Meet Tia and her cousin BobbyT3. Tia is the daughter of a major star in the Holstein Show Circuit. And her father is an acclaimed Angus bull. She is very calm, and friendly. Docile. Her cousin the steer is also a gentle fellow. They are both a good size too. Almost three months old. Nice looking animals.
When they are settled and doing ok they will join the black and white beef herd. Though I will definitely breed Tia to Carlos next year – her temperament is perfect.
The hog prices have taken a dangerous dive in the last few months. Only two months ago these pigs were worth $40 dollars at auction, now they are getting between 10 and 15 dollars.
This is the reason for them not selling so well this year. None of my reading tells me this is a long term trend so I am going to hold tight. But there is serious panic running through the smaller hog farmers now. The big producers are smashing the little guys to bits.
It means that these two litters will be sold at a loss and I have decided to take the ones I am raising for meat into the abbatoir earlier: at 100 pounds instead of my usual 200+. This will cut costs considerably and is actually more attractive to the average family. I am calling it the Mini Roast program and I have quite a few people interested. I have also decided to bite the bullet and continue breeding. I know of a number of small producers who are getting shaky – feed is still expensive – the losses are huge. You cannot breed let alone feed an animal for this return. There is no money in it this fall. The massive mega producers, with newly developed, high tech, mammoth farrow to market companies, big even by American standards, have come on line and are producing huge amounts of cheap pork. More than ever in the history of this country. Production has spiked. But demand is the same – exports have not increased but supply has leaped ahead. Late summer is also the months when hogs go to market so with these two things combined prices have crashed causing a slide into ruin for many.
As long as my girls don’t have too many huge litters and I can still pass off a few pigs for my friends to raise for themselves and raise a little meat for myself and some for Jake we will continue. But I still want to stay small. Small is best for me.
But I am making no money at all – in fact the pig budget is most unhealthy and I will be borrowing from my vacation fund for pig feed this winter to get us through to the spring when they will start to sell again. I am not ready to quit.
The cows are doing OK though. The cows have paid for themselves this year. Not a huge profit but enough to invest in these two.
And feed them all until next summer.
I have some sad news. Yesterday morning Lurch died. (For those who are new to the Fellowship: Lurch she was one of a litter of piglets rejected by their mother – many of them died young but wee Lurch was a fighter and even though her legs would not work properly she refused to give up). Lurch’s adopted mother Lori had a wheelchair made for her and Lurch would run about the house on this with her useless back legs laid above the wheels.) Lori told me this morning that Lurch – who she had renamed Maggie – was fine yesterday morning, ate, went outside in her chariot for her exercise then Lori laid her on her bean bag for a rest and when she looked at her only minutes later Maggie had stopped breathing. Her heart just stopped.
Lurch whose name was Maggie has died.
Some lives are not long but this does not diminish their importance. Just like relationships. Sometimes a little is long enough. Wee Lurch will always be embedded in this summers memory.
Much love
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
57 responses to “Meet Tia and Sad News”
That’s very sad news about Lurch, but on the bright side, she had a good life while it lasted 🙂
Pig breeders (and other livestock) had similar problems in the UK, especially with cheap imports from Denmark. These days quality, free range animals are marketed as such and the public (who can afford it) seek out properly reared meat from happy animals, as opposed to factory farmed ones. Hopefully Jake’s business will take off and people will seek out your special pork.
That is sad, but her short life brought many good people together. The world needs more of that.
Early morning tears & sympathy with my tea for wee dear Lurch whose name was Maggie. I have her picture on my t-shirt & will wear it in her honor & sweet memory. Bless her brave little heart.
And all those who loved her.
So sorry to hear about Lurch/Maggie, but as Mad Dog said, she had a good, if short life. I get many compliments on her shirt and wear it proudly!
Your philosophy about the importance of short lives is beautiful. You don’t have to have big feet (or trotters) to leave footprints. What a precarious balancing act farming is but you base your decisions on sound judgement, solid experience and what is best for your family of animals and you can’t do better than that. Big hug miss c.
I’m sorry to learn about Lurch/Maggie. What a little trooper she was and what kind and meaningful care she was given, from her very first moments.
Interesting about pork. I’d been wondering why prices were so good hereabouts right now. Wish I had a good source like yours. Have a good day.
I am so so about Maggie… So sad ♥
I lost a sweet little bottle lamb years ago and a friend wrote me the following words and I have held them dear since. “Think of all the people he made happy on his goodwill lamb tour-he brought a lot of joy to everyone he met. I believe God sends some of us extra special animals who don’t have a lot of time on this earth and we give them all that extra love they need before they go.”
Amen Sara!
Oh, we are so sorry to read that Lurch died, trying so hard to survive. We wish you well, You have presented amazing photos :)) Jen
Hang tight. I firmly believe we are entering a crossroad in this country. Our health and lives will depend on which road we take. We have some of the “cheapest” food in the world and spend a fraction of the money that many others spend from around the world. But, “cheapest” is a an oxymoron when used to describe our food prices. We all pay astronomical prices when we add in our subsides. Unfortunately, we who are small and raising animals in a sustainable and healthy way are paying for the subsides and our prices for animals and food. We in the United States have absolutely no clue how much we are REALLY paying for our food. If we add in the cost of our health or lack there of, then the costs skyrocket even more. I have written many times that we are spoiled ever loving rotten here in the states and we are paying the price in many ways.
There are people willing to pay the price for good food and I see the numbers rising. Set your price so that you at least recoup your costs and someone will buy your food. Right now my husband and I raise broilers (about 400-500 a year), pigs (around 12 a year) and layers (have around 45 since an owl decided to help himself to many earlier this year), and dairy goats. We raise for family and close friends and end up just asking for reimbursement for our costs plus they have to help butcher the chickens if they want the meat at cost. Even then the cost for the broilers is at $2.50 a lb. We raise freedom rangers which take longer to get to size. Our feed is non-gmo which is more expensive. The birds themselves are 100% non gmo from parent stock down which raises prices but so far we could sell many more than we raise even adding on to make some money. We have waiting list for our pigs which are limited due to our limited acreage which is 5 acres. We are land locked with no chance short of a miracle of getting more land.
Many are starting to realize we are what we eat. We are ruining our water, air, soil and soon some may start to realize you CAN NOT EAT OR DRINK YOU MONEY!
I have talked to many, some of whom have shocked me, that have said the words “I will do without many things but I AM going to put my money in my food.” I was laughed at 10 years ago when I was asking if anyone had non gmo feed. Now it is becoming more and more common. Things are changing and many are fighting that change. But, as many people see their health care costs continue to spiral out of control, their health continue to decline, the air and water they have to have to have to survive continue to be contaminated, I am seeing a seismic shift. I don’t think it will be a majority soon, but a growing, very vocal , minority will happen. And frankly, I am going to be a part of that vocal minority. I have the mouth to do it, as I have been told! LOL
So hang in there Cecelia. You really are a part of a growing movement that is going to get bigger and more interesting. We just need to hang on tight for, possibly, the ride of our lives. Have an awesome day. I absolutely love your pigs. I have 6 Berkshires here that has me hoping and praying for mild weather until 12-27-16 when they go to the butcher. We raise them outside in huts and deep straw. I really don’t want to haul water to them 6x a day because it has frozen and a thirsty pig does not eat.
Jenny
Yes, sad news about Lurch. But as someone already mentioned, she brought many people together and it’s wonderful to know that there is someone out there who works with little piggies like Lurch.
I know that you live in an area that is industrially farmed, but I hope that you can hang on with your pig breeding. As people get more educated about Big Ag and how animals are raised in that setting, I think more and more will turn to producers like you. And I hope that Jake’s enterprise will get off the ground well. I wonder if there was any way of tapping into the Chicago burb market!
So sorry to hear about Lurch but as you say, in her short life, she touched and enriched many others. RIP Dear little fighter.
Oh, and I can’t forget to say Welcome to Tia and Bobby T3! They are very handsome!
So sorry to hear about Lurch/Maggie but she had so many people who loved her, didn’t she? You have her all the love.
Gave not have. #fatfingersyndrome
I am so sorry to hear about Lurch.