if you're going to do it

do it right.

an email from the slaughterhouse/butcher, a husband and wife team that only processes a handful of animals a week and practices the teachings of Temple Grandin. 

"Just wanted to let you know that we would love to have the larger pig.  The reasoning for our choice is that we have so many orders, we need the extra meat.  I would love to take the 2nd pig, as well, if you could take payment within 30 days, unless you have another buyer and I completely understand.   I will barter out the first larger pig towards your processing and whatever else we would owe, I would pay you the difference when you pick up.  Thanks for the opportunity to buy them, and just so you know you did a great job, and my staff was very impressed."

The two largest pigs will be sold to Blue Ridge Meats and I will keep the smaller female to disperse to family and friends, keep a bit for myself, and repay debts such as borrowing the trailer to take them to slaughter and my friends time trailering us there.

I feel the quality of the meat has 3 contributing factors. 

1. Genetics.  These were good looking and conformationally sound pigs.

2. Environment.  My pigs enjoyed access to a stall that opened to a large pen.  There was room to run, sun bathe, and wallow. The door to the stall was always left open. They had access to food and fresh water at all times.  In the evenings I would open their pen door to allow them to free range, root, and play in a large grassy field.  For the last 3 days they have 24/7 access to this area.  These pigs did not know a moment of discomfort while in my care.  They were warm in the cold weather and cool in the recent hot temps. 

3. Interaction. I loved my pigs.  Loved hanging out, grooming, petting, and playing with them.  On most days I spent a minimum of a hour with the pigs, often times more.  In the winter you could find me in the stall with a spotlight and a book snug as a bug surrounded by three pigs.  I believe their trust in me played an important role in the quality of their meat.  Stressed, anxious, scared, and injured animals will leave tell tale traces in their meat, often the butcher has to cut around or possibly discard the entire carcass.  It can even be unfit for animal consumption.  Before transporting to slaughter I parked the trailer in their field for 4 days.  They were fed and praised in the trailer to limit anxiety during loading and transport.

I believe i'll take the summer off from raising pigs and purchase 3 more near the end of October.  Hopefully the same breeder will have more for sale.  In the future I would love to own a property where my pigs can be raised proper, which to me means on pasture.  Pigs are not intended to live in a confined environment and even though I provided mine with quite a bit of space, the more natural approach is pasture.  I cringe at the commercial pork industry and other homesteaders or small time farmers that stall their pigs.  Raising pigs should not be done without the appropriate amount of space.  There is no pride in keeping these animals behind closed doors.