Heritage resilience

You’ve gotta love our heritage Tamworth pigs!

We have been creating new spaces this year in the barn for winter housing of our livestock. You may have seen our previous post “High and Dry,” where we moved the Tamworths up the hill in time for December’s heavy rain and snow. They are a fit and eager breed that adeptly and willingly trot up and down between barn and pastures as bid.

With this seasonal move, however, a few animals were retained down below, including 5 bred sows with due dates the week of January 9th.

So, guess what we were doing January 8th?!

We were grateful that our two college kids were delayed a week from the start of school, so they were still home to work with us to create farrowing huts for the sows in the sunny front section of the barn.

Then it was time to bring the sows up from their pen in the lower pasture.

These mamas ambled up the steep hill with ease, and were happy with the clean bedding and personal spaces they found at the top.

And just in time. The first of the five litters was born that night in the straw. 11 strong, healthy piglets!

This birthing sow is extraordinary in her ability to care for her young, provide an abundance of nourishing milk, and produce large litters. We never tire of this glorious event. With the resilient Tamworth, we bear witness year round to the vigor and capability inherent in their breed.