I’ve realized it’s been a few weeks since I’ve done a pig update. I’m sorry!!!! Let me fill you in.
We are still having problems with Harry Houdini pig, oops, I mean Char. When Char was a wee piglet he taught himself to escape the pig pen. He’d go hang out with my Dad and get treats. It was funny and cute to me for a long time until I started tripping in his holes. And then Dad started tripping in his holes. Now we are trying to fix this problem.
This is what Char escaping his pen looks like. I thought it was funny until I was taking a plate of prime rib home at night and tripped in one of his rooting holes. The prime rib was ok, but the au jus was a goner. If you know me, you know how serious I am about my au jus.
Dad got into his pole collection for us….
And added those poles around the bottom of the pen so Char couldn’t slip under the fence.
This is what a sad pig looks like when he figures out he can’t escape!
We have continued cooking slop for the pigs, I’m really getting it down!
Sam from the Cardinal Rules blog had the brilliant idea of putting a lid on the slop as it cooks, therefore cutting my cooking time!
I’m saving seeds from the pumpkins and plan on planting them everywhere on both ranches, for next year’s pigs! (Don’t tell my Dad I plan on planting them on the edges of his hay fields!)
I had one of my twitter friends tell me about a study they did where they gave pigs beer to see if it would lower their stress levels. Pigs like beer!
Like I mentioned before, I was able to get these pigs by promising that I would pay for and take care of everything and my parents would get a freezer full of pork out of the deal. Well, it hasn’t really worked out like that. It’s now adult 4-H/Parent’s having fun. They drove to Orland to buy us cheaper/better slop cooking materials. So nice of them!
And the last pig pen improvement is a concrete feeding station!!! My parents surprised me when I got home from work – isn’t it awesome!?
Happy pigs!
And there you have our latest pig update. They are fat and happy, and getting more so everyday!
Char is still so little compared to the rest! I love reading your pig updates – pigs are definitely a lot of work but so worth it!
I’m enjoying it so much! It’s been so much fun bonding with my friends and family with this project! Today worth it! And BACON!
They are getting so big. When you do you think they will be ready for harvest?
crystalcattle.com
Ha ha! We don’t know! They are gaining so much! We were planning for May 1, but it looks like it’s going to be a lot sooner! I can’t complain though, growing pigs are a good thing!