Hog Heaven At M & M Hogs

About ten miles west out of Long Creek lives one of the most interesting people that I’ve met in in these parts. Tammy Manning and her husband Mark, own the Painted Manning Ranch, but M&M Hogs? Well the hogs are Tammy’s babies. About a month ago, right before farrowing season (that’s birthing for hogs, ya’ll) her barn burnt down. You can see some of those pictures here. Now that is where all of the farrowing rooms were, so Tammy had to scramble to create farrowing pens for her sows. Now, visiting the farm is quite an experience because you just don’t know where you will see Sows ready to farrow, Sows who’ve just farrowed and little piglets everywhere!

I got to take some pictures recently while Tammy showed a group of 4H kids around and talked hog with them.

Personally, you say hog to me and I turn and run. No doubt this is a deeply embedded fear of hogs due to childhood trauma, but besides that, these animals are huge and they have lots of sharp teeth. If you want to see bravery in action, just go to a hog show at the fair and watch the kids show their hogs. Tammy’s hogs are nice to the point that the sows just let the 4H kids look at their piglets without menacing or biting them. They were really sweet. As was Tammy’s boar (That’s poppa, ya’ll).

Tammy explained to the kids how the farrow, or group of piglets, needs to stay really warm the first few weeks of life and showed them how she keeps heat lamps and such safe while keeping everyone happy. After tramping all over the farm, everyone kicked off their boots and went inside to see how detailed record keeping makes for happy hogs and happy 4H kids. She actually planned her farrowing dates so that the pigs optimum weight would coincide with each county fair over on the east side. She then gave a serious lecture on feeding, exercise and showing.  I drove home smelling like hogs, but thanks to Tammy, it smelled pretty sweet! You can see the whole show on my flickr page.

Poppa Boar looks through the bars of his pen

Advertisement