The sounds of gunfire indicated that the steer and hogs were being shot and it was butchering day. The animals were hung to bleed out and soon the tables were set up and ready to accept the halves of meat to be cut up.
Removing the innards and separating the heart, liver, and tongues began the process. These parts were put in pans of cool water. Expert hands begin cutting away roasts, steaks and soup bones. These were all separated into packages and ready to be frozen. Scraps of meat were ground into hamburger and sausage. The fat from the pigs was cut into cubes to render down for lard and cracklings.
We did not have a freezer so packages of meat were taken to town and placed in lockers for freezing and storage. Some of the meat made into sausage was stuffed and, with hams and bacon, hung in the smoke house which was ready.
This was a long day of intense labor and when finished there was also the cleanup of tables and equipment used.
The highlight of the day was having fresh pork side meat for supper.
