I just got three feeder pigs to raise for my family's freezer. Heck yes America! They are so cute when they're small, and then they are kicking your butt in a few months. In the end though, they are delicious. I'll try to get some pics up soon. Anybody else raise pigs for your freezer?
I raised pigs for 4-H in my teens, but sold them to help pay for college. Making a 260 hog go where it doesn't want to go was always fun practice for football season!! I tried to get my parents to raise hogs for food after we all grew up, but they didn't have any interest in it and my brother turned the pen into his sap cooking lab.
Yep, we are eating a 2014 first place at the county fair, show hog. Daughter shows with the FFA. Got this years piglet coming soon.
We are getting our 2015 4-H market piggies next Saturday. Its amazing how fast they grow from 40lb to 265lb
I bought a half a pig raised by a friend last year, best I've ever had, doesn't even compare to the crap in the grocery store.
Woodchuck and Fox, those are some sharp looking pigs and some smart looking kids! I was an FFA advisor before I moved over to full time welding and it's always great to see kids working with critters. There is so much to be learned there. Not just animal science but real life lessons that just can't be taught any other way than by doing.
You aren't kidding! I've had more than one friend from suburbia ask if I had accidentally gave them the wrong meat. They thought because it was so red and had so much flavor I messed up and gave them beef. Being from Kansas I think it must have been like the first time I had real 100% maple syrup. I felt like Mrs. Butterworth had lied to me all these years...
I swap out work and occasionally some house sitting/chores with a friend and his little menagerie of critters find their way to our bellies. The beef pork chicken eggs rabbit turkey goats and permission to hunt deer is well worth helping bale fix barns and water and feed for them while on vacation. I can't believe how much better his is after I buy a piece of meat in the store. I also like cutting the taxes out by bartering work for goods.
I can't eat store bought pork anymore. Just put a hog in the freezer yesterday that my BIL across the street raised. Now that we're doing chickens I won't need to buy any meat except for the occasional steak.
I'm most likely going to be raising 2 of them later in the year. I might do a few dozen meat birds too if I have time. We're moving out of state and I'll be moving the farm at the end of the growing season (I have a few obligations to fulfill for this year). I've been offered 5 acres of private land to farm not far from the area we're moving to. So the farm will be going from 2 acres to 5 acres plus I'll be able to do some pigs and birds for my freezer on the new land.
There are but the government and taxes sucks. But its easier to move my household instead of trying to convince my wife's entire family to move to PA lol I will be closer to the beach so I can do more surf fishing which I prefer over fresh water. Plus at the new farm I can hunt year round w a farm nuisance permit. Between venison, pork, chicken and maybe some lamb my freezer should be full year round lol. Plus expanding from 2 acres of veggies to 3-4 in veggie production on the 5 acre lot. Trying to get away from the store bought meat and start harvesting my own outside of hunting season. I wonder if I could process some firewood on the farm lot....I gotta check w the owner.
