It was a whirlwind start to the day yesterday, up at 5-30 don't know why its just when I woke up, by 9am everyone was fed, watered and poo picked, washing on the line and dinner in the oven
Lancashire hot pot, the first two lambs were slaughtered at the week end, there is lots of cut off bits that are ideal for stews and casseroles, that is what I used for this meal, it will get portioned up for a few dinners for Martin to take back with him.
After all the chores were done I wanted to get started tanning the lamb hides
first job is to salt the flesh, normal cooking salt is used,its rubbed into the flesh right up to the edges, the hide is then folded flesh sides together, then left some-where airy on a sloping surface so the liquid can come away, the salt is the first part of the curing process and draws the moisture out, in about 6 days I need to move on to the next stage which is fleshing.
I have ordered a fleshing knife and the tanning solution,
I will just have to see how successful my first attempts will be,
I still have Lambert's fleece and the hides from the goats in the freezer, there is no room for these fleeces so it was time to get started with tanning.
The Alpacas got moved onto fresh pasture in the main part of the field yesterday evening, with plenty of grazing they can now lay down some fat for winter, they were skipping with joy leaping and kicking like spring lambs, they are all looking in great shape.
We have ordered a 24x12ft field shelter for them, it will be going in the one of the new fields which will be there new home, there new field is behind that tree line at the back of the photo.
The shelter wont be here until the start of December, but in plenty of time before the bad winter weather comes.
There will be a big shift round with everyone soon with an extra 15 acres to play with.
Diary
Friday November 12th 1982
Rained nearly all day, John and Lawrence moved more machinery from the top field to under cover.
Had a phone call from mother about 1o'clock to say about father, David phoned, molly phoned to say they would be late, had dinner at about 5 o'clock . washed hair, gave Jessica a bath she was filthy.
Molly arrived about 11o'clock.
We are starting on our lambs next week. I was very interested in your tanning project but think that there is too much else going on to have a go ourselves....perhaps next year!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to kill some lambs jn a couple of weeks. Where did you get the stuff from. Sounds like a great project.
ReplyDeleteGoodness me.......is there no end to your talents?
ReplyDeleteWhat will you do with the hides once they are ready? -x-
Wow! That's a project and a half. Can't wait to see the finished product.
ReplyDeleteHoping this will be us in a year or 2. Very interesting, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteTanning, too? How do you do it all? I'd love to be able to tan my rabbit hides but I don't know where I'd get the time. You don't sleep, do you? I'll be following closely to see how it turns out!
ReplyDeleteI have one or two garments with a proportion of alpaca in them and I must say it is really delightfully soft.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you hoping to make with all the hides...? x
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I follow your blog Dawn! Tanning!! Now that is super cool to read about! Pinning this post for sure :)
ReplyDeleteOOO tanning is such smelly work. You are more ambitious than I am that's for sure!!!
ReplyDelete