What They Leave Behind

It has been a quiet week here at Green Mountain Girls Farm. Statistics from Royal Butcher help us understand why…not only are the 13 “piglets” no longer with us, but they had a bigger presence than we knew.  Our “piglets” had grown even bigger than we predicted producing over a ton of pork! Chores are easier, feeding time is quieter and the farmers’ adrenaline associated with outsmarting them into the trailer has subsided.

Art by Liva Coe

But as we ready to drive to Green Mountain Smoke House with the hams and bacon and to rush the rest to the freezer, we realize these pigs left us so much more than this! Fife’s five were the survivors. In early July, Fife’s litter struggled due to her acute, sudden onset mastitis. Those that survived were hypoglycemic and sunburned by the time Dr. Stuwe confirmed the need to bottle feed them.  Many helped nurse them, first in the bathtub, then under the apple tree, until they could join their 8 cousins out in the back pasture.  Then we all enjoyed the months of silliness, curiosity, determination and joy these pigs demonstrated on pasture, digging in the woods, playing in the snow, enjoying an ear scratch and sleeping peacefully in big piles of warmth. 

As we ready to support Fife, Madison and Checkers who will all farrow in late March, we first must contend with another legacy of the 13.  Their bedded pack is a rich arc, 18 inch deep and 100 square foot area, where they left their marks.  Our team carefully layered in sawdust to capture the nutrients and spent hay and straw from their bedding area to keep the area dry.  Now the trick will be to add water and pile on wood chip to initiate the hot compost phase which will ready this material for fall garden beds.  Before even the next round of piglets, the full cycle of life is visible, even in the quiet emptiness where last week 13 good looking pigs stood.  Each litter makes a mark on our hearts, land and lives.  We thank them for all they provide.

And as Madison plowed her way through the deep snow this week [video link] we wondered if they are getting in shape to build their nest (video) and bring us the next litters to who will in turn leave their imprint on this farm community.  

Doodle's Piglets

Yes, it may seem as if we are only pig farmers if you read this blog lately. We promise to share other farm stories, but it is true that with 3 sows farrowing in November and December, the pigs are quite prominent. Santa came early and Doodle delivered her piglets on Monday, Dec 21st, right on schedule. The birthing hours are exciting and a bit nerve-racking. Laura was home with the crew while the Omland's celebrated an early Christmas, leading to recommendations of skipping the game theme for names and going right to Santa's reindeer.

She had 8 strong piglets by 11 pm, but one didn't survive the night. A misstep by Doodle seemed to have been the cause. Those 4 lb piglets have to be careful and lucky to not get stepped on by their 750 lb mama. Another, since named Tiny Tim, had his leg broken and cut probably by her hoof. He, however, is growing nicely, in his bathroom suite in the house, though still not using his leg.

Now they are nursing and growing and exploring their surroundings. After just one week, they no longer seem so fragile. And as we glance over at the older piglets, only 5 & 7 weeks old, we can hardly believe that soon they will be that big. [Photo is piglets at 1 -4 hours old; video is them at 1 week old]

Piglet Update

We have 11 happy piglets from 2 litters (Fife Nov 9 & Madison Nov 22). Most notable characteristics -- their rapid growth and fast speed. They all are getting to be quite substantial. No more worries about them being too cold as they are growing well, have moved into the hoop house, and now sleep in an 11 piglet pile. When the run and play, they are fast. They also love to dig in the dirt, wrestle with each other, and imitate the sows. Overall, they bring much joy. Here are some photos and videos for the curious.

Risk, the Runt

Risk seemed like an appropriate name for our littlest, runty piglet as we took him away from his six rambunctious siblings and Fife this morning. Risk is 1/3 the size of the others, if that, and now that Fife's other 6 piglets are scampering about, wrestling and chewing on each other, the runt was getting roughed up and abused. This morning, the humane choices were to euthanize the runt or see it we could nurse him.

We made the decision to pull him out, try bottle feeding him with some goat's milk and see if he could get a bit stronger. This is generally against our better judgment -- figuring they are better off with their kind and available milk 24/7. Which is what we had been deciding for the past few days. He was strong and tenacious enough to make it through some cold nights and negotiating 6 sibling piglets and a 500 pound Mama - maybe he'll make it.

"God, I can't believe we are doing this," Mari said several times today. We are bottle feeding a 5 day old piglet. At just 2 pounds, he is very precarious. I am glad to report he is taking the bottle, but only time will tell. And how we are to fit in 16 feedings a day, we are not so sure. Nor do we know how much a 2 lb piglet should be drinking. I am sure many farmers would think we are crazy and wasting our time. But clearly, we have a soft spot for the underdogs and decided to give him a chance.

Fife and Her Piglets Bring Joy

It is amazing how quickly the piglets grow. Don't get me wrong, they are still very small, but it is amazing that in less than 5 days we can really see a difference. They seem less fragile now, which lets us farmers sleep a little easier on a 20 degree night and they are very cute. Already, they are coming out of their shelter to dig around in the dirt, putting those noses to work at a young age. Fife is doing a great job in her new role as a mama pig and we have 6 strong piglets (4 boys & 2 girls) and 1 runt that seems tough, but she does worry us.

We have already been asked about names for the piglets -- yes, they need names. It is still 2009 so we need game names - do feel free to send your nominations. Hopefully we need a lot, because Madison, Fife's sister, is due next week. Words don't really due justice to the piglets, so I'll stop here and just add some images. (Check out the slide show to the right for additional photos!)

Thank You Pigs

Today we had to say goodbye to two pigs, Revere and Drum. They had done their job here on our farm and will now provide healthy food for many people. People say you shouldn't name animals that you are raising for meat, it makes it too hard. But on our farm, name or no name, we knew those two pigs -- we only had 5. We did take a moment to say goodbye and thank them for the food they would soon provide. They just looked at me, content as ever, as the trailer pulled away. Just how I want our animals to be. They didn't live a long life, but a healthy, calm, contented one.

I was a vegetarian for 20 years - mostly because I had deep concerns (and still do) about how most meat is raised and whether it is healthy for us, the animal and our world. But I know how this pork was raised - on organic grain (with plenty of garden/kitchen cuttings and some fresh goat's milk these past few weeks), on pasture and plenty hay in the winter, having plenty of space to move around and with love (mostly conveyed via scratching behind the ears and of course belly rubs).

Saying goodbye to these pigs wasn't the easiest farm job, but I am thrilled to be able to offer meat that was raised in a manner that is healthy for us, the animal and our world.

And as a part of completing the circle of life...Doodle is due with piglets in 2 weeks.

Belly Rubs

If you want to make a pig happy, just rub their belly. If they are standing when you start, they will start to lean against you, indicating their happiness. You can almost feel them relaxing. Since Doodle has been back, we've been trying to make sure she feels loved especially since she and the Redcoats are still separated. And we figure, we will benefit when she has her piglets if she is very comfortable with us. So every few days, or when the time and opportunity strike, I like to take a few moments and indulge her in a good belly rub. This morning, she had gone back in her shelter (our livestock trailer) to lay in the hay. So I went in and started scratching. It is amazing. She'll wiggle around a bit to fully expose her belly and then close her eyes and release some quiet contented sighs. It is good relaxing moment for me too - reminding me to take time amidst busy days to enjoy.

Napping in the Sun

Even the pigs can't resist a nap in the sun as it warms up. While some parts of the country are already into the warm, flowering days of spring, here in central Vermont spring is a bit slower to arrive. But spring has arrived. This year much of our snow is already melted and the sun has a bit more strength. It means during their naps, instead of burrowing deep into their pile of hay, the pigs are seeking the sun. And how cute they look.

Doodle is Back

Doodle, our first sow, is back from breeding camp. We sent her off to Hogwash Farm, where we got her, to get pregnant since we don't have any boars here. Boars can look a bit scary, they are big and they have tusks. When Mari saw Bruce the boar she noted, "we don't need one of those". That was just in the moment, we aren't ruling it out, but he was a bit intimidating.

Anyway, Doodle is back and getting to know the Redcoats. Unfortunately, despite some coaching to welcome their new friend, they were a bit skeptical and chased her around the pen a bit when we first introduced them. Not helping matters, as soon as Revere, Madison, Fife or Drum approached her, she bolted. So....now they are getting to know each other with a boundary in between. It is how we should have started, but the snow and frozen ground have us a bit limited on pen options.

Doodle is enjoying some extra attention from us to help her transition. She really loves to be scratched behind the ears and once you start rubbing her belly she'll roll to fully expose it. She has a cozy spot with LOTS of hay to burrow in and keep her warm. And we expect in a few days all the pigs will be able to be together...or at least so we hope.
(check out the slide show for more recent pictures)

How much do those pigs weigh?

The pigs' weight is often a curiosity. Any guesses? We track their weight as a guide to how much to feed them, their overall health, estimated finishing date, and for fun. This batch is growing like weeds as they say. When we brought them home from Hogwash Farm, the Redcoats were 6 weeks old and weighed about 25-30 lbs. They were tiny, by comparison. Today's measurements reveal:
Revere: 288 lbs
Fife: 237
Drum: 219
Madison: 212
That means, they have gained on average 1.2 -1.6 pounds per day. Yikes! Talk about putting on your winter weight.

People often ask how we weigh the pigs. Funny images of them lining up to get on the scale come to mind. But, alas, their weights are estimates based on measuring their length & girth and doing some math. Given they never stand perfectly still, it does mean the above measurements could be off a bit. Revere is notably bigger than everyone else, but I wouldn't have thought Fife was 20 lbs bigger than Drum & Madison. Hmm.