Hog Update

 Good morning long lost friends!  I have been a bad blogger, and my posts have been random since I started school - but, they will still be random until I get used to my schedule again.  Hope back to school has been great for you!

Today the butcher is coming out the butcher the last two pigs.  When the last set of pigs were butcher, I told my friend and reader Viktoria I would share pictures to see how big the pigs are before they get butchered.  I quickly snapped some pictures last night as we were moving them into a smaller pen and getting everything ready last night. I know that pictures aren't very good and I'll be honest - I am a little embarrassed that I did such a poor job.  

Remember when we got the pigs?   They were so small!  I'm realizing now that I haven't done a lot of blogging about the pigs.  How we care for our pigs in the heat and of course Flat Aggie's visit to the pigs. 

 They are usually covered in dirt or mud (since it has been hot lately) and last night was no exception.   If you look closely, you can see the rolls of fat on his chin. 

Take a look at the last picture on this post then take a look at this picture - you will be able to see just how much they have grown in just a few months.  

I got up at 5 this morning to bake cookies for the butcher.  I always keep a couple dozen cookie dough balls in the freezer so all I have to do is but bake them. 

Hope you are having a great week!

How we Care for our Pigs in the Heat

 Our pigs (I should start calling them hogs now since they are now so big!) are our number one priority.  It gets hot here in the Sacramento Valley so before the first day over 100 degrees came, we made sure our pigs were ready and can find some relief from the sweltering heat.  As I have written about before, pigs can't sweat so they need mud and shade (or a climate controlled barn) to keep cool. 

 Shade - We make sure they is enough shade so all of the pigs can get out of the sun at the same time.

 Mister system - we have a mister system set up to run on a timer during the hottest part of the day. 

 The pigs are able to take refuge from the heat under the misters.  You can see from their hole that they like to hang out right where it is shady and cool from the misters. 

 Water and mud - Since we cannot spray them down all day we set up a sprinkler to run (again on a timer) in the early afternoon. The pigs love to play with the water

 and they also love to hang out in the mud. 

 Even after the sprinkler is off, they are left with mud holes and another place to beat the heat. 

Another thing that is always available to our pigs is water.  That should go without saying, but I just wanted to make sure to add that.  There are two nipples that supply as much fresh water as the pigs can drink.  

Most pigs are not raised like our pigs (see what Flat Aggie learned about a commercial operation here), but all producers have one thing in common - we care about the well being of our pigs. 

Please leave a comment and tell me what you think!  Do you have any suggestions for us?  How do YOU keep cool in the heat of the summer?

How Pigs Keep Cool

 When it gets hot dogs pant to keep cool, humans sweat and crank up their AC.  Pigs can't do any of that, so their root in the ground to find cool dirt to lay in or roll around in mud to keep cool.   

On the first hot day of the year, we got out the hose and sprayed the pigs down.  

 

They LOVED it!  Where ever I sprayed they followed and tried to get all the water in their mouth or on their bum.  They are pretty funny!  Oh, and yes that is me - I don't know why Michael let me out of the house looking like a homeless person.  The jeans I am wearing fit great but are stained with paint, bedliner, and who knows what else.  The shirt is straight from Freshman year of High School FFA Conference.  I am pretty sure it says "A Time For Change" and every time I wear it I think - It's time to change this shirt but I keep it anyway.  Now, this outfit would be perfectly acceptable just to work on the pig pens and feed them but NO - we went to Walmart also - I am pretty sure I am now on peopleofwalmart.com!  Oh, well - back to the pigs.  

 

 Watch the pig closest to me ...

 I think he was a little disappointed with the lack of mud to roll in.  

And that is how you turn a pink pig brown.

Pigs roll in mud not only to keep cool, but also to ward off pesky bugs, and to sooth (and prevent) sunburn.

Commercial pigs are kept in temperature controlled barns to keep them cool in the summer and warm in the winter.   

Pigs!

 This weekend we brought home our first set of pigs!

 All four of them together. 

 Chance enjoyed watching them

while they rooted around in the grass.  He was a little afraid of them but really interested.  He laid down in the grass and the pigs came running over to smell him - it was so cute.  When, I ran over to get the camera he got up and came with me. 

 

 That handsome man of mine with one of the piglets.