Tamworths are a heritage breed - a real old timey kind of pig that can be raised naturally, on pasture. We just love them. Mostly because they are mostly bacon! We weren't satisfied with the bacons that we got from last years pigs. Really we didn't get any bacons - even the butcher told us that we should have just left the meat on the ribs. The hams were terrific of course, but we really need some bacon around here!
Pigz are most easily transported in the back of a crappy little truck with the cap on, add straw.
The first thing we did, aside from drive home gleefully with our little bacon-machines, was to get the pigz settled. Of course, coming from a friend's superb barn set up - the pigz thought they'd been cast into the very depths of hell when they got here. Apparently the noisy parade of geese, wildly barking dogs, shrieking guineas, and the goats stomping and snorting their disgust wasn't the warmest welcome. Kai thought they looked delicious. Having the pup pacing back and forth in front of the pigz pen with a jar of BBQ sauce saying "Are they done yet?" didn't help at all.
Any bigger than this handy carrying size and you'd have to find another way to get them down to the pen.
We have the pigz set up in a temporary pen where they can root around and get rid of some more poison ivy. They are close enough to the house for us to see and hear if there is any malfeasance out there because they are still small enough to be considered prey. But soon they will be big enough to hold their own.
Pig#1 took to the pasture immediately
As soon as we got home it started to rain. We had set up a shelter for them - but of course, they were terrified of it. They soon figured it though and now they don't think they've got it too bad. However, the pigz don't understand why the goats stand at the top of the pasture and stare meanly at them.
Goats hate pigz.
Nibbles was horrified when she saw me take a fabulous bucket of her milk down for the pigz. I told her to go ahead and file a complaint with the management - the line starts with her and ends at the grill. The dogs thought that was a great idea.
I'll get all these barnyard politics sorted out pretty soon. In the meantime, Happy Tuesday everyone!
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9 comments:
Mom said upon seeing last year's photo (she hasn't seen this one yet) that as soon as you leave, the goats are going to give the pigs the same discussion that the sheep gave Wilbur in Charlotte's Web.
From their faces it's plausible.
How many years have you been doing this? This is part of my dream when I have land.
Those are some very nice looking weaner pigs, maybe you will bond with these ones.:) Hope they grow up to be big and full of bacon for you.
I think that this year you are going to grow to love pigz :) Just keep thinking bacon!
My guess was Tamworths...lucky you!!! I would love to get Tamworths the next time around, but they are very hard to find!
So do they eat grass or are they fed scraps like other pigz?
What is their temperament like?
Hi Naomi! Are you kidding? Nibbles cant wait to work up the courage to run right down there and tell them pigz they are heading for the grill!
Hi David! Um.. I've been back here since late 2005 - thats when it all started. All you have to do is march in there, tell them you're mad as hell and you arent gonna take it anymore and LEAVE! Ha!
I don't think so Mr. H. I've already told them how much I hate them. But I love the bacon!
No no no, Robin! No pig love here! But they do kinda have funny little faces.....
Kenleigh, we are SO lucky. We totally scored and are so glad!
CC - right now the temperament is "petrified of the circus" - but they are kinda easy going. Last years pigs were bat-crap-crazy. Like totally loco. They'll get as much pasture as they can demolish, and a 16% or better protein diet. I'll do a 'whatcha feedin' them pigz' post with our strategy. As Goodwife said, corn is going to be thru the roof so we need to figure out some alternative feed (we dont usually do a lot of bagged food for them for lots of reasons).
heeeeerrreee piggy piggy piggy~
let them eat all the poison ivy they want!
I still shudder at the thought of that stuff - poison ivy, not pigs!
I talked to Big G about getting pigs....we're on our way to it!
Eloise - go and getcha some pigz! Tell Big G that you've got all the goatmilk them pigz need so cost of feed = cheap! It will be a great value.
;-)
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