Today the last of this batch of hogs went to the butcher. Only one remained. Loading it should have been an easy job. Papaw designed the hog house for easy loading. Simply back the trailer to the door. Herd the hogs through the pens, into the alley, and up onto the trailer. It really works well, most of the time anyway.
This morning all went as planned. The hog went through the pen and down the alley, but when her nose got to the trailer, she stopped. We pushed and prodded, and that darn hog would not step up onto the trailer. Then she did something that none of the hogs have tried before. She squeezed under the trailer, and out into the open.
While we were trying to regroup, my job was to keep her from getting by me and back behind the building. Usually, we use wooden panels to herd the hogs, but I did not have one when this sly fat hog slipped away from us. It was me versus a 300 lb hog.
She made a move, and I countered, determined to not let her get by me and out into the open woods. This went on for a few minutes, until she tired of the game and decided to try something different.
She put her snout down and came toward me. So quick I couldn't react, she wedged her snout between my knees, raised up her head, and kept going forward. I was riding on her back. Thankfully, she didn't go far, but she was just tall enough (and I am just short enough) that I couldn't get my footing to just let her pass under me. Thankfully the ride didn't last long. Papaw was out with the panels and able to direct her back and out from under me. Just add pig riding to my farming resume.
Now that's one smart pig! Maybe you should keep that one and teach it more neat tricks. haha...Thanks for sharing...
ReplyDeleteI agree with KathyV. keep that one.
ReplyDeleteKeep it?! Heck no. We don't want the rest of them to learn those kinds of tricks! :)
ReplyDeleteI want to know why you're always there with pics to post when the kids are doing funny things, but there's never anyone there to post pics of these kinds of things???? :)
ReplyDeleteum...no camera? :)
ReplyDeletethat would have been a great picture. Next time you load them be sure and have a camera handy. Too Funny!
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I was afraid of when we loaded our pigs up. I was ready with the camera just in case some kind of mayhem ensued, but everything went so smoothly, I was beside myself!
ReplyDelete~Jenny~
Takes me back to 4H. My grandfather had a small hog farm, 70-75 head for extra income post-retirement. All his grandchildren were given a feeder pig (that's about 45-55lbs) to 'top out' and show in 4H competitions. One year upon entering the ring my cousin Steve's hog decided she didn't like the bright lights and prying eyes of the show ring and took off for the exit. Steve stepped in front of her and was taken out of the show-ring riding backwards on her back. LOL hilarity at it's best. You're a member of an elite fraternity, the backwards bareback pig riders! Hogs... smart and stubborn!.
ReplyDelete