i've just bought a half of a hog

[baymule]

BJ you are about to enter the world of NO MORE STORE BOUGHT MEAT!!!!!!!

 

[Jared77]

Good for you! 1/2 of a hog is a good way to start. $4/lbs is expensive, but I'm sure it's worth every penny. Have you ever thought of going to the fair on auction day? You can get a reasonable price there & your supporting some kids hard work & commitment to the program & that animal. Out here you bid on the per lbs price. When you win one you go to the booth lay up, fill out the order on how you want it processed (breakfast sausage Patty's vs links etc) and you get a call when it's ready for pick up. Only catch us you buy the whole animal there are no half orders.

But they do say the weight if the animal be it pigs, lambs, cattle etc before the bidding starts so you have an idea of what your spending before you bid.

 

[bj taylor]

no more store bought meat would be a wonderful thing.
my mother says 'NO, don't raise pigs' she says they stink & the neighbors are unhappy. I think I could raise two at a time with not too much stink. I could sell one to offset the cost of the other. I think.

 

[thistlebloom]

When I was a kid we had a pig occasionally, then one of my sisters raised a few every year for her FFA project. My dad built a special pen for them that was concrete floored with a roof cover for sun protection. At the end of one side, outside the fence he dug a big pit. I think it was probably about 6 feet deep and probably four feet wide. Twice a day the poo was shoveled into it, and a couple times a week the whole concrete floor got hosed down. It was very clean, and I don't remember any bad smells at all. Our neighbors never complained.

But if you think goats are hard to contain, pigs are 10 times worse. Dad built their pen with railroad ties, and the roof was a half drainage culvert.

 

[Jared77]

Few of the kids at our church raise two pigs one to offset the cost of the other. The better of the 2 is sold at the 4H auction & they always come out ahead financially.

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

I haven't encountered a stinky pig yet, as long as you keep everything clean and sanitary it should be fine. You might get a little bit of a barn smell, but it doesn't carry that far. Dan's pigs get awfully noisy when feeding time rolls around, but he has at least twenty!