Gosh I started writing this and didn't get very far. Phil and I discussed raising pigs for several years ... I wanted to and he didn't.
He and Mike built a place for pigs to live in 2012, but we didn't get a pig. This spring I pushed so much that we got 2 pigs. We didn't know what we were doing. We didn't really know how to take care of them. To be totally honest we were both a little afraid of them.
In April we took delivery of two little pigs. In April we lost our hearts to two little boys who became so much a part of our lives.
I have always read that pigs are as smart as a 2 year old .... but I honestly had no idea. These two boys stole our hearts. They learned to love us, and wait for us to come visit and feed them.
We decided not to name them, instead called them big pig and little pig.
Big pig was much more accepting and loving. He accepted petting and in fact would fall asleep when we petted him ... he would fall over like a dog. Little pig was a bit more standoffish. He didn't want to be petted.
As time went on, they were both accepting of pats and loving. PLUS they learned that when we came to visit they would get treats. We would bring them "slop" from our house, or from some of our friends house. I must insert here that I have a wonderful friend who saves all of her "slop" year round for me. She has a bucket at her house and saves all of her organic waste for our critters.
Our "boys" were always excited to see us. They got so happy when they would hear either of our voices. It didn't matter what we brought them ... as long as we would pay attention to them and play with them.
The time came to butcher them .... neither of us wanted to follow through with it. We planned for it .... we practiced what we would do. NOPE. We didn't want to do it.
Time caught up with us. We had to take them to the butcher Phil and I both knew it would be best if I would butcher them ..... but I couldn't do it. I don't have the ability to butcher a 300# hog. I think it would be better if I could. I would be happy to know they went peacefully ....
so we took them to the butcher ..... We got 20 minutes away and I said NO!!! I wanted to take the boys back home and forget butchering. Phil being the more "grown up" of the two of us at that moment said no.
We were both sad and upset when the butcher came out with a cattle prod to get them out of the trailer. I told him my boys were well mannered and he didn't need to use that on them. They were troopers when they walked out of the trailer into the holding chamber. I thought I was being quite grown up until I started sobbing like a baby in the butchers office. Driving away and leaving them there was so hard.
It took a couple of weeks to get used to the idea of eating little pig (we sold big pig) but he is delicious. We are enjoying pork chops and home made sausage. Last night we had a ham steak. Yummmm.
