How Sick is This!

[coffeelady3]

There's a lady up here in the Pacific Northwest (Yeah, Cheryl the pig lady!) Who raises livestock to sell for meat at the local farmers markets. One of our local restaurants buys a pig every week to make into pulled pork sandwiches. The newspaper restaurant critic decided to follow the restaurant owner out to pick up the pig and take it to the processor. He described the whole process in all it gory detail. The thing that stuck out the most to me, however, was something the man doing the deed said. He said that most pigs that are brought to him are scared and screaming when they come in, where as Cheryl's pigs walk in like they just had a long nap and are ready for the day. No stress, no drama. It says a lot about Cheryl and the care and compassion that go into raising her animals. Her animals are happy, healthy, and when the time comes, stress-free. I don't think that's so bad...

 

[greyfields]

I love our pigs. You cannot call yourself a farm without having pigs around doing work for you.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Greyfields,
What kind have you got?
My almost 8 year old has wanted a pig for years and I'm thinking about getting him one. I just have to figure out if he wants a pet pig or a food pig...

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

OK my kid just floored me and said that he wants a meat pig and he wants bacon! omg I totally expected him to say he wanted a pet.

His birthday is at the end of next month. Can I still find piglets this time of year? Should we get a male or a female?

I know that my great grandmother used to raise a pig every year for meat and she'd get a piglet in the spring to slaughter in the fall. Does anyone have pigs year round?

Oh god, off to read about ANOTHER farm animal........

 

[dacjohns]

Quote:
I read this thread on the first day or two and then lost track of it. (Now that it's in my posts I won't lose it again.)

It turned into a really great discussion. I really like the open discussion without any saying I'm right and you're wrong.

coffeelady, nothing is wrong with you. You aren't sick.

The Omnivores Dilemma, I have to read it. I've heard about but haven't read it yet. I have a feeling it will end up on my shelf next to Animal, Vegetable Miracle.

 

[greggy]

Amen to that! Americans are spoiled. The poultry industry has done a great job of providing cheap, high proitien food to millions.