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Comments This might be a bit of a strange question, and sorry if I seem accusing (I don't mean to be), but with some of your pelts, mostly the domestic stock ones (i.e lambs, goats), I was curious as to where you get the pelts from, if you purchase the carcass from a butcher or stock market and skin it, or just purchase the pelt alone?
 Most of the time the domestic ones come from two "Sources"
1. Meat animals from our own herd and our neighbors herds. We raise all our own meat, So the hides are a by product that adds some value to us and helps cut our food bill for the things we can't raise. 2. Stock Deaths/Accidents/Illnesses/Stillborns- Animals with terminal injuries, Things that just up and die, Old animals that must be put down etc. I do get a few from our butcher and I do end up buying a few animals to fill the gaps in orders and in our diet.. Most often Animals that are VERY bad tempered or completely unmanagable/sterile. We do the skinning on almost everything. I'm glad when the whole carcass is used, especially when it would just be thrown away otherwise. Also, with the soft plushes, do you have inside a wire skeleton, or something similar, or do you rely on the stiffness of the hide to rigidness of the legs and head?
 In life these animals were beloved pets, unless found as road kill already... But those that were bred and raised by these people, like Mino, were respected and cared for in life, but they were raised for a reason. That reason is usually food as far as I've seen. What remains is well, the remains.... We can't eat bones, so they are cleaned and given places of honor. They are used as references, or things to be admired, perhaps even bought and collected by people who loved the animal for what it is/was, and want some part of that animal because they can't have the whole, live thing. Or there are people out there who have a special connection to animals, or a certain animal. Like a totem spirit, or guardian animal, or just an animal that represents who they are.
For example? Have you ever read/seen the movie, "The Golden Compass" ? In it the deamons are animals that are in their very form, representations of the person they are attached to. Think of some of these people who buy parts of goats/coyotes/wolves/horses, etc as looking for that same connection. Or something like that. I do hope I'm making some sence.... Anyways, the hide, horns/antlers, and other bones are what's left after the edible parts have been striped away. They are then cleaned and preserved so that the essence of that animal can be admired long after its natural death. From what I've seen, Mino and the rest don't do what they do out of cruelty, but 1) out of nessecity for food, or to earn at least part of their income which in part pays for the food that feeds the rest of the animals they have, but also to pay household bills etc. 2) They do it for the love of the animals and the respect they have the sublte variations between each and everyone, inlcuding their personalities. I am wondering if I am making sense or just annoying people now...  Ah well....Hopefully I helped in some small way... |
Sta.sh
