tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post8450503529276515795..comments2024-03-26T10:01:18.135-04:00Comments on Living the Frugal Life: Days of Yard WorkKatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-33606931935661451772008-11-04T06:41:00.000-05:002008-11-04T06:41:00.000-05:00Alison, it's not so much that I *do* slaughter my ...Alison, it's not so much that I *do* slaughter my chickens myself; it's that I *will* slaughter them myself, with help from my husband. This is the first year I've kept chickens. So it's the first year I've faced this issue. I'm not looking forward to it, but I have been mentally preparing myself for it for months. <BR/><BR/>I think I'll be okay with it. I've been a meat eater all my life. If I can't slaughter these four hens, I've got no business eating meat. I haven't even looked into having anyone else do it. For four laying hens, I can't imagine that the expense of having a professional come and do it at my home would remotely make sense. I'm looking at the slaughtering and butchering as just another set of self-sufficiency skills I want to develop. Definitely not the most pleasant tasks around the home, but necessary ones.<BR/><BR/>As for the apples, the stem should snap off the woody branch when twisted or when lifted upwards along the branch. If a woody section attaches to the stem when you tug off an apple, you're pulling next year's buds off the tree, reducing the crop for next year. When the apples are ripe, this doesn't happen; they practically jump into your hand. At least they do with our tree. Also, you'll notice a significant number on the ground at that point.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for stopping by!Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-56605556063714063032008-11-03T12:49:00.000-05:002008-11-03T12:49:00.000-05:00Do you slaughter your chickens yourself, or will y...Do you slaughter your chickens yourself, or will you have a "professional" do it for you? I'm curious, because I've always wanted chickens for eggs and, although I eat meat, I've never thought I've had it in me to do the actual slaughtering myself.<BR/><BR/>Also, about your apples... how do you know they're ready? I was waiting for the apples at my sister-in-law's rental house to ripen, but didn't visit for two weeks, and now have reports that most of them are on the ground. I guess that means they're ready! (But are the ones on the ground useable? I'll have to make a trip over there to check - probably a few, as I'm going to make applesauce)Alisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06930063125203710694noreply@blogger.com