We have pigs again! Today I finally got some Berkshire pigs. I’ve been interested in Berkshires and wanting to get some for…wow, actually over ten years! Berkshires are a heritage breed, and they are fairly rare, so it wasn’t easy to find anyone raising them. I finally did locate a few pig guys that had them about an hour from here. I toured three farms, and one stood out above the others in regards to his animals. So a few weeks later, I have three Berk barrows, ready to finish. Here they are in the trailer, snoring away. Looks like they enjoyed the ride.
I backed the trailer up to the barn door, and Karen helped me set up the doors, gates, and makeshift alley way into their new digs. We went slow and quiet, and they eventually walked off the trailer and sauntered into our barn.
I’ve only had these pigs a few hours at this point, but I am even more happy with them than I thought I’d be. I think I can easily say these are the nicest pigs I’ve ever owned. They are very fit and healthy, have sound legs and lungs. Physically, as the old timers would say when paying a big compliment, “There’s nothing wrong with them” They are solid and meaty, with lots of length for bacon and nice loins for chops. In addition, I am really impressed with their dispositions. These guys are calm, mellow, and docile. They are being friendly and inquisitive without any hint of aggression or destructiveness. Of course it’s still a bit soon to be giving them a final grade, but as I said I am pleased with these pigs. They are going to make some premium pork.
I had to pay a bit more for these guys, but I don’t balk at paying a farmer a premium for producing exceptional animals. It makes all the difference to us in our business further down the road. He and I chatted over the bed of my pickup truck today about working together in the future. I think we are both hoping things work out well. I am giving him an alternative market for his pigs that don’t become show pigs, and he is providing me with good looking, good doing, premium pork producing pigs.
If Karen and I decide down the road that we want to purchase breeding stock, I know where we will go. But for now this really gives us some flexibility in our production schedule, and it’s nice to know someone who really knows what he’s doing is getting the piglets up and ready to go out on pasture and make exceptional, heritage, artisanal pork!
I am so crazy about my pigs, just to give you a hint, I am actually sitting next to them in the barn typing this, listening to them snore. It is 18 degrees in here right now, but they are cozy in their mound of hay. I am a little chilly, but I can’t stop looking at them. I can’t believe I finally have Berkshires. I love them. It doesn’t hurt that they are really cute! They are black, with white socks, and white on their faces and tails. Their noses are slightly dished, and they have upright ears. Yep. That’s exactly the right kind of pig for me. I own Berkshires now. It hasn’t really sunk in yet.
Here they are just after arriving, checking out the chickens.
Aren't they cute?
Look at those shoulders. Nice pigs.
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