On our farm in the sixties and seventies, we still killed a pig every year or so (Large White, really big hogs) and would clean up intestines for instance to make andouille. I remember that job not too fondly… Before refrigeration, much of the meat was shared with neighbors, priest, family. The lard (long strips from the long back of the animal) was cured on a bed of rock salt and straw under the staircase. Over the months, a large strip of that lard/bacon was cut and cooked over the potatoes (same time). It gave taste to the potatoes. Men would eat it as replacement for butter, children were not allowed to touch it. Andouilles (all intestine skins) were cured in a chimney where there was a frequent fire… It would take books to walk back this alley of souvenirs!

It was rare to kill a cow: I remember this happening once after an accident where the cow broke a leg. We were dismayed to lose a milk cow but satisfied that a lot of meat could be shared.

Refrigeration was a cooperative building at the beginniing, no refrigerators at homes. It was a little house that all surrounding farmers had a share in and a key. It was at about 3 km from our farm. We would go there once a week or so…

No hunting in our family.