Well, Boaris & his gal Cuddles have left the farm. They went this morning along with 5 of the piglets from this year.

1. Boaris has been a fixture on this farm for 8 wonderful years. He was truly a gentle giant. Sending him off was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do on this farm, right next to having to put Mable down last year. 

I was raised that wasting an animal was about the worst thing you could do and the least respectful of their lives here. I tore me apart last year when I had to put Mable down and put her in a hole. Just couldn’t do that again. Boaris has been on and off again with pneumonia these past two winters. We almost lost him last winter. I vowed then to get him through one last season and give him a chance to give us one of his offspring to live on here at the farm. Well, we got him through the year but unfortunately there won’t be any of his kin here.  Cuddles is the same age and a great Momma but she struggled to give us any litter last spring as well.

• Today was the pickup for the yearling pigs. With the cold once again dragging him down and seeing another dangerous round of pneumonia coming his way, we had to make the decision to send him onto to his final contribution here.

• As usual, the loading of the piglets was a 3 ring circus. Although we’ve gotten better at it these past 10 years, its still a insane ordeal. They just don’t like the walk up the steep ramp onto the livestock truck. After 45 minutes of wrestling and being taken for unwanted pig rides, they were all finally loaded. Next it was time for Boaris and Cuddles. I told them I would walk them up the ramp without any need for support or prodding. I could see the “OK Sure” in their expression. 

• With no poking or prodding or boxing them in and with just kind words and ear scratches, Cuddles walked the ramp onto the truck like we were simply going for a stroll. Boaris then followed along and walked up to me as well. Nothing but an ear scratch or two along the way to convince him the ramp was ok. You could have knocked them boys over with a feather. They’ve been doing this a long long time. I think the youngest of the two is well over 60 and have loaded thousands of animals in their lifetimes. Both said they have never seen any pig (especially that size - as Boaris is the largest they’ve ever taken) just walk the ramp with their person. No reservation at all. 

Just trust.

Of course they did. They knew nothing else but love and kindness here and even with all the chaos and ruckus made by the yearling pigs, they still calmly followed me right to the last.

8 years is a long time for a working pig on a farm and they had 8 great years here. Still, all that aside, and all the knowing it was the right call doesn’t make it one bit easier. 

Not one single bit.

It doesn’t seem fitting to just say goodbye without sharing some of our memories here.

The farm is sadly quiet now. The huts are all empty and the pines are untrodden.

It will certainly be a long time before this farm is the same and I doubt there will never be another animal quite so special as Boaris and his gal Cuddles.