Swine in the suburbs?

Back yard pigs.  Really?  Yes, really.  They've come with a few lessons.   Lesson one.  Containment is key.  Before you transfer pigs from their crate to their pen, make certain the electric fence is actually working.  Lesson two.   Need for speed. When you chase pigs, consider wearing shoes you can run in.  They are a lot faster than they look and believe it or not, they can also switch the direction they are running in on a dime.   Lesson three.  Artful luring techniques don't come naturally under pressure.  Pigs will come to food, but you have to get them to see it first.    Shaking a bucket with corn while yelling here piggy doesn't necessarily attract pigs that are on the loose.  Lesson four.  Never say never.  Early morning pig emergencies can cause you to do things you never thought you'd do - like go to Tractor Supply with your hair dripping wet and maybe your house slippers in a frantic attempt to figure out how to capture them. 


The idea of raising pigs that would grow up to be our food was not exactly on my hurry up and do list.  The idea of clean food was very appealing, but my worry was the pigs would become pets and then I would have to become a vegetarian.  I guess "was" is premature - we are still in the growing process.  This is how its gone so far...


We started by researching what was needed to raise pigs.  I had a ton of questions.  Could it be done in a small space?  What damage would they do to the area where they were kept? Would they smell?  Would they be noisy? How much would it cost to feed them?  How many pigs do you need to feed a family?   How would they actually get from back yard to dinner plate?  


It turns out pigs can be raised in a relatively small space.  Ours are in our back yard which is wooded.  They are contained by an electric fence and the size of their space is approximately 40' x 45'.   They are relatively quiet and while they do put off an odor, it isn't too strong.  Not much more than the odor of a dog.  They are not too expensive to feed.  They go through about a bag of feed a week in addition to our left overs.  (Confession:  I don't really cook that much so they don't get many leftovers.) I think we spoil ours.  We buy them their favorite pig feed.   Bet you didn't know they were discerning enough to have a favorite, did you?  They LOVE leftovers!  (Except for bananas and onions.  You could say our pigs are somewhat finicky.)  Also, it has been great to have the pigs eat and root up the underbrush in the woods.  We have to work hard to clear it and the pigs do it for free!  That said, if you are thinking of raising pigs in your back yard and you have a lawn you might want to give this some thought.  Oh and hey, did you know pigs bark?  That was news to me. When we go out to feed them they start jumping around and barking and running into each other.  It is so funny!  They make that snorting sound when they are eating.  I'm still amused every time I hear it. 


As to the emotional issues, I will let you know.  I can see them from my bedroom window and they are fun to watch.  My husband does almost all of the feeding. He likes to do it and I'm afraid of getting attached.  It actually may be too late for that.  We named them Pork and Chop so that I would constantly be reminded that we are raising them to be food.  When they've reached the size we want them to be, they will be taken to a processor.  My husband is planning on adding new little pigs when these are getting close to becoming food.  I hope I can handle it.