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PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE

Written by Merilyn Stewart

My parents and both maternal and paternal grandparents were farmers….
Mutton was the mainstay of meals on most farms…
Sometimes my family produced chicken or turkey or pork graced the table.
A sheep would be killed for meat as necessary. The kidneys, tongue heart and brains would be cooked for the family.
The liver and kidneys would be sliced, fried with butter and onion, and usually eaten with eggs for breakfast.
The brain would also be fried, and the tongue would be boiled, sliced and eaten cold. Brawn was a popular item during summer. As a child I enjoyed them without a second thought…now - not so much!
Some families boiled the sheep’s head for the tongue, meat and eyes. Mum used the tongue but not the eyes!!
Pork!
One year in the 1960’s we were killing a pig for Christmas. All hands were on deck…it is a big job. The water was boiling in the 44 gallon drum, we had our Vacola lids ready (the sharp tin edge pretty well perfect for scraping pig hair off the skin); the cradle and hoist was ready.
Dad went to get his gun.
His method was simple: pour food into the trough, slip the barrel of the gun into the ear of the pig and pull the trigger.
All went well but when the shot rang out two pigs dropped dead…the one next to the target dropped dead of fright! So now the family had two to scour and dress!!
That’s how Dad earned the nickname “Annie Oakley” for a while!!

DONALD & BARRY STEWART
SKINNING A SHEEP 1936              #1
 
An interesting piece from “Bread Jam and Hidings by Joyce Reid Shiner:
"Dad could never kill an animal in cold blood. He would sharpen the knives and sit there smoking saying ‘Poor brute’ until Mum nagged him out of the house and off to do it in a rage.
He said he could never slaughter a poor innocent sheep until he got his blood up.
Mum would be waiting for the heart and liver of the sheep to cook for tea and sometimes, she said, it was still jumping when it went into the pan.
The head would be the first thing used the next day; skinned, cleaned and boiled. The tongue and brains were usually
Mum’s delicacy but getting the eyes out was her dilemma.
She would shudder as she gouged them out with a strong table fork, saying, ‘Oh isn’t it awful!’”

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References:                 Article:        Merilyn Stewart
                                                   Joyce Reid Shiner

                                  Image:      1       Merilyn Stewart

 


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