Sometimes this backyard farming gig gets really messy!

It has been raining almost everyday for over a week now.  By rain, I don't mean sprinkle, but rather intermittent thunderstorms complete with massive downpours.

While grateful for the rain (much needed around here), the way we are getting it is making for a sloppy mess out back.

This picture was taken yesterday when I went out to feed the pigs.  It was the day I discovered my boots leak.  Not a good place to make that discovery!

A bittersweet day...

We loaded the pigs in the trailer last night and today, they went off to the processor.  I knew this day was coming and it was the reason we bought and raised them in the first place, but I have to say,  I'm feeling some mixed emotions.  

The loading process was interesting.  There isn't enough space to back up the trailer into our back yard where the pig pen is, so a plan had to be devised to get the pigs from the pen to the trailer.  Below are pictures of the transport.  The guys used wire cattle panels to guide the pigs to the trailer.  Once at the trailer, they convinced the pigs to walk into it by placing some feed at the back of the trailer.  It was a smooth and pretty easy process.  (The guys are talking about adding wheels to the panels to make it easier for future transports.)  

Thankfully the growing process wasn't too long.  Here is a split picture of our grandson with the pigs.  The top part of the picture shows him with the pigs when we first got them in late January.  The bottom part shows him with them on Easter Sunday - just a week and a half ago.  (He was sharing the Easter eggs he found.  The non-chocolate ones.)

When we got the pigs, they were between 30 and 40 lbs.  - and about 12 weeks later, they were between 160 and 175 lbs.

Our first rodeo with raising pigs has been an adventure to remember.  

Appropriate attire is advised

So this is part of the gig.  Twice a day these guys need food and water.   When they see you coming, they press their snouts up to the gate or start barking and snorting and running around randomly - usually bumping into each other.  It is really kind of funny.  

Yesterday morning I was in a hurry and had forgotten to feed them before I got dressed to leave the house.  I decided to chance it and feed them without going back in to change clothes.  Turns out there were new roots they had dug up that made for tripping hazards.  They had also created slippery mud by knocking over their water.  So as you can imagine, my decision was a bad one.   Don't try to feed pigs in your heels no matter how careful you plan to be.

Our little piglets are now over 100 lbs. each.   They've way more than doubled their size in just 2 months.  Some days I feel like I gain weight as fast as the pigs!

Guess who got out?

Kind of a shocker to come home and find loose pigs in your yard.  Thankfully they were happy to follow their food wagon back into their pen.  We will take extra care to make sure we latch the gate in the future!  Another lesson learned.

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.  

Oink!

Are they cute, or what?  We may have gone off the deep end here, but look what we got!  Two little yorkshire/brookshire mix pigs.  Yes - they are in our back yard.  I'll share more of the story in my next post but for now, meet Pork and Chop.