The big duck day

Well yesterday was the big duck butchering day.  With over 20 ducks still to put in the freezer I called for backup and my dear friend CB made the hour long trek to come and help.  Before arriving she had told me that she was bringing my Christmas present.  Boy was I ever surprised when she brought me the coolest lamp I have ever seen!!  She said she'd stopped by an antique shop and when she spotted it, she knew it had to come to my house.  I LOVE IT!

She knows me so well, and I can't thank her enough!  Isn't it great!?!?!
Of course after we had oooo'd and ahhhh'd over the lamp it was time to get down to the business of getting these guys into the freezer...

First we had to set up our butchering station, then rounded up the first 5 ducks to do.  After the first duck we realized that we had picked a very wrong day for the project.  The ducks are in a full molt, which means that once you start plucking you realize that they are covered in pin feathers making the plucking time at least tripled.  We sweated through the first 5, the rest got a stay of ducksecution.

They cleaned up nicely, but instead of the usual 10-15 minutes plucking time each, they each took over a half hour.  We'll feed out the flock for another week or so....until the molt is complete.

Of course we didn't let the rest of the afternoon go to waste.  We mixed up some yummy cucumber dip, popped some veggie kabobs on the grill along with some chicken...and came in the house to cool off and have a visit.

I thank God every day for sending me such a great friend!