CHAPTER XXVI 

 HOME-CURED PORK 



I have often wondered why more farmers who grow pork for 

 the market, do not take up the business of a farm packing plant 

 on a small scale. I am sure pigs and hogs of different weights 

 could be slaughtered on the farm; the products cured in the good 

 old home way, and sold to local stores or markets for better prices 

 and better profits than could be received for live weight. I feel 

 certain that a farmer who would prepare for this work could profit- 

 ably market a high class article of all pork sausage something that 

 cannot be found in a butcher shop. He should take great pains to 

 make this as perfect as possible, just as he would make it for his own 

 family. Put it up in attractive packages of one, two or five pounds 

 each, and furnish one or more of the best groceries in the nearby 

 city. Or the farmer could send out small sample packages to the 

 better class of citizens in the city and he soon would build up a 

 retail trade that would astonish him, and at prices much above 

 anything sold by the butchers. 



Further than this, the hams could be home-cured in a sweet 

 pickle or mild cure and smoked as they should be, slightly, rather 

 than be cured "while you wait" with chemicals, and smoked with 

 creosote dressing. There is no more delicate morsel than a farm- 

 cured ham from a young pig of about 200 pounds. There is a great 

 demand for such hams during the winter season, without any smok- 

 ing whatever. I personally like this kind of curing better than 

 when smoked, but hams cured in this manner would not keep dur- 

 ing the long summer months. The older hog, with the exception of 

 the spare ribs, should be made into sausage. There would be little 

 fat pork in light young hogs, but older ones could be finished for 

 this purpose from which extra fine fat pork could be furnished, as 

 well as a very choice quality of home made lard. Pickled pigs' 

 feet, head-cheese and souse could be easily introduced to the fancy 

 trade. 



The main thing is in starting this business and going at it with 

 the determination to build up a business. I believe a farmer could 

 hardly raise enough hogs and pigs in a year to supply the demand 

 for the fancy pork products that he could put up, as the consump- 

 tion of pork products is constantly increasing from year to year. 

 We must remember that every morning there are over three thous- 

 and new mouths to feed in America, and practically every one of 

 them to eat the product of the American hog and enjoy it. Meat 

 production increases wealth, and the grain products of the farm 

 can all be utilized in the production of high-class pork. We have 

 no animal of greater economic value than the pig; he matures 

 quickly and brings ready returns. If there was no money in pork 



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