The fire is lit
We are both showered
I have a cup of tea
The plates are warming
Martin has gone to collect a take away
It has been a week end of hard work
The Turkey shed is now empty
If you are squeamish don't progress any further
This week-end we had to get the turkeys done,
along with the normal chores
we were in the barn working away listening to Christmas songs on the radio.
Martin was on catching and killing duty
He did them one at a time brought them into the barn
and tied them up
I was chief plucker washer, weighing bagging and pricing
Martin also did the gutting he also helped with the plucking
We finished the task at 7pm this evening
Cleaned up the kitchen and barn
My finger tips hurt, my hands ache my shoulders ache
Its a great feeling that its all done
The biggest of the Turkeys was 16lb 8oz and that was collected this afternoon.
The others are all going back with Martin on Tuesday we have customers for them.
The smallest 7lb 7oz we are putting in the freezer.
Tired and very satisfied that we are putting some lovely meat on friends tables this Christmas
they have a nice layer of fat on them, they have been raised outdoors, no medications have been needed, they have all been healthy and problem free.
The rest of my week is free, all gifts are made and wrapped, no Christmas shopping to do
I might get some greenery brought in and decorate ready for the holidays.
Good job! We did turkeys last year and it was a lot of work! How old were your birds when you butchered?
ReplyDeleteThey were 8 months, very easy to rear the hard works comes at the end :-)
DeleteWe did turkeys for a couple of Christamass years ago and geese another year. I found it all a bit much at a busy time of year (I was working full-time too) and we haven't done it since.
ReplyDeleteMind you we are looking forward to a large leg of homegrown pork on Christmas day to go with the turkey a friend has bought us.
It is hard work but a nice little earner as well and if you want to earn money you have to do the work, :-)
DeleteI hope that you have a good and relaxing rest of your week in the run down to Christmas and then a great Christmas too. A lot of hard work, but they had a good life! Enjoy the takeaway! Happy Christmas! xx
ReplyDeleteThey did have a good life outdoors plenty of food shelter and the sun on there backs when it shone :-)
DeleteYears ago Dan's grandparents reared turkeys. One Christmas they used so much steam during the plucking all the wallpaper peeled off the walls.
ReplyDeletewe didnt use any heat just plucked them warm
DeleteYou are amazing. Have a good rest this week and relax a little. Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI dont know about amazing, if you would have seen me at the end of the day looking like something the dog had dragged in from under the hedge :-)
DeleteA good job well done, if you decide to have geese next year I will order one now. Enjoy a rest and get some cream on those hands.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking perhaps some geese but as of yet undecided :-)
DeleteBeen years since I cleaned and plucked a turkey. I have never raised them sure used to hunt them around here. That was a good looking bird from the pic.
ReplyDeleteGratz
You gonna raise some more next year?
undecided what we are raising next year yet :-)
DeleteIt's always a great feeling when every thing is done and all that is left is to relax.
ReplyDeleteIt is yes although it dosent yet feel like Christmas :-)
DeleteI hope your week is fun and relaxing after a busy weekend.
ReplyDeleterelaxing it is :-)
DeleteWell done, you more than rose to the challenge. Lovely healthy birds and I bet they will be blardy good eating too. I need to sort out out Christmas Day feast yet so off to Dewi's at Ffairfach - venison has been requested.
ReplyDeleteGo and play with your new embroidery machine now - I think you have more than earned it!
I have been playing with it at rest times :-)
DeleteI know the feeling well! Haven't reared any for five years now, but went to market on Saturday and bought a load that needed drawing. (Had a trip to casualty yesterday as a result). The worst bit used to be the wing feathers...needing a good pair of pliers and some brute force and ignorance! Purchased this years cheaper than we could have reared them for...but I used to know exactly what they'd eaten and more importantly hadn't! X
ReplyDeleteI think if everyone had a go at drawing and plucking they wouldnt waste a thing off the bird, it makes you appreciate the meat a lot more
DeleteNow that must have been a lot of work, but the sense of satisfaction must be high within you and your husband. Well done, and now have a lovely rest!
ReplyDeleteI am sort of twiddling thumbs at the moment
DeleteHat's off to you both and, congratulations!
ReplyDeletethank you
DeleteThat must be very satisfslfying, a job well done. How wonderful to have sold them all too. Enjoy the bird in the freezer!
ReplyDeleteWe wont be eating it until some time in the new year I am looking forward to it :-)
Deletewow how nice to know where your food comes from and that it is chemical free!
ReplyDeleteYes no medications no chemicals just pure meat :-)
DeleteWell done, that is fantastic, I wish you lived closer to me, I'd love a turkey from someone I know. We're still debating which cock will go in our house and how to kill him. We'll still have two this time next year no doubt.
ReplyDeleteno if I had known could have done one the week before and sent it by courier, there are plenty of you tube videos on how to do poultry :-)
DeleteLovely turkeys :-)
ReplyDeletePs. Thanks for the book Dawn, it arrived yesterday x
good hope you enjoy :-)
DeleteCan I ask how many turkeys you did in the one session and how easy/difficult it was to hand pluck? Did you scald them first? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWe did 12 turkeys, they are easy to pluck while still warm that is why we did one at a time, no need to scald, a lot easier than ducks to do. it took about 20-30mins to pluck each one, the hardest bits were the tail feathers and the wings, needed a pair of pliers for those.
Delete