7.14.21 Pig work

Fair time is coming fast and it's time to start training the pigs. They are big this year and time is running at a sprinters pace. Thus the kids decided they must try walking their pigs. This is always a courageous act to urge their pigs to leave the respected confines of the pen. Yet, the requisite muscling and response to human contact is a must for fair work. So Addie dug out the gate arc and they shooed their pigs out the open door. Some love the freedom some just keep pressing to get back in the pen with those still in captivity. Usually once the pigs get a taste of no restrictions they kick up their heels and run free. Pigs are fast! Pigs are big and not easy to dissuade or corral. Pigs smell a lot! Their odor is distinct, lingering, and requires serious work to remove. 

Reed got pretty frustrated, but in the end got close enough to start scratching his pigs back and belly and thus got his pig and himself calmed down. He's a natural but has a lot of responsibility on his plate this year. He is working extreme man hours, it's interesting to see who he is becoming. 

After a reasonable amount of time walking/running at will it was time to put the pigs away. We tried to help by offering some barriers or visible direction to how they should get back in their pen's. Aliza works with hers calmly and persistently. Her experience shows. The younger kids are still pretty worried by the large fast pigs. 

Merle is such a fearless little guy. He has his stick and loves the pig whips. He was all in watching and helping with the pigs. I gave him to Livy and Millie who were all too happy to escape back into the house far away from the frustrated pigs. At the end of being out Addie fed the ones in the pen, the working ones outside the pen wanted to get in on the grain ration. 

The pigs gained quickly and compactly this year they were fair weights a few weeks ago. So they were put on a diet of hay, weeds, and limited grain- not all you can eat whenever you want to eat. With fair only 2 weeks out and confirmed weights the pigs can go back to twice a day grain but still monitored. It's good to work together, it's good to draw on each other's strengths. We live in a beautiful place although the smoke from the raging fires in the west is irritating literally. We are blessed.