[Roughlee Handled]

oink

[dizzylizzie]

maybe they could wash the pots everyday.......surely that would be a help.......i hear they are good at digging the garden over? i mean thas backbreaking work......surely that would be helpfu
you could teach them to be sheep pigs like babe in the movie.......
im sre you could justify keeping them

[joyfull]

Just keep thinking of roast pork n crackling, boiled ham, bacon, gamon, chops etc. 

[SMD66]

just think, the pigs have had nothing but good days since they were born, mud wallows, sunshine, good food etc etc, then they have 1 bad day, then you have the best pork you've ever tasted safe in the knowledge that they were happy pigs. 

[John]

just think, the pigs have had nothing but good days since they were born, mud wallows, sunshine, good food etc etc, then they have 1 bad day, then you have the best pork you've ever tasted safe in the knowledge that they were happy pigs. 

That's so true.

[Roughlee Handled]

..........they have 1 bad day...........

Where they are going is a small butchers with an abattoir round the back.  Its been recommended to me by two people.  You ring for a time. Pigs go in the trailer have a bit feed, sleep all the way there and then get out in a small yard with lots of new smells.  Good fun up to now.  The only bit that may distress is when (I am imagining) the get separated for a couple a min or two. Stunned and that it.  Feeling a bit sad typing it.  But I knew I would.  Its gonna be more stressful for me.

[SMD66]

sounds like a nice small set up, less stress for the pigs.   
Still, not easy, but they won't have long to worry about it. 
Don't over do the feed as you load them and try to make sure they've had nothing that morning, the slaughter men have an easier job and much prefer it if the pigs have an empty stomach.

[Roughlee Handled]

They will not need much food to get them in the trailer.  They will do anything for food. (I hope).

[SMD66]

Without a doubt 

[dizzylizzie]

it does sound like a really good setup...... im a vegetarian, but only because of the way animals are kept and slaughted. your pig look like they have had the life of luxury, lived the ways pigs are supposed to live, and not stressed by long cramped journeys to the slaughterhouse. we are hoping to buy a smallholding in a few years and i would like to keep animals the way they should be kept but still use them for meat.....i was just teasing.....but i know its still gonna be hard for you my hubby's fav meal is a bacon butty...he's already saying he's going off bacon and we dont even have pigs yet! he he he

[poppie]

we celebrated with one of our pigs,huge hog roast and loads of friends and neighbours,they had to fetch their own beers and a little bit of something for the freezer in exchange for a wonderful day.
the other went in the freezer,its very suprising what people fetch.i'd never had lobster before.and at that price probably never again.

[Roughlee Handled]

Its been five weeks since my last post.   Sorry.
It is now Week 20.

Any who. The lady I got the pigs from came to see them on Sunday.  Her batch from the same litter went last week so mine are not that far behind. Mine are outdoor kept so take longer to mature.  I do not believe they have grow much in the past month. But I am going to try and make time to measure them tonight. 
I have purchased a trailer (ebay) and pick it up on Saturday. Freezer is installed and on. So next week I have to book them into the abattoir.  I have to work out what to have. The wife wants to swap a half pig for a whole lamb. But what to do with the rest? Definitely hams but the rest I am not sure.  I am going to see if I can have a chat with the butcher and ask him.
I also have to decide if I am going to watch the deed at the abattoir, and wait for the blood for black puds.

Some photos taken this morning at 06:50am







Edit: was to add about the black puds.

[Rubellite]

Oh, Roughlee, I am sitting here getting upset over a couple of piggy pictures 

[Roughlee Handled]

I know what you mean. Look good enough to eat don't they.

On a serious note, looking at the photos once I have taken then they do look cute and nice. But they are rapidly out growing there shelter and it is not nice here in the winter. If I do not do it they will go to market and some one else will.   I like my pork and at least I know that these girls have had the best lives if not short (not as short as supermarket pork).  I do not want to turn veggie. 

[SMD66]

looks like you've done a great job with them!  Happy piggies. 
When we decided on cuts from ours I just thought of what I usually bought most of, sausages, chops, occasional joint, ham...whatever. 
Ours are about 1 month from slaughter, good job, we are getting low on sausage.  It's a good job it hasn't been a BBQ summer or we would have had to buy some and I can't bear the thought of that.