Permaculture Ethics & Design Principles: Processing Pheasants

Permaculture Ethics

Care for People: looking after self, kin and community, by learning how to process a bird for eating to feed myself and family as well as sharing information with others.

Permaculture Design Principles:

6. Produce no waste: I saved the feathers for my chicken coop as warm nesting box bedding. The only waste produced was the head, feet and innards; I will look for uses for those before I do it again.

9. Use Slow and Small Solutions: purchased free range pheasants from local small ranch.

10. Use and Value Diversity: put pheasants in my freezer to feed my family a different type of meat as we typically only eat chicken, pork, beef, and fish.

12. Creatively Use and Respond to Change: I recognize that with global warming and peak oil, our way of doing things will change and I want to be prepared for it, especially making sure I can feed my family when the fossil fuel subsidization of the current food delivery system starts to unravel.

Permaculture Icons used with permission. http://www.permacultureprinciples.com/

Girlfriend's Guide to...Processing Pheasants

• Don’t wear lip gloss when plucking; the downy feathers float and are attracted to the hot air of storytellers.
• Take rings off prior to scooping out the guts.
• Wear a long apron to cover lap if you decide to lie down.
• Tie long hair back as it can get in the way when bending over the sticky bird carcass.
• Wear fingerless gloves if you are plucking in a cold room.
• Try to apprentice with someone for your first time as this is a physical job that is easier to learn by doing.