Pigs & Co.

The 4-H club that we belong to hosts a mid-summer livestock show. This means that it's mandatory that we help set up, clean up, and be there all day to help with the show. Good thing that we're livestock kind of people and I don't mind. Let me tell you, it was a loooooooong day last Saturday. I am so glad that my in-laws watched Luke and Micah for us because that would have made the day even longer. And not very fun, either.

So last weekend we roused these two from their slumber and took them to the show. If we're going to be there all day anyway, we may as well have the kids show the pigs.

The kids didn't do as well as they could have,


but the vet (who got the pigs for us) declared that they would do much better in August at the fair. (I have to trust that he knows what he's talking about.) He claims that it's all feed that makes the difference and two weeks before the fair we'll switch over to the stuff that'll make them winners. If we switch over too soon they won't be prime for the fair. I am beginning to wonder if he really does know what he's talking about. Then again, if I'd start eating salads daily I'd probably change my physique as well.

The pigs DID good in the ring, despite the fact that they didn't LOOK good in the ring. If you'll notice, there is no restraining device on the pigs at all. You show a pig by walking along beside it. The stick is to gently guide them where you want them to go. Most of the time, there is at least one pig running wildly back and forth and in circles just because it can. Our pigs were not THOSE pigs last weekend.



Next year I think Micah might need to tag along with us and venture into the show ring himself. The PeeWee division is The Cutest. And considering that they are expected to have older, competent helpers with them, it'll all be good. (Yes, that little girl in the red is an older, competent helper. You'd be shocked at the kids that can handle livestock like pros.) (And incidentally, that is not a good looking lamb. GAH!)


Being originally from the livestock show world, I know all the weirdness that goes on. People showing cows, horses, sheep, goats and pigs have a penchant for wearing gaudy amounts of silver jewelry and belt bling. It's natural to see in a showring, shockingly enough. What one doesn't see are pearls. This girl raided the wrong jewelry box. THAT is weird. (THAT is also a very good looking lamb. It placed very well. It has nothing to do with color either.)



This will be our next purchase. We are seriously contemplating a goat to keep the weeds eaten off in the pony pasture. From there it'll be just a teeny, tiny step to get one for the kids to show next year.

Cute, isn't he? According to his owner's sister, he's also The Devil Himself. We're hoping to get one that's not so devilish, but I hear devilish is a good description for goats. I'll let you know after we get ours.

This happened to be the Grand Champion goat of the day. He belongs to our vet's daughter, but was shown by a complete stranger because said daughter was away for the weekend and her sisters wanted nothing to do with Devil Goat. He's THAT bad. Looking at his innocent and adorable little face, I just find that so hard to believe.

Because I have a very large mouth and tend to open it on occasion, I was drafted as official photographer for the show. This meant that even after our kids were done showing, I still had to stick around waiting for the champions to be named. Mostly because while I was taking pictures for our club, the newspaper reporter spotted me and The Rebel and asked if I could forward her pictures of the champion pigs. She couldn't stay that long and would really appreciate it. One of these days, I'll learn to keep my big mouth shut and The Rebel hidden.