Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Pig Update

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The two FFA fair pigs are growing rapidly and are completely tame. A rub on the back will cause them to press against you while leaning to expose their bellies for rubbing.

They love Gatorade. I mean they LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. It's a good economical source of electrolytes when they are feeling bad...cheaper than Pedialyte and very effective.

I have learned a lot about pigs in the 3 years that we have raised swine for the fair. They get dirty, but are careful to use far corners of the pen for body wastes. They look you in the eye, they nibble everything to test for edibility, they view you and anything else as a possible scratching post, and they love to drink.
Mia will sit and catch water droplets or slurp from the hose for as long as you can stand to be the pig sprayer.

Two months to fair time.

9 comments:

The MacBean Gene said...

The wife says the pigs are cute but not as cute as you in the glasses.

Karen Schmautz said...

So....after the fair, what happens to the pigs that you have named, scratched, loved, petted, fed...etc?

No...don't tell me...I don't want to know.

Thunder said...

They get sun burned too! That's actually one of the reasons that they roll in tht mud (SPF 5000). I like pigs alot, mainly because of their versatiliy: Cured, smoked, grilled, baked, fried, sauted, kabobed......

Sorry, but I couldn't resist! ;-)

Anonymous said...

The pigs are cuter than you in glasses. And they look as happy as, ah, pigs in mud. I like the pigs alive and squealing.

Funny about the Gatorade because our ancient (I mean ANCIENT) guinea pig, Millie, likes it too and we use it to supplement her now that she's not doing quite as well nutritionally.

R.Powers said...

Mac,
Okay, I like your wife already.

Hick,
After the fair...well, it's off to market. No illusions about their future from that point on, but I know they spent 120 pigstatic days in real dirt, with back scratches, gatorade, and cool mud baths.
I will hate to see them go...

Dave,
You are exactly right. They sunburn really easy and that's why they itch so much. They are always peeling...I have shade for them, but they are so pigheaded about sunbathing!

Vicki,
I like 'em alive and squealing also. Gatorade for geriatric guinea pigs...this could be a whole new marketing campaign!

doubleknot said...

Your pigs remind me of mine I used to raise. They were for home use not the fair but I raised at least one and sometimes two or three and sold the extras. My big freezer stayed full year round. I enjoyed raising the pigs and always treated them gently as they were giving up them selves for our meals. You can go to my blog and read about the first pig I raised and how I had to take over when it came time to send it to piggy heaven. Miss those days - now I get my pork chops and ribs from the store.

Walter Jeffries said...

Pig fun! :)

Suzanne said...

Well once the pigs go to the fair they cannot return to the farm, or at least that's how it works around here. It has something to do with controlling the spread of disease between piggie populations I think.

R.Powers said...

Doubleknot,
I will check out that post about your pigs.

Walter,
We are amateurs, I know you have a real working farm. They are fun though.

Zanne,
I so enjoyed your fair photos last year, I can't wait for you to see my fair posts in March. You will feel right at home.