It’s always handier to have a female pig, but sometimes you can’t get one. Porky is a boy, and that means at some point, he has to be “cut” –as in, his manly parts. If you want to see all the gory details, I have a post about the last time the pig man was here. (See The Pig Man Cometh. Some readers found that post and the photos too difficult. Click at your own peril!) We had the pig man out here this morning. It’s always amazing to me that anyone is willing to do this job.
Jack and Poky observed from a distance.
Jack found the whole thing a little disturbing.
You might want to skip this last photo.
(Warning!)
(Warning!)
(Warning!)
Pig dumplings, anyone?
cabynfevr says:
Ok, now that’s just nasty, ewwww
On July 24, 2011 at 11:05 am
prayingpup says:
We used to do all our young pigs at one time. The neighbor was always there with a bucket to retrieve the “dumplings” to take home & cook. . . yuck!
On July 24, 2011 at 11:45 am
Hlhohnholz says:
I’m surprised your dogs haven’t found that. In my experience, they think that’s the best part!!
On July 24, 2011 at 12:20 pm
Ms.Becky says:
I know it isn’t possible, but sometimes I wish the entire human species was vegetarian…. :yes:
On July 24, 2011 at 12:34 pm
chickenherd says:
Of course, Ms.Becky, you know that the entire human race WAS vegetarian at one point, and they will be again. It was only after the fall that we began to eat animals and, yes, it is sad. Beautiful and complex creatures were never meant to be killed. Tragically, in a fallen world, sometimes animals have to go. I slaughter my own roosters and feel pretty bad about it, knowing it was not intended to be this way by our masterful Creator, although He will restore the earth and its inhabitants to a perfect state someday. :happyflower:
On July 24, 2011 at 2:09 pm
Liz Pike says:
We had to learn to do this in farrier school!! It WAS disgusting. I cringed, did it, then refused to add it to my services!
On July 24, 2011 at 4:15 pm
TwistedStitcher says:
One of the things I love so much about your site is that you don’t hold anything back. You show it all in it’s fullest glory.
Just because it can be cooked doesn’t mean you should.
On July 24, 2011 at 4:29 pm
judyh says:
This reminds me of the story my youngest sister tells about the time she was working in the hayfield with Dad and Grandpa and when they took a break, Grandpa picked a watermelon from the watermelon patch nearby, cut it up with his pocket knife and they sat there in the field and ate it. It wasn’t until later that she thought about how many pigs and sheep that Grandpa had castrated with his pocket knife and how many times he had cut and cleaned his toenails with it, all without ever washing it she was sure. Ahhhh, the memories of growing up on the farm! 😆
On July 24, 2011 at 5:53 pm
TinaBell says:
Blech! Aren’t those called rocky mountain oysters or something? I’d have to be starving to DEATH to eat those! Ew!
On July 24, 2011 at 8:13 pm
Miss Judy says:
When my son worked on a hog farm he had to do this nasty job. However they did it when the pig was very young.If I remember they were just a couple of weeks old!
My younger son and his friend unknowingly ate some sheep fries at a pot luck supper thinking they were chicken nuggets. After scarfing down a few they realized it wasn’t chicken but thought they were so good they finished that plate off and went back for more.I still remember the look on their faces when an older gentleman gleefully told them what they were eating! Priceless!
On July 24, 2011 at 11:15 pm
themandabear says:
chickenherd – wont that day be wonderful? 🙂
I never thought about this side of farm life before I started reading this blog 🙂
On July 24, 2011 at 11:23 pm
Richelle says:
I really don’t understand why people still think it is necessary to do this. We’ve had pigs for years, never cut anything from them, before harvesting time at about a year old. No boarish taste, nothing. I’m convinced that the way of keeping, taking care of and harvesting the pig has a much greater influence on the taste of the meat than neutering the pig. It’s like: everybody does it because everybody has always been doing it, but is that a valid reason?
On July 25, 2011 at 3:24 am
roosterrun says:
Not judging or anything, but can you not just band them the way people do cows, sheep and goats? It seems a little more humane, no blood, guts or screaming. (and certainly no parts to eat) They just dry up and fall off. Just curious, I have no experience with pigs so I don’t know.
On July 25, 2011 at 6:31 am
Joyce says:
Apparently the pictures upset a number of people but most of you have had cats and dogs neutered, sometimes it is just necessary. Male pigs are the wrong shape for banding, and boar pig meat has the most incredibly bad odor, though a few people actually enjoy it for most of us it makes the meat inedible.
On July 25, 2011 at 7:37 am
chef martha says:
Hey have to agree with Richelle! While I have done the deed myself I will not do it again. More stressful on me than the pig probably. The young males at 7 -8 months are usually dressing at 120# or so and are delish, tender and no “taint”. Boar meat is also wonderful, a delicacy in many cultures! Just a richer flavor makes it makes great sausage and is wonderful when braised with lots of flavors. I do know that once the deed is done they act like it never happened so if you choose to do, do it when they are very young. The one thing I really don’t like are the rings in noses! Pigs are meant to root. This is a part of their being! I use my pigs every winter to till my garden fertilizing as they go works great. Also have them root up old tree stumps to clear property, cheaper than a backhoe! Two low strands of electric fence wire will keep even the best rooters in.
On July 25, 2011 at 9:01 am
Window On The Prairie says:
Did I miss something? Pokey doesn’t look pregnant anymore. Did she have her little one?
On July 25, 2011 at 5:29 pm
Suzanne McMinn says:
No, Pokey hasn’t had a baby yet!
On July 25, 2011 at 5:37 pm
notafarmgirl says:
I think this is SO inhumane to do this to a helpless animal without any kind of numbingand/or pain meds (such as a vet would administer). It is just so cruel and painful. This is where farm life and having farm animals is different to me. I could not kill or hurt the animals I would raise. This is not what God intended us to do to animals.
On July 25, 2011 at 8:00 pm
jane says:
I agree notafarmgirl and others here. it is cruel and senseless for the animal to go through that. Maybe one day we will get back to what God intended and we will take care of the earth and animals in a better way. I just cant imagine.
On July 25, 2011 at 9:36 pm
Melinda54 says:
SO… let me get this straight in my head here. NO ANESTHETIC???? Really? What the..
On July 27, 2011 at 5:07 pm