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Post by bluelacedredhead on Apr 30, 2007 9:31:12 GMT -5
Until they are sold we thought we could put them to good use digging up the garden. Our large tiller has been broken for a few years and the poor old disc broke last year. When most of the giant pumpkin transplants got eaten by cutworms and crows the bottom part of the garden turned into a weedfest.. But look at what a difference one day with the Tamworth Tillers has made.  Cayenne finds Potatoes!  Morning of Day 2  |
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Post by lavandulagirl on Apr 30, 2007 14:34:36 GMT -5
You know - I have a cerebral knowledge of how large pigs are, but then I see a picture, or a pig at the fair, and I think "Holy moly, pigs are big!" They are doing some great tilling work, there, Blue! Way to put them to good use!
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Post by downinmyback on Apr 30, 2007 19:40:50 GMT -5
I have seen sows that are over 1000 pounds before. We have sold boars close to 900 pounds. I have read that in the wild that can get over 2000. They killed one in Georgia named HOGZILLA that was close to that weight lol.
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Post by flowerpower on May 1, 2007 6:05:48 GMT -5
Aww, they make my pot bellies look so small. lol The electric fence is enough to keep them from digging out?
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Post by bluelacedredhead on May 1, 2007 8:15:31 GMT -5
They tried of course to escape, or maybe they were just looking at the lusher grass on the other side of the fence  But twice Cayenne got caught in the wire when she ran and she must have got a good jolt, because after that, when either of them got zapped, they weren't long running back into the middle of the garden. Remember, pigs are intelligent. It doesn't take them long to figure something out.. There are 3 hotwires on the fence. For the boar, they recommend more (can't recall how many now?). But this worked for the girls. |
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Post by bluelacedredhead on May 1, 2007 16:48:48 GMT -5
Day3  Getting There! And boy do they look happy about being there too.. ;D  |
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Post by johno on May 1, 2007 20:35:53 GMT -5
They look mouth-watering!
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Post by houseodessey on May 1, 2007 20:49:31 GMT -5
How can your DH want to sell such adorable and useful creatures? They almost make me want to give up bacon and ham for good. Have they ever had piglets?
Johno, no pork for you. Eat some sprouts.
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Post by johno on May 1, 2007 20:57:28 GMT -5
Come on Sunday!
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Post by houseodessey on May 1, 2007 21:19:34 GMT -5
Heh. I had bacon on Sunday, too. Yummers. (Sorry Cayenne, Clive and un-named friend.)
Still, the pig pics are making me glad that I eat less of them now.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on May 1, 2007 21:33:34 GMT -5
Cayenne and Clive are Calli's (the un-named one) parents. Cayenne is a good mother. She usually has a litter of 9 or 10 piglets. If they are born live, then she usually raises them all.
They look adorable, but they are large animals and as such cost a lot to feed. The area where we live is not open to different breeds of livestock. If it isn't a black faced sheep, a production red hen, a limousin cow, a basic brown horse or a white pig then it's not marketable. We've been banging our heads against the same brick wall for 13 years now and it's time to give up.
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Post by houseodessey on May 1, 2007 21:44:26 GMT -5
That's a shame but you have to make a living, right? I'm glad you've had good experiences with your pigs, outside of marketing them to a bunch of idiots who want their pigs to look like the ones from the Gap or Macy's (sorry, weird mixed analogy). They look like gooduns, to me. I have the luxury of enjoying all of this farm life from afar while I make my living elsewhere. I'd be a crappy farmer as I can't even cull tomato seedlings.  I'd still like to try someday, though. I hope that your pigs get a good home and that they double dig your garden for you in the meantime. |
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Post by downinmyback on May 1, 2007 23:08:44 GMT -5
Our area is not like that as you see almost all breeds here. We do not have alot of sheep ( only ones i know belong to FFA members). I guess the only thing is milk cows as the only breed is Holstein. You mite see a jersy cow but most of those are used as beef cows. The commercial poultry use white leghorn but normally people just have mixed flocks of chicken. There are alot of goats raised here as there is a market for their meat here.
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Post by flowerpower on May 2, 2007 7:12:27 GMT -5
I thought there might be 3 hot wires.
Blue, they are cuties! I think I did see that breed at the Fair last yr. But some people were from out of state. The most common porkers in this area are really big & pink. I can't think of the breed right now. But they are at least 1000 lbs or more.
Pigs have the IQ of about a 2 yr old. My one girl is a rescue from Pa. She was professionally trained when she was younger at her original home. She remembered all her little tricks, even though she had not done them in a long time.
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Post by downinmyback on Aug 21, 2007 0:25:12 GMT -5
Blue how did the little orphan pig do
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But twice Cayenne got caught in the wire when she ran and she must have got a good jolt, because after that, when either of them got zapped, they weren't long running back into the middle of the garden. 
I'd still like to try someday, though. I hope that your pigs get a good home and that they double dig your garden for you in the meantime.