No, I'm not kicking her...just keeping her from taking a bite of my leg!
Pigs are adorable when they are little. Timid and sweet and oh so cute. But what you need to remember, just like all animals, they get big. Big enough to take a bite out of you if you are not careful! Big enough to push you over when you enter the pen. And big enough to make a pretty good stink. Still, raising pigs is a worthwhile activity if you enjoy animals as we do and want to know where you food comes from.
Stretch!
I know this will bother some people and others will applaud, but yes we do raise our pigs for the freezer. We've raised chickens for the freezer as well as turkeys, but I assure you my laying hens and turkeys (turkey eggs are wonderful!) have a home for life...no stew pot for my ladies. We served our home grown pork at the wedding last August, we've had four 4th of July pig roasts, and we've filled our freezer a few times. Every single one of our animals is treated with dignity and respect. We love them and we honor them for the nourishment they give our bodies. Yes, we name them. We give them toys, fresh water every day, lots of treats and we don't poison them with unnecessary meds to fatten them up, no antibiotics, no medicated feed.
See how happy they are?
My other farmgirl friends also raise their own meat. Emily raises sheep, Eli raises goats and Allie just purchased some land so she is doing meat chickens and pigs this year. Farmgirls understand the cycle of life and where food comes from, they all teach it to their children. Yet, I have other friends who inevitably ask me "how can you kill and eat something you have named and taken care of???"
I understand where they are coming from. I didn't grow up on a farm but farming has always been in my blood. Still ten years ago I might have asked the same question. However, the answer is simple. When we take these animals on we know they are going to be food. We are NOT eating our pets. We are raising our own food. There is a difference....a BIG difference. That is why my layers never make it to the pot. I've buried several of my hens on our property and shed many a tear at their deaths.
Check out that muddy pig smile!
Those of you who can't quite understand the farmgirl mentality of raising your own food should do a little bit of research on where your grocery store food comes from. Food Inc (http://www.takepart.com/foodinc) or Hungry For Change (http://www.hungryforchange.tv/) are a couple of good ones. Then visit a small hobby farm like ours and see the difference for yourselves. I know ignorance of how animals are treated can be bliss and it can be easier to digest your meat when you choose to believe that the shrink wrapped meat couldn't possibly come from a cute little animal. But I beg of you for your own health as well as the safety and humane treatment of the animals...do some research. I think you will find that we small hobby farmers are MUCH more humane and respectful than the grocery store chains.
One of my heroes in life is Temple Grandin. I'm sure most of you have heard of her. If you haven't do a Google search. This woman is utterly amazing. She is an advocate for the humane treatment of all livestock, food or otherwise. www.templegrandin.com
In the meantime, to all my friends who don't understand being a farmgirl I tell you... I hear you and I understand where you are coming from. All I ask is for you to do some research on your own. Then form your opinion. I think you will find that those of us who name our animals give them much better lives than those who do not. If you still disagree then I respect your views. Will you respect mine?
The laughing pig.
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