Jenny — depending on where you are, you can probably still get some fresh leaf lard. Fall is pig-harvest season, and many farmers aren’t finished until the end of November.

Thanks for the comment. Isn’t it mysterious and fascinating how people’s attitudes toward food develop? Lard is such a peculiar case.

As for kashrut, I’m about to do a post on schmaltz, which is terribly kosher of course.

I did have a few thoughts of my distant kosher-keeping ancestors rolling over in their graves as I wrote this post. But the thing is, for the last few generations at least, my Jewish ancestors have been solidly Southern. For my great-grandmother, bacon was an essential food group. Ah, the American (fat) melting pot…

When you make a small batch, do you get “cracklins”–the little crispy things that float to the top? They are a rich and tasty treat.

Thanks for visiting my blog, and letting me know about your Web presence. We’re curious where you lived in Lobelia, and who your “folks” are. Any relation to “Cappy”, who used to work at Denmar Hospital?

Yes, you do get cracklins if you make lard at home — I just like to pour off some of the mild stuff before it gets to that point. The lard can taste a bit “fried” once it gets to the cracklins stage.

I’m wishing I had a cauldron myself to render in… I’ve been doing it in batches in my little dutch oven, and that’s a bit tedious.

Oh, and you’re right on about my “folks.” I sent you an email…

How very timely. I am picking up 3 pounds of leaf lard on Wednesday, and knew I had to render it, but…here we go!

As a vegetarian of some 17 years, my recent fall from flesh-free grace is still taking some adjustment on my part. However, I knew the benefits of lard, and look forward to using it in some piecrusts for savory pies this holiday season. (The reason for my “fall” is just an adjustment: some farmers are actually humanely raising their animals. This wasn’t the case, or at least I didn’t have access to non-CAFO meat 17, or even 4, years ago. That, and we’re eating close to home.)

I can’t quite remember how I found you, but I did, about 2 months back. It was interesting, this discovery: Hmm. An herbalist. And then I read your approach, and it’s not woo-woo; you are very grounded, just as herbalists have traditionally been. SO I got to wondering, does this woman know Sally Fallon, or Nina Planck, and, well, you do! I am glad to have found you, and hope to continue to learn more.

It happens I was raised a vegetarian, myself (strict Kloss-ism in the family on my stepfather’s side). In my mid twenties I came to the body-level conclusion that I needed to eat flesh. I had very much gotten over all the other puritanical aspects of the Jethro Kloss philosophy (the body is bad and it must be punished), but I had a hard time starting to eat meat. It was a texture problem. When I finally did it, I found it really grounding and humbling. I still don’t eat sketchy industrial meat, but I find that good, local, “happy” meat is really important for me to feel healthy. (I need to write a blogpost on this, but I have a hard time getting my mind around what I want to say.)

As far as “woo woo” goes, I am rather allergic to that in my life and herbal practice. I know and respect plenty of herbalists who use new age spiritual language, but it’s just not something I relate to myself.