May 7th, 2008

I took a day off from work and went to visit my ailing Uncle Jim. Cancer is such a terrible disease. It has two of my family members in its grasp now. Both of them are going to succumb to this horrible disease. After visiting my Uncle Jim, I went and visited some of my other family in Lawrenceburg, TN. I took a ride with my Cousin's husband Jeff Purcell who owns a garage in Ethridge. He does some fine work on vehicles at a reasonable price if you ever need it. He also goes to antique tractor pulls and actually places well. I think every tractor he owns is older than mine and starts faster than my VW. I was asking Jeff about the Amish community around Lawrenceburg and he said they have a lot of land around Ethridge, TN. Needless to say we took a ride through the country. If you have never been to an Amish community it is well worth seeing. They do not use electricity and ride a horse an buggy everywhere. Their houses are a simple white with red barns. They are a deeply religious community and you can sure tell it. They actually will slaughter, scald, de-hair, and block a hog for $16.50. For a dollar more they will actually give your pork chops as well. Compared to a packing plant this is downright dirt cheap. The catch is they don't start until November when the weather cools down. That will fall perfectly into my plan for making sausage and my own country hams.

I went back through Columbia and met my Dad at the farm and we sprayed a couple of deer food plots to plant this weekend. I stopped by and got a few pics of the pigs for you to see. I had to get in the pen and run them around to get a pic worth anything. I have found that they are content to lay around in the shade all day long. Tomorrow is bringing rain so that should help them make a wallow pit at the bottom near the pond.

Let me introduce "Sausage". He is a Duroc that I picked up for $25 dollars at a neighbors. He is living the life right now. When I got him he was abandoned by the owner with his friend "Biscuit" in a barn. They are now in an area 100 times the size with plenty of fresh water and grazing away on corn and greens. I am glad I was able to help them. I know it sounds strange that I am going to eat them anyway, but I think they should have the best life they can until that day comes.
















This is "Sausage" and "Biscuit" hanging out.















I will be back at work tomorrow and probably tied up until the weekend. I hope the contractor gets back from vacation Monday to give us the price for remodeling the farm house. I hope to add some pics as we go along.