Pass the Pigs Traditional Cache
GeoCrater: I am regretfully archiving this cache since there's been no word from the owner in the month or more since the last reviewer note was posted.
GeoCrater
Volunteer Reviewer for Geocaching.com
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Mint Tin (for now). Parking is along the road. Trailhead coords are N 43* 17.926 W 071* 36.016
-----------WARNING----------
The subject of the following story is butchering animals, the details of which have been described as "gruesome". I caution any of our animal lover friends, or anyone that may take offense to the treatment of the pigs presented here, please skip this portion of the listing. My intent is to recount the stories as they were told to me, not to offend anyone.
Among many other things, Dan Carey slaughtered pigs to supplement income for his market. Between 1954-1967 he set up at a shed at Martins Farm, just across the road from the parking coordinates. It was common for families to raise a couple of pigs and Dan made $3.00 a head to slaughter them. He would do 8 to 10 animals in a day. At the time, the average mill worker was paid $24 dollars a week. Most of the folks left the pig's head behind and Dan was able to sell it to the local French folks to make head cheese. Dan's oldest son Pat would follow him everywhere and the five year old kept dad company while he worked. The Martin boys were good friends and there was a big social aspect as folks came and went to have their pigs processed. Once, Dan turned around to find Pat holding the razor sharp knife, covered in blood. He ran to Pat checking the child's body for a wound. After the initial shock wore off, Dan glanced at the hanging animal to find that his son had "stuck" the pig himself, perfectly, and the blood was from the pig. He told that story with pride but you could tell the moment of horror he experienced still haunted him. Around 1966 the USDA wanted their stamp on all meat products he sold at Carey's Market. In addition they had rules for every aspect of the slaughter including the killing of the animal. It was no longer allowed to stick a pig with a knife, you must shoot it, according to the USDA inspectors. Dan explained that the problem was that shooting the animals was unreliable. If you did not get a clean shot the pig would run around and suffer. A skilled butcher could drop a pig where he stood, "dead before he hit the ground". These animals weighed upwards of 250 lbs. so a man working alone would have to haul the animal back to the work area to hang it up if it went running off. Not an easy task and Dan only made that mistake once. From then on he would stick the pigs and hang them up, then casually shoot them as required. More than one inspector paid a surprise visit but ol' Dan was always in compliance.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Evtug fvqr k 36"U
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures