Home to roast ... I mean roost!!!

Finally after a couple of days of false starts, the Mangalitsa piggies arrived this morning. They were delivered straight into their pen by Ashley, our supplier, after he'd managed to reverse his pig trailer up into the old hay barn.

The extraordinary looking creatures were ushered out of the trailer quite smartly and into their new pen to explore their new home. Timid at first but came round quite quickly once they'd got their bearings. Hilarious to watch, they charged around the grassland, weaving in and out of the large overgrown clumps of weeds. I'm sure they'll make light work of that lot in a very short space of time! they really are captivating to watch, not only because they are the most unusual looking pigs, but because of the way they are around one another in a herd. At first glance they look like scatty dogs racing about, its only when you get up closer that you realise they sport snouts!

We switched on the newly erected electric fence and set about sorting out some pig nuts for them to make them feel right at home. After watching them for ages we went inside for a cup of tea feeling really good about the new arrivals. I suppose we really are a smallholding now ...and I have to say it feels great!

The piggies seem to be settling in quite well although they are a little disturbed by the large Chinook helicopters that insist on flying so low over the farm. I hate the damn things, the whole house shakes and they constantly wake up my little girl when I put her down for her afternoon nap. I'm sure they'll get used to them as time goes on.

I am very proud of myself for not becoming emotionally attached to them and for not naming them ...a fatal mistake!!! Besides it would be impossible to give them individual names as you really can't tell them apart at all. I have stood and watched them for ages trying to pick out distinguishing features but there just aren't any, they are identical.

We are now thinking of buying a couple more sows so that we can breed them next year. It would be such a shame to get such a fantastic breed and then let them all go to slaughter without thinking of our Pork stocks for the future.

So there we are, four very happy piggies and four very happy piggy owners!