Everyone kept a pig to provide the family with the necessary meat. Sometimes two: one for slaughter and one for rent.

The home butcher was initially a skilled individual who had learned his “trade” from someone else. Until the 1960s, he simply came to a house or farm to slaughter a pig. Then it was the women’s job to process every part of the pig. One of the subjects taught at the Domestic Science School was Processing the Slaughter.

Slaughtering was the final step in preparing food supplies for the winter. Slaughtering took place in November and December, when it was cold enough to prevent the meat from spoiling. The slaughter was always a somewhat festive occasion, with some extras like black pudding and greaves.

Due to the high standards of hygiene and quality today, it was prohibited to slaughter livestock at home. Slaughterers were also required to meet professional standards. Many began buying pigs, slaughtering them, and selling the meat at home.