Sleepy Piggy
When my kids were little I read them books about a pet pig, Mercy Watson. Never, while reading those books, did I dream that I would one day have a pig.
Last week I was at the feed store. On the way out I heard a man tell the folks at the counter that he had found a pig in a field. Could they take him and find the pig a home?
"I need a home."
As I put my purchases in my van, I saw a bunch of people gathering around the man’s truck. I couldn’t resist going over to see what all the commotion was about. Several people were looking in the back of the man’s truck at this little pig, who was in a little cage.
One of the ladies was talking about how smart pigs are and how you can train them to do things. She said they’d follow you around like a dog. The pig kept coming up to the wire on the cage and touching it’s nose to the visitors hands. One by one each of the pig’s admirers gave a reason why he couldn’t take the pig.
“I was just changing out an air conditioner, and there was this pig all by itself in this field. Guy didn’t know anything about it. I’ve got chickens but I don’t have room for a pig. I couldn’t just leave him there,” said the man who had found him.
“If I wasn’t going out of town…” one lady said.
“If I had a pen…” another person said.
About that time the lady from the feed store came outside and said that the owner said they couldn’t keep the pig there.
My mind was going 100 miles per hour. A pig. What in the world would I do with a pig? My vegetarian children would certainly not let us eat him. But he sure was cute, and something told me I had to have that pig.
“I don’t have my truck. I don’t know how I’d get him home,” I began.
"I won't take up much room."
“Well you can have this here pen,” said the man who had the pig in the back of his truck.
“Okay, let’s see if it fits.”
Sure enough, we found a way to get the pig into the van.
During all of this my mother texted me and asked me what I was doing.
Imagine her surprise when texted back, “Getting a pig.”
"I was so hungry my sides were all sunken in!"
Back at home, I set up a pen for the pig and fed and watered her. When the kids got home and saw her, they were thrilled. Even my teenager thought the pig was wonderful. They figured out it was a girl and named her “Petunia”.
A popular addition to the family
Life with pig is more funny and exciting than I ever could have imagined. She gets out of her pen constantly now. (Gotta build her a permanent one.) And she and my dog Sebastian have become fast friends. I will have to take pictures of that.
"I think I could get used to this place."
Have you ever raised pigs? Or had a pig as a pet? I’ve ordered a book on raising pigs, but I would love for you to leave me a comment with any advice you may have. This pig will be a pet so I’ll skip the stuff on slaughter. She’s so attached to the dog and kids… Please Lord give me the strength to keep her an “outside pig.”
