Before replacing my pig passion with birdiness, and before Mathilda experienced her growth spurt, I purchased another little piglet – Vegemite – who happened to be Mathilda’s half-sister. This worked out beautifully because our dogs (two miniature – yes miniature – dachschunds) hated Mathilda, so she was a bit lonely. Mathilda and Vegemite adored each other.
However, it wasn’t long after the above picture was taken that both pigs became bored with simply nibbling grass and began to dig and I mean DIG! For those of you tempted to get a pet pig, let me tell you pigs dig; they dig with their snouts and they dig fast. In the space of a few seconds Mathilda and Vegemite would dig holes the size of small craters. I could have planted a forest if I had wanted to.
So, in the face of Husband’s and Son’s fury, I was forced to put them in the chook pen which, because it was winter and raining, soon became a dam of sorts. When noone was looking, I would let them out to free range with explicit instructions not to dig, but to them a patch of pristine lawn was like a gift, so confining them to the pig pen (the chooks had moved out) became the norm.
And, yes, Vegemite also grew rather big, so when the pig farmer took Mathilda, he also took Vegemite. But their largeness was to their advantage because the first thing the farmer said was “bloody hell, they’re way beyond slaughtering – meat would be too tough – I’ll use them for breeding.” I tried not to appear too shocked because it hadn’t occurred to me that he might want to eat them!
jmgoyder 
Reblogged this on jmgoyder and commented:
Feeling a bit nostalgic!
Just got home from a big day out with Ming and my best friend Tony so I am cheating today by reblogging an older post from what seems like 100 years ago! Both Mathilda and Vegemite have both had piglets now and are happy as pigs in shxx at a proper pig farm!
So glad the didn’t become dinner. Wow they’re big.
Yeah and the breeder said they were minis -ha!
Suppose you could have got them leads and been taken for walks!
They were very tame – I could hug them and all that and I was actually tempted to ‘walk’ them but they got soooo huge sooo fast – they would have been dragging me along!
Thank goodness they weren’t eaten. I think it’s a big mistake to name animals if they’re for the table. It would be like killing your best friend. They sure are big (& I loved the story).
You are so right re the naming thing!
My mom had a traumatic experience with a lamb she took on as a pet when she was a little girl and consequently could not eat lamb. I am glad your pigs were “saved”. Reality really is a ..itch.
My husband had same kind of experience as your mom when he was a kid – having to eat his pet duck one Christmas – how terrible.
that would make me sick at heart, if someone was contemplating eating my pet
I am so relieved that both pigs are okay in their new place!
me also!
I am still not receiving any email notifications re your blog or anyone else’s so am relying on the reader option to keep up – argh!
that is terrible! and i wrote a too long fictional story also,called, The Drifter, don’t recollect of you have read it or not. different style, different topic
I am going to check The Drifter out right now!
thank you
welcome!
One time being too fat was a good thing!!
Too true!
I am sorry but when I read vegemite I want toast with vegemite on it………..and not any type of pork product………….lol
Hehe!