IMH 75:2 151-152

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

Monday January 3rd.

The day was about as yesterday rather cloudier and a little
warmer. We made a good deal of preparation, rigging up a
swinging-pole to scald and hang with, and killed two of our
hogs. We swung our pole to the elm tree this side of the shop.
We got done before one o'clock Father had the horses hitched
to the bob sled and went gallopading up to the old church at
Bethlehem, where he got four of the long logs of the building.
He had a little trouble with them but got home before three
o'clock. John Kivett(11) came home with him bringing home the
sausagemill apparently as sound as when it left here contrary
to the recorded prophecy. ( note: journal entry of December 28)

Teaching note; The butchering the hogs on the farm was a common practice for years.. and is still accomplished on some farms in Morgan County and other rural areas in Indiana. Conner Prairie living history farm practiced that at one time.. I use to take my classes there to see it..many groups of kids standing around hugging each other and crying over the poor hog...maybe the discontinued that. The scalding was done in a huge kettle or tub and was for the purpose of removing the hair form the hide of the hog... done by scrapping. One can also "skin" a hog. I have actually done that on the Fred Dillon farm by Monrovia Indiana when we were butchering a hog for the barbeque at reception of my son to Fred's grandaughter..quite an experience to be in the midst of four future in-laws... all bearing knives.

I think the point is evident here about the self-suffiency of the rural farmers of that era.. and even today in some instances.