It's that time again... 4-H animal project raising is in full force.
This is our 9 year old son's first year in 4-H and he's just a smidgen excited to be showing pigs.
This is our 11 year old son's third year in 4-H and showing swine. He's excited, but being a cool eleven year old is harder.
Folks often wonder if we use a stock trailer we have to bring home the bacon seed. Nope, a dog crate does just fine. A large dog crate can easily hold two young pigs. It's better because it keeps them more confined and calmer while traveling a short distance home, or sometimes an hour.
When the weather warms and snow or even frost are gone they will be able to go into an outdoor area and root to their hearts content. The feed cost is high, the clean up is hard work, and the three times a day minimum to check on them for food and water and interact with them is time consuming.
But, in July when they are loaded up to take to the county fair... the hard work and lessons learned result in a fun time walking in the show ring for three minutes of fun. The life lessons gained will last a lifetime.
One will go to processing for our freezer, one for their sister's freezer, and two to a livestock auction in order to buy a pig for next year's fair.
Bacon seed. Mmm-good.
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