I find raising pigs to be mostly enjoyable. Move their pen, or clean it enough and the smell isn't so bad. And they are smart. And funny, and often quite personable.
My friend raised some Yorkshires she got through our local feed store, who shipped them up from down south, likely a confinement breeding situation. She swore pigs were dumb. I thought she was crazy until I met hers. They had an empty look in their eyes. But heritage, farm raised pigs? A whole different thing. Anyway I'm rambling but I have a whole lot of respect and love for all things pig (including bacon, of course lol)
OK, for those with religious leanings (Jewish/kosher), let me qualify my previous... I'm not 100% sure it's worth eternal damnation. You gotta go with your beliefs.
I told her they might be trying to trick her into a false sense of security by acting dumb. Mine are very, very smart. No offense to my goats but the pigs totally outsmart them!
Having been absent for quite a while, I just skimmed through this thread to try to catch-up on how you're doing @Latestarter. Sorry about your accident, but really glad you and DD were both alright. I once hit black ice on a fly-over, right behind another car and went skidding into the median coming to rest with my grill in his passenger door. I got charged with the accident, even though I was not ticketed or fined, but the accident status was listed as striking a parked vehicle. Why? Because his car had come to a stop already before my car hit him. Nevermind the fact that his car had just spun out-of-control, too, and was "parked" in the interstate's grassy (actually, snowy) median. He swore he was fine, but, being an attorney, he knew exactly what to do to get the maximum out of my insurance company for property damage and pain and suffering. I wasn't angry, though, because I strongly believe in the concept of sewing and reaping.
Now, back to you, Joe. You do seem to have a target on your back (or bumper) lately. Please, take it easy for a while. I don't want to hear any more bad stories from you for a while. It's time to regroup a little and pray for your luck to change. How are things going for your DD? Is she moving to TX? Is that something I missed? I'd love to hear an update.
LS came to visit me and my husband today and we had a great time. He admired all our hard work as we showed him around. We talked goats, sheep, fence, pigs, chickens, dogs, all the subjects near and dear to BYH'ers, that make non-BYH'ers eyes look from side to side, searching for an escape to get away from the looney (us) waxing poetic about the many attributes of their pigs. Or chickens, or sheep or goats or manure or pasture or worms, or any of the things that intensely interest US, but bore the rest of the world to death. It's so nice to be able to have conversation and fun with someone that speaks the same language. BJ really enjoyed your visit, LS!
Thanks @CntryBoy777 for the elephant garlic!! It's going in the garden tomorrow!!
@Baymule glad y'all had a good time....and that garlic will spread and multiply. If ya leave some to oversummer it will come back in the fall and produce. I hope ya enjoy it. I gave LS enough eggs to practice with, so when I get down there I can try some eggs that taste like Steak.....
We had a visit, from Latestarter today, too! And guess what??? We got some Elephant Garlic too!!!
I have planted this mild tasting garlic before, and I love cooking with it! LS also gave me one HUGE dried head, that has five toes, two of which are bigger than any I have ever seen before!
Thanks, so much, for the Elephant Garlic, @CntryBoy777 ! I LOVE garlic, and can't wait to mash some of this up with olive oil and other herbs. It will go great on a steak, or with our duck eggs! YUM!