do you think about the cow when cutting and carving?

[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?'

[richclickerdies]

If you think of the cow ! think of it as the head of the food chain.

[rgerbitz]

I think of the cow most times when I'm working with rawhide that I have made. I get my hides from a local meat locker that only processes for individuals. They always tell me who's farm the critter I get came from. Some of I know and I've even fed a few of em. Its cool to me to be able to see the animal I'm working with.

[oldgringo]

I have been taught that certain parts of the hide are used for certain parts of a saddle and also other types of tack. So I think about what part of the cow hide I am cutting and what part of the saddle it will be for. Sometimes I also think about a charolais cross cow that broke a transverse lumbar process off my spine. So not only is beef good to eat and hide good to make things from but it's also revenge.