Monday, September 22, 2014

ELMER TELLS ABOUT STORING MEAT AT JEAN AND DAVID'S

I was driving down the road and saw this sign.  Just had to take a picture of it.  Showed it to Elmer.  He laughed and said to put it on.  Marilyn

Marilyn found this.  Never knew there was an Elmer road. I did think it was funny when she showed it to me, so I  told her to put it on.   Now I told her to go find a Jean Road, Anna Road, Martha Road and more.  Elmer

Thought I would tell you about storing meat at Jean's and David's.  First of all the slaughter area and all the food drawers are silver tone.  In fact both rooms are sliver tone.  When we need meat, we give them a call to make sure they are home.  Once you arrive you go into the office that is in one of their barns.  You meet who is taking you to your drawer - either Jean, David, Michael or Edward.  Thomas is usually with them as he is in training.

Both Anna and I and Jean and David have a list of what is in our freezer drawers.  We tell them what we are taking.  We cross it off our list and they cross it off their list.  If we are adding food to drawer - maybe something that we slaughtered, we add it to our list and they theirs.  With the owner before, we had problems.  Sometimes we would come to pick something up from our freezer drawers and it wasn't there.  The former owner said we had already taken it.  Neither of us had lists.  So when Jean and David took over, they put the lists in.

After we finish the lists, we go into the next room where we must put plastic over our shoes and plastic gloves over our hands.  From there we go into another room where our freezer drawers are.  We open the case and take out or put in what we want.  When we leave the freezer room, we take off the plastic over the shoes and gloves which we toss in a garbage can they have there.  The freezer room and the slaughter room must be kept sanitary at all times.  They have to meet state law.  Inspectors come a couple of times of year - unannounced to inspect.

Both Jean and David and Anna and I have keys to the drawers.  In case we forget the key, they can open the drawers.  If we don't have our lists, they give us a paper with what we took out or put in on it.

They have also put in a couple of other things that our previous owner did not have.  It is our choice if we want to belong or not.  One of these is to help others.  There was a family near us that lost their home in a fire.  They found another place to live, but had no food.  Many  charities came up with canned goods, but no fresh meat.  David and Jean took from their meat in their home to give it to the people in need.  Some of us that freeze our meat there did not think it is fair for Jean and David to have to give all of their personal meat.  So those of us that wanted to signed a list saying that if a need of meat comes up, that we agreed that Jean and David could take some out of our drawers.  That way the loss does not all fall on Jean and David.  There have come up a couple of times where meat was needed and the system has worked out very well.  Jean and David call us before or after they take it, tell us where it went and what they took.  That way several people donate a piece or two instead of it falling on one family.

Then on the other hand, there is a list of those of us who would be willing to take extra meat that Jean and David might get.  Especially at hunting season, some people kill a deer and they want only the head with the horns - they don't want the meat.  So David gives the hunters what they want, cuts up the meat and divides it among us that signed the list.  David or Jean calls us and tells us what they did so we can add it to our list.

While they were gone to Penn Yan, I did the slaughtering and cutting of meat for them.  I am a little short for the counters and sink so I had to bring a stool along and slide it along the floor to stand on. Since then David purchased a silver tone metal stool and keeps it in the slaughter area so I don'have to bring one and keep the new one sanitary.

We do pay David and Jean a monthly charge for our meat drawers.  Also there is a charge if we want any meat slaughtered.  The price is fair and you figure they have to pay the electric bill, keep the place sanitary, the meat is under lock and key, and their time.  David also has generators hooked up in the drawers area in case the power goes off, they have back up so the meat doesn't defrost.

Also Jean and David say if you they are home, they will see that you get your meat.  Our former owner had certain hours.  Jean and David say, of course, not on the Lord's day unless it is an emergency.

We are glad Jean and David bought the farm they did.  They are more pleasant than the other owners were.  Also, they will go out of their way for you.  Many of the Amish and some Old Order Mennonites store our meats at Jean and David's.

I see last week I got a lot of questions so I will answer some of those next week. NO, I will not be on next week.  Next week is Jean's week.  I will be on the sixth of October, Lord willing.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer




12 comments:

New York State Of Mind said...

Good Morning Everyone,
What do you think of the new heading for Elmer? Hope you like his post. I went over it this morning as I realized I made a few spelling errors and corrected them.

Well the temperature is down and it is suppose to rain today.

Marilyn

Anonymous said...

Hey Marilyn! Elmer Rd-that is funny! Maybe you will come across an Anna,Jean,David,Martha,Joseph etc ;)!
In the 50's here this morn, with sunshine. Shouldn't get passed 60 today. 20degrees less than yesterday. We'll be in the 70's as the week progresses. Little chance of rain into early next week.
Thank Elmer for telling us how the meat locker system works. Sounds like Jean+David have it very well organized and everyone is content with the new system.
Many blessings to all, Carol

Vickie said...

I love Elmer's new header. ;)
I found this post very interesting.

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Carol and Vickie,
Elmer really liked the name of that road. We might leave it on for a while. He said I should look for the other names, too.

Glad you liked his post. Will see he gets your messages.

Marilyn

kymber said...

hi Marilyn - that is a funny sign! and now you have to go and find the others names too - bahahahah! wouldn't that be funny if you could find them all???

i love Elemer's posts as they are always full of good information...and funny! tell Elmer that i am glad that he has his own stool for butchering...that was very thoughtful! it sounds like the new system for the meat lockers is working out very well. Marilyn - can you ask Elmer how often they go to the meat locker? once a month or every 2 weeks or whatever? i'd be very interested to know.

thanks Marilyn. your friend,
kymber

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Kymber,
I will be looking for the other names. I know there is a Joseph Avenue in Rochester, NY.

I am glad you like Elmer's post. He has such a sense of humor. That's why it was so funny that I found the road with his name on it. I will ask Elmer your question.

Marilyn

Tom said...

It's nice to read about folks working together.

Marilyn you have your work cut out for you.

In Rochester there is Joseph Ave, John St, David Rd, Edward St. and Susan Lane.

In Spencerport there is Martha St.

In Auburn there is Anna St.

In Farmington there is Michael Ave.

In Binghamton there is Jean Court.

Did I miss anyone? Tom The Backroads Traveller

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Tom,
Thanks. Yes, you missed Katie and Thomas. I will have to see if I can get some of these streets.

Marilyn

annie said...

I loved the sign, how suitable to him! grin, and smile!

I enjoyed the post, it seems like a very workable solution for all, and very fair. What a blessing!

Is there a possibility, they might run out of room, since it sounds a very wonderful operation? And other folks might want their services in the near future?

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Annie,
Glad you love the sign.

I think the freezing is very workable. It is a blessing.

I will see that Elmer gets your message and question.

Marilyn

Tom said...

Marilyn

Check out Thomas Ave in Rochester and Katie Lane in Painted Post, Buffalo and Cortland, NY.

Tom The Backroads Traveller

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Tom,
I don't know how you found these out, but you're good at what you do. I will have to get pictures of these streets.

Thank you so very much,
Marilyn