A Virts Country Butchering

November was the time for butchering hogs. It has been a fall tradition in the Virts family for well over 100 years. The Raymond E. Virts family on the Long Lane in Lovettsville, Virginia always butchered on Thanksgiving day. You might consider the butchering day as a family reunion held several times each November as this even would bring together siblings, cousins and friends. There was always a friendly competition amongst Raymond's brothers to see who had the largest hog. It was not uncommon to have a hog have a dressed weight of over 400 pounds. Such a hog would produce over 40 pound hams that would be sugar cured. Most local families had a butchering and would usually slaughter form 2 - 14 hogs, depending on the size of the family. Butchering is nearly extinct today. You will only find a hand full of families that still carry on the tradition. Hardly anyone even knows how to do it anymore. I would have to say it is a dying art. Just click on the picture to see it enlarged and to get a description.

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A Virts Country Butchering

Elmer Swartz, Theodore Roosevelt Virts (orange hat), Benton Stone and James Green prepare to begin cutting up the hog.


File nameHog_Butchering_7.jpg
File Size28.96k
Dimensions392 x 280
Linked toElmer Paul Swartz; Theodore Roosevelt Virts
AlbumsA Virts Country Butchering

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