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Pig Rescue

written by

Ben Simmons

posted on

September 8, 2018

Farm Update - Last Saturday we traveled to Quitman, MS to rescue nine Tamworth pigs! It started with a call from a retired vet lady who was somehow related to the owners. The owners had purchased a boar & sow about 5-years ago. Then, they moved to the West Coast and left someone in charge of them. However, that did not work out. Ms. Susan heard about the problem and started taking action by tending to their daily needs. This became a BIG task! Before she found us, she was able to sell the smaller pigs. What was left were the original boar (that now weighed at least 450#) and sow (that was also very big), a younger boar, five-breed sows, and a small pig.

I could not believe the conditions the pigs were living in. Seven were in a spot about 60x60 feet that was nothing but mud. Ms. Susan had moved the large sow and smaller pig into a stall in a nearby barn.

We were able to construct a make-shift catch pin just outside of the gate that I could back my trailer up to. Ms. Susan took a bucket of feed and they eagerly followed her into my trailer. These seven were secured in the front of the trailer by closing the center gate in the trailer.

Next, we needed to load the large sow. I backed up the trailer near the stall door and as before, she went right in the trailer. Next, my oldest son was able to catch the smaller pig and walk him over to the trailer and load him.

So, now we are really in the pig business. After a week they are doing really well. I am pleased at how docile they are and how well they have settled into their new home. BTW - we gave the large boar to a friend in Greene County!

Interesting Statistic- the USDA projects per capita consumption in the USA for chicken, beef, and pork in 2018 will be: Chicken 91.9#, Beef 58.1#, and Pork 51.9#.

Customer Feedback-
"Super friendly and easy pick up, and Ben's beef is very tasty. Highly recommended!" ~S Bruton

Quote Worth Re-Quoting – “Intuitively we all know that nothing operates most efficiently at full throttle. Is it any wonder that a food system predicated on faster, fatter, bigger, cheaper would create an ignorant, duplicitous, harried, obese citizenry? A culture's people carry in their heads and physiques the manifestation of the food system's objectives.” ~Joel Salatin, The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs: Respecting and Caring for All God's Creation

As always, thank you for supporting our regenerative, local farm.
Ben & Beth          

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Veteran Owned & Operated

Nature's Gourmet Farm

367 McKenzie Road
Petal, MS 39465
(601) 434-9081

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