Melissa Mason’s mascara was running. Beads of sweat rolled across her forehead as she scraped coarse hair off the back of a dead pig.
“I grew up on the 35th floor of a building in New York City,"Mason said. "We did not have things like this."
“Not in New York City?” said Justin Gibson, Mason's boyfriend. The two worked side by side Wednesday at Slowpoke Farm in Cross Plains.
Both are students at Abilene Christian University. Mason is getting her masters in clinical psychology, Gibson graduates Saturday with a bachelor’s degree in social work. They share a passion for gardening, raising free-range birds and supporting local farmers.
“This is something that interested me when I got older and moved to Texas," Mason said. "I just thought, I want to know what is going into my body and that meant killing my own animals."
So why was she field dressing a 150-pound pig?
“Justin is graduating and it’s been a long road for him so we decided we want to throw a massive party and having a whole smoked pig just sounded like the perfect idea,” Mason said.
Justin was in a car accident in 2012. He flew 33 feet through the air and landed on his head. Doctors rushed to save his life, they removed about of a third of his skull and pieced it back together during the surgery but they were not optimistic about his future. His doctors warned Mason that her boyfriend may never wake from his coma. After eleven days he woke up and was able to speak but the road to recovery has been long.
“There’s definitely been some comprehension problems some speaking issues, memory issues," Mason said. "We are now done with all of the surgeries, we are done with the seizures and almost done with school.”
Their dream of smoked pork almost went up in flames when they learned it would cost about 15 dollars a pound. The solution- do it yourself.
Mason and Gibson reached out to local farmers, Kerry and Joy Hedges who run Slowpoke Farm in Cross Plains. The Hedges don't normally do this but because Mason and Gibson were so "sincere and excited," the couple offered to sell them a pig and help them slaughter it.
On Wednesday chickens were roaming free, ducks splashed in puddles and pigs rolled in mud beneath the shade of post Oak trees at SlowPoke Farm.
"Our animals only have one bad day," Joy Hedges said.
Wednesday was that bad day for one pig. The gunshot echoed out and the pig fell to the ground. Kerry cut his throat and held him while he bled out. It was quick. Next the men secured hay bail wire through his rear legs.
It took everyone to heave the pig into a barrel of boiling water. Scalding the hide loosens the hair enough to be scraped off.
“Use your blade more perpendicular, Kerry Hedges said. "Then you can put more pressure and use two hands.” He coached Mason and Gibson through the laborious process.
“Justin we can be really proud of this pig when its on the table,” Mason said as she worked.
Next Kerry and Melissa carefully cut the belly and removed the innards.
“You have to have gratitude and respect for the animal, Kerry Hedges said. "It just seems appropriate. No animal is a commodity and you have to have to respect them and you have to be thankful.
A few more steps to go but Melissa was already beaming with pride. Five years of studying for final exams and writing research papers cannot compare this hands-on learning experience. She had respect for the animal. She is took responsibility for her food. She is grateful for Justin’s recovery, his graduation and for the opportunity to celebrate by feasting on a whole, smoked pig.
