January 4
Deboned, netted and ready for cure
We found ourselves behind on meat processing, and I found myself off work for 12 hours today, so I decided my time would be best spent processing a couple of deer that were in the cooler. Some of the hunters around us had some luck with bows and muzzleloaders late last week. JD got a small buck with his bow. I got his deer processed and one for a customer. Since we had a successful hunting season this past deer season, and we have plenty of venison in the freezer for the coming year, we decided to try something new with one of the hind quarters. I have been told that cured venison “ham” is excellent. We have never cured anything but pork, so we have no idea what to expect. However, since we have hams and bacon curing anyway, we are trying a venison “ham”. I prepped it today by deboning, trimming, netting and coating it with its first layer of cure. We are switching from Morton’s to a product from Walton’s. Morton decided to discontinue their sugar cure, much to our disappointment, so we had to find an alternative. Hopefully, by the time we do the next pig, we will have our recipe for cure, but we simply did not have time to research the ingredients/ratios. I will be sure to update in a couple of weeks when the venison “ham” is complete and we have had a chance to sample the finished product.
I have failed to introduce the newest addition….or re-addition….to the family. Meet Mr. Fluffy Pants! Mr. FP was born here on the homestead, and given to a friend and her family 2 or 3 years ago. He has been a member of her family and was very loved by her and her children. Recent changes in their home, and Mr. Fluffy Pant’s obsession with walking all over antique tractors, led her to look for a new home for him. I had been debating getting a house cat to help keep mice in check, so I decided to let him move back home. 😉 I wasn’t sure how this would work out, as he has been mostly outside the past few years, and had not been introduced to a litter box. When he first arrived, I placed his food and water beside the litter box, and made sure the first place he got familiar was the litter box. He spent the first day hiding behind and under the sofa, and I never once saw him go to the litter box, or his food and water. Needless to say, I was nervous about leaving for a 48 hour ambulance shift on the second day he was here, but it would be the ultimate test. I was relieved and excited to find, upon my arrival home, he had eaten his food and obviously used the litter box. I have not found any signs that he has used any other area as a potty. I am so glad that he is so smart. I hate mice….those destructive creatures can ruin so much and waste so much food! I hate putting out poison with children around, and a dog that loves to come in and spend time with the family. I believe Mr. Fluffy Pants is going to work out just fine! He has even warmed up to us, making my grandson say he might actually become a “cat person”. Mr. FP seems to have developed a liking to my lap while I drink my morning coffee.
So happy to see Mr. Fluffy Pants happy and being a good cat. He’s an outstanding mouser!