Animals & Plants As Hobby Or Otherwise

BY HOMER OWEN CARTER, SR

January 9, 2000

Many pet animals of today, were food animals in past years.  Many decorative plants of today, were food plants in past years.  Some people raised these animals and plants for self sustenance.  The people stored and preserved an abundance of these foods for future use.  People often sold or traded excess foods to others.  In past years, it was a common procedure to give excess foods to the less fortunate.

Edible rabbits and pet rabbits also edible pigs and pet pigs have much in common.  During the meat rationing days of WORLD WAR 2, people were raising rabbits and pigs in larger numbers.  Families that raised these animals did not need ration stamps to have the meat.  Therefore, many people raised and ate more rabbits and pigs then during the pre war years.

From what I observed in those days, pet rabbits and pigs, were only pets from birth to slaughter.  Then they adorned the table as food for the family.

Some pigs are great pets and workers. We had a pig that our children started out on a baby bottle.  They named the pig Arnold.

Arnold liked to watch television and play with the children.  When the children went to school, Arnold would spend more time with us.  Arnold was not destructive and would play in the swimming pool with the children.

We raised potatoes for our own use.  When we dug them, we did it by using hand tools.  Arnold watched us for awhile, then started to root them out of the rows.  This was wonderful.  We let Arnold continue digging the potatoes out the ground and we picked them up off the ground.

Arnold the pig, did not eat any potatoes while harvesting this crop. Arnold, we salute you and thank you, for a job well done.

©2000 Homer Owen Carter, Sr.  - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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