do you think about the cow when cutting and carving?

[Kevin King]

Just wondering if anyone else thinks about the cow when cutting and carving all the cool stuff we make?

[BruceGibson]

Yep. I prefer my cow medium rare.

[Guest]

I think about em every time I grill their butt for dinner, grind them into burger and make pretty pictures on their sides.

[bruce johnson]

Kevin,

Yep, I think about them constantly, as in, will it ever rain here so we don't have to feed? Why did my son decide to buy a few bred cows to trade? Well, we did have some feed then and they were cheap. There are a couple of allied threads considering our bovine hide donors in the "Off Topic" section. One has to do with the best steaks, another is suggested bumpersticker slogans for meat producer groups to consider. I drive a card-carrying "Beef - It's What's For Dinner" stickered pickup. I come from a cattlefeedin', packer buyer, upper midwest family, and my son is an auctioneer/cattle buyer.

[Go2Tex]

I don't think about the cow while I'm working with leather. My mind is too occupied with the task at hand but I do hope that all slaughtered animals be dispatched as quickly and painlessly as possible.

We owe them that much, don't we?

[Hilly]

I don't think about the cow while I'm working with leather. My mind is too occupied with the task at hand but I do hope that all slaughtered animals be dispatched as quickly and painlessly as possible.

We owe them that much, don't we?

I think we owe them that much. Doesn't necessarily work that way once they arrive at the slaughter house, though. I know a man that used to work for a slaughter house that did about 1,000 head per day, and he was the man behind the "trigger" - the guy that actually did the deed. I eventually asked him to please stop telling me stories. Really bugs me when I think about it... I'm really glad I'm not a cow or a veal calf.

[Johanna]

I don't think my children look at a herd of cows in the field and think "Steaks and blankets!" because of our society's Wal-Mart mentality and plastic packaging. I've heard it said that the only part of a cow that isn't used is the "Moo!" Thanks, Kevin!

Johanna

[Phil]

Just wondering if anyone else thinks about the cow when cutting and carving all the cool stuff we make?

I've always wondered if plants scream when we kill them for consumption, but we just can't hear them. Hmmmm?

Actually, I'm thankful for both. Just food for thought.

[CitizenKate]

I've always wondered if plants scream when we kill them for consumption, but we just can't hear them. Hmmmm?

If that were true, then PETA would definitely have to take a square stand against food altogether. I vote they get to be first in the no-food line.

Actually, I'm thankful for both. Just food for thought.

No pun intended, roight?

Kate

(Did I get the acronym right this time?)

[yaklady]

I think about my yak every time I look at his hide in the living room or his skull sitting in the snow, and when I'm cooking up a delicious steak for dinner. I think to myself, "I'm so glad you're not still in my pasture, you rotten bull!" I almost wish I had gotten his hide in veggie-tan so I could beat on him!

Aren't I heartless?? :deadhorse:(pretend that's a mean yak bull)

[greg gomersall]

Now-Now we shouldn't be bashing PETA. In fact anyone involved in the livestock sector in any way (including leatherworkers) should be card carrying members. Serious. Don't it stand for People Enjoying Tastey Animals. Greg

[gunfighter48]

People Eating Tasty Animals

[Pip]

I work on an urban farm over here and I find it terrifying that children don't know what they are eating... I am also a member of the bushcraft fraternity and can almost feed myself without intensive farming for short periods (without Wal-marts help!!!). I have asked the question when standing in front of our turkey pen and having introduced our animals, where does your turkey christmas dinner come from, I got three answers 1) my mum,2) Asda (wal-mart) and 3) bernard matthews. The same group were flabbergasted when I told them you can eat duck and turkey eggs (the didn,t believe they layed eggs). We don't have enough room for cattle, but our sheep produce fine fleeces (and finer meat) great horns (between 2-5) but children don't understand that lamb is young sheep. I was told by an 8 year old its grown in a factory in blue tubs and they put sellophane on it to keep it fresh.

I have the view that (unfortunately is not shared by the government) that if an animal is killed for food I should use any peice for something, this country does not support that belief and doesn't allow animal products to be removed after slaughter (horn, sinew, bone etc). Its rediculous.

Ooops better get off my soap box.

I do think about the cow/animal in answer to your original question and hope it had a good quality of life before it was slaughtered and its death wasn't too painful, after all bad animal practises don't just effect the animal but its worth in produce.

[Cora]

I also hope that the animals had a good quality of life before they hit the butchers knife. It makes for far less blemishing on the hide. Not to mention what is nicer than a tender steak.

I also have talked to people about where their food comes from and I am shocked when I get some of the responses from them like it comes from the grocery store and this is coming from adults not children.

Cora

[Kevin King]

Ok, this is all getting a bit too deep for me...i was just kinda thinking that when i am working on a project, i am thinking that this piece of leather was once walking around in the rain. Though, we would be kinda screwed without the cow. We get alot from them.

[Romey]

Everytime i think about a cow i think ... Sigh.....mortgage

[pepin1948]

My folks used to raise ostriches. People would say "how can you kill something you've raised" and Mom would say "it's not a pet, it's meat" or something to that effect. Ostriches are NOT nice birds, the adult male tried to kill my mom once. Every time she looked at him she wanted to see him on her dinner plate. BTW, ostrich is very yummy.

As to the cow, I really don't think about it when I tool it. I look at the piece and think to myself: "what does this piece of leather want on it?" I guess THAT'S weird....

[Kevin King]

"what does this piece of leather want on it?"

spoken like a true artist.

[Skipknives]

Q: how can you tell the difference between steer and horse meat when you go to a restaurant.

A:when you swallow, as it gets half way down, yell "WHOA" if it stops,,,you know if it once wore a saddle

[Cora]

Or you can still se the whip marks from where the jockey was hitting it!

Cora

[rdb]

My uncle was a country lawyer. He often took trades in lieu of payment. He once got a steer as payment. He called him "Sir", as in Sirloin.

[Mike]

Just yesterday at work a cow was being branded. I was heard to mutter something like 'watch where you brand it, I may need that leather one day'.

[Billsotx]

Last week I was up by the highway cuttin' weeds and a convertible drove by with the top down, there were four cows on board - a heifer drivin'. All four gawking at me and making mooing sounds. I got the tag number, called in and checked vehicle registration. The car was registered to a Gary Larson ... lol!

[outcast]

Gee, they all do have mamas don't they? I grew up on a small farm in Michigan. Everyday I milked cows (by hand), and pitched shit into the spreader. We ate as much beef, venison, & pork as we wanted. When I was about 8 my dad took me to the slaughter house, and we watched one of our cows as it was killed, skinned, & hung. I didn't really like watching the killing, but as soon as it was hung I seen it as food. Now that I'm getting older (57), and have killed many, many deer, and tasty creatures, I realize that I still don't like the killing. I do still enjoy going to the market, and picking out a good steak though. Even more so I like working with #1 grade veg tanned leather.

Steve

[firefly67]

Yeah, I do think about the animal (cow, buffalo). I hope it didn't suffer during its life or at the ending of it - though I don't know how that latter is possible. I think the Native Americans had the right idea when they made a prayer to the spirit of the animal before they hunted it or slaughtered it. I think about that especially when I get a new piece of buffalo leather (my favorite) or when I have a nice big buffalo roast cooking in my crock pot. We are all animals together on one little planet, and if I'm going to use another animal's hide, I want to honor its sacrifice by doing the best work I can with it. Hope that doesn't sound too sappy! Mostly I look at the leather & start imagining 'what will this become?'