Unethical to knowingly allow my swine to wander into wheat field?

It was a hard year here. I've never had the pigs roam off the property before but they are now, right across the street and into the wheat field. It's already been harvested, the wheat. Except it was a bad year for them and there were so many weeds in spots that they left it uncut. So, I haven't locked the pigs up yet because I figure they aren't taking anything from the farmer. Yet, I feel like I shouldn't be letting them. SO, what do ya'll think.

I think a quick chat with the farmer might easy any doubts about ethics. While he may have harvested his crop and left some standing, he might have some unknown to you plans for that wheat or maybe he's trialing some kind of experiment. I believe that with swine and porcine nature, it's not just the wheat but it's the farmers soil too that is receiving some sort of impact. I like to think that a quick apology about your swine getting into his wheat might open the door to a lovely chat and he may readily say something like "nah don't worry about it. The pigs can have what they want."

If it was not my property, I would quickly get my pigs off of it. Then I would seek permission.  I see no need to discuss ethics. This is being a good neighbor.

I've lived in places where farmers can shoot anything on their land that they don't want there, and while the pigs aren't eating the wheat, you never know what people are going to do. I would round up the pigs, go talk to the farmer just like James says, and it might turn out that the pigs can help mow and fertilize, and eat the weeds, and everyone might be happy. Imagine if that patch is greener and more lush next year? That would be pretty cool.

What they said, for the same reasons.

Looking at it another way ... those pigs are on his property & therefore could be in his freezer.

James Freyr wrote:I think a quick chat with the farmer might easy any doubts about ethics. While he may have harvested his crop and left some standing, he might have some unknown to you plans for that wheat or maybe he's trialing some kind of experiment. I believe that with swine and porcine nature, it's not just the wheat but it's the farmers soil too that is receiving some sort of impact. I like to think that a quick apology about your swine getting into his wheat might open the door to a lovely chat and he may readily say something like "nah don't worry about it. The pigs can have what they want."

It's absolutely because of the weeds growing in it. It's little splotches that went unharvested in otherwise fully harvested fields. You can see the mass of weeds in it.

Not being argumentative or dismissive but I just have the two american guinea hogs right now and I can't imagine they're doing any damage that the gigantic tractors the farmer uses isn't already doing.

I will try to talk to the farmer. It's a leased field and I'm not positive who is leasing it.

Mike Barkley wrote:What they said, for the same reasons.

Looking at it another way ... those pigs are on his property & therefore could be in his freezer.

That's what my husband says. lol I would watch in fascination to see how they lifted the beasts up into their truck.

John F Dean wrote:If it was not my property, I would quickly get my pigs off of it. Then I would seek permission.  I see no need to discuss ethics. This is being a good neighbor.

I technically live in a fence out state.

Now do I want to fight with the farmer? Absolutely not! He can till up our whole road in a minute and we'd be screwed!!!

elle sagenev wrote:

Mike Barkley wrote:What they said, for the same reasons.

Looking at it another way ... those pigs are on his property & therefore could be in his freezer.

That's what my husband says. lol I would watch in fascination to see how they lifted the beasts up into their truck.

I don`t think most farmers would have any issue handling a couple hogs.. I can think of about 5 different ways I could load a hog in the 500lb range; most of them would work for a 1200lb steer, too... Tractor bucket, loader bucket, 3-pt hitch hoist, come-along/chain hoist/winch plus ramp... or the quickest method, take the trailer and jack up the front so the back is nice and low, then two people could just drag them on, unless we're talking real heavy hogs... Bet I could be rolling out with them loaded 20 mins after pulling up..


In practice it is almost certainly not a problem for the land, but it would be considered pretty impolite to not ask permission in my area.


...Gosh, I would be delighted if volunteer bacon appeared on my land! Yum! I would have to have a long conversation with myself about whether I am that sort of jerk...

D Nikolls wrote:

elle sagenev wrote:

Mike Barkley wrote:What they said, for the same reasons.

Looking at it another way ... those pigs are on his property & therefore could be in his freezer.

That's what my husband says. lol I would watch in fascination to see how they lifted the beasts up into their truck.

I don`t think most farmers would have any issue handling a couple hogs.. I can think of about 5 different ways I could load a hog in the 500lb range; most of them would work for a 1200lb steer, too... Tractor bucket, loader bucket, 3-pt hitch hoist, come-along/chain hoist/winch plus ramp... or the quickest method, take the trailer and jack up the front so the back is nice and low, then two people could just drag them on, unless we're talking real heavy hogs... Bet I could be rolling out with them loaded 20 mins after pulling up..


In practice it is almost certainly not a problem for the land, but it would be considered pretty impolite to not ask permission in my area.


...Gosh, I would be delighted if volunteer bacon appeared on my land! Yum! I would have to have a long conversation with myself about whether I am that sort of jerk...

If they showed up with a horse trailer my pigs come when called so they could just have them walk right in and take off. Shooting them first, now that would make it a wee bit harder!

I'll ask, I'll ask. One of my neighbors might know the name of the people leasing it and I'll ask.

I'm territorial. I have a serious problem with anyone who thinks they can use my property at will and justifies it by telling themselves that they're "not really hurting anything".

You would not believe the kinds of damage people will try to justify with that line. It doesn't matter if YOU don't think the pigs are hurting anything. What matters is if the owner of that field thinks they're hurting anything. And keep in mind that to a territorial person, trespassing IS hurting.

I'm going to stop typing, because this is kind of a sore spot right now.

Ellendra Nauriel wrote:I'm territorial. I have a serious problem with anyone who thinks they can use my property at will and justifies it by telling themselves that they're "not really hurting anything".

You would not believe the kinds of damage people will try to justify with that line. It doesn't matter if YOU don't think the pigs are hurting anything. What matters is if the owner of that field thinks they're hurting anything. And keep in mind that to a territorial person, trespassing IS hurting.

I'm going to stop typing, because this is kind of a sore spot right now.

I couldn't agree more.  

You might be amazed what a couple pigs might cause. Have you heard of The Pig War. The story goes that they almost triggered a war between America and Great Britain. This story has a happy ending of sorts.
https://www.nps.gov/sajh/learn/historyculture/the-pig-war.htm

I would not want someone unknown walking thru my property, likewise their animal, even though they are not doing any harm. If you just don't care and want to take the risk, and ask for forgiveness vs permission, that also an option. However don't be surprise if things turn sour very quickly and escalate. Esp given that he already is stressed out/mentally unwell due to the fact that the crop didn't do well, covid is stressing everyone out and the minority lives matter, geopolitical struggles that we are all facing.

Unethical? Yes and it is illegal wyoming is a fence out state but not for pigs.

Wyoming

§ 11-26-101. Prohibited generally; liability of owner; penalty.  (a)  It is unlawful for the owner of any swine, goats or domestic elk to allow such animals to run at large within Wyoming. Any owner who permits or causes such animals to run at large within Wyoming, is liable for damages incurred by any person by reason thereof in a civil action

However if you ask he'll quite possibly say yes. I have a barley field that has been harvested, there are some areas round the edges that have standing barley and of course the combine never gets it all. There's also some patches of thistle roots I wouldn't mind someone putting their pigs on it before it is ploughed but I would really object to waking up to pigs on it randomly.

I would ask him if you can run the pigs in the uncut areas it would do him a favour as well, BUT he might have issues with liability that stop him saying yes, or he might not know when the plough is going to be coming and not want livestock in the way.