Pig transport

On Laurie and Sue's farm, my duties consisted of gardening, weeding and pruning. Being a lifestyle block, there aren't any major commercial activity, like fruit harvest.

However, there are 2 minor activity that generates income for the farm. These are pigs, and cows. On this farm, there are about 10-20 pigs, and about the same number of cows. Compared to commercial farms with hundreds, even thousands of animals, this is very small scale. I got a chance to participate in pig farming.

There were only 3 pigs when I arrived at the farm. About a week later, we added about 14 weaner (teenage) pigs. These new pigs were brought over from Laurie's neighbour, Brian. I was curious about how this arrangement works. Who do these pigs really belong to? Are they Laurie's, or Brian's?

What I learned from Laurie is, he and his neighbours work as a co-op. They share the work and the profit. Brian is responsible for the pigs from birth until about 8 weeks. Then, they are transferred over to our farm. Laurie will keep them until they are slaughtered. He is responsible for contacting the buyers and selling the pigs. Finally, they share the profit. I am impressed by this "neighbours help each other" spirit. I imagine it is hard to run a pig farm at 60 years old without any help (whether neighbour, or WWOOF volunteer).

On that day, we drove over to Brian's farm on a pickup truck (also called an "ute" in New Zealand and Australia). Brian had already rounded up the pigs and put them in cages. We put them onto the truck. Then we drove back to Laurie's farm. There, we put them in a pig pen.

Picking up a pig by its legs. Brian stands on the right.

Me on the ute

Pigs on the ute

Pigs in their new home on Laurie's farm

Wait, didn't I say in my previous entry that animals on this farm are free range? Why did we put the pigs in a pen? Laurie explained that this is to make them feel familiar with their new surroudings. He will put new pigs in the pen for 2 days before letting them out. This way, they feel safe in their new environment, and won't try to run away. Pigs that are frightened will escape, even dashing through the electric fence. They are very fast and intelligent, like dogs, and are very difficult to catch.

Piglets following the sow

Feeding time

While the pigs look cute, I reminded myself that they will soon be slaughtered and sold. I tried not to feel sorry for them, else I will not be able to eat pigs in the future.