Butchering is part of farm life. The Amish don't celebrate it but don't fear it. It's responsibility.
When
Late fall to early winter. Cold = natural refrigerator. Meat doesn't spoil while you process.
Process (Pig)
One blow — quick, painless (mallet or .22 caliber — the only permitted weapon in some communities, only for butchering). Bleed immediately. Scald with boiling water → scrape bristles. Break down: hams, shoulders, ribs, loin, belly. Organs: liver, heart, kidneys — food. Intestines — for sausage. Fat — for lard. Bones — for broth. Head — for scrapple.
Philosophy
Waste nothing. The animal gave its life — use every gram. Prayer before butchering (not all communities, but many). Gratitude, not joy.
Children and Butchering
Children present from age 8-10. Not for shock — for education. Meat doesn't appear in plastic packaging. Meat was a living creature. Respect for food begins with understanding where it comes from.