Well, yesterday was weaning day. We've been dreading it since the piglets were born. Weaning pastured pigs is a lot trickier than with conventionally raised pigs. Our friend Matthew dreads it and he's been doing it for years. We gathered our tools -a big bucket and a large fishing net. Having closed the adults in their shelter we began the process - running, netting, diving, scurrying away with the bucket, and being outsmarted by 4-week old piglets. I'm sure it was quite a sight. After lots of squealing (the piglets, not us), we got the job done in about an hour. Not bad for our first time. The moms are still looking for the babies but it was time to wean as they were both losing too much weight from all the nursing they were doing. The babies have all been sold and will be leaving the farm in a few weeks. We are keeping two for ourselves and, yes, they will be used for meat, much to the horror of many of our city friends. It's the first day of spring and the sheep are being sheared Friday. Let's hope the weather warms up.
