On this day Belly was purchased by a coworker and killed on the farm.
I was going to buy him to secure an on farm kill I would be completely in control over.
This was a quick decision made today and was not what I wanted or expected but the best was made and I was able to quietly unload him from the trailer, weigh him (198lbs), and scratch him while the shooter gauged shot placement. I stood up, walked behind the shooter and Bellys short life was over.
I miss him already.
Didn't get a chance to do snout prints or feed him my jars of carefully selected acorns just for him...but he was killed on the farm which for a spoiled boy was just what I wanted.
I totally understand how difficult this is Meredith, and I thank you for not making light of it, trying to act all tough about it, or posting pics of the whole thing. Your perspective is very honest and realistic for people who have not been part of raising animals for food, and I've felt the same way as you about some animals. Belly lived and died in a respected manner,which means a lot though. Raising animals for food is never easy, and their endings are not so much happy as bittersweet, that is for sure.
ReplyDeleteHot Flash expressed my thoughts better than I could have myself. I think you are an amazing, brave young woman.
ReplyDeleteValerie
I know how difficult this must be for you. Even though I eat meat, I could never raise animals for food - I would get too attached. You are a very brave woman. I appreciate your respect for animals and not being flippant about it. The death of an animal is sobering whether it is a pet or not. HotFlash does have a good way with words and expressed my thoughts exactly as I would have liked.
ReplyDeleteCorrection..298lbs. I guessed 300lbs. he would have gotten there overnight with the acorns I had in store for him.
ReplyDeleteI would like to post pictures but am to sensitive to the thought of callous viewers. I only have a few because the process was very quick but I think they hold educational value as well as valuable memories and process understanding and acceptance. maybe I will or maybe I will hold off for a personal scrapbook. the way I see it, there are endless tutorials and photos available online, I feel at this point I would be exploiting him rather than visually contributing to a well thought out reflection.
*wish he had been shot in the field laying down eating. it's a little more work to move a dead 300lb animal to the scale than have it walk there, but heck...I was about spot on, no scale necessary.
what's the difference between obsessing over how it didn't happen vs analyzing room for improvement? ugh.
Still, it was quick, and he didn't have to leave home.
ReplyDeleteI just want to hug you.
ReplyDeleteA crying selfie?? Are you serious?? What is wrong with you???
ReplyDeleteEven JW has never sunk this low and trashy. Ugh.
Nope...sorry to disagree...J has sunk much lower and on a much grander scale on times too numerous to even think about mentioning.
ReplyDelete