Kōrero: Farming in the economy

This label is for canned mutton produced by the Gear Meat Company in the 1880s. Meat canning began before refrigerated shipping was proven to be viable. It had the advantage of keeping well for extended periods of time, and cans were easier to transport than frozen meat. However, when stored and thawed correctly, frozen meat looks more like fresh meat and has a better flavour than canned meat.