You probably know that I love pigs. There’s just something about them.
They’re smart, make great barnyard friends and they even taste great after their time on pasture is up.
Maybe that’s the reason I nominated them as my farm’s MVA last year (you know, Most Valuable Farm Animal).
That’s why I am beyond excited to have pigs on the farm again. This time around, we decided to do something different.
Would you like to meet them and find out how we convinced them to join the rest of our animals in the barn?
Our trip to pick the pigs up involved several hours of driving and a sprinkle of bad luck. It’s one of those “I couldn’t make it up if I tried” kind of things.
We made it to the farm where we would purchase our pigs earlier than the time we’d set up to meet. We decided to take a nice, country drive to pass the time.
A few miles down the road from the farm and we lost power in the truck. And I don’t mean that it didn’t want to turn over or we could only get the radio to play. I mean we lost all power. You’ve got to be kidding me… that’s what I kept thinking in my head.
Luckily, I was able to call the farmer we were meeting and he drove right over to help us out. Turned out to be a bad connection. Note to self: When you’re going to take a drive, remember to put your tools back in the truck first so you have them when needed.
When we got to the farm, we had (or at least I had) lots of fun meeting the different pigs. The couple that we dealt with had a really nice setup. After he dealt with our dozens of questions, we decided that we wanted to take them home. I was stoked! We headed home, where we had to figure out how to get them from the bed of the truck to the barn… which was a bit of distance away. I know the smart thing to do would be to just park by the barn. Turns out that wasn’t in our cards; the truck wasn’t behaving so we had to improvise.
Hubby started by blocking of any possible escape routes. Fortunately, the UP’s bounty of snow provided is with lots of free material to create paths. Hubby also used the car and tractor to block off the driveaway. We figured, where could the pigs go?
First, we unloaded the boar and sow. Hubby had the truck parked so that the tailgate was backed up to a trailer. This created a sort of staircase for the pigs to come down. With a little enticing (food), they cooperated with us.
It’s a little difficult to see because the snow is so white, but there is a little corridor leading to the barn. The pigs followed a dish with feed in it with little resistance. I was concerned that once we got to the barn, things might be a little different.
It ended up being no trouble at all. We were able to direct them through another hallway Hubby created, inside the barn. He made a wall by stacking hay, feed, and whatever else was nearby and handy. And it worked like a charm! I sure do wish that we were able to bring the Repurposed Animal Housing with us that I told you how we made from free junk, but we had to leave it behind; there was only so much room for things when we moved to the UP. I guess that means it’s time to keep my eyes out for discarded stuff to make one again before it’s time to put them on pasture! Until spring, they’ll be living in stalls that we’ve made for them in the barn.
Murphey even decided to introduce himself to the new pigs! I don’t think they really cared though. Now it was time for the fun part; moving the piglets! I insisted on trying to carry some to their pen myself.
I know it’s shocking (sarcasm), but it started snowing while we moved the piglets. I tried my best to carry them all, one by one, myself. In the end, I couldn’t do it. Those little bacon seeds start to feel heavy! I carried a couple and Hubby got the rest. Of course, Murphey helped with everything, as usual. You can see him here by my side, as always. If you didn’t already know, Murphey is my service dog and he’s with me always. It doesn’t matter if I’m going to the barn or to the grocery store, he’s helping me out!
Here’s me cheesin’ with one of my new best pals! Don’t let her fool you; she looks cute, but she is a strong and feisty ball of muscle! She’ll grow up to be a great mother or a tasty ham… only time can tell!
Here’s the little handful of them all together, inhaling their food. Typical piglets, yes? And if you think this is piglet cuteness, just wait! The sow we brought home is making a nest and getting ready to have a litter. I’ll be sure to bomb you with the cuteness once they arrive!
Before we go, my favorite pig of them all wanted to say hello. Surprisingly, it’s not the piglets that I’m rushing to the barn to hang out with, it’s our boar. He is super friendly and loves affection (and treats too!). I’ve been calling him by the name Big Daddy. It just sort of happened, and it seems fitting. Afterall, the piglets we brought home are his. So are the piglets on the way. He gets around, folks!
