I processed my first meat rabbits today.

Okay so I know what you are all thinking, I raise show rabbits, so why am I talking about processing my first meat rabbits?  Well it's time to get real for a minute.  First: the whole reason I got into rabbits to begin with was to provide an homegrown food source for myself and my family, and to teach my kids a little bit of responsibility.  Second: not every rabbit from every litter your does kindle is going to have the high quality show potential you are looking for. Those that don't make the breeding or showing program do get to grow up and feed our family.  Now back to my morning.

So my kids being early risers even on the weekends and especially when mom wants to stay in bed, woke me this morning bright and early.  Since my brain went from asleep to full speed in a instant I figured I had better get up and start the day.  So I worked my way through the morning farm chores and then set up my processing station.

Honestly I had very little to do with it.  My husband had butchered our extra roosters for the freezer a couple of weeks ago so I just grabbed the stand he previously made and carried it over the back porch.  Then I added the main tools I was going to need for the operation of the day my Hopper Popper Kit that came in the mail earlier this week.  The kit is designed to make things quick and painless for the rabbit and nice and easier for the human.  You can check it out by clicking on the link.above.

My list of suggested tools:

1 stand or other mount for your Hopper Popper kit

1 Hopper Popper kit

1 set of hand held pruning shears

1 trash bag if you want to save the pelt

1 container and trash bag for rabbit parts disposal

1 four inch rabbit utility knife

easy access to a hose with a sprayer attachment

1 container of ice water for soaking the meat after processing

Once I was all set up I watched this you tube video.  She goes through the entire process and it was very helpful.  So if you want an informative video I recommend this one.  It was enough I didn't have any problems or questions as I processed my own rabbits today.  However if you are sensitive at all I would skip the video because she shows you the whole process.

I have to be the first to admit that while the process was made much easier because I had the right tools with me it was also a bit emotional.  And maybe this is where you will all think I am a bit crazy because I admit that I prayed for each bunny; that things would be quick and painless.  I talked to them on our walk across the yard.  Thanking them for the lessons they taught our family and for their love and the sacrifice to feed our family.  When it was all over I even sat for a moment of silence and shed a tear over the loss of life.

Yet this is what it is all about isn't it.  This is the part most of us don't understand and miss out on or never experience and can't grasp because our meat and groceries all come from the corner market or the super grocery store down the street.  And hey I am not complaining I shop there too just like everybody else.  But I am grateful to have a little more gratitude for the blessings in my life.  Especially the simple ones like the meals on our plates around the dinner table and all the beautiful bunny rabbits in the barn.