all of your videos they are informative and educational. I also really like the fun you interject into everything you do. You all just keep it so real. Thank you!
Really appreciate that you care for your animals and watching a listening to you we can see that. Most of us wouldn't know where to start doing this because we have become so relient on supermarkets for mass produced foods. I have been a vegetarian all my life but watching a different way of life gives a balance I think somehow..
Morning Al...What a perfect bitter-sweet day, weather wise, to do the necessary harvest. Those girls (pigs) were a great pair and it was so enjoyable to see them grow and enjoy your care during their life on the farm. Oh...I would stay clear of sheep right now. High Maintenance. I think maybe a beef steer if anything or maybe a couple of llama's for grins and giggles....but the focus should be on practicality.
Check out Greg Judi. He Runs cattle and sheep both, on his farms. Justin Rhodes does it on his homestead. It can be done, and done well. Just learn all you can first about their needs and likes.
I don't care for mutton, so I would stay away from sheep for ourselves. If you guys like mutton, go for it. I think sheep are easy to raise. Will you be butchering some of your goats?
It always fasinated by the difference between how we raised our pigs in the UK, and how it's done over the pond. For a start, we have two different slaughter weights for pork and bacon. Then there's the cuts of meat as a result of having smaller pigs dedicated for pork, and the larger weights dedicated for gammon and bacon.
@@davidhenderson3131 Black pudding was always a favourite in our house. The butcher who used to slaughter the pigs for us always did that part for us, and it never lasted long.
Great teamwork in the video! Good to see friends helping friends. We recently picked up our lamb for the freezer. It is delicious! We started buying lamb and goat at 4H sales at the fair a few years ago. It is a good way to support the hard working kids. We learned we loved the meat. This year we purchased our lamb from a former 4H girl. 85 lbs of meat! We cut it into steaks and chops and ribs. Wonderful. Next year we will buy two from her! Looking forward to lamb stew when the days turn cold.
This video sparked so many memories and I wasn't quite prepared for it. My grandpa came over to the US from Switzerland with his cousin, they were both just 16 years old. Grandpa was a butcher and worked as many jobs as he could. He sent money home to help his family and my grandmothers family (he left home at 11 yrs old because they couldn't afford to feed him) he also saved money to bring over his sweetheart and her mother. It took him 5 years to save enough money but he did it. He continued to send money home and brought over as many family members as he could. Everyone settled in Utah right at the base of the majestic Wasatch Front Mountains because it reminded them of home. Grandpa was always working so when I saw him, he was doing what you all are doing right now. Grandpa would talk to us while he worked and he would always remind us to Love the Lord.... Obey our parents.... Work hard.... Do good in school.... Set goals.... And be a good American. Every single time. In that order. I wasn't sure if I wanted to watch this particular video but I am so glad I did. Thank you for the flood of memories, I really needed them.
Your explanation of your process of killing & providing food for your family really made me tear up. You have such a gentle spirit & I can tell how much you love your animals. Your channel is such a blessing to watch. God bless.
Hello ALL! Good morning. Also, do you cook off the heads? There is a lot of meat in them. We made of course scrapple without all of the additives and it tastes good. Great video!! Brought back a lot of great memories of youth and dead family member's that are missed. ❤ from Pennsylvania🍁🍂
Informative video Al. You guys did great work of it. My family has until recently, had a processing plant for many years, sold and retired now. We, of course, had the big machines, so watching you and your friends do this process effortlessly with just the tools you used was very educational for the homesteaders doing this on their own homestead. Good job!
Congrats on the harvest. We enjoy your voiceovers at the end of videos and also during videos like this one. Could you find a way to make the voiceovers louder? It's consistently difficult to hear.
Thank you so much for letting us know about the butchering book. We just received ours in the mail today. Wow so much detail. This will come in very handy. My wife and I are butchering 2 pigs this weekend. Approximate weight is 324 and 344. Oh our aching backs.
I like “process” videos and by that I mean seeing how a thing is done, so this was interesting to me. My grandpa was a butcher when he was a young man! Also...lamb is delicious.
Al I love watching you talk. I did enjoy the video. Fast forwarded thru the first few minutes. My dad and mom used to raise pigs for our food so I’ve spent plenty of days out in the cold helping process them. They would build a fire and make lard. I can still remember the smell of the wood burning. That was all back in the 60’s and early 70’s. Love you guys.
Can you share more about the relationship with your helpers? Are those friends of yours? Do you also do the same work at each of their own homesteads too? Or do you pay your helpers by sharing the meat with them? Or do they just help out of goodness of their hearts? I’m curious how that works...it’s a lot of work and just curious if it’s some kind of bartering system you’ve worked out with them?
Karen... I'm thinking that Al helps butcher pigs (or other animals) on his friends homesteads in return for their help. And I bet if they raise different types of animals for meat, they trade.. *s
When I was growing up, the neighbors just helped out from the goodness of their heart during a hog killing. 3 or 4 hogs killed,..... You would have neighbors, black and white come over to help...and not ask for a dime. Just some good coffee, may be a little sausage cooked up for lunch or a homemade desert....and you would normally send them home with some home-made BBQ after a couple of beers were shared at the end of the day....or a few would stick around for horse shoes.
He answered this further down on the comments. They are fellow homesteader friends. Al stated that they did share some with them, and also helped their friends out when it came time to harvest their own.
A great episode, in the sense that you clearly and kindly explain what you're doing and why, and then show the process! Thank you, Al, Gina, Olivia, and pigs! When I have my homestead one day, you will be a model for me!
This was a great video al knowing where your food comes from and having the respect for the animals that provide the food for you is such an amazing thing , keep it up yall
It seems like you are deboning everything. Have you ever heard the saying the meat is sweetest at the bone? Some bone in roasts and even chops really does make it taste so much better when you are cooking it. But whatever works for your family. What wood pellets/chips/chunks are you using to smoke with and how long do you smoke it for? It really looked like a very light smoke when you took them off. Also gotta say that this video was very tastefully done. Enough shown to really get the idea of how its done, but none of the really gross stuff. Great job.
Omg. I cried. Seeing the gun and hearing the shot got to me. Don’t remember seeing that in last year’s video. It’s sad and understood at the same time. You guys cared wonderfully and know that’s gonna be nice rich and healthy food. Thanks for sharing.
This was fascinating! I've watched your other video when you dispatched your other pigs. And I was looking forward to this one. Loved watching it and the whole process again. Cheers!
Good Friday mornin Moose Crossing ... as far as I know, UA-cam has stopped sending notices to Gmail etc. You can see what videos you have by clicking on the bell at the top right of your UA-cam page. (not the bell by your subscription status). Yes AL, it always bittersweet during harvest time ... as it should be. Real people take responsibility for where their food comes from, and the dispatching job comes down to you. Well done on that count. There is nothing but respect for the animals by your family & friends. Take care AL, Gina & Olivia ... see you here tomorrow.
Harvest day for the pigs has arrived! It comes around so quick! You gonna get more pigs next time around? 4-6 pigs maybe? Love watching how people harvest their pigs differently all around the world. But there sure is a lot of joy in making bacon and sausages 😆😃
Al, again I must commend you on an excellent presentation. You and Gina are so organized, and thoughtful. I usually can’t watch these butchering vlogs, but your’s made me actually want to get involved!!!...I valued the cleanliness, and skills shown...Your friends are remarkable for just yearly backyard butchers...You all looked extremely professional....Good job...well done you!!!!!!!
The Book we use for Butchering amzn.to/36JrNPj
Do you not capture the blood to make black (blood) pudding? It looked like you bled them in the field.
@@martinwyke They have in the past ... don't know about this time. Take care.
Do you roast thwir ears for the dogs? Here in the uk they sell pig ears as treats and with the left overs from the chickens this time round could you grind it all up and add to your compost?
Just ordered it! Thank you!
Lamb is great, mutton not so much. Some people are really sensitive to the slaughter of young animals- see the hoo-ha about veal...
I think that every school in the country should have classes about where the food comes from in the grocery stores. Kids need to understand the work it takes and that animals are grown for food. So much food is wasted. A little knowledge could help prevent it. You are doing a good job feeding your family. Have you considered making kielbasa and other smoked ssusages? It could add some new variety to your winter meals
Videos like this one should be made for school viewing. ALL students would benefit, vegan, vegetarian or omnivores they would all learn how it SHOULD be done and how animals can be cared for and also utilised for food.
I think with the way things are going they should be teaching survival skills to our kids that’s what I’ve started doing by teaching him gardening and preserving we live in town but have one of the biggest yards .392 or .395 acres I could have a coop but then I’d get fined from the Borough.... so we might get some rabbits 🐇 🐰. Mainly for fertilize but I’m losing my job so it could end up being for food!!!
Unfortunately, when manufacturing and trade skill work was sent overseas to maximize profits for corporations, the plants began to shut down here in the United States of America. Shortly after, wood and metal shops were deleted from the junior and senior high curriculums. Schools began to lean towards "tech" teaching in our schools, leaving behind the most essential knowledge a young child or teen could learn early on in their development. They even removed "Home Economics". These were all classes that (in my opinion) very few teens "skipped" class on, because it was actually teaching them something they could use right out of high school. Plus, it was fun, what they thought about all day and the highlight of their day.
I remember taking my wood or metal projects home to show "what I did in school" and my parents being both amazed and proud. Also, taking what I learned in home economics home and making it for my mom, dad and siblings, and them loving it. Nothing was more satisfying.
@@chrisgreen177 🇬🇧 Exactly. The fact that some of these lessons can't be used for a paying job is irrelevant as lots of people "Do it Themselves" round the home in later life to save expenses and much of what they have learned comes in useful. And many of these kinds of lessons use math etc.
I'm agreeing with everything you guys say but I'm still not going to watch this video 'coz I'm squeamish. Take Care everyone.
The only issue is, this isn't where meat really comes from. Here we have animals raised with care, on a real farm no care is taken other than the $ at the end. Animals are raised by one person and shipped off to be slaughtered by another only to be cut up by a 3rd. What is demonstrated here is like building a NASCAR car, in reality almost no one drives one vs a Toyota Camry. I agree, knowing where one's food comes from gives one a sense of what it takes but what they've done vs commercial farms is night and day.
I nice man once said, "they had a fantastic life...with one bad day!" So true. Yall do love your animals!! Total respect.
So, so much better to be dispatched at home; never knew what was coming.
Well said! I feel the same. I've always hated harvesting but when you look at nature in the wild..... Then look in your freezer.... You get over that one bad day too. 😉
You are so respectful of your animals. You are so blessed to have friends to help get the job done!! Bitter sweet for sure. ❤️
Great vlog Al! Excellent job on the presentation! For those 176 “thumbs down” or “dislikes”, why even watch the video? You read the title, Al’s intro was informative so you knew what you were about to watch. There is nothing about this video to “dislike”. Again, great job to Al, Gina & the helpers!
Excellent video. You showed respect and compassion to your pigs.
As a hunter who processes his own venison, I really appreciated your pig butchering video. Most people buy meat from the grocery store without ever considering the fact that someone had to process it for them. Very informative, thank you.
A good intro, after watching your videos no one should doubt how much you care about your animals
Al, I believe that most of your viewers watch because you and your family decided to take this journey into homesteading in order to live a more meaningful, fulfilling life, filled with purpose. You show your viewers the good, the bad and the ugly of what your hard work brings. To see how you fed these pigs and were thrilled at their growth, then how you quickly and humanely put them down and butchered them was well done. For those who want to take on this life, it gives them a first hand look at what is required to be self sufficient, then each viewer gets to make their own decision as to whether or not this is the life that they want to live. I admire all that you are doing, with your enthusiasm and joy for what you grow and create on your farm. It is truly inspirational to watch the bounty your homestead provides. Keep up the great work!
Having the outdoor kitchen must be such a blessing.
We harvested our hogs about a month ago. We were worried about showing too much of the harvest on our UA-cam channel due to people being upset with the slaughter part of it. I think we did a good job with our video as well. you did a very good job showing your harvest. Very humane. So grateful for our hogs and the food they provided for us this year. Our video is on our channel Perry Hill Farms if you are interested in see how we did ours here in South Alabama. Love watching your families journey.
You and your family are beautiful, and your viedo is very respectful of your viewers. I enjoyed the vid.
Thank you, love to you from Fl.
Great job! Nothing better than raising your own, And especially processing your own animals.
Al, Gina, Always good to get a reminder of where our food comes from. Most of us are strangers to the meat and poultry that we eat. Well done. No stress in these animals. Regards Stephen.
Great overview of the process. My dad worked in the meat department of Safeway in the 50s and 60s, and then was a meet inspector in the processing plants as he got older. I visited the plants where dad worked processing beef and pork, so I got to see all the steps it takes to process the meat we eat. I remember my 6th grade science project where I took pig organs to class. The heart, lungs, liver, and kidney are human-like. The teacher and class liked it - really educational. I have been watching your videos since the early goat barn build. You are showing what it takes to setup a homestead - years of work and planning. Most people today do little planning- they assume they can go to the store every few days and get what they need. The year 2020 has shown the value of planning ahead.
I'm just starting a homestead i dont have any animals yet but watching you is going to help me out alot when I do get them
I didn't want to watch, but I felt like I had to. It was a sad day for the pigs, but I know you gave them a good life, and you did the whole thing very respectfully. Also a good job explaining each step of the process. Very valuable information for other homesteaders who need to know how to do this.
Kudos to you and your family for having the determination and drive to map out a healthy lifestyle in a farm environment. Your pig harvesting presentation was very well done. You showed just enough detail in the butchering process and I didn't once get the urge to change the channel. Thank you for sharing and bon appetit.
New Zealand Spring leg o lamb was a favorite in our family for many years. Hey! If you do decide to grow sheep you could also harvest the wool and sell the carded wool to needle felt fiber artist like me. (smile). Whatever you do, we all know you and Gina will do it with gusto. Happy homesteading.
Thanks for all these Apple Sun music...from toddler to school age (mid 70s to mid 80s), i grew up listening to these...just gold.
Al, I think your balance in what you show is perfect. Your life style and work ethic is a flag wave foryour kind of american culture
Very respectfully demonstrated. Thanks for the tips about the saw.
Hi guys, this was a very respectful video. Its shows how much you look after your animals and care for them, even at this end of their journey with you, well done. I am sure the meat the comes from these two will be much nicer and more healthier than any supermarket offerings. The only missing pieces from this explanation for me are what you do with the skins and offal. Then if in the US, "home" butchers are required to have the organs tested for illness or disease before the meat is consumed (which is a requirement in New Zealand for some animals). Take care Kiwi
Hi Al, Michigan here. Watching you and your family over the last few years, I believe you and Gina have (and are still learning) the perfect dance. You, Gina and your sweet daughter, Olivia are a reminder of home values that are missing today. Thanks for sharing!
It’s all part of your homestead! This has going on forever and I would rather eat the meat on your homestead any day. You guys are truly a blessing when it comes to all of your animals! Don’t change a thing 👍
Good morning all you happy campers - Al, your channel is the first thing I watch in the morning as I work, writing a new novel. The way you live reminds me so much of how I was raised. I lived on a farm that had virtually no engine-driven farm equipment - we did it all by hand. We couldn't afford them. I also worked on other farms to earn money for our family. We didn't shot our hogs in the head, we stuck them with a knife. It was fast and easy allowing for a fast bleed out. After dunking them in a 55-gallon tank of scolding hot water we had to de-bristle them with a metal scraper that in some ways reminded me of a horse grooming tool. We learned young how to butcher, smoke, and put up meat. Most were canned as we didn't have a freezer. So hats off to you and your family for keeping us all grounded on where our food really comes from, that is before we buy it at the Farmer's Market or in a chain store. God bless you all. p.r.morehouse - author
I will probably never be part of this sort of thing but just a word of encouragement : This was a very nice presentation of the butchering process. God bless you all !
I enjoy anything you put out and learn something new a lot! Thank you! We just butchered 3 pigs for our families. My son raised them for his family. My youngest son and me.
Nothing like home raised pork! God Bless!
It’s important for me to see this. Part of life and part of taking care of our families. Great vid
I wasn't sure I was going to watch this video but I agree it is important to understand where our food comes from.
Sandra Westley, I remember my Dad taking us to an abattoir when I was about 10 and my brother 8 yrs old, it did put us off meat for a while my Mum was horrified at the time because she didn’t know he was going to do that, but the one thing that upset us most was all the pigs crying as they were plunged into hot water to remove there hairs, I don’t think they were stunned this is going back 60 yrs, so what Al is doing is much more humane than what we saw as children.
You have done a great job in processing your pigs. Bring back memories of being raised on the farm and processing our pigs and chicken. sometimes we have a cow.
Al, as you say, “A bittersweet day.”
You and Gina are exemplary homesteaders. You were kind throughout the lives of the pigs.
Love the SawsAll with an SST blade. Brilliant.
I want to thank you for the humane dispatching. Also I learned a great deal about butchering, boy did you guys do a fine job with those knives. I would not have missed this adventure for quids. (from Australia)
we harvested 7 lambs this past spring we also process Our Venison it was one of the 1st thing we learned to do growing up because we always raised animals and Grew Gardens.
Great video. This is a part of real homesteading that most "youtube homesteaders" won't ever experience
Tiny bit of a tease.....try not to break the counter top this year. The pigs looked great and the roasted bits looked delicious. Great friends, great food, and decent weather. Excited for the next building project. I do hope it is a multi stall barn. Jamaica Cottage Shop really is looking good on your homestead.
I thought that when they were juicing their tomatoes.
One of the most educational videos you have done Al. Most others would probably not show this side to the lifestyle you have chosen, but they were raised for food and I respect you for what you have shared with us all today and the clear way it was presented. Thank you.
Went pretty smoothly it seems.. thanks for the link to the book I’ll be getting one of those. I wish people would understand that our lives can only exist if something else dies . It’s just the harsh reality of our existence that applies to vegetarians as well
Thanks for showing this process. You're very brave to show this as many UA-cam channels will not cover because of the backlash from it. It brings me memories of my dad showing me how to skin a rabbit. Thanks again, bitter sweet day for you guys.
When we did pig raising every year it was the best tasting pork I ever had. Does not really compare to store bought. Miss it greatly. Hubby never got to experience it. I keep bugging him to get a couple of beauties for me so we can do it now but so far nothing. Thanks for sharing.
Al and Gina, you have great friends. You all are truly Blessed.
My Dad was a butcher and he taught me how. We used ( retired dairy farmers now) to do our own beef, pigs and chickens. Although we still buy a half a beef and pig and I cut them down. Wish we had a nice setup like you at that time. 😊🇺🇸
When you smoked the hocks, all I could think of was Senate Bean Soup with northern beans, onion, celery, ham bone or hocks salt and pepper. Love it!!
People don’t appreciate all the work that goes into being self sufficient! They don’t appreciate that there IS a connection to the animals you raise...most are too conditioned to go to the grocery store and buy the same meat that came from the same animals that went through the same process. Did you find raising winter pigs provided more meat than you could consume? It’s nice to see the help you had for the harvest!! And a great advertisement for ANOTHER use for the dewalt saws all!!🤣
What do you do with the hide Al? I can remember my dad and his old marine buddy roasting the head! Yep! Time to get settled in for winter! It’s colder than I expected...coming in too fast!! Thanks for sharing!! Oh, and that dinner looked DELICIOUS!
Very respectful of your livestock Al. My dad lives in Freedom, NH which is how I got hooked on watching your vids. While I was living up there we had a few pigs for meat. Every time I sat down to to a pork meal from Melissa (yes I named her) I would thank her for the meal and for giving her life so I could live mine. My dad did the same thing you do with his meat birds... he worked with 3 neighbors who each got their meat bird chicks a week apart. Then several weeks later they started having their butchering parties. One neighbor owned the plucker, one had the burner and pots... etc. And 3 Saturdays later everyone had their freezers filled with chickens! Must be a NH thing! Anyway thanks for allowing us to live vicariously through your videos. If I was younger I would be on a Homestead.
You explained the emotions involved in procuring your own meat well. Often times folks think that you don't value the life of the animals if you harvest them. Not so at all! When you are directly involved in the process you have a much much greater appreciation for the sacrifice made so you can eat. This makes you far more conscious about not being wasteful!!!
its amazing watching a bunch of guys that know what they are doing break down a pig...we do the same thing at our house when venison is needing to be broke down..everybody knows that they will be helping each other on their projects..that is what friends are for
I just love your channel, it's so interesting.
Gooood morning
You did a marvelous job of showing what has to be done without showing any of the yucky parts that us city slickers aren’t used to seeing. I will never be in a situation where I would need to know how to actually butcher a pig, but learning is always important to truly appreciate what you have and what others have done to make it possible. Thank you from Indianapolis, IN.
Those hocks etc. have so much meat!! They're beautiful!! It is sad to think of not seeing the pigs anymore. We sure loved ours. And yes we eat lamb! Love lamb! Can't wait to learn about the new project!!! Love you all!! 💖
That outdoor kitchen is worth its weight in gold!
We butchered our first hog this summer! I must say, you did a better job of it 😆 we have alot of curious looking roasts in our freezer 😄 great job guys!
Lori Reintsma it was the same for me my first time but now I’m better at it. You get better every time.
Curious looking roasts. XD
Bet the curious looking roasts taste good as any. Good job.
Why does this roast taste like ham...LOL
my first butchering job was just that, but it all tasted great.
I just had to watch Food Inc and write an expository essay on CAFOs for a college assignment so I REALLY appreciate this video as a comparison. There is a big difference between how you care for your animals and harvest them than what’s done to animals in factories. And I appreciate the reverence you have for taking the animals’ lives to nourish your family and the fact that your family tries not to be wasteful. I think videos like this are a good example of one of the alternatives to factory farming. It’s hard to see and process, but for all of us who eat meat, we need to see where it comes from.
Very tastefully done . This is part of homesteading. Thank you.
i want to say thank you. As much as i enjoyed the pigs during the feeding videos, i knew their real purpose. While i was aware of meat harvesting, i had never seen it. This was a great learning view for me. While i do not raise any livestock, i know and understand what a farm is all about. I think the subject was treated respectfully and properly. Thanks for sharing you world with us.
I’m glad you showed this part of rural or self sustaining life it’s realistic.if do you like meat you have to be honest and show the harvest.
My husband and our son were both in FFA in high school and were taught how do do this, I know some have reservations but to our family this is educational. Great video.
You did a great job with the video and it's great to see how many hands helped and why, now all most of us need to do a come over for B & E for B,L&T :)
The vast majority of farmers actually give their animals very good, happy lives and they do this right up to the last moment - making sure the animal never feels fear or knows what is coming. We are grateful for these animals and care about eliminating ALL suffering. You guys did a great job.
This video was very well done. Yep I knew this video was coming and had decided I was not going to watch. Still don't know why I did but I'm glad I did. You're very humane position toward your animals changed my position. What I mean is not one of your farm animals suffers. Glad I watched:).
This video brought back so many memories of my childhood. I grew up in a small town that had butcher shops in it, that actually processed the animals from their pen to the cooler. I would leave early for school every morning to see what was being processed that day and stick around as long as I could watching the butcher process the animal. After school, I would stop by and see if he needed help, usually cleaning the processing area. Not what I would call fun, but I learned a lot.
83 in MN today, then it cools off...crazy. Gina please watch him with the knifes, we all know what he did with the nail gun..LOL
I'm from the great mpls. mn!!! Always full of weird weather! Trick or treating in the snow! Or no snow in December when I came home from University For Christmas! What gives?
It's because we like variety in our weather. We are seldom bored!
Personally I like all of your videos they are informative and educational. I also really like the fun you interject into everything you do. You all just keep it so real. Thank you!
I grow up with dancing headless chickens! So its interesting to see you harvest the pigs! Love and zen hugs from Texas!
When I was four or five I'd run screaming around with the headless chickens at my neighbor. They had a kid about my age.
Great to see the harvest went so well! We'll be doing ours the second week of November this year.
Really appreciate that you care for your animals and watching a listening to you we can see that. Most of us wouldn't know where to start doing this because we have become so relient on supermarkets for mass produced foods. I have been a vegetarian all my life but watching a different way of life gives a balance I think somehow..
I just LOVE watching you guys process your foods, thank you for allowing us to be a part of it all♥️
Morning Al...What a perfect bitter-sweet day, weather wise, to do the necessary harvest. Those girls (pigs) were a great pair and it was so enjoyable to see them grow and enjoy your care during their life on the farm. Oh...I would stay clear of sheep right now. High Maintenance. I think maybe a beef steer if anything or maybe a couple of llama's for grins and giggles....but the focus should be on practicality.
Heritage sheep breeds are much lower maintenance than commercial sheep breeds.
Check out Greg Judi. He Runs cattle and sheep both, on his farms. Justin Rhodes does it on his homestead. It can be done, and done well. Just learn all you can first about their needs and likes.
I don't care for mutton, so I would stay away from sheep for ourselves. If you guys like mutton, go for it. I think sheep are easy to raise. Will you be butchering some of your goats?
Very cool that you have great friends to help you out. Awesome that you all can help each other out with harvesting!
It always fasinated by the difference between how we raised our pigs in the UK, and how it's done over the pond. For a start, we have two different slaughter weights for pork and bacon.
Then there's the cuts of meat as a result of having smaller pigs dedicated for pork, and the larger weights dedicated for gammon and bacon.
That's quite interesting!
and no black pudding send them a resapie
@@davidhenderson3131 Black pudding was always a favourite in our house. The butcher who used to slaughter the pigs for us always did that part for us, and it never lasted long.
Great teamwork in the video! Good to see friends helping friends. We recently picked up our lamb for the freezer. It is delicious! We started buying lamb and goat at 4H sales at the fair a few years ago. It is a good way to support the hard working kids. We learned we loved the meat. This year we purchased our lamb from a former 4H girl. 85 lbs of meat! We cut it into steaks and chops and ribs. Wonderful. Next year we will buy two from her! Looking forward to lamb stew when the days turn cold.
Hey Al, how much usable meat did you guys end up getting from the two pigs?
Fabulous video, very informative!
Lumnah Acres said in an earlier reply 180lbs each.
I love watching you no matter what you are doing. I learn more everyday.
I’m one that doesn’t like to see these things but you did an amazing job. I able to watch the whole video . It was very educational. 👍
I want to see all of it... but, I've done it before! This was a beautiful job, and great teamwork!
This video sparked so many memories and I wasn't quite prepared for it. My grandpa came over to the US from Switzerland with his cousin, they were both just 16 years old. Grandpa was a butcher and worked as many jobs as he could. He sent money home to help his family and my grandmothers family (he left home at 11 yrs old because they couldn't afford to feed him) he also saved money to bring over his sweetheart and her mother. It took him 5 years to save enough money but he did it. He continued to send money home and brought over as many family members as he could. Everyone settled in Utah right at the base of the majestic Wasatch Front Mountains because it reminded them of home. Grandpa was always working so when I saw him, he was doing what you all are doing right now. Grandpa would talk to us while he worked and he would always remind us to Love the Lord.... Obey our parents.... Work hard.... Do good in school.... Set goals.... And be a good American. Every single time. In that order.
I wasn't sure if I wanted to watch this particular video but I am so glad I did. Thank you for the flood of memories, I really needed them.
Your explanation of your process of killing & providing food for your family really made me tear up. You have such a gentle spirit & I can tell how much you love your animals. Your channel is such a blessing to watch. God bless.
Good morning Al! Pigs are beautiful! Always a wonderful video!
I RESPECT YOU FOR GIVING YOUR ANIMALS AN AMAZING LIFE WITH ONLY ONE BAD DAY.
Hello ALL!
Good morning. Also, do you cook off the heads? There is a lot of meat in them. We made of course scrapple without all of the additives and it tastes good.
Great video!! Brought back a lot of great memories of youth and dead family member's that are missed.
❤ from Pennsylvania🍁🍂
The pigs did a great job for you! Congratulations! Great video! Thank you for sharing.
Al, what happened with the prosciutto leg from last year? Haven't seen anything about the cold room in a while. Is that still in use?
Informative video Al. You guys did great work of it. My family has until recently, had a processing plant for many years, sold and retired now. We, of course, had the big machines, so watching you and your friends do this process effortlessly with just the tools you used was very educational for the homesteaders doing this on their own homestead. Good job!
I spent a few Christmas dinners eating whole, ground roasted pig. Hawaiian and Cuban style pork is delicious!
That's awesome! Thanks for the link to the book! Just ordered it!
Congrats on the harvest. We enjoy your voiceovers at the end of videos and also during videos like this one. Could you find a way to make the voiceovers louder? It's consistently difficult to hear.
Thank you so much for letting us know about the butchering book. We just received ours in the mail today. Wow so much detail. This will come in very handy. My wife and I are butchering 2 pigs this weekend. Approximate weight is 324 and 344. Oh our aching backs.
I like “process” videos and by that I mean seeing how a thing is done, so this was interesting to me. My grandpa was a butcher when he was a young man! Also...lamb is delicious.
Al I love watching you talk. I did enjoy the video. Fast forwarded thru the first few minutes. My dad and mom used to raise pigs for our food so I’ve spent plenty of days out in the cold helping process them. They would build a fire and make lard. I can still remember the smell of the wood burning. That was all back in the 60’s and early 70’s. Love you guys.
Can you share more about the relationship with your helpers? Are those friends of yours? Do you also do the same work at each of their own homesteads too? Or do you pay your helpers by sharing the meat with them? Or do they just help out of goodness of their hearts? I’m curious how that works...it’s a lot of work and just curious if it’s some kind of bartering system you’ve worked out with them?
Karen... I'm thinking that Al helps butcher pigs (or other animals) on his friends homesteads in return for their help. And I bet if they raise different types of animals for meat, they trade.. *s
Yes I’m curious too 🙂
Al does say at @26:28
When I was growing up, the neighbors just helped out from the goodness of their heart during a hog killing. 3 or 4 hogs killed,..... You would have neighbors, black and white come over to help...and not ask for a dime. Just some good coffee, may be a little sausage cooked up for lunch or a homemade desert....and you would normally send them home with some home-made BBQ after a couple of beers were shared at the end of the day....or a few would stick around for horse shoes.
He answered this further down on the comments. They are fellow homesteader friends. Al stated that they did share some with them, and also helped their friends out when it came time to harvest their own.
A great episode, in the sense that you clearly and kindly explain what you're doing and why, and then show the process! Thank you, Al, Gina, Olivia, and pigs! When I have my homestead one day, you will be a model for me!
Vegetables have lives also. That's a part of life . Something has to be a sacrifice to keep others alive. It's the hole part of the circle of life.
U smoking rocks😂😂😂
This was a great video al knowing where your food comes from and having the respect for the animals that provide the food for you is such an amazing thing , keep it up yall
It seems like you are deboning everything. Have you ever heard the saying the meat is sweetest at the bone? Some bone in roasts and even chops really does make it taste so much better when you are cooking it. But whatever works for your family.
What wood pellets/chips/chunks are you using to smoke with and how long do you smoke it for? It really looked like a very light smoke when you took them off.
Also gotta say that this video was very tastefully done. Enough shown to really get the idea of how its done, but none of the really gross stuff. Great job.
Omg. I cried. Seeing the gun and hearing the shot got to me. Don’t remember seeing that in last year’s video. It’s sad and understood at the same time. You guys cared wonderfully and know that’s gonna be nice rich and healthy food. Thanks for sharing.
Love how the goats jump up on the table for milking
This was fascinating! I've watched your other video when you dispatched your other pigs. And I was looking forward to this one. Loved watching it and the whole process again. Cheers!
Good Friday mornin Moose Crossing ... as far as I know, UA-cam has stopped sending notices to Gmail etc. You can see what videos you have by clicking on the bell at the top right of your UA-cam page. (not the bell by your subscription status). Yes AL, it always bittersweet during harvest time ... as it should be. Real people take responsibility for where their food comes from, and the dispatching job comes down to you. Well done on that count. There is nothing but respect for the animals by your family & friends. Take care AL, Gina & Olivia ... see you here tomorrow.
I have watched other blogs of farmers killing pigs and butchering but, your setup is very professional.
Harvest day for the pigs has arrived! It comes around so quick! You gonna get more pigs next time around? 4-6 pigs maybe? Love watching how people harvest their pigs differently all around the world. But there sure is a lot of joy in making bacon and sausages 😆😃
You know what more pigs would mean?.....Bigger freezers! 🙂
@@rachelm7525 or just more freezers;)
Though I don’t eat pork, I learned so much watching this! Will be quieter on the homestead till spring 🤷🏼♀️
Al, again I must commend you on an excellent presentation. You and Gina are so organized, and thoughtful. I usually can’t watch these butchering vlogs, but your’s made me actually want to get involved!!!...I valued the cleanliness, and skills shown...Your friends are remarkable for just yearly backyard butchers...You all looked extremely professional....Good job...well done you!!!!!!!