Comments on: HOG BUTCHERING DAYS & CRACKLIN’ CORNBREAD

By: Charles N Sandra Keys

Charles N Sandra Keys — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 20:14:48 +0000

In reply to Joann Turner. Hi Joann, Barbara is a wonderful writer. She does such a good job. Thank you for the comment! ~Blessings~

By: Joann Turner

Joann Turner — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 02:19:41 +0000

In reply to Patricia Neely-Dorsey. Terrific poem! So descriptive of the event, I can see the hog hanging and the men scraping it down.

By: Charles N Sandra Keys

Charles N Sandra Keys — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 01:24:21 +0000

In reply to Joann Turner. Hi Joann, I sure can relate to you. We raised and killed hogs all during my youth. My dad made our sausage and like you said, it was the best! We butchered them and mom and my sisters would fix the biggest dinner that day with fresh meat. We would help him cut up the parts and salt them to hang in the Smoke house! It was wonderful times now gone by. And as with your dad, mine is rejoicing in Heaven with the angels! :)

By: Joann Turner

Joann Turner — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 01:03:54 +0000

We had many hog killings when I was growing up! My dad was the one to make the sausage and he knew just how to season it! I have never tasted sausage as good as my dad’s. It was terrific! Of course hog killing is a forgotten art I suppose and my dads in heaven singing with the angels. So no more of his sausage or cracklins!

By: Patricia Neely-Dorsey

Patricia Neely-Dorsey — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 11:34:18 +0000

HOGKILLING TIME
There’s a chill in the air
And holidays are near,
Thanksgiving’s just ’round the bend;
There’s a feeling amongst country folks …
That’s absolute prime,
Everyone senses it’s hog killing time.
Oh what a spectacle!
Oh what a show!
You’ll find nothing like it,
If you look high and low.
From sunup to sundown,
It lasts the whole day;
And once it gets started,
Horses couldn’t pull you away.
Everyone has his own part to do,
With all the commotion,
It feels like a zoo.
The poor victim for this occasion
Has long been picked out,
And soon will become food,
From his tail to his snout.
There’s a shot and a squeal
And he’s out for the count;
A cut of the throat,
And blood spews like a fount.
In a barrel of hot water,
He’s cleaned and de-haired;
Amongst all the men,
This giant task is shared.
A skillful knife separates all parts of meat,
Including pig ears, pig tail, land pig feet.
The women’s task is always chittlin’s to make.
There’s a boatload of goo and muck
They must rake.
When night time falls,
All surround the black pot;
Where the oil is bubbling,
And boy is it hot!
Pieces of skin are stirred with a surge,
And after some time,
Crisp cracklings emerge.
Sweet potatoes are roasted,
Right in the fire;
And of these simple treats,
No one ever does tire.
When it’s all finally over ,
And the day is all done;
The grown-ups are weary,
But the kids just had fun.

#hogkillingpoem

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By: david combs

david combs — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 02:27:47 +0000

thanks for the menorys done this with my dad and granda

By: Karen

Karen — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 02:09:30 +0000

I enjoyed the article. It reminded me of the stories my dad would tell me about hog killing.

By: Linda

Linda — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 01:04:54 +0000

Thank you so much for writing and sharing this article. It sure brings back memories . I’ve been in a few hog killings . That was quite a few years back. But it is one of those memories that stays fresh in your thoughts. God bless you as you write and share . many are and many more will be touched by your writings.

By: Helen Embry

Helen Embry — Sun, 24 Nov 2013 15:01:38 +0000

I enjoyed reading tis posting. Although I’m from a different state & time, it made my heart warm.

By: Patty Blackwell

Patty Blackwell — Sun, 24 Nov 2013 13:19:16 +0000

When I was a young girl in Henderson county ,N.C. My grandpa John Hoots and Mirty Corn killed hogs for extra money in the fall and winter. Us kids looked forward to it all year. They had a set up under a huge oak tree. A big wash pot , to boil water in to dip the hogs in to scrape and clean them. We knew we would have fresh loin for breakfast with grits , eggs ,and biscuits . We never had pork chops. We had back bones and ribs. My dad would conserve it as long as he could . Then it was next year to look forward to. The women would render the lard. We would get a treat then. Pork skins. And cracklings. For cornbread. That with milk was wonderful. No worries about fat, ect. It was so good.

By: terry swaney

terry swaney — Sun, 24 Nov 2013 04:07:27 +0000

what a great storie, i do hope this come’s out in a movie…thank u so very much for shareing your storie with us !! i hope i can get me a copie of the book !!!

By: Valrie Thrash

Valrie Thrash — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 15:11:02 +0000

I can remember my dad & brothers gathering the wood to put underneath the HUGE washpot that would be used bright & early the next morning. Daddy would get up & have the water scolding hot by the time neighbors, uncles & aunts got here (i say here bc i have retired recently to our family home place, that has been in our family for over 200 years) We would always kill at least 4 hogs at a time, but one day my dad decided to
kill 8, man you talking about a days work, but there were always laughter,
jokes & reminiscenting of days past as the day went by. The women
would prepare & wrap the meat as the guys brought it to them.I remember stuffing homemade sausage, my dad sugar curing the hams, & waking up to that wonderful aroma. It would put a smile on my face bc I knew there would be ham, red eye gravy, eggs & homemade biscuits when I got to the table. I grew up in the best community where neighbors helped each other made NO difference if you were black, white, pink or purple. Yes that was the good ole days for sure.

By: Charles N Sandra Keys

Charles N Sandra Keys — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 13:45:45 +0000

In reply to Deanna Horsley Dyer.

Hi Deanna, you are starving me to death. We called it red eye gravy. Man, those were the best days. Killin’ Hogs and mom fixin’ it fresh from the hog!

~Blessings~

By: bear

bear — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 15:06:07 +0000

In reply to Shirley G.. if I could spell I coud tell you a lout about hog killing souse meat.

By: Shirley G.

Shirley G. — Sun, 10 Nov 2013 07:01:21 +0000

I remember my father and grandpa butchering hogs. I remember the big vat of hot water to scald in. My grandpa always made head cheese for various parts of who knows what. I thought it was awful. Those were the days when everything but the squeal was used.

By: Deanna Horsley Dyer

Deanna Horsley Dyer — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 21:48:42 +0000

I remember these days well when I was growing up on the farm. My Dad’s cousin would always come up and help him butcher. There was nothing to compare to the taste of fresh ham, biscuits, gravy and red eye sop. Most people have no idea what red eye sop is. That was the life fresh ham, tenderloin and bacon. I still love jowl bacon, none better. You just brought back a great memory.