"May 29, 1995: Greta, Nancy and I to cemetery in morning to put out flowers. We ate dinner at the Legion Hall. Too wet for Nancy to set out any of the flowers. She left for Lincoln about 5:00.
May 30, 1995: Arlene R. brought eight chickens that I had ordered.
May 31, 1995: I planted some petunias in the planter.
June 1, 1995: I finished the planter and set out the impatiens.
I imagine those chickens were already butchered. I've said it before and I'll say it again -- it makes quite an impression on a little girl to see her cookie-making, hug-giving grandmother grab a chicken and lop its head off with not so much as a moment's hesitation. I can still see the stump with the two nails in it to put the neck between. I can also clearly see headless chickens running and flapping around. Once I got over the initial shock, I think I was pretty game for the rest of the butchering process. There's nothing quite like the smell of singed pin feathers at the gas stove or watching the contents of gizzards revealed. Ah, the good ol' days. Well, sort of.
Not surprisingly, I have no photos whatsoever of chicken butchering time. But here's one that shows generally the area where all that took place; not in the backyard but beyond a bit. Of course, that's Grandma and Aunt Irene painting screens.
We just started back with chickens this year. Using my grandmother Nannie's brooder house. Its nice to have fresh eggs and around 25 roosters to butcher. Nice brown eggs from pullets that get to be outside in the fresh air and run around. JIm
ReplyDeleteHow timely -- I got two nice ducks eggs this morning. The very first from my ducks that were hatched 9/1/12. I hope there are many more eggs to follow, but I do just have the four. And I am not sure that all are hens, but it is looking that way so far.
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