Gorgeous Sunday Morning, Piggy Sounds and Smells In the Air

When we woke up this beautiful Sunday morning in northern Illinois, the SUN was shining and there was no wind to be found. On our 3 acres of heaven, this almost never happens. We headed down to the pig barn to start the process of getting ready for the kids 4-H pigs.

Ellie started showing pigs when she was 5 years old at the local county fair. My cousin Joshua had this grand idea to have her show…..thats a whole other post. Judd was 6 years old the first time he showed his piggies at the fair. They both followed in their mom and dad’s footsteps when they were 8 years old and joined Seward Determination 4-H club. Judd is sitting beside me reading this and wanted me to add how much of a “Handsome boy” he is………so anyway back to the pigs….

Judds buddy Hunter (who also shows pigs, but lives in town, so he keeps them here) came over for a few hours and him and Judd both spent a couple hours shoveling pig poo. Lots of wheelbarrows full, and they were finished. Ellie helped for a hot minute, then had to go see her boyfriend……so now she owes the boys…..

-Moved the KuneKune pigs, Jorge(horhay) and Rita, to their new pens so they can begin their honeymoon stage 😉 baby oinkers in the future……maybe!

– Moved S’Mores (the market pig that should have been slaughtered 2 years ago but didnt because he turned into a pet) to his new pen…….

Now the clean concrete floor will air out for a day or so, please stay breezy outside!!

In a few weeks, the pig barn will once again be full of roughly 10 piggies for 5 4-H kids. 3 of the kids live in town and so we house the pigs for them. We have been doing this for quite a few years, for a few different friends. I learned this from my mom and some amazing friends of the family, from Bluford IL. When I was growing up, we didn’t have the space for our own 4-H pigs and calves. So, with the help of amazing friends, we housed them at their farms. My sister, Becky, and I would help with hay, go over every day and do the chores for our animals, clip pig teeth, castrate male piggies, give them their shots……really did everything Wayne and Larry asked of us! Wayne and Joycie kept our cows and Larry and Deb mainly helped us with the piggies.

4-H is an amazing organization to be a part of, and I couldn’t be happier that my kids love it as much as I did growing up. Please if you have been thinking about joining, please click on the link below!

https://extension.illinois.edu/jsw/4-h-winnebago-county

It teaches you amazing values and what it means to really take care of your animal and give it the best life you possibly can. Our piggies are quite spoiled and loved for the short time they are here.

Chores have to be done every day, and that is completely the kid’s responsibility. I do not mind helping if they have something else they are expected to be at. Fresh water supply, feed, cleaning their pens is their daily chores they are expected to do. Now…….let’s be honest…….does the cleaning get done every day…. I’m going to go out on a limb and say, No. lol. Actually, Judd just read the cleaning part and started laughing himself…. that’s not a good sign!

I hope everyone had a blessed Sunday Afternoon!

Keep it Real. Keep it Simple. – Beth