This Little Piggy Went to School

We love to share the farm with others. We've given tours to families. We've hosted workshops on processing chickens, and we've invited our homeschool group to come and visit the farm. It is as much fun for us, as it for those who are visiting.

Long range, we'd love to open up the farm to the public more. I wish we could host field trips, but there are a few things that need work and a few thing that need cleaned up before we'd feel comfortable allowing a bus load of children (whose families are not there and whom we don't know) to come roam the farm. Maybe someday, but we're not quite ready now. But we can bring a little of the farm to the kids.

I received a phone call from the basketball coach at a local private school. She was planning a promotion for the basketball program. Part of what she wanted to do was encourage students to attend the basketball games. If they could fill up the gym, then the headmaster would kiss a pig. She wanted to know if we had a pig available for a smooch. It just so happened that we had a litter of pigs just about the right size. They were big enough to take from momma pig for awhile, but small enough they could still be held and handled. Later a fund raising aspect was added that got two teachers kissing pigs, and finally the kindergarten teacher asked if we could come a little early to show the pig to her class. That was the best part!

Our pigs are not tame. Catching one to take was a challenge in itself, but we did it. Since it was a particularly muddy week, I brought the pig in and gave it a shower. After sufficiently drying the pig off, we let it roam around the house a little while I wondered what I had actually gotten myself into.

The kids in the class were so excited for the pig. The pig did not feel the same. She was happiest wandering around the room, and that is what she did. She mostly kept to hiding under the tables sniffing at the crumbs left from snack time. The students behaved excellently, and sat patiently in a circle on the floor while I told them a few things about pigs, and the pig explored the room. Eventually the pig felt more comfortable and came into the group of kids for a few minutes at a time. They loved it, and we all laughed when the pig started rooting at Vivian's shoes. Apparently, the shoes smelled like home to the pig.

The big event was loud. It was fun, and a little crazy, but the pig did well with it. The teachers and headmaster  graciously accepted their pig kissing status, and the kids absolutely loved it. Check out the pictures from the local newspaper article, Covenant School headmaster, teachers kiss pig for fundraiser, to see what I mean.

We may not be ready to bring schools to the farm, but taking a little of the farm to a school was a fun and rewarding experience. I'm so glad that we did!