Head butcher Bob Johnson spends his day in the back cutting meat to be wrapped and frozen for custom orders and to refill the cases at Swingle Meat Co. Photo by: Brandi Ehlers Apprentice butcher Jethro Mills shows off some of the hams he made. Mills has been working at Swingle Meat Co. for three years and really enjoys his job. Photo by: Brandi Ehlers

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk in someone else's shoes for a day? Or what it would be like to do a certain job? This is your chance to learn about how other people in Amador County spend their day as I uncover a day in the life of a meat market.

If you have ever walked into Swingle Meat Co. and wondered why they are so busy, you must not be a regular. This small business prides itself on quality products, friendly service and a family atmosphere. All of that is clear just by walking through the door. But there is a lot going on behind the scenes that keeps things running smoothly and gets customers coming back.

The 13-member crew, managed by Missy Casazza for the past nine years, works long, hard days to satisfy customers' needs. Between cutting, wrapping and freezing custom orders; maintaining the popular products; keeping cases stocked; creating new items; taking orders; answering the phone; and helping customers, there is little time for a break.

"Typically when people come in here they only see what we do in the front," Casazza said. "But there is a lot going on. From cutting and wrapping to marinating and mixing to smoking and curing. There is always something going on."

The majority of Casazza's day is spent wrapping but she also has to make sure people are doing their jobs.

"There really are no typical days here," Casazza said. "Every day is different. If we are really busy we are going to help customers all day. If it is slower we are working on filling the cases or custom orders."

The first thing Casazza does when she gets in around 8 a.m. is to make sure there is plenty of tri-tip, one of their biggest sellers. After that she will make a tri-tip list to give to the butchers so they can prepare them. When the crew starts to come in they begin to work on filling the case and going shopping where they bring items from the back out to the cases.

"We like to keep everything here fresh so we concentrate on making items in small amounts," she said. "Our motto is if you do little bits at a time, it keeps things fresh and customers happy."

Owner Jay Kellerman can be seen throughout the day running around doing everything from wrapping to cutting to taking orders to doing paper work or even stuffing hamburger. "The only thing typical about my day is that I know I am coming here at a certain time," he said.

The main butcher, Bob Johnson, spends the majority of his day in the back cutting all sorts of different meats. He has been in the industry since 1962 and at Swingle Meat Co. for about five years. He started as a clean up boy for a meat plant in Galt when he was 17. He got into the business because he got into trouble all the time and his mom knew the head meat cutter so they put him to work and he kept with it, Johnson said.

"I really enjoy my job mostly because of the people I work with," he said. "This is a good outfit to work for. They care about the product they put out."

Helping Johnson are butchers Kellerman and his brother David, plus apprentices Jethro Mills and Stuart Allen.

Mills got his start at Swingle Meat Co. after a friend got him the job. "I didn't know anything about meat when I started working here," he said. "Now I have been here three years working nonstop and I really enjoy it. There is always something different to do or learn."

For Mills, the best part of the job is the vacations Kellerman takes them on. "Last year he took us to Mexico and the year before that we went to a rib cook-off in Reno," he said.

The first thing Mills and Allen do on Friday is marinate 900 pounds of tri-tip before lunch, while also marinating spare ribs and curing 600 pounds of bacon.

"We all have our own jobs but we are not limited to those," Casazza said. "Employees are encouraged to learn everything. They are never limited to just their job."

Casazza also gives out cooking advice. "People call here and ask me how to cook items and what to make with them," she said. "My family even calls me to ask me how to cook things. So I have started to think up meal ideas so I am prepared when asked."

The atmosphere is pretty fast paced, Casazza added. "Anytime you are dealing with a product that could expire you have to do things quickly," she said. "No one can leave work until everything is cleaned and sanitized and put away."

Casazza got her start in the meat industry when she was a customer. She was 22 and working as the manager at Subway in Jackson. "I wanted to do more with myself," she said. "So when Jay approached me because he needed a wrapper and I knew how to wrap and offered me a job, I took it. I thought I would try it out and see how I liked it." She ended up loving it and has been there ever since.

Kellerman's favorite part of the business is that it is always changing. "Most meat cutters have to stand at a table all day and cut meat," he said, "but here at a family-run place, we do everything. We see items from start to finish. It is no longer just a meat cutting job. There is always something new to learn."

His other favorite part is being creative by coming up with new products and marinades. His favorite product he makes and also invented is the pet jerky, which is eatable for humans too. Kellerman makes the jerky out of a part that no one utilized before.

Kellerman started at Swingle Meat Co. when he was 18 years old and has been there ever since. Getting into the meat industry is something Kellerman always wanted to do. "My brother had a job at a meat plant when I was in high school. I found interest there," he said. "Since I was a sophomore I knew I wanted to work in the industry."

To get his start he worked for another meat plant as a clean up boy and they were looking for someone to run the different parts of the business he told them if they taught him, he would work for free. "So I worked for free for three months and that is how I got into it," he said.

Kellerman started in the slaughter house at Swingle Meat Co. "It was an interesting experience," he said. "It is a hard profession working with the live animals. But that is what I grew up doing. If it wasn't for the slaughter house I wouldn't be here."

Swingle Meat Co. stopped slaughtering animal seven years ago to concentrate on more creative aspects like marinades and quick meals.

The meat market was started by Harold Swingle in the early 1940s. Swingle, with his three sons Bill, Dick and Tom, operated the business for years until Kellerman was able to buy his way in and become the owner and fulfill his life-long dream.

"The best part is there is never a dull moment," Kellerman said. "That is why it is so interesting, everyone here is always doing something different. It is a great place to be."