Going Whole Hog: Raising Pigs

By Rebecca Hiebert

Have you ever been frustrated with the weeds in your garden? Last summer we decided to wage a war on the quack grass, dandelions, and thistle by unleashing our secret weapon: five pigs! Between the months of May and October, pink pigs enjoyed themselves in our garden, eating and digging up weed roots and depositing manure to fertilize the soil. Pigs naturally want to root and turn the soil to find roots, bugs, seeds and other food. By allowing them to do this in our garden the pigs tilled our garden for 6 months straight! Next year we hope to have a lush garden with fewer weeds!

The pigs grew and grew, as pigs do, and we started to get a little worried…how were we going to butcher five pigs with no experience? The answer: host a Butchering Bee! As each family drove in on a sunny Saturday morning, knives were sharpened, buckets washed and the smokehouse set-up, in preparation for a long day of work. Two experienced pig butchers led us through the day, sharing their wisdom of how to make the best cuts and also how to cook each roast, ham and shoulder to make the tastiest meal. The kids enjoyed themselves playing in the October sunshine, exploring the woods and building teepees; occasionally stopping by to watch the sausage grinder, help stir the rendering lard, or ask where the bacon was. What is a better anatomy lesson than watching a pig getting butchered?

The day was not without mishap, a few cuts on the fingers and a meat grinder that overheated and had to be dealt with in order to keep the day moving. As the miagropa (lard kettle) filled up with fat, we began to realize that our pigs were really very well fed. They were, in fact, quite fatty! Luckily, the extra-large miagropa, lent to us by a friend, could handle it. When the lard was finished rendering, there was a mad scramble to find enough ice cream pails to hold all that fatty goodness. I know it will be worth it when I make yet another scrumptious pie in the depths of winter.

The work bee was a success, everyone involved kept a smile on their face and patience in the their heart as we worked to tuck away the food for the winter. Working in community is such a rewarding experience. Among us there were those with varying degrees of experience but we all came away having a better appreciation for the food we put in our bellies.

When I looked out the window on Sunday morning and there were no pigs scampering in the pen, I felt a bitter-sweet sadness. Our pigs had had a wonderful life, eating healthy food, digging in the dirt, rolling in the mud, and enjoying each other’s company; but now their lives had come to an end. When our family enjoys the bacon, hams and roasts over the coming months, and when we grow our garden next year, we will appreciate and thank our pigs for being part of our lives. Our family now has a deeper respect for the cycle of life. We provided our pigs with a wonderful life when they were alive so that they could provide us with wonderful food.