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[Robert Walton <waltonrp AT gmail.com>]

> Now here's my addition to the pig discussion:   If you have enough feed and
> rich enough feed, a pig will get enormous.  Pig feed is among the pricier
> things at the feed'n'seed.  BUT you don't necessarily have to end up with a
> gigantonormous pig.  Feed the pig what you have or can get cheaply or free. 
>  Instead
> of the pig dressing out at 400 lbs, suppose you "only" get 250 lbs of pork, 
> or
> 100??

That is very good advice. It's also easier to process a smaller hog at home.

> Pork from a milk fed pig looks, smells, and tastes very different from a 
> chop
> fed pig.  The milk can be in the form of buttermilk from butter making or
> whey from cheese making or any other form.

I'm planning to do one or two this spring on milk, once the goats
freshen. Then butcher them small and use for BBQ.


> If you are using simple detergent to
> do your dishes, feed the dishwater to the pig.  Pigs love to eat coffee
> grounds and tea bags.  Spent brewing grains are also great so long as they 
> have not
> overly soured.  If they do sour, the pigs won't eat them.  Assume anything 
> in
> the kitchen that still has even a little nutritional value left is fodder 
> for
> the pig.


More good advice, I keep a 5 gallon bucket in the kitchen when I have
pigs. We wash all the pots and pans out into another dish and add that
water for the pig bucket. Dropped an egg on the floor yesterday, pig
bucket. Also an bloody water from defrosting meat or broth from
cooking that I'm not using.

Rob - Va