This is the second part of a series of the memories of Uncle
Jack Costello about life on a farm in eastern Washington in the
early twentieth century. You can read the first part here.
Family farm diet ran heavily to pork because it was easier to
preserve. Due to the lack of refrigeration, beef and poultry had
to be fresh. Hog butchering was scheduled for cold weather when
the natural cold helped prevent spoilage. Ultimately, the hams,
shoulders and bacon were hung in the smokehouse to be cured by
smoke and salt. Nothing was wasted. Feet were pickled and head
cheese made from the boiled head. The family kitchen became a
sausage factory as freshly ground meat was mixed with spices and
forced into its casing (intestines). Meanwhile, a battery of
large utensils filled the oven for the purpose of rendering fat.
This project netted white lard which was stored in 5-gallon cans
for the year’s supply “Crisco”, or the necessary ingredients for
homemade soap. Overall, while butchering was hard work, it often
took on an