mowin
Master of the Pit
I like JJ's version better... :biggrin:. But something tells me we'd never get to see the pics us "pigs" really want to see. :sausage:
Last edited:
3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days ?
- Thread starter 416bigbore
- Start date
-
Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
I like JJ's version better... :biggrin:. But something tells me we'd never get to see the pics us "pigs" really want to see. :sausage:
unclebubbas bbq
Smoking Fanatic
Part #1 of my story starts like this.
I grew up in central ND in a small rural country town type setting but not on an actual farm. So that type of living and growing up around animals besides small family pets, was something I didn't know much about. I think I was 14 when I was old enough to get my driver license and that is when I was able to get a job after school out on a local farm. The farmer ran a 100 head of cows and had just enough land to grow hay and grain for them, not a very big operation. This was my first real hands on experience with working around farm equipment and animals but no hogs. I did this all through HS at the same farm until I graduated and then I was old enough 18 to go out and get a real job.
When I was 22 I bought my own property in a town that was 12 miles down the road from where I grew up. It was an old town that had died out over the years and had a population of 8 people left at the time and this is where I opened my repair business and was able to have enough room to start raising my own feeder pigs. I would buy 5 or 6 weaner pigs from a local guy who raised a few hogs for his family and these were the ones he didn't keep back for himself to butcher.
So for me at this time all I knew about pigs was how to raise them from spring to fall for butchering, throw the feed and water to them for 6-8 months and it was time. I also learned how to slaughter my own hog during this time because I knew the importance of doing it right and I raised feeder pigs for years like this.
Long story short, this all stopped when I went to AK to live and work for a few years. The two things I missed most from home back in ND was my wood stove and fresh Pork. So when I returned back to ND and fired things back up again, I wasn't set up anymore to raise feeder pigs and I had to find and buy hogs that were butcher ready. That wasn't an easy thing because no one was raising any pigs in the area because of no money in it. Anyone that still tried to raise pigs couldn't afford to feed them properly so they basically were feed screenings ( junk feed ) from the elevator and not good ground Barley.
So late November, I bought two hogs from a guy sight unseen and was told they were butcher ready hogs and he delivered them to my place when I was gone. The guy called me and told me he just left my place and dropped the trailer with the two hogs there and said not to worry about the trailer he was in no hurry to get it right back. He then told me about the fun time he had loading them by himself and that was the reason he was late and wasn't able to meet me on time earlier that morning.
So after hearing that story I knew I had to let the hogs stand a day or two and give them lots of fresh water, because of how they were just handled. I didn't think much about it until I arrived back home and was able to look things over for myself. These were not feeder pigs that were raised to the point of butchering, these were two old Sows! I am guessing the one was 375-400 and the other one looked Horrible! She looked like she was locked up and starved, I am not joking. I could see the back bone and ribs, it was bad and I wasn't very happy when I called the guy to ask what was going on. Anyway I won't get into that.
The second Sow looked so bad I didn't want to take a pic of her for fear someone would think I was responsible for the way she looked. I am thinking to myself, now what? I am basically stuck with them and have to deal with it. One was ok to butcher and the other not, I wasn't going to butcher the second hog and stick her in my freezer the way she looked. I had no place to keep her because the ground was froze and I couldn't drive steel in the ground to build a pen to keep her and feed her.
Since I was going to let the Hogs stand a few day and settle down before I butchered them I went and found some bedding and feed for them while I thought more about this. I wasn't very happy about the situation and I knew there was no way I was going to butcher the second pig the way she look.
Ok day four now and I have a game plan! LOL I will butcher the first hog and makeshift a small pen to keep and feed the second hog for a month and then decide if she is ok to butcher, so that's what I did. I couldn't pound any posts in the ground and I knew from having pigs before I needed something solid to hold her with protection from the outside elements if the weather turned bad. It was November and the start of winter with knowing January and February were our colds months ahead.
So I decided about the only real place I could keep her was in a old steel heater shed that I had beside my shop that I wasn't using. I would also be able to attach a wire cattle panel to the front of it so she had a little room to move around, because the heater shed only had enough room inside for her to turn around and that was it. This was the best I could do on such short notice.
The pics below are of day four when I butcher the first Hog, I placed Pork Chop in the front of the trailer at this time until I had her new pen ready in a few days.
Part #2 to my story will follow soon with more pics.
I grew up in central ND in a small rural country town type setting but not on an actual farm. So that type of living and growing up around animals besides small family pets, was something I didn't know much about. I think I was 14 when I was old enough to get my driver license and that is when I was able to get a job after school out on a local farm. The farmer ran a 100 head of cows and had just enough land to grow hay and grain for them, not a very big operation. This was my first real hands on experience with working around farm equipment and animals but no hogs. I did this all through HS at the same farm until I graduated and then I was old enough 18 to go out and get a real job.
When I was 22 I bought my own property in a town that was 12 miles down the road from where I grew up. It was an old town that had died out over the years and had a population of 8 people left at the time and this is where I opened my repair business and was able to have enough room to start raising my own feeder pigs. I would buy 5 or 6 weaner pigs from a local guy who raised a few hogs for his family and these were the ones he didn't keep back for himself to butcher.
So for me at this time all I knew about pigs was how to raise them from spring to fall for butchering, throw the feed and water to them for 6-8 months and it was time. I also learned how to slaughter my own hog during this time because I knew the importance of doing it right and I raised feeder pigs for years like this.
Long story short, this all stopped when I went to AK to live and work for a few years. The two things I missed most from home back in ND was my wood stove and fresh Pork. So when I returned back to ND and fired things back up again, I wasn't set up anymore to raise feeder pigs and I had to find and buy hogs that were butcher ready. That wasn't an easy thing because no one was raising any pigs in the area because of no money in it. Anyone that still tried to raise pigs couldn't afford to feed them properly so they basically were feed screenings ( junk feed ) from the elevator and not good ground Barley.
So late November, I bought two hogs from a guy sight unseen and was told they were butcher ready hogs and he delivered them to my place when I was gone. The guy called me and told me he just left my place and dropped the trailer with the two hogs there and said not to worry about the trailer he was in no hurry to get it right back. He then told me about the fun time he had loading them by himself and that was the reason he was late and wasn't able to meet me on time earlier that morning.
So after hearing that story I knew I had to let the hogs stand a day or two and give them lots of fresh water, because of how they were just handled. I didn't think much about it until I arrived back home and was able to look things over for myself. These were not feeder pigs that were raised to the point of butchering, these were two old Sows! I am guessing the one was 375-400 and the other one looked Horrible! She looked like she was locked up and starved, I am not joking. I could see the back bone and ribs, it was bad and I wasn't very happy when I called the guy to ask what was going on. Anyway I won't get into that.
The second Sow looked so bad I didn't want to take a pic of her for fear someone would think I was responsible for the way she looked. I am thinking to myself, now what? I am basically stuck with them and have to deal with it. One was ok to butcher and the other not, I wasn't going to butcher the second hog and stick her in my freezer the way she looked. I had no place to keep her because the ground was froze and I couldn't drive steel in the ground to build a pen to keep her and feed her.
Since I was going to let the Hogs stand a few day and settle down before I butchered them I went and found some bedding and feed for them while I thought more about this. I wasn't very happy about the situation and I knew there was no way I was going to butcher the second pig the way she look.
Ok day four now and I have a game plan! LOL I will butcher the first hog and makeshift a small pen to keep and feed the second hog for a month and then decide if she is ok to butcher, so that's what I did. I couldn't pound any posts in the ground and I knew from having pigs before I needed something solid to hold her with protection from the outside elements if the weather turned bad. It was November and the start of winter with knowing January and February were our colds months ahead.
So I decided about the only real place I could keep her was in a old steel heater shed that I had beside my shop that I wasn't using. I would also be able to attach a wire cattle panel to the front of it so she had a little room to move around, because the heater shed only had enough room inside for her to turn around and that was it. This was the best I could do on such short notice.
The pics below are of day four when I butcher the first Hog, I placed Pork Chop in the front of the trailer at this time until I had her new pen ready in a few days.
Part #2 to my story will follow soon with more pics.
pabeef
Smoke Blower
Now that i got caught up on this as I missed it yesterday. I just asked my 17 year old daughter what the 3 months 3 weeks and 3 day was. Her quick answer was 114 days the gestational period of a pig why?.
So I told her about the post. To her credit though she has been on the 4-H county and state quiz bowl teams. so this leave me as a proud father and coach
Looking forward to the rest of the pic
PABEEF
So I told her about the post. To her credit though she has been on the 4-H county and state quiz bowl teams. so this leave me as a proud father and coach
Looking forward to the rest of the pic
PABEEF
Now you ruined it for me.
All these years i thought store bought meat came from a package in the back room of the butcher, like milk from a carton.
All these years i thought store bought meat came from a package in the back room of the butcher, like milk from a carton.
I would hate to have to be the one to break the news to you about the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy !
Now you ruined it for me.
All these years i thought store bought meat came from a package in the back room of the butcher, like milk from a carton.
That's Awesome ! Thanks for following my thread and sharing that with us.
I seen them on that santa clause movie
I would hate to have to be the one to break the news to you about the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy !
gr0uch0
Master of the Pit
I thought those were multiple choice answers to how long it took Oprah to single-handedly eat the entire city of Chicago. My money was on 3 weeks.
Glad to see I am not the only one with a sense of Humor, I am still testing the waters before I jump in and join the party!
I thought those were multiple choice answers to how long it took Oprah to single-handedly eat the entire city of Chicago. My money was on 3 weeks.
mowin
Master of the Pit
Man, that's a horrible story. At least you now have another trailer. If that guy ever comes back for it, you can use him for slaughter practice.... "secret's in the sauce".
I really hope you have good luck with #1 and get a few pounds on #2. It will be interesting to hear the rest of the story. If it were me, I promise it wouldn't be pretty.
I really hope you have good luck with #1 and get a few pounds on #2. It will be interesting to hear the rest of the story. If it were me, I promise it wouldn't be pretty.
Part #2 of my Story
Now that I had the first Hog addressed, I had to get Pork Chop all accommodated for the next 30 days of being on a high protein commercial feed diet. I was told this was the best stuff on the market for weight gain etc. it had everything in it and it was something like $11.50 a 50 lb bag. So I bought 10 bags to start with to see what that would do since I have never feed pigs commercial feed before and I had no idea what to expect for results? Here is a pig of Pork Chop almost 30 days later and on her last half of the tenth bag of feed. I was impressed, the shed door opening is 48" wide to give you an idea of her size. There is also a chart and formula that I didn't know about as to how and measure a hog and calculate the life weight.
Now that I had the first Hog addressed, I had to get Pork Chop all accommodated for the next 30 days of being on a high protein commercial feed diet. I was told this was the best stuff on the market for weight gain etc. it had everything in it and it was something like $11.50 a 50 lb bag. So I bought 10 bags to start with to see what that would do since I have never feed pigs commercial feed before and I had no idea what to expect for results? Here is a pig of Pork Chop almost 30 days later and on her last half of the tenth bag of feed. I was impressed, the shed door opening is 48" wide to give you an idea of her size. There is also a chart and formula that I didn't know about as to how and measure a hog and calculate the life weight.
Pork Chop didn't even look like the same Hog after all that commercial feed, I was on my last bag and trying to get thing in order for the big day approaching. Pork Chop was a very friendly Hog, I said it was to bad things weren't a little different and I was able to keep her and have her bread, because she would have made an awesome mommy pig because she was so gentle. I have heard some wild stories as to how Hogs can be mean and very unmanageable to have around for breading, Pork Chop wasn't nothing like that, Just wasn't meant to be so I thought?
Pork Chop started to act a little strangle toward her last bag of feed. I had spent a lot of time over the last 30 days making sure she always had fresh water, because it was cold and it didn't take the water long to freeze. She also started to be a little more agitated for when I would be in the pen with her and also noticed she had started to make a nest type bed in the hay that I had in the shed for her as bedding. Her teats were starting to even look like they were filling out more, WOW I thought, that must be some really good feed! LOL To make sure she was warm enough at night because of the temps dropping down to -10 I would even cover her up with a heavy blanket.
Pork Chop started to act a little strangle toward her last bag of feed. I had spent a lot of time over the last 30 days making sure she always had fresh water, because it was cold and it didn't take the water long to freeze. She also started to be a little more agitated for when I would be in the pen with her and also noticed she had started to make a nest type bed in the hay that I had in the shed for her as bedding. Her teats were starting to even look like they were filling out more, WOW I thought, that must be some really good feed! LOL To make sure she was warm enough at night because of the temps dropping down to -10 I would even cover her up with a heavy blanket.
gr0uch0
Master of the Pit
I was giving Opree the benefit of the doubt with 3 weeks: prolly could clear out any and all edibles of Cook County within 3 hours....
Well..... ok it was worth it, I am still following and listening, I enjoyed the story so far lol. I do the same thing in the spring, buy Weiner/early feeders raise them until fall and then butcher.
After that last pic of her being cover up and how she was starting to act so strangely and now her teats were filling out ? I thought to myself, What is the chance she might be Pregnant? and if so, would she still be any good to butcher or would I have to wait? As bad as that sounded and It was too late in the day to call a Vet and ask? I had to wait till morning.
So I went out then next morning to check on Pork Chop right before 8:00 am before I called the Vet to ask the big question? She was still sleeping all cover up and it had also warmed up to 10 above after so many of those -10 days in a roll. Well I thought, now is going to be the big day because I most certainly am not set up to be doing the baby piglet thing.
I had to call a few Vets before I could find one who could tell me exactly what I needed to know about this who situation. He was an older gentleman who was very experienced in the raising and breeding of Hogs because this was something him and his brother did as kids on the farm growing up. The guy new it all and I was very fortunate to find him to ask the questions I had. I told him the whole story and I told him as bad as it sounded, was she still safe to eat even if she was pregnant?
Yes he said she was, and went on to say that I really should let her have the baby first etc. he obviously didn't want me to butcher her in her condition. I nicely told the Vet. I know absolutely NOTHING about farrowing Hogs! I said I can feed them and that was about all I knew how to do. I also said I didn't feel it would be right, because of my set up and no way to keep everyone warm in that metal shed.
So that is how I first learned of the 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days, gestation period for pigs. So now I needed to get this party started as soon as possible, before I really had a mess on my hands! I bet it wasn't even 45 minutes that passed from the time I checked on her, called the Vet and went back out to see her. This is what I walked into!
So I went out then next morning to check on Pork Chop right before 8:00 am before I called the Vet to ask the big question? She was still sleeping all cover up and it had also warmed up to 10 above after so many of those -10 days in a roll. Well I thought, now is going to be the big day because I most certainly am not set up to be doing the baby piglet thing.
I had to call a few Vets before I could find one who could tell me exactly what I needed to know about this who situation. He was an older gentleman who was very experienced in the raising and breeding of Hogs because this was something him and his brother did as kids on the farm growing up. The guy new it all and I was very fortunate to find him to ask the questions I had. I told him the whole story and I told him as bad as it sounded, was she still safe to eat even if she was pregnant?
Yes he said she was, and went on to say that I really should let her have the baby first etc. he obviously didn't want me to butcher her in her condition. I nicely told the Vet. I know absolutely NOTHING about farrowing Hogs! I said I can feed them and that was about all I knew how to do. I also said I didn't feel it would be right, because of my set up and no way to keep everyone warm in that metal shed.
So that is how I first learned of the 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days, gestation period for pigs. So now I needed to get this party started as soon as possible, before I really had a mess on my hands! I bet it wasn't even 45 minutes that passed from the time I checked on her, called the Vet and went back out to see her. This is what I walked into!
As you can see, the Party started before I got back! Pork Chop received a stay of execution and her name was changed to Lucky ! LOL I went into straight panic mode, she was starting to shiver and all I could do was think, now I am going to loose the whole works after all I put into her ! I was so busy with Lucky and her ten little baby piglets, it took me two 24-7 days before I could even have a spare minute to call the Vet back to let him know what took place after we had talked last.
That was pure CRAZINESS ! What's the chances of her looking like skin and bones and then after 30 days of good feed, having ten healthy babies?
I will have to return and finish with Part #3 to my story, and yes it does have a Happy Ending !
That was pure CRAZINESS ! What's the chances of her looking like skin and bones and then after 30 days of good feed, having ten healthy babies?
I will have to return and finish with Part #3 to my story, and yes it does have a Happy Ending !
dakota joe
Newbie
Thanks Dakota, I am not trying to turn this into a book for everyone, it's was Craziness, Baptism by Fire I like to call it ! LOL
I am trying to finish with locationing the last of my pics to post. Thanks again for following my story !
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
Similar threads
Hot Threads
-
Trying again… brisket going in.
- Started by SmokerNTraining
- Replies: 54
- Beef
-
Shotguns! Can We Chat?!
- Started by Rafter H BBQ
- Replies: 40
- Field and Stream
-
Featured Competition Ribs, Mustard/No Mustard
-
Featured Smoked Capon Thanksgiving Dinner
- Started by civilsmoker
- Replies: 22
- Poultry
-
Happy Thanksgiving
- Started by bmudd14474
- Replies: 21
- General Discussion
