10 FARMER'S BULLETIN 80$. 



marketing plan of this kind is more adaptable to some sections 

 than cooperative shipping. 



MARKETING FARM-CURED MEATS. 



Experience has shown that it is practicable for the average south- 

 ern fanner to cure the pork needed for home use. The possibility of 

 marketing hogs in the form of cured meats also is worthy of con- 

 sideration. Local conditions will determine the extent to which 

 this may be practiced. It depends largely on the opportunity open 

 to the farmer to dispose of his hogs, alive or as dressed carcasses, 

 at satisfactory prices to local shippers or butchers or otherwise. 



In many communities the only market for the farmer with a 

 small number of hogs is the local retail butcher, and ordinarily 

 he is oversupplied with dressed hogs and other fresh meats dur- 

 ing the winter months. Under such conditions curing meat on 

 farms for market may be practiced profitably, as the meat can be 

 held until prices are favorable. Farmers in many localities are 

 employing this method successfully, notably in Brooks County, 

 (la., where it has been an important feature of the farming oper- 

 ations for 25 years. A ready local market is provided in the 

 South for farm-cured meats that are handled properly and cor- 

 rectly trimmed and cured. The meat may be sold to wholesale 

 grocers and local retail butchers or to private customers. In the 

 latter case, shipments consisting largely of hams, bacon, and sausage 

 may be made by parcel post or express. 



Tt is not intended to discuss in this bulletin the methods of cur- 

 ing meat. This work demands careful attention on the part of 

 the farmer, especially when he does not have refrigeration. A 

 great deal of meat has been lost during the curing process because 

 of weather conditions, However, if the following important pre- 

 liminaries are observed, and the rules for curing followed carefully, 

 the amount of spoiled meat may he. reduced to a minimum: 



1. IV certain that the animal is healthy and in good condition. 



L'. Kn -p hou-.s oi'f f>ed and with plenty of accessible water for 24 hours pre- 

 vious io killing. 



'!. !'' Kur<> ihe animal dors n<>! b:-<-ome heated previous to slaughter. 



1. fir sure the carcass is chilled thoroughly or cooled out before the meat is 

 <'a i up ! u !>( inn in! ) rure. 



". f'ul ail pier-cs uniformly and irim all raji^ed ed.iros carefully. A ham or 

 pi'-" (.i Itacoti which \< a 1 1 ra<-i ivcly shaped is more salable than one which is not. 



I>oeau-e of climatic conditions in the Southern States, particularly 

 th" fin 1 !' Stale-, some form oi' artificial refrigeration will aid and 

 safeguard Ihe riirinn 1 process. This may be supplied by a private 

 meat fiiriuir house .-.n the farm or : >\ a community meat-curing house 

 or ] y taking the moat to a local ice 1 plant lo be cured. 



It; -i te-t conductor! in a .--m-ill meat-curing house in southern 

 (/corgi a . it was estimated that the cost of curing the meat was not 



