Cherry D, The Pig

Cherry D is one special pig.  She’s the newest addition to our small show pig family.  When I win a baking contest, it is now tradition to buy a pig (usually a breeding female) and name her after the recipe I won with. Remember Cinnamon? The Tone’s Spices “My Favorite Recipe I love to Bake” contest, provided me that opportunity this year.  My $2,000 Cherry Danish secured the top prize in the class and another trip to NE Iowa to visit John and Ruth Huinker of Huinker Durocs.  We purchased a sow (she’s had 1 litter of pigs already) that we just loved and brought her home.

Let me tell you about her.

She’s the sweetest sow I’ve ever met. (Sometimes sows aren’t always the nicest. Sometimes. Once they have babies… they change a bit.)  This sow has really taken a liking to my daughter and is very calm and sweet.

She really enjoys a nice back rub and scratch.

She’s roughly the size of a small pony and weighs 450-475 lbs.

She likes to have a little treat of ‘shell corn’, which is pure field corn, not ground.  The other pigs don’t like it and eat around it.  Cherry D likes it, so the kids always ‘shell’ some for her.

She eats the shell corn off of her feed first, then eats the rest.  Dessert first! My kind of pig.

She is enamored with this sparkly blue brush.  It is a soft face-brush for showing, but she loves it. Isn’t her nose cute?

She follows my daughter wherever she goes. Yesterday my Mom caught my daughter laying with Cherry D in her pen (not safe at this point) and had to have a talk with her (my daughter.) I’m proud that she’s so comfortable around pigs, but some of the most important lessons in stockmanship can be tough for a 5 y.o. to understand.

The best part of getting her home was watching my kids hustle around and make sure her pen was just right.  She stepped right off of the trailer and walked right into her pen.  She had a rough 3.5 hour trip in the trailer but had lots of bedding to keep her comfy.  Still, a long ride.

She didn’t know what to think of the grass at our house.  She stayed in the barn when we let her out and we let her roam around while we worked. (This is a 450 lb + animal, mind you… we kept an eye on her.)  She ventured out on the grass and just kept going back in her pen, then coming back out.  Finally when it was time to go run errands and she needed to be put away, I’m not joking… the second we mentioned putting her in her pen, she went in.  And STAYED.  Awesome!  If you’ve moved pigs before (especially ones new to the territory, you will know this is nothing short of a miracle.)

Cookie Dough and Sassy are less than enthused with the new woman on the farm.  Oh well, they’ll have to get over it!

The Cherry Danish that started it all…

I’m giving away a famous #realpigfarming t-shirt! Leave a comment below and you’ll be entered to win!
After all, it IS National Pork Month!

Have a great weekend! If you are near Louisa County, stop by and see me at The Louisa County Bacon Fest this Saturday from 10-4!