Lots of Little Piggies!

When we got home from the soccer banquet last night my wife found nine little piggies lined up and getting their first meal. Most likely they were born while we were off celebrating the end of the soccer season and it seems that all went well. Now comes the hard part … making it through the first week or two and seeing how momma sow does with all the little piggies around her. I believe she had nine pigs in her first little as well, but lost four to crushing. Hopefully that was just some new mom jitters, but as we build our swine herd I know that it is something we are going to have to work through.

This is where the “letting pigs be pigs” thing comes into play. So far there have been two pigs lost. We know that there will be losses on the farm (especially when farrowing pigs), but we also want to get our herd to a point where we have good mothers that know what they are doing and can do it well. That is why I like to visit the Sugar Mountain Farm blog. When I read the posts over there I know it is possible to have sows that know what to do out on pasture.

For now, we are just going to enjoy the new pigs and help provide the best environment that we can for the pigs and for the momma sow. It is so amazing to me how creation just works itself out. Like I told my wife … “It’s like she delivered them and then they got up, made a left turn and walked over to grab a bite to eat.” It is pretty incredible how that works out!