I honestly don’t think I’ve worked so hard in my life as I did in March this year!!!! The snow was incredible!!!!
On the 2nd of March one of my sows that was due to farrow imminantly coded to go walk about. Not good with a big snow storm due in. I spent hour upon hour looking for her. My mad spaniel eventually found her with 9 healthy piglets, miles from home in a totally inaccessible wood 🙈. I frantically ran home and collected up food, straw, tarpolines and string. i made a make shift shelter as best I could and preyed they would all survive the storm. At first light I battled through the snow with more straw, food and water in the hope they were all still alive. Thankfully everyone was all safely tucked up in their shelter non the worse for ware for their experienc. The relief was amazing.
So the piglets and sow survived 😁!!!! My day had only just started after 4 hours of hauling straw and feed for one lot of animals. There were 40 odd Weaners, growers and other sows to feed. I was exhausted. As I sat in the snow crying wondering how I was ever going to carry on and really what was the point in my pork just tastes the same as everyone’s else’s. I realised that my pork and hog roasts taste unbelievably amazing and the reason iis because the love, hardwork, freedom and these wonderful creatures are the reason I had to carry on. After hours of digging 6 ft snow drifts with my son we managed to get everyone fed and watered. Everyone was comfortable for the next 24 hrs at least, so we left them to go and deal with the sheep🙈🙄. Thankfully they were all ok, just a bit pissed off they hadn’t had their breakfast by 3pm🙈
If it hadn’t of been for some wonderful friends I don’t think I could have survived the beast from the east!!! A good friend arrived and dug tracks for the pigs to get out of their arcs and a big track so we could at least deliver feed and water by quad. Another amazing friend pulled on her waterproofs and wellies combined with an ear infection and pitched up to help me. Never have a laughed so much whilst hauling straw and water through mounds of snow for what felt like miles. I am forever thankful.
So when your considering what hog roast or what pork to buy or in fact any meat. Please remember the effort, love and hard work that has gone into it. The pain and worry that goes into it all as well as the pure joy and achievement that produces something that tastes so wonderful makes me proud. So the day I sat in the snow crying because I really couldn’t carry on, well I’m glad I didnt. It prepared me for lambing if nothing else🤣🤣🤣🙈🙈🙈
