Two female Large Black Pigs (the name of the breed, NOT a descriptor) came to Willow Garden yesterday. They are a joint venture with my neighbours (and friends), the Bosleys. They are still pretty skittish so are locked in the barn. Once they are tamed down a bit (or at least know to come to the sight of a food bucket) they will be pasture raised.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The Latest Residents ... for the summer only ... :-)
Two female Large Black Pigs (the name of the breed, NOT a descriptor) came to Willow Garden yesterday. They are a joint venture with my neighbours (and friends), the Bosleys. They are still pretty skittish so are locked in the barn. Once they are tamed down a bit (or at least know to come to the sight of a food bucket) they will be pasture raised.
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8 comments:
Excellent! We raised some Berkshires last year - awesome meat! The Large Black are hard to find. They are so great for eating weeds, kitchen scraps and such!
How wonderful! I want to try Large Blacks, but haven't talked my husband into it. I will be avidly following your blog now for Shetland, Dexter and Large Black tidbits!!
Btw, the left ear of the nearest gilt looks abnormally swollen, as though she had injured it or gotten it infected (my father has raised hogs since before I was born, so she just doesn't look right.)Do you think it needs to be drained?
Great observation Angela ... and THANK YOU for re-affirming the diagnosis. She was stepped on by her Mom a couple of days ago and the ear is quite swollen. I don't think it is infected as she is not acting 'sick' at all. I have a young lad coming in the morning to work with me and we will make a first attempt at draining her ear.
I LOVE these pigs! they are so smart! After two days ... they know the sound of my voice and that I mean 'food/slop'.
The gilt in front has wonderful length to her body. If I were going to keep one as a sow ... which I am not ... probably ... she'd be the one ... but I am NOT ... unless they can be bred AI ... hmmm
I don't know Bill, they look too cute to eat, and living on a beef farm, that usually doesn't bother me!
As much as I love Shetlands, I think hogs are even smarter. I rather like pet swine on pasture, although my husband's only experience is with confined hogs (and I don't like those either!)
Hogs are VERY easy to AI, unlike sheep. :-)
Holy Moly Bill! You are truly a farmer and jack of all trades! Good luck with the swine!!
We recently received some white turkeys to raise. This is new to us, so I am unsure what to expect!! Chickens are next!!! hehehe
Hi Vicki,
I have rare breed turkeys that I keep to sell hatching eggs from. The white ones are the ones that folks want to buy. Meat birds are presold before I buy them in ... 75 this year, but I don't brood more than 50 at a time. I have a few Pekin ducks to try and I am liking them! Then for layers I will be raising my own from now on ... Cuckoo Marans, Wellsummers, and Black Penedesenca. I LOVE my birds ... and they pay their own way ... AND provide me with quality food.
I'm hoping to buy two Large Blacks each Spring if these two work out ... and I am sure that they will.
And then their are the Dexters ... LOVELY lean beef for a fat old guy like me who is watching his fat intake ... :-)
Life is good ... complete with newly hatched, LOUDLY chirping Cuckoo Marans in a brooder box in my dining room
Shari ... NOTHING on my farm is too cute to eat if it was born as food ... ;-)
Looking forward to seeing you guys this weekend!
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