This Little Piggy Went to Market...

I made the mistake of putting “Livestock is definitely an acceptable choice of wedding gift” on our wedding invitations last year.  We had friends and family tell us they were bringing a goat or a lamb and a few chickens, but we scoffed it off to no big deal.  Little did we know we would have four jolly piglets arrive just days before our wedding.  Fortunately, it was days before rather than the day of the wedding!  We created a temporary pig-proof home for them in the cow barn and hoped they would not escape.   I was obviously freaking out, as Allan spent half a day making this temporary piggy pen when we should have been placing flower pots, vacuuming the barn and doing many last minutes touches around the property.  Nevertheless, I was extremely appreciative of the unique and boisterous gift. 

We did have a couple friends in the bank barn the evening of the wedding, who were vigorously trying to catch a piggy to release in the wedding barn.  To no avail those piggies were fast and our friends in suits and dresses could not keep up.  I am glad the mischief was brought to a halt by my dad who was security for the evening (haha), as the poor piggy that would have eventually got caught would have been a little uneasy in a barn of hoppin’ country tunes.  Additionally, he would be unhappy to know that pulled pork was on the menu that evening...

We knew little about pigs, but figured if we fed them garden scraps and mash they would grow just fine and grow they did!  They thoroughly enjoyed the leftover pumpkins that I used all over the property to decorate for the wedding.  Furthermore, they were ecstatic when I decided to feed them the 16 leftover apple pies that my mother forgot to put out on the dessert table along with the other delicious sweets.  Who knew apple pie would be such a hit? 

Since the wedding, we have built them their own home in the barn that they remain safe and sound in.  We have raised them well and recently brought one to be butchered and sold.  He was purchased by a man Allan works with and was packaged to sell at a local farmer’s market.  He was huge!  He grew double the size of the others, but the others were all eating lots of food and growing well too.  His total weight hanging was 286 lbs so he was well over 300 alive.  Oink!

Turns out it wasn't a mistake at all!  I love those piggies in the barn and on the table!

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