Comments on: But boars are too dangerous!

By: Jo @ LittleFfarm Dairy

Jo @ LittleFfarm Dairy — Sat, 03 May 2008 09:40:45 +0000

And yet it would seem they at least want to find out where their food comes from - ergo get closer to reality - by growing their own….!

But alas, as they say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing; & by not fully researching the subject but taking a few ’scare stories’ at face value, they’ll remain in tragically blissful ignorance, missing out on one of the most rewarding things a smallholder can do - growing on some weaners, enjoying the company of these engaging animals (boar or gilt) & subsequently tucking into the resultant delicious porky products thereafter, whilst having taken responsibility for their food from pasture to plate.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Fri, 02 May 2008 20:32:19 +0000

A sad illustration of just how far removed so many people are from reality, let alone where their food really comes from.

By: AussieJ

AussieJ — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:33:47 +0000

Any animal has its moments; just today one of our male dingo’s tore through a wire mesh fence to get at a female in season. The resulting fight between his usual mate and the newcomer has left both in a battered wounded state.

Normally the three of them are calm and docile and love to be rubbed etc. But right now it is the mating season and calm old Spike showed his colours as he waited for the fight to finish. The two females could only be separated with a long handled shovel and a rope.

Now everthing is calm again and we are nursing to battered, bleeding ladies, who are again enjoying all the attention we give them. Animals must be treated carefully and cautiously, regardless of what they are.

By: Stonehead

Stonehead — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:03:25 +0000

Of course I wouldn’t slap in anyone in the head. I might break a nail.

Besides, The Yokel Farmer’s Guide to Dumb Folks, the Universe and Everything says the approved yokel farmer technique for enlightening city slickers and townsers is the judicious application of a muck fork to the nether regions.

Hmm, leafing through the pages just now, that seems to be the solution to just about every problem…

By: Bug Girl

Bug Girl — Fri, 02 May 2008 10:46:37 +0000

Then the potential buyers tell me they only want gilts and, in two cases, told me I should breed more gilts if the demand was for them and not boars.
Say what? Do these people have no idea how nature works?

No. They don’t.
SIGH.

Aren’t you constantly tempted to dope slap some of these people upside the head? I think that you haven’t is a sure sign of sainthood.

By: mandycharlie

mandycharlie — Fri, 02 May 2008 09:41:00 +0000

I really enjoyed reading that, it was very informative. I would love to grow a pig on for meat, unfortunately I have neighbours that were so distressed about the seven chickens we decided to keep that they called in the environmental health, (we won by the way) Who knows what they would do if we bought a pig home.

One day, one day..

By: mummys little angel

mummys little angel — Fri, 02 May 2008 06:31:31 +0000

Every animal has its dangers, even the family moggy. You just need to respect them and what they are capable of. A little cat is unlikely to knock you over and trample you but a bigger animal like a pig may well do, albeit accidentally.

By: auldwife

auldwife — Fri, 02 May 2008 05:33:12 +0000

It always saddens me to see the reputation boars are having forced upon them by folks who have never kept a boar before in their lives. When bring on weaners for ourselves, we always have boars, nature works on your side, they are faster & cheaper to bring to end product.

Our boar is coming on for 2 now, being large black he is built like a tank, he’s very well kept, being very fit he’s just a solid mass of muscle, I guess to some he does look pretty intimidating, until you take the step to venture over to the fence & introduce yourself. Most folks are surprised how well mannered & calm he is, but even so, as with every animal we have here, from the turkey stag (who is a pain in the A**E) to our young bull, I would never trust any of them as far as I could pick em up & throw em. They receive only firm fair handling, are allowed to follow natural behavior patterns etc etc. They are animals, respect them for that & you’ll get along just fine.

There is nothing our Doodles likes anything more (well maby a banana or 4) than rolling over onto his back & having his belly rubbed, he looks a total pussycat on those moments, but, would I stand in the way when Im letting one of his women into his field… would I heck, being male, he becomes blind to everything other than the chance of a frisky moment or 3 with his lady friends & as such could knock you over in a flash.

Folks who dont keep pigs are missing out on some wonderful experiences, you never fully understand just how intelligent a pig is until you are around one on a daily basis & your whole view on pigs will change forever. I cant imagine life without pigs now, they are just so wonderful to be around & such fun & they dont half enjoy a game of ball.

By: foggie loon

foggie loon — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:21:52 +0000

We had a boar last year that we fattened he was lovely always looking for rubs and always came over to see you, yet this year we have two sows and one of them is constantly biting.
I grew up helping my dad who worked on a beef farm where they had a pedigree herd og Blonde de Aquitaine cattle as well as a suckler herd, of the bulls he had there was only one who was bad tempered and was a very big danger yet the others used to come over and look for rubs and we were even allowed in the pen with these. Even the young bulls were friendly. They had more problems with cows then the bulls, as was proved last year when a farmer from Banff was killed when he was crushed by a cow.

By: Stonehead

Stonehead — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:11:17 +0000

Unfortunately, most people only seem to see or hear “boars can be dangerous” or “boar rips farmer apart” and instantly assume all boars are raving, ripping, tearing monsters. If I try to give a rational and reasonable explanation, then I’m just being a clever salesman.