Butchering

***Warning***

This post is not for the weak of stomach.

Brother Duford said we made a boring job fun. 

As a favor, Don Duford, a retired butcher and pastor of the Mennonite church, agreed to butcher a few goats yesterday. A month or so ago, Brother Byler traded his milking goats for four goats for meat. Brian selected one of his ten-month-old goats for our freezer. I declined the opportunity to witness and document the first part of the procedure, but headed over to the Bylers after Kendra informed me that the deed was done. 

As Brother Duford cut the meat, I scribbled notes about the cuts and order.

Cuts:

Front legs are for roast or burger

Back straps are for roast or butterfly steaks

Neck is for roast or stew meat

Back legs are for steak or roast

Tenderloins are for steak or roast

Everything else is for burger

Order:

Back legs

Front legs

Tenderloin

Neck (saw off)

Ribs (saw from tail to head)

Back strap

Burger

Pieces to be ground into burger

End...

              and beginning

~ Happy New Year ~

Little house

My cousin, her husband and family are visiting from the southern part of the state. Our house is full of three little girls in dresses. They hauled out the pretend food and little plastic table and chairs to feed their babies, and they played dress-up in bonnets and aprons. Watching them reminded my cousin and me of playing "Little House on the Prairie" on Grandma's front porch. We dressed up in aprons and bonnets. Sometimes Aaron played with us--he got to be Pa and wear boots and smoke the bubble pipe.

Smiles

My brother and his family followed miles of expressway through Pennsylvania, across Ohio, to Michigan, and arrived at Grammy's (Rhoda's) house early in the morning of Christmas Eve. All of the grandparents, aunts and uncles agree that Kaelyn is one of the cutest babies we've ever seen, and we are thoroughly enjoying their visit. I've espeically missed Judith since they moved to Pennsylvania in November, and am cherishing time with my friend.

Selah

Contemplation 

Photo credit: Naomi Cook

Truck stop

Naomi in the driver's seat

It warmed up enough yesterday afternoon to melt the ice on the expressway, and we were able to meet our truck driving uncle at a truck stop near Ann Arbor. In search of a place to sit and talk, we drove to the mall, which reminded me of a zoo. Betsy and Julie did find a couple of good-looking guys, though. It was too noisy and busy for visiting, so we ended up sitting in our fifteen passenger van, eating cookies and listening to Uncle Keith's morbid "I had a friend..." stories. It was dark when we returned to the truck stop, but we still were able to climb in and over Uncle Keith's bobtail (without a trailer) truck before we headed north again. 

As we walked through Macys, Uncle Keith said he could hear his Mom saying, "Now Keith, don't touch anything. Keep your hands in your pockets."

Betsy and a good-looking guy

Julie and her friend

Libby and Betsy on the back of Uncle Keith's truck

Dad peeking through the window into the cab

Year of the goat

Brian gave away two goats this year...

Brian put a bow on Little Man and presented him to Libby.

 

Brian told Joel he was going to give Kaelyn a pet goat, and he did.