Chicama Run Family Farm

I will start by saying this is NOT the blog post you want to read if you are sensitive to this sort of thing. Remember, we raise our animals for meat so they have that purpose here.

I was not raised butchering animals and being around animals that were being butchered. In our neighborhood we had horses and the dogs running around. That's it. Chicken came from the grocery store as did steak and whatever else we ate. Yes, we had the fish that people caught, but that was usually catfish caught in the Shenandoah River, when you could still eat the fish, or the occassional smoked rock fish I believe, served with crackers at a party. Rabbit never crossed my mind to eat and believe it or not, I never thought of eating venison. So you can say that I have come a long way since then as far as my food choices and knowledge goes. Butchering though is a totally new experience.

Starting with my first turkey, Joe watching from the garage, as this animal would not die was hillarious - but he was a damn good Thanksgiving dinner!! Otherwise my animals have gone to the butcher - I didn't need to watch everything. Chickens have become second nature with butchering, I don't really think about it anymore while we are doing it - we just do it. Rabbits though have fur.... so this is new! They aren't ugly like the meat chickens - and I still think about cute and furry animals.

I have now butchered 6 rabbits. The first 2 were actually pretty easy and I was thrilled with that. So when it was time to do the next 4 I didn't think anything of it. 20-30 minutes I figured and we'd be done. 2 of us were doing this - 1 to kill and I would clean and gut. Perfect. Oh was I wrong!!!

First, to kill the rabbit, you hit them on the back of the neck. It's SUPPOSED to be instant as it breaks the neck and you are good to go. However, if you miss or don't hit hard enough... well.... ummm....

Rabbit #1 this week - hit on the back of the neck.... but it wasn't dead - the neck was broken - I could feel it - but it was still trying to hop!!! Oh good lord.... now I needed to cut the head off..... it IS dead - it couldn't survive the broken neck so please remember that. It has already been humanely killed. I start to cut and it screams. I jump and tell the person working with me to make it stop!! I am laughing and he's afraid I'm going to start crying (I'm not I was just in shock). I finish cutting and debating if I am going to continue this or not!! "BE FREE RABBITS" is running through my head. But no, this is just a fluke and I made a commitment to this and really want it to work.

Rabbit #2 - nothing like the first one so we are good. I'm happier though my heart is still racing a little from it. Skinned and I am starting to clean it out.... it's twitching... that's just freaky on a whole other level!! Yes this happens with every living thing - you all know the stories of a chicken running around with it's head cut off - well rabbits apparently twitch. It LOOKS like the heart is still beating (which it's not).

This week was definitely one to remember with butchering. Am I going to continue? Yes, I am. I'm raising the rabbits for meat. I know what is involved and what it's going to take. Does it still creep me out? Heck yeah - I am not immune to it at all!!! But knowing what could happen I believe helps me out and will get me through this.

Yes, this story is one for the books.......

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