| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| bring me sunshine |
Seven bundles of oinking joy!Look who had arrived to greet me when I arrived at the farm this morning:
Seven in total, three female, four male. And yes, believe it or not, they're all Kune Kunes! (And no, don't ask who Dad is ... the ongoing closure of the abattoir in Maesteg had predictable consequences...) I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they all have a good night and that all seven are there to greet me for a second morning tomorrow. There's one runt but he seems to be full of life. And one took him/her self off for a walk this afternoon - got out of the ark and zoomed off down the field! I had to rescue it from a bramble patch!! 
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| vegplot |
Cute. They already look like sausages. | ||||||
| bring me sunshine |
I've already had two people ask me about suckling pig... I was forced to point out that 24 hours is a little young
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| GSHP |
awww they are adorable. Maybe one day........ | ||||||
| Chez |
They are gorgeous. Tell me about Kune Kunes - are they the tiny tiny ones that are really just pets? | ||||||
| bernie-woman |
Very cute 
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| Pel |
Oo yours are blonde I see.
Are the piglets all blondes too? very sweet. |
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| bring me sunshine |
You can get teeny tiny ones but most of mine are approximately 50"* long and height-wise, vary from just above my knee to half way to my hip. Like most traditional breeds, they're prone to fat, but make delicious roasting joints, pork chops, sausages and burgers, etc etc. For me, it's their temperament and personality that make them such a great breed. Today, Pinky was quite happy to have myself, the OH, three sets of visitors, and both dogs (uninvited guests, I hasten to add) all cooing over the piglets without so much as batting an eyelid. We've picked them up, cuddled them, checked them over, cuddled some more, the dogs did their bit and helped dry bums after wee wee time (kids, this is why you should never let the dog lick your face) ... and she was 100% relaxed and comfortable, the whole time. You can't beat that and I'll happily swap larger joints for such easy-going porcine companions! (* as in inches, not feet ... I always get the two symbols mixed up) |
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| bring me sunshine |
Pinky (ma) and Curly (pa) are both pink/ginger (they vary according to the season) and all these piglets are pink/ginger. All grandparents are multi-coloured, but both Pinky and Curly had pink/ginger siblings as well as the usual assorted colours (though not my favourite KK colour, which is the bright ginger of your mother's Penny). I daren't ring the woman I bought the two grandmas from ... I know she spent years trying to breed Kune Kunes this colour and never succeeded. Ooops! |
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| Helen M |
how cute
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| Chez |
Well I've learned something - I thought they were just decorative! I mean - I know that you can eat anything if you're hungry enough; but they are pretty AND edible! | ||||||
| Pel |
Yes, penny is the bronze kind of ginger, her litter mates were a lighter shade of ginger.. i prefer the darker ginger myself. So your little bundles might get the ginger through then as they get a few days older. They do look quite cute pink i have to admit, i thought i wouldnt like a pink KK (i dont like middle whites looks). What colour is your gilt that your keeping back? |
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| colour it green |
piglets are always just so cute | ||||||
| bring me sunshine |
Pel, I call them pink, but a more accurate description would be cream in the summer and a pale pinky-ginger in winter (more dark hairs in their winter coats). There's no way they're as pretty as the coloured ones, though don't tell my gilt that as she's cream/pink! She's a wonderful character though, which is why I'm keeping her on.
Chez, I've just dived into the freezer and pulled out some chops. Thanks for the inspiration for tomorrow's dinner! Helen M / bernie-woman / GSHP / colour it green: on behalf of the proud parents, I thank you for your kind words
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| Pel |
Well hope they are all there in the morning, and Pinky is still looking just as contented. Is that her biggest litter?
Cant wait for my mother's two to have little ones, be so nice seeing how small KK piglets are and just how cute they are... hoping they get merry's face as he has the prettier one. |
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| bring me sunshine |
It's her first, so I'm really pleased with the size of the litter and of the piglets, not to mention how cool, calm and collected she's been.
She's even been "singing" to them as they feed, which is one of the most wonderful sounds in the world 
The only downsize with KK piglets is that their naughtiness increases in direct proportion to their cuteness ... which grows daily 
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| Rob R |
Nah, some say the younger they are, the better they taste, so get them in a bread bun as they pop out.
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| bring me sunshine |
Hmm, they hardly count as "suckling pig" if they've never, you know, suckled
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| Rob R |
Hmmm  hadn't thought of that. Fair point.
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| marigold |
The look on the mother's face is brilliant - she look so pleased with herself
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| Green Rosie |
Exactly what I thought. How's Curly taking the news of fatherhood ?
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| Tavascarow |
Ring her. She might be happy to buy some at above the going rate for inclusion back into her breeding program. They are cute. Congratulations.
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| BadgerFace |
Beautiful babies, Mum does look rather pleased
Congratulations 
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| bring me sunshine |
When I arrived this morning and popped my head into the ark, all seven piglets were snuggled between ma and pa. She grunted happily at me and by the time I returned with their breakfast, she was out grazing, having first made a nest for the piglets to snuggle up in (which scared the whatsits out of me as I couldn't see them!) Curly spent yesterday in a state of deep depression, having gone from #1 in Pinky's world to #8. Today, he seems happier, though she's yet to abandon him as she's taking advantage of the fact that they're all sound asleep to stuff herself on as much grass as possible before they wake up!
Due to her husband's ill health, she sold all her pigs and they've since moved from the sticks to a location closer to the local hospital. When I told her about last year's two litters from her two sows, both of which included cream/pink piglets, she was happy for me but her voice seemed full of regrets and lost opportunities, if you see what I mean. To say I've bred a second generation would feel like rubbing in salt ... |
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| Green Rosie |
Have you ever had any problems with boars trying to purposefully or accidentally harm piglets? |
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| Faithmead |
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.......as piglets always are. Congrats to you 'all'
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| Penny |
and me ... I didn't think pigs could do smug grins! |
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| Barefoot Andrew |
A. |
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| bring me sunshine |
Touch wood, no! Last year, my 3 month old weaner was a temporary companion for an in-pig sow. She farrowed during the night, about a week before I thought she was due. The weaner was extremely proud of "his" babies but he was duly removed and sent to live with another group. During the night, he broke out of that enclosure and put himself back in with the piglets, and there he stayed. One was crushed on the night they were born and one the following night, but there's no way of telling who did it. On both mornings, sow and weaner were lying on either side of the piglet huddle, keeping them toasty warm. The worst Harold ever did was try to steal the piglets food when they started eating - which became a losing battle by the time they were weaned, and every mealtime thereafter. This time around, Curly has to stay put because I've got nowhere else for him to go. Today, he was really sweet and let one piglet climb all over his snout and only stood up when a mini-trotter jabbed him in the eye
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| beean |
Re: Seven bundles of oinking joy!
Wow I'm v impressed with your pig-training skills, as clearly Mummy Pig is smiling for the camera. They're lvoely. I want.... |
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| bring me sunshine |
Alas, I cannot take the credit. Her mother has the same look, as do both her sisters.
Sadly, I don't think the runt is going to make it, though he's got guts and determination, no doubt about it. 
Oh, and especially for Green Rosie, here's a video of Pa when he was left to babysit the other other morning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASZJn2e7tUo |
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| Green Rosie |
He is such a good Dad - I saw that on your blog and love the way he let Mum out for a break and he stayed in to babysit
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| bring me sunshine |
He's really not that good - it was raining at the time
Edit: I've just twigged and looked at your Downsizer signature... I never was the brightest match in the box 
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| Green Rosie |
Ha ha - typical bloke
 - Yep - Green Rosie and Rosie of Eco-Gites are one and the same
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