A Bird of One's Own

As part of the movement to better understand where our food comes from, growing numbers of carnivores are looking to get acquainted with the animals they eat before said animals shuffle off this mortal coil. To that end, the last few years have seen more and more farm tours, farm dinners, and opportunities to witness animal slaughters. At Dog Mountain Farm in Carnation, farmer Cindy Krepky, who raises chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese, is going a step further. Beginning this Saturday, Krepky is holding hands-on poultry processing classes in which students will learn to slaughter, pluck, and butcher their own bird, seeing the process through from start to finish.

It's a few hours of fascinating (read: simultaneously exhilarating and horrifying) hard work. You will think a lot and sweat a lot, and not just when you're dipping a duck into 160-degree water to loosen its feathers. At the end of it all, you'll emerge with a new appreciation of farmers, a lovely bird, and a personal farm-to-table experience. The classes are part of the School of the Lost Arts, Krepky's educational nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing sustainable living skills in culinary, agricultural, and traditional arts.

Dog Mountain's upcoming poultry processing classes will be held Saturday, September 19, and Monday, September 21, at 9 am and 1 pm (two classes each day). Classes run approximately three hours. Cost is $45 ($35 for students). You'll want to bring a very sharp paring knife, kitchen shears, and a pair of tweezers. For more information, click here.