Idaho Pasture Pigs: April 2012

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Winter and Spring 2012

Winter this year in southeastern Idaho was pretty mild compared to normal. Winter here can be brutal here with lots of snow and cold. This year, not so much. Spring has been a little fickle. At times we have had above normal temperatures, which I love. Other times it has been cold and very windy. It also brought us lots of piglets! We have some very nice Idaho Pasture Pig breeding stock available now. Here are some of them!!!!

Hello, and welcome to Idaho Pasture Pigs Blog

Idaho Pasture Pigs are a new breed of pig. They were designed specifically for pasture based systems and with the small farmer, hobby farmer or homesteader in mind. Through selective breeding and unique breeding, we have developed a smaller, friendly, pasture based, meat pig. We have selected breeds known for excellent, red marbled meat and have thrown in an extremely gentle, pasture based pig. Our Idaho Pasture Pigs (Ipp's for short) are friendlier than domestic pigs. The sows have better dispositions at farrowing time. The boars are gentle to handle. The piglets crawl into our laps instead of hurting themselves trying to get away, like traditional piglets do. Ipp's reach butcher weight in the traditional 180 days as most pigs do, but do not get as big at maturity. They are easy to handle. They have short snouts that are perfect for grazing.

Waiting on piglets now

Sometimes sitting in the barn waiting for piglets, you have some time to kill. I wrote this song, one winter night while waiting on piglets in the barn. It was actually snowing and blowing and about 7 below zero. So here it is:

Waiting on piglets now

It’s 4 o’clock in the morning, and the rain it’s a pouring.I have been up all night, praying that it’s going to be alright.Because I am sitting in the barn with a big old sow,I’m waiting on piglets now, just waiting on piglets now.I’m cold and I’m tired and I wanna go to bed.So many thoughts are running through my head. How many piglets will there be?How many girls will I see? It’s 6 o’clock in the morning, my husband is still snoring.She is taking her sweet time, but being really kind.Because I am sitting in the barn with a big old sow,I’m waiting on piglets now, just waiting on piglets now.She starts to shiver and to shake, how much more can she take?My body is numb and I can’t feel my hand. A heated barn, that would be grand.It’s 8’oclock in the morning, the sow is a moaning.The babies are coming fast, how long will this last?Because I am sitting in the barn with a big old sow.I’m counting piglets now, just counting piglets now.The temperature is dropping and piglets are too.Their coming so fast, it’s all I can do. I dry them off and put them under the light.This is why, I have been up all night.It’s 9’oclock in the morning, the rain finally stopped pouring.I’m as proud as I can be, piglets as far as I can see. Because I am sitting in the barn with a good old sow.She had 10 piglets now, yep, she had 10 piglets now.

Idaho Pasture Pigs

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Winter and Spring 2012

Waiting on piglets now

2012 Piglets

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