Cuteness ensues

It’s that time again, time to pick out Madeline’s 4-H pigs. My brother breeds several litters of “show pigs” just for her and lets her buy her pick. She got 8 again this year. She’ll take 4 or 5 to fair, and sell the rest to our customers.

Olivia got some, too, this year. But hers are just a money-maker project, she’s not going to take them to fair. She brought 3 home, and will bring 3 more home a little later. My brother had a late litter that didn’t fit size-wise with the rest of his pigs, so he gave her a deal on them. They need to get just a bit bigger before we get them.

(Let us know if you want on the list for half or whole hog for August – we’re already getting orders! The girls get to keep all the profits on these for their college funds.)

Last year we used a hog panel as a makeshift brooder pen. It wasn’t the best solution, because the little stinkers could pick it up with their noses and squeeze out the bottom.

Matt had been looking at buying some new hog gates (heavier than panels) and making a pen out of those. But hog gates aren’t so easy to find these days and cost a pretty penny (because most hogs are raised indoors nowadays, no need for hog gates.)

But first he asked his friend Rod if he had any old hog gates on hand. Rod’s a “junker” (there’s probably a more proper name like “reclamation professional”), and he’s been able to hook us up with various gates, old-fashioned feeders & waters, campfire rings, etc. in the past. Sure enough, he had some old gates that pin together and they work perfectly for a temporary pig brooder in our garage. And all for the grand price of $20!

Unfortunately we had a repeat of last year’s tragedy the very first night. We put a lid on the water bucket, but during the night they managed to get the lid off and once again we had one drown in the bucket. No more bucket waters for us!

I’ll leave you with this bit of cuteness, with more to follow…

4 years ago:

How to Cook : Ham Steak