We really like how this process turns out.

We try to not overlook any potential resources and get the most out of everything. That includes when we raise animals on our homestead for meat. In this case, I've been experimenting with various options for the best way to tan our sheep hides. After showing some friends how to butcher sheep recently, we had three skins that I wanted to preserve.

By adding one cup of Alum and one cup of Salt to two gallons of lukewarm water, you can start a great pickling process to preserve skins like these. Stir the skins twice daily, and after two days remove them, rinse them, and make sure that all flesh and fat is removed from them. Then, add an additional 1 cup of Alum and 1 cup of Salt to the existing solution and return the skins for another week, stirring them twice daily. At the end of a week, fully rinse the skins, even possibly shampooing or soaping them, and then allow them to dry in a shaded area. As the skins dry, make sure to work them to maintain flexibility. You can also add some mink oil or similar product to the finished skins. Hope that helps, and here's a link to the article I read on this process.

How We Tan Our Sheep Hides - VIDEO

Until next time…

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