Cutting and wrapping: Pork Life

 Today we cut and wrapped our pigs. It was an educational process to say the least. Let's talk money first. 

Slaughter day: $75 per pig - this includes kill, skin/scald, gut and cut into halves

(Wait 5 days)

Cut and wrap day:

Pigs are weighed. This is hanging weight. 

 $0.57 per pound of hanging weight to have butcher cut and wrap for you. 

$0.43 per pound to have butcher cut and you wrap.

(Meat goes in giant freezer to be transported and to prevent getting too warm. A day later, non-cured meats are frozen solid and ready.)

Smoke fee: $50 per pig - ham, bacon

To smoke additional meat is extra. Smoked meat takes 5-10 days additional time. 

We were taxed on smoke fees but not on any services. 

You are asked how you want the pig cut up now. This is by far the hardest part. You can research this all you want but when you get in there you will suddenly have no clue what you are talking about.

I am going to draw a chart so I can simplify where these cuts come from, what they are used for and what kind of cut variety you can get from one hog.