Rabbits are beautiful. Whether it is the sensibility they bring to the suburban farm, the companionship of being a pet, or the lore and mystery that surround them, they are truly a blessing to Nature. I fell in love with rabbits when I read
Watership Down. When Carly bought me two rabbits for my birthday in 2011 our thought was that they would be pets. When we were surprised with a litter from what we thought were two bucks we didn't know what to do. Eventually it came to us that we had a supplement to the farm. Rabbits. Rabbits for meat and for compost. We let them breed again. Eventually we had five rabbits that were ready to harvest.
Today we harvested two. In the above picture Carly is making her first cuts to begin the skinning process. Until today I had never killed anything. Never hunted, never even killed a squirrel. I am so grateful to have the help and support of our friend Paul, an experienced hunter that had never killed farmed rabbits before. I explained the research I had done for humane killing and he told me that it made sense so we went with that plan. Paul helped me keep my nerve and prevent the rabbit from suffering. Adrenaline and shock coursed through me as we followed through on the promise Carly and I had made ourselves, that we would love and care for rabbits and they, in turn, would give their lives for our benefit.
We almost chickened out. The mixture of running into the unknown and following through on an ideal clashed. I'd talked to Paul about helping us before. When I mentioned to him a few weeks ago that the rabbits were ready he was excited to help immediately. The problem was that we neither had the nerve nor the space. I set a date for the future and then I started cleaning the garage.
Part of making a kill area included making a start area. With a florescent light and a heat pad we hope to see these plants growing in the garden this spring, fertilized by the super fuel of rabbit manure. Rabbit manure is arguably the best fertilizer that could be found. Nature is beautiful. In order for rabbits to maintain their diets of plants it is necessary for them to be able to perpetuate more plants. A pesky rabbit will destroy a garden, but a well kept rabbit will make a garden thrive. It will be rewarded with carrot tops, broccoli stems, and an abundance of greens from the yard.
It doesn't take much space to harvest, skin, and gut a rabbit. A card table in the garage was more than sufficient.
After Paul helped me with the kill and helped Carly with the basics of skinning the first rabbit was prepared. Carly and Paul worked on both sides of the rabbit skinning carefully. Once the rabbit was dead it was easy for Carly to see it as a piece of meat to work with, similar to preparing a chicken that was purchased at a grocery store. The actual skinning was more difficult than she thought it would be, but time and practice will help her develop this never-used skill.
Rabbit is one of the leanest meats that can be consumed. It has less cholesterol than beef, pork, and chicken, and requires less feed and land. Not only is it good for the garden, it is good for the body and has less negative environmental impact in comparison to other meat protein.
This one rabbit will add a generous amount of nutrition and flavor to a numerous amount of dishes. Rabbit stew is common, but rabbit meat can be shredded into meat for tacos and cooked as a pastor, hindquarters can be grilled, or it can be used in a stir fry. Furthermore we kept the heart, liver, kidney, and lungs. Eventually we will combine several of these to make a pate or terrine that is excellent with dijon mustard, a few nice cheeses, and crackers.
The usefulness of the rabbit doesn't stop at the meat. Right now the skins being preserved in salt. Eventually they will be tanned and meet a number of uses. Tanned skins, bones, ears, and feet will all be incorporated into jewelry, hair accessories, decorations, and other undiscovered uses to get the most out of our rabbits.
Even the heads have been used to cook into stock that we will use for chili later on this week. We love our rabbits dearly. I had no pleasure in harvesting the rabbits. Killing didn't feel good and I don't want to lose the respect for life we have gained from this experience. I respect the rabbit. I want it to be healthy. I want it to be well fed so it can help me grow my garden. I want it to be protected from predators so it can grow large. I want to take care of it. I'm so glad that when it comes time for harvest it too will take care of me.
You still seem a little conflicted about the kill of these sweet bunnies, is that so or am I just reading into this? I think it's really great the way you and your family are choosing to lead such a sustainable life, but this specific post strikes a chord with me. My family raised rabbits (flemish giants!) when I was a kid and when we had the talk about where the rabbits were going I tried to release all of the babies. I didn't trust any food my mom cooked for a week and it was the beginning of me being a vegetarian. While I can tell you have a lot of respect for these animals, I don't see that they owe you anything by your choice to care for them. This was not their choice and if something inside of you said not to kill them, maybe you should reflect upon that. My choice to be vegetarian came, in part, from growing up around the slaughter of animals; seeing cows freshly killed, hung by their ankles with blood being let from their necks. It was more than I could take to be a part of the killing of these innocent animals that people housed for the sole reason of ending their lives and consuming them. This is in no a way a place of judgement, I am just curious where this experience has left you. Do you think you will continue to raise rabbits and other animals for slaughter?
ReplyDeleteYes I do. I'm afraid you are reading in to the notion that I was conflicted about the kill. Feeling nothing over a kill is not a place I ever want to be. I don't hunt for sport or find any pleasure in the kill. What I do find is a greater respect for the animal and all animals. I see your perspective and have respect for not being able to stomach being around animal harvesting. Vegetarianism seems to be the next logical step. We are different. We seldom eat meat because of the poor way factory animals are treated, but still would like to include meat in our diet. I feel neither pleasure nor guilt for the kill. I'm pleased to not support the supermarket butcher counter.
ReplyDeleteI think it is really great that you guys only eat what you bring up yourselves. I guess my issue is with the idea these animals owe you something. While I do see where you are coming from, you give them food, they give you food; I don't see it as a fair trade as they have no say in what happens. You chose to bring them into your lives, you chose to eat them.
ReplyDeleteThank you for engaging in this debate with me :)
You're welcome Hanna. To be more esoteric about all of this, no one ever asks to be born. I'm glad you can see my line of logic and I too can see yours. We just think differently. I'm certain the next post will be about plants something which should have very little fodder for debate.
ReplyDeleteI am so thankful to come across your blog and this post. We currently have a small backyard farm where we are raising chickens and rabbits. I come from a cattle farming family, but the small animals are so cute that it is hard at times to see them as meat. I started to read your post with a little reluctance...but the way you described the process and the respect you show for the animal was just what I needed to read.
ReplyDeleteA few weeks ago we purchased our first meat rabbit momma and she is the sweetest, funniest little creature I have ever had the pleasure of owning. She has taken to our family, grooms us and plays with us every evening. It is a little hard to think that her babies will be dinner, but after reading this, I find it a little easier. I would much rather eat meat that is better for my family and my environment AND that I know was raised naturally and humanely.
Again, thank you for a heartfelt, honest post.
How exciting for your family! Thank you for sharing. How did you find us?
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