All in a day's work

The piggies’ new yard is complete!!! At 8:00 this morning, the handyperson I occasionally hire to help me with the bigger tasks around here arrived and together, in the pouring rain, we more than doubled the size of the piggies’ personal playground. We had put the posts in place several weeks ago but busy schedules prevented us from finishing the job.

So today we cleared away the old bamboo stalks and other debris, attached the 2x2 fencing wire to the posts, fastened the 2x4s to the base to prevent little piggies from digging their way out or getting their trotters caught in the wire, built a new gate that gives me access from the piggy yard directly to the pasture (allowing me two points of access in the event of an emergency), took down the old fence and used it to reinforce the existing fence between my property and the neighbour’s driveway, tacked, hammered, drilled, sawed, and..oh yes…slopped through the mud since one corner of the new yard is rather swampy. Hmmm, methinks that’s an understatement.

Being a rainy day, the piggies stayed inside the barn where it was warm and dry. When we began to dismantle the existing fence, I closed the barn door to ensure no piggies were underfoot until the yard was fully secured again. However, they do have a little piggy door that leads to a very small secure outdoor potty area. At one point, just as we removed the old fence, I noticed Tom, the largest of the piglets, peering out from the burlap sacking that covers the piggy door. He did a double take, and then ventured to the edge of the potty area to get a closer look. Moments later he scampered back into the barn and this is what I heard:

"SQQUUUUEEEAAAALLLL, SQUEEEEAALLLL, SQUEAK SQUEAK, OINK OINK ERFF UFFFFF SQUEEEEEEAALLLLLLLLL! "

Rough translation: "Oh my goodness, you should see what they're doing, they've taken down the fence, we have a HUGE yard now, oh oh oh oh oh this is soooooo exciting!!!!"

A whole chorus of piglet voices filled the barn, rivalling the Tabernacle Choir on Easter Sunday. Several more piglets ran to the piggy door and peered around the burlap sacking to check out Tom’s story. The squealing continued for a good fifteen minutes before slowly things settled back down.

Mark and I stopped only briefly during the day - once for coffee and once for lunch- and at 4:30 the last board was in place, the last wire was tacked down, the last hole was filled, and the piggies were let out to explore their new territory.

They were hesitant at first – or rather, they were more interested in knowing if I was going to give them their dinner now. So I had to grab a handful of cookies and before long I was the Pied Piper of Piggies, leading them down to their new field, one happy marching procession.

And then the fun began! They suddenly realized they had access to new roots, fresh grass, blackberry bushes and room to run and run and run. From a piggy yard about 50x 50 feet, they now have one about 70 x 120 feet. I wonder how long it will take them to clear that land until it looks as barren as the space they had before?

Hopefully spring will produce some new shoots, and will certainly provide privacy, shade and beauty as the bamboo that lines the fence between the pigs' yard and the neighbour’s driveway fills back in. And I think planting some nice hazelnut trees, on the outside of the piggy yard but close enough to provide shade and treats, will be next on the agenda.

It is great to see them rooting and chomping and running and playing in their new playground. Happy Easter, little piggies. Enjoy your new field.

And now I think I deserve a glass of Chivas, a bowl of seafood pasta, and a warm bath.

It was a very good day.

Piglets emerging from the barn

Scotch and Tom discuss the new field


Trio of piglets checking out the spring grass

Two piglets chowing down


Dont' disturb us, Foster Mama, we're busy!


Piglets in their new field