Pigs are not prey animals, so if you’re used to skittish horses, this ain’t that. Park trailer in pasture. Leave truck attached. Open trailer doors, put down feed at far end from door. They may or may not be hesitant but the smell of feed quickly wins out. Next feeding, shut the door for a…

It’s such a relief when fall comes. The grass and weeds become manageable and local harvests of various types of produce result in what must be the pigs’ favorite time of year. Then we move into November, when Oregon’s Willamette Valley weather retards thoughts of big outdoor projects. Days are short, the pigs sleep a…

Besides the 12 piglets that were born to Flower and P2 in early April (see Extended family), about a week later a new piglet appeared in the lower pasture where the herd had been separated from the two sows. I came to realize that one of the smallest members of the herd, a teenager who was…

Another first: two sows farrowed on the same day, April 3. The first, Flower, has a lot of experience but never has more than three piglets at a time. The second, who I call P2 because she’s the daughter of my first kune kune sow Princess, farrowed for the first time and had 9 piglets!…

I took two pigs to the butcher in January, to be greatly enjoyed by friends/customers. In this instance, these are the first two of my butchered pigs that were born and raised here. Much as I enjoy and love my pigs, they are very much a part of a cycle of life for me. As…

Quick how many pig expressions related to eating can you think while you watch this pumpkin fest? This was a GIANT pumpkin brought by two friends from their farm.